M6:3641 — از قدح‌ گر در عطش آبی خورید / در درون آب حق را ناظرید

Translation: If in thirst you drink water from a cup, in the depths of that water you will behold God. Meaning: This verse asserts that a true lover, even in the simple act of drinking water, perceives the presence and beauty of their Divine Beloved.

This verse, without a doubt, describes the state of lovers, those whose inner eye has been illumined by the beauty of the Beloved. Rumi tells us here that if you belong to the company of lovers, and with spiritual thirst, drink the elixir of water from the cup of existence, in that very water you will behold God. This is not merely a literary metaphor; it is a lived, inner experience that Rumi expresses with eloquent words.

Observe, a lover sees the Beloved present in every breath, in the rising and setting of the sun, and in every moment they intend to drink water from a cup. This is what an Arab poet beautifully described: “I never intended to drink water from a cup but You are my companion; I always saw a vision of You in the glass.” This testifies to the Beloved's absolute dominion over every aspect of the lover's being.

This perspective contrasts sharply with that of the non-lover. Rumi immediately adds: “He who is not a lover sees his own face in the water, O discerning one.” The self-centered individual, devoid of love, sees nothing but their own image when they gaze into a mirror or water. This is where love's liberating role becomes apparent; love is the most crucial factor in freeing man from the prison of the ego and self-centeredness. The lover transcends themselves, becomes annihilated, and since no self remains to be seen in the water, they see nothing but the face of the Beloved. This is fanā fi’l-maʿshūq (annihilation in the Beloved), from which a new human being is born; a being who no longer sees “self” but sees “Him” entirely.

Here, "Divine Jealousy" (ghayrat-e ilāhī) also plays a role. God, out of His "jealousy," does not permit anything other than Himself to be a true beloved or an independent beauty. Rumi states: “His jealousy left no ‘other’ in the world / hence He became the very essence of all things.” This means that due to the Beloved's overwhelming presence and jealousy, no "other" remains for the lover to worship or find beautiful. Consequently, the world and everything in it become the very manifestation of God. This is why lovers even “see the beauty of God in the face of the houris / like the moon in water, by the jealous Creator's art.” The beauty of the houris in paradise is, for them, not inherent to the houris themselves, but a manifestation of God's eternal beauty.

Therefore, this verse is not just about drinking water; it is about "sight." The sight that love bestows upon humans. A sight that goes beyond outward forms and reveals the true manifestation behind every phenomenon. Love is an alchemist; “Even if a demon becomes a lover, he wins the prize / he becomes a Gabriel, and that devil dies.” This alchemy eradicates arrogance and self-importance (nakhwat va nāmūs), freeing man from the inner devil. Every virtue we seek in religion and ethics stems from love, and love paves the way to achieve them all. It is for this reason that one who is a lover, by virtue of their “illuminated eye,” beholds God in every sip of water and sees none but Him.

Key takeaways

• The verse describes the state of lovers who perceive Divine beauty in every action and phenomenon.
• Love liberates humans from self-centeredness and the prison of the ego, leading to annihilation in the Beloved (fanā fi’l-maʿshūq).
• In the lover's perception, since no self remains, everything they see is a manifestation of the Beloved.
• Divine Jealousy ensures that no beloved or independent beauty exists in the world apart from God, making all things a manifestation of Him.
• Love is an alchemy that can transform even a demon into a Gabriel, eradicating vices like arrogance and self-importance.
• The insight of love transcends outward forms, revealing the true manifestation behind every phenomenon.