M6:3653 — خود بدان قلعه نمی‌شد خیلشان / خود نمی‌افتاد آن سو میلشان

Translation: Had that father not uttered these words, / And not warned against that castle, / Their multitude would not have gone to that castle, / Their inclination would not have fallen in that direction. Meaning: Mowlana here observes that the prohibition of an action or place often intensifies human desire and inclination towards it. Had the father not forbidden access to the castle, the princes would never have been drawn to it.

This couplet is drawn from the allegorical tale of a king who forbids his three sons from entering a certain forbidden castle. This narrative is, without doubt, a symbolic and paradigmatic exposition of profound truths concerning the human psyche and the spiritual journey. The forbidden castle here is not merely a geographical location; it symbolizes what Mowlana calls the 'mind-stealing castle' (qal'e-ye hūsh-robā) and the 'castle full of forms' (qal'e-ye por az sūrat), a place replete with worldly attractions and deceptive configurations. The father's prohibition against entering this castle, far from deterring the princes' inclination, precisely ignites the spark of desire and curiosity in their hearts. It is as if the human soul, by its very nature, is drawn to that which is forbidden.

I regard this as a profound psychological insight that Mowlana offers into the nature and structure of humanity. He explicitly states this truth: Al-insānu ḥarīṣu mā munuʿa – 'Man is greedy for that which is forbidden.' This phrase, recognized in the Arabic language as a proverb or even attributed to prophets, represents an undeniable reality concerning common people. This inclination towards the forbidden does not arise from an inherent, unique allure of the forbidden thing itself, but rather, the very act of prohibition lifts a veil, inviting us to curiosity and to cross the boundary. This is precisely what many Western philosophers and psychologists have articulated, in various forms, regarding freedom, limitation, and the desire to transcend boundaries.

Thus, this couplet is not a simple observation, but an analysis of the mechanism of human will. If something remains hidden from human perception, and one is unaware of its existence, no desire for it arises. However, as soon as a prohibition is imposed, that thing shifts from the periphery of the unknown to the center of attention, and desire for it is kindled in the heart. Mowlana here points to the subtle truth that many worldly attractions, before being inherently appealing, enter our hearts and souls under the label of 'forbidden,' awakening our desires. This is a lesson in the cultivation of the soul and the wisdom of prohibition and permission: that sometimes the best way to render something insignificant is to leave it unrestricted, and sometimes prohibition intensifies the fire of desire a hundredfold.

Key takeaways

• Prohibition often sparks desire and curiosity in the human heart.
• The human inclination towards the forbidden is a deep, inherent psychological trait.
• The allure of some things lies not in their essence, but in their prohibition.
• The tale of the forbidden castle is an allegory for the soul's pull towards deceptive worldly forms.