M6:4015 — جز خیالی را که دید آن اتفاق / آنگهش بعدالعیان افتد فراق

Translation: Except for an imagination that witnessed that event (of union), And then, after that vision, separation befell it. Meaning: Only the imagination that has once experienced the ultimate unity, and subsequently fallen into separation, can still conceive of that reality.

This profound and contemplative verse appears late in the sixth book of the Masnavi, where Rumi's language reaches an apex of conciseness and complexity. It is, undoubtedly, one of those condensed expressions where, if not indicative of a slight diminishment in creative flow, one must at least interpret it as a densification of meaning, with each word carrying multiple layers of significance. In the preceding verse (M6:4014), Rumi states: “The dwelling of the Simurghs is beyond Qaf / Not every imagination is woven by hand [i.e., can reach them].” The Simurgh, the mythical bird symbolizing perfection, unity, and ultimate truth, resides on Mount Qaf, beyond the reach of ordinary imagination or illusion. No conventional or earthly khayāl (imagination, thought, or mental image) is capable of directly grasping or 'weaving' it.

Yet, Rumi immediately introduces an exception: “Except for an imagination that witnessed that event.” Which event? The very “seeing of the Simurgh,” the experience of unity, the true union. Therefore, only an imagination that has previously, in some manner, “seen” and “experienced” it can comprehend the Simurgh or find its way to it. This “seeing” is not visual in a physical sense, but an apprehension akin to intuition and direct spiritual arrival (wuṣūl). It is here that the issue of separation (firaq) arises. Such an imagination, after that vision (al-ʿiyān), has become afflicted by firaq; that is, it has been cut off from that state of unity and returned to the realm of multiplicity.

This firaq, however, is not an ordinary separation. This detachment is not a complete “cutting off” forever. Rumi, in subsequent verses, refers to it as a “separation by expediency” (firaq-i maṣlaḥatī). Just as the sun temporarily withdraws its light from snow to prevent it from melting, or as the Prophet (PBUH), after intense spiritual experiences and ascensions, would say to Aisha (or Humayra), “Kallimīnī yā Humayrā” (Speak to me, Humayra), to find solace from the fervor of the higher realms through her earthly speech. This is a tactical retreat, not a rejection or a lack of affection. It is a pause to regain strength and a necessary rest to continue the journey. Thus, the firaq of this khayāl is not a sign of rejection, but rather a sign of “preservation” and “well-being” (ṣalāḥ).

This point reveals the profound depth of Rumi’s philosophy concerning separation. In Rumi's view, separation never signifies “loneliness” (tanhā'ī). Tanhā'ī is an existentialist concept that assumes humanity is fundamentally alone, lacking any connection to origin or destiny. However, firaq in mysticism always recalls a “prior union” and carries the promise of a “future reunion.” The khayāl that has “witnessed that event” and is now experiencing “separation” carries a hidden memory of its origin. It is this memory that grants it the capacity to “see the Simurgh,” even in the absence of direct union. This imagination, imbued with that memory, is no longer a raw fantasy; rather, it is a khayāl that has taken on the color of truth and nurtured the “birds of divine presence” (ṭuyūr-i min ladun) within its consciousness.

Key takeaways

• Only an imagination that has previously experienced divine unity and subsequently undergone separation can truly conceive of ultimate truth (the Simurgh).
• Separation (firaq) in Rumi's view is not a radical break but an 'expedient separation' for the soul's preservation and preparation for future reunion.
• This firaq differs fundamentally from existential 'loneliness' (tanhā'ī), as it always retains the memory of a prior union and the hope of future reunification.
• The experience of unity leaves a sacred memory or trace within the human imagination, even after separation, acting as a beacon to its origin.
• Rumi's language in the later books of the Masnavi often reaches a peak of conciseness and complexity, indicating a densification and profound depth of meaning.