M1:610 — حمله‌شان پیدا و ناپیداست باد / آنک ناپیداست هرگز گُم مباد

Translation: Our assault is visible and invisible: the wind / May that which is invisible never be lost. Meaning: Rumi illustrates that our actions, like the movement of a lion depicted on a flag, appear to be our own, but their true impetus comes from a hidden, invisible force (like the wind or divine will).

This verse encapsulates one of Rumi's most profound ontological and theological insights: the unity of actions (toḥīd-e afʿālī) and the intrinsic contingency of human existence. He employs a brilliant metaphor of the 'lion on the banner' (shīr-e ʿalam) to illustrate our human condition relative to the Absolute Being.

I assert with conviction that Rumi, here, means to convey: 'Though we are lions who might believe we launch attacks or initiate actions, this assault and movement originate not from our own essence, but from another force.' This metaphor directly follows verses affirming, 'We are like the reed-flute, and the melody within us is from You / We are like the mountain, and the echo within us is from You.' All our being and doing are manifestations of a power beyond us.

The verse states, 'Our assault is visible and invisible: the wind' (ḥamla-eshān paydā o nāpaydā-st bād). The 'wind' (bād) here signifies that unseen, hidden force which is the source of the lion's movement on the banner. This 'wind' sometimes reveals itself in the visible, tangible motion of the lion, and at other times remains invisible, lurking behind it. This signifies that the true origin of our actions is always concealed, yet its effect is manifest.

The second hemistich is a heartfelt plea: 'May that which is invisible never be lost' (ān-ek nāpaydā-st hargez gom mabād). This reveals the unparalleled value Rumi attributes to that invisible origin. This 'invisibility' is none other than the Absolute Divine Existence, which must always be present and felt, even if unseen. This yearning for the enduring presence of that hidden source is the core of Rumi's toḥīd-e afʿālī; for if that invisible source were lost, our existence and movement would become meaningless.

This perspective does not amount to absolute determinism (jabr); Rumi himself explicitly clarifies that 'This is not determinism; this is the meaning of omnipotence' (īn na jabr, īn maʿnā-ye jabbārī ast). It is an articulation of God's infinite grandeur and dominion, which pours being and motion into contingent non-entities. We are but 'reeds' (ney) that possess no melody of our own, unless a breath from above is blown into us. Therefore, all that exists, originates from that 'Invisible One,' and 'May life be sacrificed for the one who is invisible.' This, then, is a summary of Rumi's profound ontology, where every action and every being is but a wave from the ocean of Absolute Existence.

Key takeaways

• The hidden divine power is the true origin of our actions and movement.
• Our perceived actions are merely external signs of an invisible force's impetus, like a lion on a banner moved by the wind.
• Human beings are ontologically 'hollow reeds' (ney), whose existence and capacity for action stem from the 'Absolute Being.'
• This absolute dependence is an affirmation of the 'unity of actions' (toḥīd-e afʿālī), not fatalistic determinism.