M3:3807 — مسکن یارست و شهر شاه من / پیش عاشق این بود حب الوطن

This couplet comes at a pivotal moment in the story of the lawyer (vakil) who has fallen deeply in love with a noble personage in Bukhara. Having been sent away by his master, the lawyer finds himself consumed by longing. Despite the dangers and the potential wrath of his master, he resolves to return to Bukhara, driven solely by his intense love.

The preceding lines describe his burning desire and his willingness to face any consequence. He declares, 'Though my heart makes a stone-hard decision, my soul resolves for Bukhara' (M3:3806). This couplet, M3:3807, then provides the profound justification for his seemingly reckless act. He is not merely returning to a city; he is returning to 'the dwelling of the Beloved' and 'the city of my King.' For a lover, Rumi explains, this is the true meaning of hubb al-watan (love of homeland).

In Sufi thought, hubb al-watan is often interpreted allegorically. While literally meaning 'love of one's country,' it is transformed into 'love of one's original home'—the spiritual realm, the presence of God, or the Beloved from whom the soul has been separated. The lawyer's journey to Bukhara thus becomes a metaphor for the soul's yearning to return to its divine origin, its true 'homeland' being wherever the Divine Beloved resides. His physical journey is a manifestation of a deeper, spiritual quest, illustrating how worldly attachments can become a bridge to divine love when purified by sincere devotion.