M6:2437 — آن یکی شاخ دگر پرید زود / تا جوار کعبه که عرفات بود

Translation: That other branch quickly took flight, Towards the proximity of the Kaʿba, which was ʿArafāt. Meaning: This verse describes a part of the Jew's mystical dream where a segment of the divinely transfigured Mount Sinai flies towards the Kaʿba and ʿArafāt, hinting at a future prophetic unfolding.

Following the profound and wondrous dream narrated by the Jewish character, Mevlana presents an astonishing image: Mount Sinai, imbued and rent into three branches by the light of divine manifestation, with each branch moving in a different direction. One sweetens the bitter sea water, another brings forth a healing spring. But this third branch, this fragment of the mountain, takes flight and swiftly soars towards the Kaʿba and ʿArafāt.

As an exegete of the Masnavi, I contend that in these dream-like descriptions, Mevlana articulates his own deep mystical experiences through the voice of the story's Jew. These are not mere ordinary dreams; they are manifestations, akin to the Quranic "heavy word" (qawl-i thaqīl), that shatter phenomena, transform them, and impart a new direction. The very mountain upon which the divine light shines is torn into pieces; this alludes to the sheer weight and awe of God's word, which rendered Moses unconscious and breaks all resistance.

As we observe throughout the Masnavi, Mevlana rarely yields to pre-fabricated ta'wilāt (symbolic interpretations) or clichéd allegories. Indeed, Mulla Hadi Sabzevari and others have interpreted these mountain branches as representing wilāyat (spiritual guardianship), prophethood, and other specific concepts. However, I personally refrain from imposing such definitive interpretations on Mevlana's text. If Mevlana himself intended these meanings, he would undoubtedly have expressed them explicitly. We must adhere to the apparent meaning of the story and what Mevlana explicitly states, avoiding the addition of what he has not said.

Nevertheless, we can draw a delicate and probable inference from this image of the mountain branch flying towards the Kaʿba and ʿArafāt. This movement might be an allegory for the preparation of the ground for the advent of another prophet. Mount Sinai and the manifestation to Moses represent one aspect of revelation. Yet, divine revelation and manifestation are continuous and perpetual, and each manifestation can prepare the ground for another, in a different place and time. The flight towards the Kaʿba, the focal point of Abrahamic monotheism and Islam, and ʿArafāt, the site of gnosis and recognition of God, signifies the continuity and expansion of prophethood from one sacred point to another. This movement is a sign of the dynamism and restlessness of divine wisdom, which appears in forms and manifestations, yet is itself formless and absolute.

Thus, this verse not only speaks of an extraordinary dream experience but also, in a subtle and veiled manner, conveys the ongoing divine mercy and guidance, and the flow of revelation throughout human history; a flow that begins at Moses' Sinai and connects to the land of Abraham and Muhammad (PBUH). Although these branches originate from a single root (Sinai), each flies towards a sublime destination, carrying a new mission.

Key takeaways

• Mevlana's narratives of mystical dreams often reflect his own profound spiritual experiences.
• Divine manifestation, akin to the Quranic 'heavy word,' possesses the power to transform and break natural structures.
• Mevlana avoids imposing definitive interpretations or pre-determined symbolism on his text.
• The flight of the mountain branch towards the Kaʿba and ʿArafāt can symbolize the continuity and expansion of divine mission throughout history.
• This verse portrays the unbroken flow of divine revelation and guidance, from Moses to Prophet Muhammad, through a dream experience.