M6:2721 — تا لب جو خندد از آب معین / لب لب جو سر برآرد یاسمین

Translation: So that the riverbank may smile from the pure, flowing water, / And jasmine may emerge upon the very edge of the stream. Meaning: This verse uses a natural metaphor to illustrate the effect of divine presence and grace: just as clear water invigorates a stream and causes flowers to bloom, so too does God's favor revitalize the soul and the world, bringing forth beauty and joy.

I have often stated that Mevlana, siding with the Sufi, affirms that “a cash slap is better than a credit dessert.” This beyt is significant because it defines this “cash” (naqd) not merely as a slap, but as the Beloved’s life-giving presence. Here, the stream of life overflows with āb-e moʿīn, meaning pure, running divine water. This water bestows such freshness upon it that it seems to “smile.” This smile of the riverbank is a symbol of the vitality and joy that radiates from God’s immediate and “cash” presence upon the world. Mevlana immediately clarifies in the following beyt: “When you see lush greenness upon the riverbank, / Then know from afar that there is water there.” This means that the vibrancy and greenery we observe on the river’s edge are themselves signs of a flowing and thriving life. Mevlana employs this example to illuminate the state of mystics and spiritual travelers: when you approach an accomplished mystic and find them overflowing with spiritual expansion and lightness, when you witness them soaring in such joyful states that their serenity and happiness even contagiously affect you, then know that there is a truth to be found. Know that this person has drunk from an āb-e moʿīn and has attained a direct, “cash” presence. Just as greenery and jasmine emerge on the riverbank, so too does spiritual life manifest from the divine presence upon the heart of the mystic. This reference to “jasmine,” a symbol of beauty and sweet fragrance, indicates that this presence is not merely an internal state; rather, it yields external, fragrant fruits that others can sense and benefit from. This is precisely the meaning of “sīmāhum fī wujūhihim min athar al-sujūd” (their sign is in their faces from the mark of prostration); internal signs that manifest externally. This beyt, in essence, is an invitation to perceive the signs of God’s presence in the world and in the being of perfected human beings. Mevlana calls upon us not to overlook superficial appearances, but to look with the eye of insight at these signs and, through the “footprint,” reach the “gazelle.” What befalls the mystic are not merely personal experiences; rather, they are universal manifestations that invite others towards the source of this life.

Key takeaways

• Divine “cash” presence (naqd) is the true source of joy and vitality, not distant promises.
• The stream of life smiles with āb-e moʿīn (pure divine presence), causing jasmine (spiritual beauty and fragrance) to bloom.
• The spiritual lightness and expansive state of mystics are definitive signs of their access to the spiritual “water of life.”
• Mevlana invites us to perceive the signs of God’s presence both in the world and within perfected human beings.