M6:3022 — وام‌داران روترش او شادکام / هم‌چو گل خندان از آن روض الکرام

Translation: The sour-faced debtors see him joyful, Like a laughing flower from that Garden of the Generous (rowz al-kerām). Meaning: This verse describes a dervish burdened by debt yet joyful and radiant like a flower, buoyed by his trust in the generosity of the Mohtaseb of Tabriz, who is portrayed as a "Garden of the Generous."

This verse, while seemingly a simple narrative detail about a dervish and the Mohtaseb of Tabriz, in fact unveils a profound truth central to Mowlana’s worldview. He portrays a dervish burdened by considerable debt, a condition that would typically cause profound sadness and a 'sour face' (ro-torosh) among ordinary debtors. Yet, this dervish is shād-kām—joyful and content—because his reliance is placed not on his own limited means but on the boundless generosity of the Mohtaseb, whom Mowlana metaphorically calls a 'Garden of the Generous' (rowz al-kerām). This 'garden' is where all magnanimous souls 'stroll and reside,' a wellspring of constant giving.

I insist that this inner joy is a testament to Mowlana's light-souled and exultant spirit, which permeates the entire Masnavi. The dervish's joy stems from his inner peace and certitude, not from the actual discharge of his debt. He is so certain of this immense source of generosity that he has banished the sorrow of indebtedness from his heart. As I have often remarked, the Masnavi is not a book of grief; it is a book that polishes away grief (jalāʾ al-aḥzān). This verse is a clear manifestation of that truth: the outward, material condition of being indebted is entirely overshadowed and transcended by the inner spiritual state of certainty in generosity. Worldly and material concerns cannot diminish the true joy of one connected to the source of munificence.

The 'Garden of the Generous' should not be confined merely to a historical figure. This is precisely the 'spiritual sea' that Mowlana speaks of, the Absolute Being and Self-Sufficient One who remedies all needs. The dervish in this verse is neither complaining nor sorrowful; he is a narrator of the blessed state of connection to the infinite source, like a flower that laughs and blossoms by relying on a bountiful garden. This embodies the fundamental difference between judāʾī (separation) and tanhāʾī (loneliness); the dervish feels separation from his origin, but he is never alone, for he is deeply attached to the presence and generosity of that 'Garden of the Generous.' He knows that a Helper exists, a Responder is present; thus, sorrow cannot touch his heart, and he remains shād-kām.

Key takeaways

• True joy originates from inner certainty, not external circumstances.
• Divine generosity is an unending, bountiful garden, perpetually sustaining and hopeful.
• The inner spiritual state triumphs over outward material conditions.
• Trust and reliance on the source of munificence offer a path to liberation from sorrows and worries.
• An illustration of Mowlana's teaching that exhilaration and delight are possible even amidst difficulties.