M6:3076 — حاصل این کزلبس خویشش پرده ساخت / که نفوذ آن قمر را می‌شناخت

Translation: The outcome was that from his own garment he made a veil; / For he knew the penetrating power of that moon-like face. Meaning: This verse refers to the tale of Moses, who, after returning from Mount Sinai, had to fashion a veil from his own clothes to shield his face, which shone intensely from divine effulgence, as he knew others could not bear its light.

Mowlana here alludes to a story deeply rooted in our religious texts, one rich with meaning. When Moses, peace be upon him, returned from Mount Sinai after that tremendous divine manifestation, his face became so exceptionally luminous and radiant that no one, not even his wife, could bear to look upon it. The light of his being reflected the divine effulgence, searing ordinary eyes.

It is for this very reason that the command came for Moses to cast a veil from his own 'cloak' or 'garment' over his face. The crucial point, as Mowlana emphasizes, is that this veil had to be made from 'his own garment.' Why? Because that garment had attained a certain 'consubstantiality' (ham-jinsi) and 'special intimacy' (uns-i khās) with Moses and his spirit. This garment, in those states of mystical rapture, had been a companion to Moses, as if it had itself partaken of that light and manifestation. In other words, this was no ordinary cloth; it had become 'acquainted with that fire from before,' to borrow Mowlana's phrase for the 'sookhte' (wick). This exemplifies the principle of 'kindredness' (jinsiyat) and affinity, which is profoundly strong and prevalent in the Masnavi: only like joins with like; only that which is acquainted with a essence can contain it or serve as a veil for it.

This is why Mowlana states: 'If the veil had been of other than his garment, / It would have torn, even if it were a two-layered mountain.' Even a mighty, two-layered mountain would have disintegrated before this light, just as the Quran states that if God's word were to descend upon a mountain, it would crumble. This illustrates that an ordinary veil, or any material alien to that light, would lack the resilience to withstand it. Only a garment that had become one with that light could endure it and act as a mediator.

This narrative is an emblem of a more universal truth about divine manifestation in the cosmos. God does not shine overtly; rather, He reveals Himself from within mirrors and manifestations. The world is a mirror of divine beauty, and each mirror, according to its capacity, reflects that infinite beauty. Moses's face, in that state, had become a mirror of divine beauty, and his garment, a veil for that mirror. This veil was not for concealment but for the 'possibility of seeing'; it was to temper the radiant light so that the imperfect eyes of creatures could bear it. This is a tangible example of the truth that 'the transcendent becomes naturalized' (māvarā-ye tabi'at tabi'i mi-shavad)—meaning, when trans-natural reality enters the world, it takes on natural form and manifests through appropriate channels.

In this context, Mowlana also refers to the story of Safura, Moses's wife, who also lost her eyesight by gazing upon Moses's face. This underscores the profound penetration and power of Moses's face, necessitating a very particular kind of veil. This veil itself was a sign of the subtlety and, simultaneously, the power of that manifestation, which mediated through 'kindredness' so that a light that could blind might ultimately find a way for imperfect vision.

Key takeaways

• Divine effulgence is so intense that even a prophet's face becomes unviewable, requiring mediation.
• Only that which is 'kindred' and 'acquainted' with the divine light can mediate it and protect others from its penetrating power.
• The story of Moses veiling his face with his own garment illustrates Mowlana's principle of 'congeniality' (jinsiyat) in mystical experience.
• The veil was not for concealment but for tempering the manifestation, allowing for partial vision; God shines through mirrors, not overtly.
• This verse demonstrates that 'the transcendent becomes naturalized' (māvarā-ye tabi'at tabi'i mi-shavad), implying sacred reality manifests through suitable worldly forms.