M1:1719 — غیرت آن باشد که او غیر همه‌ست / آنکه افزون از بیان و دمدمه‌ست

Translation: Ghayrat (divine zeal/jealousy) is that He is other than all; He who is beyond expression and clamor. Meaning: This verse asserts that God, in His essence and oneness, is utterly distinct and superior to all else, and His perfection transcends any attempt at verbal description or worldly clamor.

Here, I address a crucial point that Rumi emphasizes throughout the Masnavi, and this verse encapsulates its essence: ghayrat-i Ḥaqq (divine zeal or jealousy). For Rumi, this concept is not merely a moral attribute; it is a fundamental pillar of his monotheism and ontology.

By stating that ghayrat is that He is "other than all" (ghayr-i hameh), Rumi means that God is absolutely unique and unparalleled in His being. This "otherness" is not merely about being "different"; it signifies being "transcendent" and "beyond comparison." The existence of the Divine is so singular and simple that it cannot be likened to anything else in the world, nor does it tolerate any partner. He is "other than all" in the sense that He is the absolute One.

Recall the discussion I initiated at the beginning of the Masnavi regarding why it does not commence with Bismillāh ar-Raḥmān ar-Raḥīm. I argued that this absence is not due to Rumi's forgetfulness or lack of faith, but rather springs from this very ghayrat-i Ḥaqq. The Beloved's Name is too precious to be treated as common currency, to be spent in every market; it should not be used in every gathering or utterance unless the spiritual state and station truly demand it. In the Masnavi, the Name of God sometimes appears as "moon" and "sun," or through the pen-name "Silent" (Khāmūsh), to safeguard this divine zeal. This immediacy and transcendence of the Divine, beyond mere words, is also evident in the second half of the verse: "He who is beyond expression and clamor." The Truth is beyond all human talk, all our words and phrases. Our pen can never truly attire His lofty stature with the garment of expression.

Furthermore, this ghayrat-i Ḥaqq manifests in Rumi's stance against lamenting the past. When the merchant in the story of the parrot cries "alas" (darīghā) for his lost parrot, Rumi refers him to the preceding verse: "It was the jealousy of God, and with God there is no remedy." What does this mean? It means that when the Divine has taken something from you, there is no place for regret or sorrow; for this is precisely His jealousy, His desire that His servant's heart not be preoccupied with anything other than Him, not even a past that has gone. He does not want our hearts to remain attached to what we have lost; rather, He desires our entire being for Himself. It is this ghayrat that snatches away anything that is "other" from the stage of our hearts, so that only He remains.

Crying "alas" signifies being severed from the "cash of the present" (naqd-i ḥāl), which is essentially dwelling in the past. But the Divine is ibn al-waqt (child of the moment) and desires us to be ibn al-waqt as well. He does not wish us to drown in sweet or bitter memories of the past. Recall Rumi's anger towards Sheikh Badruddin, who, in the gathering of companions, spoke of Shams and remembered him with "pity" and "alas." Rumi asked, "What business does 'pity' have among us?" This is a general rule: when ghayrat-i Ḥaqq is at work, there is no place for "other" attachments, for all attention and being must be directed towards that inexpressible One.

Key takeaways

• Ghayrat-i Ḥaqq signifies God's absolute oneness and unparalleled nature.
• The concept of divine jealousy implies God's transcendence beyond all comparison and description.
• The Divine Name is so precious it should not be used casually; this stems from divine ghayrat.
• Divine truth transcends all human words and expressions, incapable of being described by mere "clamor."
• Ghayrat-i Ḥaqq prevents the heart from clinging to the past or dwelling in regret; the heart must be devoted to the present moment.