M6:3621 — جز کسانی را که وا گردند از آن / در بهار فضل آیند از خزان

Translation: Except for those who turn back from that (state), They shall enter the spring of grace from autumn.

Meaning: This verse offers the path to salvation from delusion: through repentance and turning back to God, one can transition from the bleak, barren season of heedlessness and wretchedness into the fruitful and delightful spring of divine grace and favor.

This verse, following Mowlana's vivid description of those ensnared by the 'ghoul' (deceiver) and the 'gūl' (deceived), who are deprived of felicity, presents the path to salvation. The phrase "واگردند از آن" (turn back from that) signifies repentance and a return: a turning from the "autumn of infelicity and wretchedness" to the "spring of felicity" and divine grace. Mowlana stresses that God is not merely an acceptor of repentance (Tawba-pazīr), but is Himself Tawwāb – He who turns to His servants, instilling remorse and regret in their hearts to guide them back to their Sovereign, the "best of rulers" (Niʿma al-Amīr).

The cosmic reaction to this return is astonishing. When Mowlana says, "When they groan in regret, / The Throne quakes from the sinners' wailing," we must understand this not as a literal trembling of a physical throne or human emotion in the Divine Essence, but as a metaphor for a profound, cosmic event. This signifies that the entire cosmos, God's "heart" (metaphorically speaking), all angels, and all beings, rejoice at the servant's return and repentance. They "celebrate, clamor, clap, and dance"; it is a universal celebration for the salvation of a contrite soul. Angels not only congratulate but assist the repentant, warding off evil forces and enveloping them in protection.

Mowlana employs the evocative image of divine re-purchase: "O you whose God has bought you back from pride/deception." God acts like a "customer" (muštarī), redeeming the servant from the grasp of deceptive thieves and even from their own lower self, as stated in the Quran: "Indeed, God has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise." This is a liberation from the captivity of the commanding self (nafs-e ammārah) and the machinations of deceivers.

The outcome of this return is an entrance into the "gardens of grace" (riyāḍ-e faḍl) and a "seat of truth" (maqʿad-e ṣidq) in the presence of the "Forgiving Lord" (Rabb-e Ghafūr). Crucially, the sustenance (rizq) for these repentant souls will no longer come through material intermediaries or a "spout" (nāv-dān), but directly "from the Divine Will" (az havā-ye ḥaqq). This reflects the profound yearning of every mystic to receive directly from God's hand, for "When the sea became jealous of intermediaries, / The thirsty one, like a fish, abandoned the water-skin." The true mystic regards even Paradise as an intermediary, seeking the ʿindīyat – direct presence with God – which is the pinnacle of reward and the highest heaven. This verse powerfully illustrates that God is ever-present and awaiting the return of His servants; it is we who have strayed, and the path back is perpetually open.

Key takeaways

• Repentance and return are the path to salvation from delusion and wretchedness.
• God not only accepts repentance but also grants the grace for it.
• The return of a servant has a cosmic impact, bringing joy to all creation.
• This return signifies God's 'repurchase' of the servant from the grip of pride and the commanding self.
• Repentant souls receive sustenance directly from divine grace, bypassing intermediaries; this is the mystic's highest aspiration.