M1:399 — شمّه‌ای زین حالِ عارف وا نمود / عقل را هم خواب حسّی در ربود

Translation: A glimpse of this state of the mystic (ʿārif) was revealed, And sensory sleep also carried away the intellect of others. Meaning: Mowlana states that the mystic (ʿārif) lives in a state akin to sleep even while awake, perceiving hidden realities, while ordinary intellect remains captivated by mere sensory perception.

This verse continues Mowlana's discourse on the state of the ʿārif, a state that distinguishes them from ordinary people. Mowlana asserts that even in wakefulness, the ʿārif exists in a condition akin to sleep. It's not that their eyes are closed, but rather that the world, for them, becomes like a dream in which they behold visionary scenes and secrets are unveiled—secrets that remain hidden from others in their waking state. This is precisely the 'they are asleep' (حتی هم رقود) mentioned in the Holy Quran concerning the People of the Cave: 'And you would think them awake, while they are asleep' (وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ). The ʿārif is thus; they are not absent from the affairs of the world, yet they are 'freed' from its decrees, speeches, and narratives.

This 'wakeful sleep' allows the ʿārif to perceive the hidden hands that govern the cosmos. The ʿārif experiences themselves as a 'pen in the hand of the turning Lord' (قلم در پنجه تقلیب رب); a pen that possesses no will of its own, but is turned and moved by another. All its motions are orchestrated by a superior power. However, ordinary people, who dwell solely on the surface of senses and appearances, do not perceive this 'hand.' Just as if one does not see the hand that wields the pen, one might assume the pen writes independently and possesses autonomy. This 'independence' and 'self-agency' that we attribute to the pen arise from the limitation of our vision. The ʿārif, however, clearly perceives that 'action is thought to stem from the pen' (فعل پندارد به جنبش از قلم), but this movement, in reality, originates from the hand of another.

Now, to help us comprehend this strange state of the ʿārif, Mowlana draws upon our 'sensory sleep.' He says: 'A glimpse of this state of the mystic (ʿārif) was revealed, and sensory sleep also carried away the intellect of others.' That is, to grasp an aspect of this mystic state, refer to our own ordinary sleep. In sleep, we possess no will or control over our dreams or even our bodily movements. If we toss and turn, it is not by our volition; if we dream, its content is not within our control. There, we are entirely passive, in the hands of other forces. This 'sensory sleep,' which envelops our ordinary intellect and deprives us of will and independence, can serve as a small example of the ʿārif's state. The difference being that the ʿārif, in this passivity, perceives the hand of divine providence, while the intellect of ordinary people, in this 'sensory sleep,' is only concerned with appearances and is unable to see that hand.

Ultimately, this verse illustrates that the ʿārif is a guest in this world, constantly returning to their origin. Through their 'wakefulness within sleep,' they perceive a world hidden from those 'asleep in wakefulness.'

Key takeaways

• The ʿārif exists in a state akin to sleep even while awake, uncaptured by the 'sensory sleep' of this world.
• In the mystic state, the world becomes a dream-like stage revealing hidden divine secrets.
• The ʿārif perceives themselves as a pen in the hand of God, their will subservient to divine command.
• Ordinary people cannot perceive the 'invisible hands' governing the world; their intellect is bound by appearances.
• Mowlana uses the everyday experience of sleep to illustrate the ʿārif's state, showing our own familiarity with lack of will.