M6:3709 — چونک ریگی آرد شد بهر خلیل / دانک معزولست گندم ای نبیل

Translation: Since sand became flour for Khalil (Abraham), Know, O noble one, that wheat is dismissed (from its essential role). Meaning: This verse alludes to a miracle where sand was turned into flour, implying that the quality of nourishment and satiation does not inherently belong to wheat but emanates from a source beyond mere forms, capable of manifesting in anything.

In this verse, Rumi clearly presents one of the Masnavi's deepest insights: the principle of "form and formlessness" (ṣūrat-o bi-ṣūratī), tracing the origin of this world of forms back to formlessness. This cosmos, he argues, is a collection of "empty cups" into which God has poured the wine of "meaning." Just as Layla is a jug from which God pours the wine of beauty for Majnun, while others drink vinegar from the same vessel, this world is a form of formless realities. These formless realities ascend all the way to the Formless God, who is the Absolute of Absolutes. God is infinite, unconditioned, and formless, and everything else is "with form" relative to Him. However, this distinction between "with form" and "formless" is relative, existing in a hierarchy of manifestations where formlessness takes shape in lower forms, all originating from a single source.

My central point here is this: we engage with forms in this world, behind which lie formless meanings. This applies not only to ontology but also to the realm of language and words; formless thoughts manifest in formal expressions. To reach true meaning, we must transcend the superficial layer of words. This is the very counsel Rumi, speaking through the voice of God, offers to Adam: "Seek my beloved meaning / Abandon the husk and form of wheat." The prohibition against the wheat or apple was merely a form; the true intention was to turn away from carnal desires and attachments. The goal is to redirect longing from forms to the formless.

The verse at hand provides a miraculous testament to this very claim. It is recounted that when guests arrived for Abraham, and there was no provision, a messenger, returning empty-handed, filled his sack with sand. But by divine miracle, that sand transformed into flour, and the guests were sated. It is here that Rumi unequivocally states: "Since sand became flour for Khalil (Abraham) / Know, O noble one, that wheat is dismissed (from its essential role)." This means, O noble one, what is wheat truly? Wheat is merely a form upon which the quality of "nourishment" and "satiation" resides. That formless quality, that "Nourisher beyond these," can, by divine miracle, manifest even in sand. This demonstrates that true power and actual causation are never limited to apparent forms; they can appear in any shape or guise as willed. This perspective liberates us from attachment to forms, for their least flaw is their tendency to become wearisome, while formlessness brings forth "pure wonder."

Key takeaways

• The Principle of Form and Formlessness: The world consists of empty vessels filled with formless meanings.
• The Ultimate Goal of Understanding: Transcending the outward form to reach the formless meaning and true essence of all things.
• The Subordinate Role of Form: The nourishing quality of wheat is not inherent to its essence but stems from a higher, formless source.
• Manifestation of Divine Will: God can make sand nourishing, thus 'dismissing' the conventional role of forms.
• Liberation from Attachment to Forms: The least flaw of forms is their tendency to become tedious, whereas formlessness evokes pure wonder and discovery.