M6:1111 — چون شنیدی بعضی اوصاف بلال / بشنو اکنون قصهٔ ضعف هلال

Translation: Since you heard some attributes of Bilal, / Now hear the story of Hilal's weakness. Meaning: This verse invites us to turn our attention from the well-known virtues of Bilal to the seemingly humble and obscure tale of Hilal, whose outward 'weakness' concealed profound spiritual strength.

This particular verse, in terms of its structure and rhyme, may not rank among Rumi's most powerful poetic expressions. I myself have referred to it as a 'weak' verse, suggesting that Rumi was perhaps constrained by the demands of rhyme here. However, one must understand that even in the seeming 'weakness' of his words, Rumi often embeds a hidden wisdom. At times, through such a tone or choice of anecdote, he aims to awaken the listener from slumber and draw them towards a profound meaning that is concealed behind a simple appearance or even an apparent flaw.

This verse transitions our focus from Bilal to Hilal. Bilal was a renowned companion of the Prophet, famous for his fervent cries of 'Ahad! Ahad!' (God is One!), whom Rumi elsewhere equates with 'certainty' (yaqīn). But who is Hilal? Rumi himself describes Hilal as 'a sincere and insightful servant' who was hidden in the servitude of creatures, not out of weakness, but 'for the sake of expediency.' This Hilal, in my view, is Rumi himself; Rumi identifies with Hilal here, just as he identifies with the reed that serves as his own symbol. He too chose 'weakness' or concealment out of humility or wisdom, not out of deficiency.

Rumi explicitly states that Hilal 'was ahead of Bilal in his method / He had made his ill nature yield more.' This means that in his spiritual journey, Hilal had even surpassed Bilal, having achieved a deeper conquest over his ego and negative traits. 'Making ill nature yield' (koshash) implies its subjugation and death – an act indicative of the Greater Jihad. Hilal's 'weakness' is, in fact, his 'namelessness and obscurity,' akin to the sage Luqman or Joseph in prison, whose inner reality far transcended their outward state of servitude or confinement.

The image of 'the sun entering his mouth' that Rumi employs for Hilal is extraordinary. Hafez speaks of the sun being in his chamber (ham-vithāq), meaning beside him in his room. But Hilal says the sun entered his mouth. This difference carries immense depth: when the sun enters the mouth, speech becomes luminous, actions become illuminated, and the soul radiant. This luminosity emanates from within and manifests in all aspects of the individual's being, not just in their surroundings. It is a light born of profound inner insight.

Hilal's master, despite being Muslim, was 'blind.' This refers to the 'inner blind' (kōr-hā-ye bāṭin), those who perceive only the outward form but are oblivious to the inner essence and depth of existence. Such people 'know the blind man has a mother / But they cannot conceive her nature.' That is, one born blind knows he has a mother, but does not comprehend the quality and nature of the maternal bond. If this blind person, with their limited knowledge, were to honor their mother, perhaps the eyes of their heart would open. True insight is achieved through the 'eyes of the heart,' which God opens for His special servants to perceive the unseen: 'Obtain this path through the life of hearts / For the life of the body is the trait of animals.'

Rumi then admonishes his audience for their 'backward movement' (pas-pas raftan) and spiritual regression: 'Not like you, the back-runner, who constantly falls lower / Going towards a stone from a jewel.' He narrates the story of the grey-spotted (ashhab) horse that always moves 'backward.' The emir tells the horse's owner: 'Turn its tail towards the house.' This is a deep philosophical point. Sometimes what appears outwardly as 'regression' or 'weakness' can be a path forward, if our inner orientation is correct. Hilal's 'weakness' is precisely this: a superficial 'backward step' that is, in essence, an advancement on the path of spiritual journey.

Key takeaways

• Hilal's apparent weakness is a veil for profound insight and gnosis; a concealment born of wisdom and expediency, not incapacity.
• True spiritual progress sometimes requires disregarding appearances and focusing on the inner state, even if it manifests outwardly as regression.
• Genuine illumination radiates from within, transforming one's entire being, rather than merely affecting one's surroundings.
• Rumi occasionally employs verses that appear 'simple' or 'weak' in literary terms as a pedagogical tool to awaken the listener to deeper meanings.
• Inner insight, or the 'eye of the heart,' is more crucial than outward perception for discerning hidden truths.