M6:2203 — پس حقیقت بر همه حاکم کسیست / که قریبست او اگر محسوس نیست

Translation: So the truth is that the Ruler over all is One Who is close, though He is not perceived by the senses. Meaning: This verse asserts that the ultimate governor of all existence is a being who is imperceptible to our physical senses, yet profoundly immanent and near.

As I have stated before, the Masnavi rests upon the pillar of fear; fear of death, fear of illness, fear of poverty, and a myriad of other fears that set the wheel of life in motion. But here, Rumi takes a step further, attributing the origin of these fears and indeed all cosmic events to an imperceptible Being.

My interpretation is this: The truth is that the real Ruler over all affairs is a Being who, though unperceivable by our worldly senses, is always Qarīb (close) and immanent. He is the immediate and direct cause of all phenomena, including the fear that upholds the order of the world. His existence is not apprehended through the outer senses of this 'house,' meaning the natural world.

Rumi himself clearly articulates this distinction, stating, 'There are five senses beyond these five senses / Those are like pure gold, these like copper.' So, the sense upon which God is manifest and revealed is not the senses of this world, but 'another' sense—the inner, clairvoyant senses. If animals, too, could perceive these realities with their outer senses, then 'a cow or a donkey would be a Bayazid of its time'; but the truth is, animals only perceive sensibles and are incapable of spiritual apprehension. This is where the value of refined human inner senses becomes clear.

However, in elaborating upon Rumi's words, I must also offer a critique of Rumi's own statement. He previously asserted, 'No fearful one ever fears himself.' This is a statement that perhaps requires reconsideration. Does a human being truly never fear himself? Does he never grow weary of himself? Is it not that our existence is multi-layered? Rumi himself says elsewhere, 'You are not one, my dear companion, / But a universe and a deep ocean.' We are a deep sea, composed of various layers and dimensions. In such a context, how can it be that one part of a person's being does not fear another part? How can a thought that originates within us not instill terror in us?

Yes, Rumi is correct that the primary source of fear is something 'other' than the self. He believes that forces from outside penetrate us and produce thoughts and fears within us; hence, he states that we are never alone and never 'free' from ourselves. But even if that fear stems from external factors, such as a lion or illness, he still attributes it to an imperceptible Being who instills fear within us. This imperceptible Being is the same Qarīb Ruler, whose function ultimately leads to the preservation of the cosmic order. So, these fears have subtle causes that our outer senses are incapable of grasping, and to perceive their ultimate source, we require 'another' inner sense. This is where the role of the 'Wali al-Awliya' (Guardian of Saints) and the 'Habib' (Beloved) becomes prominent for healing the ailments of the inner senses.

Key takeaways

• The true Ruler over all existence is an immanent and close Being, yet imperceptible to our outer senses.
• Perception of this Ruler requires inner senses (likened by Rumi to pure gold), not animalistic outer senses (likened to copper).
• Rumi attributes the ultimate origin of all fears to this imperceptible Ruler, who orchestrates them for the preservation of the cosmic order.
• Contrary to Rumi's initial assertion, humans can indeed fear themselves, as their existence is multi-layered, with one part potentially being apprehensive of another.
• This insight from Rumi emphasizes God's continuous and active presence in all aspects of existence, rather than a concept of an absent or distant deity.