M6:486 — زانک غیر حق همه گردد رفات / کل آت بعد حین فهو آت

Translation: For all that is other than Truth (God) turns to decay (rafat); Every future event, after a while, is as though it has already arrived (kullu ātin baʿda ḥīnin fahuwa ātin). Meaning: This verse, voiced by the fowler in Rumi's tale, posits the ultimate perishability of all existence apart from God, asserting that anything destined for decay is, in essence, already considered in a state of annihilation from the present moment.

Here, I delve into the argument presented by the fowler in Rumi's story, which he uses to justify his choice of solitude and detachment from people. He contends that associating with base individuals, whose sole focus is their stomach and worldly desires, is a form of monasticism itself; for to sit with such 'animals' is tantamount to isolation, not social living. The fowler's reason for this withdrawal is precisely the verse we are now analyzing. He argues that "all that is other than Truth turns to decay." The term rafat here signifies something decayed, worn out, or crumbled away. This means that everything in the world, apart from the essence of God Almighty, is ultimately destined for decline and disintegration. This is a cosmic truth. However, the argument does not stop there. The fowler adds an Arabic aphorism: "Kullu ātin baʿda ḥīnin fahuwa ātin" (Every future event, after a while, is as though it has already arrived). I have explained this in my lectures as meaning that it is not just that everything will eventually decay, but rather we consider it decayed from this very day. That is, objects, before they actually reach the stage of decay and deterioration, are inherently subject to annihilation, and thus are considered perished and annihilated from this moment onward. If something is ultimately destined for non-existence, then in comparison to the absolute existence of God, it is regarded as non-existent from the very beginning. This profound idea is deeply intertwined with the sacred verse from the Holy Quran, which states: "Kullu shayin hālikun illā wajhahu" (Everything will perish except His Face). Rumi, too, speaks from this perspective. "God's Face" refers to that aspect of things and beings that is directed towards God. Objects are annihilated by themselves, unless they are in relation to God, in which case they exist and endure. This view of the fowler implies that everything we observe in this world is, in reality, a shadow of absolute existence; any dominion or ownership perceived in this world is merely a reflection and manifestation of that true ownership which belongs solely to God. He states that although a shadow is an image of a person, one cannot benefit from a shadow. One must pass beyond the shadow to reach the true person. Therefore, an earthly companion whose face is turned towards death brings ill-fortune in companionship and must be abandoned. These individuals, in comparison to God, are like clods of earth and stones, and associating with them is itself a form of monasticism, for true monasticism lies in the absence of companionship with God, whereas these 'clod-like' people themselves become a veil to that divine companionship.

Key takeaways

• Every being, except God, due to its perishable nature, is considered ephemeral and unstable from its very inception.
• Perishing is not merely a future destiny but a present reality; what is destined to vanish is, in essence, already gone.
• This perspective is rooted in the Quranic insight "Kullu shayin hālikun illā wajhahu" (Everything will perish except His Face), which views all existence as effaced in comparison to divine absolute permanence.
• Associating with 'clod-like' individuals, who are oriented towards mortality, acts as a veil from God rather than a path to Him.