M1:605 — ما چو ناییم و نوا در ما ز توست / ما چو کوهیم و صدا در ما ز توست

Translation: We are like the reed-flute, and the melody within us is from You; We are like the mountain, and the echo within us is from You. Meaning: This couplet clarifies that our existence and actions do not originate from ourselves, but rather we are hollow conduits for divine breath and sound. Everything within us, be it sound or movement, emanates from the Source of Being.

This couplet, in itself, is a theological elaboration and exposition of the 'reed-flute' (ney) metaphor with which Rumi begins the Masnavi. Indeed, here Rumi formally explains the existential and philosophical meaning of 'being a ney' to his audience. I assert with conviction that this passage is key to understanding Rumi's ontological stance regarding the world and humanity. Rumi first refers to our inherent annihilation (fanā-yi dhātī), stating that in the face of the Absolute Divine Existence (wujud-i mutlaq), we are akin to 'non-existence' (ʿadam). The Persian word ney (reed) also means 'no' or 'none', and by choosing this symbol, Rumi acknowledges his own 'no-ness' and transience. We are all 'neys'; that is, we are 'possible existents' (mumkin al-wujud), not 'necessary existents' (wājib al-wujud). We possess no independence of our own and, to gain being, must be filled with existence. We are 'hollow' (tōkhālī), but not in the sense of emptiness; rather, in the sense of receptivity. Like the reed-flute that has no melody of its own and only serves as a conduit for the player's breath, or like the mountain that has no voice of its own and merely echoes external sounds. These similes precisely explain tawhīd-i afʿālī (unity of acts): all actions, effects, and everything manifested within us emanate from an unseen, divine source. The 'melody' (navā) and 'echo' (sadā) within us are from Him. The crucial point is that Rumi, in the continuation of these very verses, immediately clarifies that this 'unity of acts' should not be interpreted as 'determinism' (jabr). He states: 'This is not determinism; it is the meaning of omnipotence / The mention of omnipotence is for supplication.' This admission of existential dependence is not to absolve responsibility, but to acknowledge the grandeur of the Source of Being and our inherent poverty, which ultimately leads to humility and supplication before Him. We are before God like a lion on a banner; our movement and charge are from the invisible wind, not from our own power. This understanding sheds light on the phenomenon of inspiration, through which the mystic becomes a conduit. Furthermore, in subsequent verses (within the same context), Rumi states that God 'showed the pleasure of existence to non-existence / You made non-existence fall in love with You.' This expression indicates that the bestowal of being upon 'non-existence' and the arousal of love within it is itself a divine grace. Thus, even at the height of 'annihilation' and 'non-existence', there is a sign of the Beloved's grace and generosity. This stance contrasts with materialistic or existentialist conceptions of being that view humans as alone and unsupported. In Rumi's view, though we have nothing of our own, we are always embraced by divine grace and bestowal.

Key takeaways

• Our existence and actions are not from ourselves; we are hollow conduits filled by the Source of Being.
• Our inherent annihilation (fanā-yi dhātī) and 'no-ness' before the Absolute Divine Existence signify receptivity and capacity to receive.
• Rumi's Tawhīd-i Afʿālī (Unity of Acts) is not determinism (jabr); rather, it is an acknowledgment of divine grandeur and our inherent poverty, leading to humility.
• The 'melody' and 'echo' within us are signs of divine breath and manifestation through our contingent existence.