M6:1311 — که اثرها بر مشاعر ظاهرست / وین اثرها از مؤثر مخبرست

Translation: For the effects are manifest to our senses; And these effects bear tidings of their Cause.

Meaning: This verse articulates the principle that all observable phenomena, perceived through our senses, carry the imprint of their hidden origins and can thus guide us to an understanding of their underlying causes.

This couplet encapsulates a fundamental epistemological principle in Rumi's thought, one which I consider the very backbone of his approach to understanding the world. Our world is filled with 'effects' (athar) that are 'manifest' (zāhir) to our 'senses' (mashāʿir). We see, hear, and feel these effects. But Rumi goes further, stating that these effects are not merely phenomena; they are 'messengers' (mokhbir), bearing tidings of their 'Cause' (mo'athther). This Cause is the hidden spring, itself unseen, yet its emanations are evident throughout existence.

The example Rumi himself provides is highly illuminating: if you consume a medicine and feel sleepy, this 'somnolence' is a manifest effect. This effect informs us that within that medicine lies a 'soporific substance.' The substance itself is not directly visible to us, yet we infer its presence from its action. Similarly, he speaks of the wind: we do not see the wind, but the movement of leaves on a tree 'describes the state' (wasf-i hāl) of the wind's direction and intensity. We cannot directly perceive intoxication, but from the 'drunken narcissus' (nargis-i makhmoor) — the languid eye — of an inebriated person, we deduce their state. This is an inferential method that leads us from the 'witnessed' (shāhid, the present and perceptible) to the 'unseen' (ghāʾib, the hidden and imperceptible).

This principle holds equally true in the spiritual realm, and I consider it a crucial point for comprehending the mystical path. How do we apprehend the attributes of the 'Divine Essence' (dhāt-i Ḥaqq) which remains 'distant' (baʿīd) and hidden? Through His 'messengers' (rasūl) and 'miracles' (muʿjizāt). Miracles that affected inanimate objects — Moses parting the sea, or the Prophet splitting the moon — these were manifest effects that proclaimed a hidden power and origin. But Rumi extends this further, asserting that even in our own time, there exist 'purified elders' (pīrān-i ṣafī, the Friends of God) who possess 'subtle miracles and spiritual graces' (karāmāt-i khafī). These are individuals who harbor 'a hundred resurrections within them' (sad qayāmat naqd hast). This inner resurrection, this profound transformation, reveals itself in its 'least' effect: 'the least of which is that the neighbor becomes intoxicated.' That is to say, anyone who sits in their company partakes of their warmth and the spiritual intoxication of their being. This warmth and rapture are manifest effects that speak of the 'resurrection' within them and the spiritual richness of that Friend of God. This is precisely what I have always maintained: religions begin with infatuation, not with argument; prophets captivate their contemporaries with their personalities, and this captivation is the 'effect' that testifies to the hidden 'cause' within their souls.

Therefore, this couplet is not merely a scientific or philosophical statement, but also an instruction for the seeker (sālik). For one who lacks 'felicity in their conscience' (saʿādat dar ḍamīr) and cannot directly perceive truth, the remedy is to 'constantly draw inference from the outward' (pas zi zāhir har dam istidlāl gīrad). This means to pay attention to the signs and effects in the world and in perfect humans, and through this, find one's way to the inner essence of the cosmos and to the true Cause, which is God. This world we inhabit is entirely a system of signifiers, a constant intimation of the presence and power and attributes of the hidden Cause.

Key takeaways

• Every manifest phenomenon in the world is a sign of a hidden origin or cause behind it.
• Rumi's epistemology guides us from the perceptible to the imperceptible, and from the outward to the inward.
• The graces of saints and miracles of prophets are observable effects of unseen truths and divine power.
• Observing outward effects serves as a path to perceiving the true Cause, especially for those lacking inner insight.
• All of existence, like an encrypted language, points to the presence and attributes of its Creator.