M6:1616 — این همه چون و چگونه چون زبد / بر سر دریای بی‌چون می‌تپد

Translation: All these 'hows' and 'whys', like foam, / Are churning upon the ocean of the 'No-how, No-why'. Meaning: All the conditions, qualities, and questions we pose about existence and phenomena are but fleeting froth upon the boundless, unconditioned Ocean of Being, which is God.

This verse, in my view, is, without question, one of the Masnavi’s most profound and beautiful metaphors, depicting with utmost clarity the relationship between the phenomena of the world and the absolute reality of Being. Here, Mowlana likens all the 'hows and whys' (chun o chegūne) of the world – that is, all qualities, quantities, causes, and effects, everything that falls within the domain of our rational mind and sensory experience – to the 'foam of the sea.' This foam is superficial, ephemeral, a product of the water's motion, and yet, it is not the sea itself; it is merely a manifestation of it upon the surface.

In contrast, Mowlana speaks of the 'ocean of no-how, no-why' (daryā-ye bī-chun). This unconditional ocean is none other than the absolute reality of existence, the Necessary Existent (Wājib al-Wujūd), that singular Being which is itself uncaused and formless. This reality is simple (basīt), meaning it has no parts or dimensions; it is boundless, meaning it is not limited by any quality or quantity; and it is without 'how' or 'why,' for any 'why' regarding its essence implies a search for a cause or quality, which is meaningful only in the realm of phenomena and created beings.

As I have often stated, in Mowlana’s thought system, our world is a realm of opposites (ḍidd) and likenesses (nadd). We perceive both antagonisms and resemblances. But this ocean, this absolute reality, is itself free from any opposite or likeness. As Mowlana further elaborates in subsequent verses: 'By the count of garden leaves are opposites and likenesses / Like foam upon the ocean that is free of likeness and opposite.' This means that all the contradictions and resemblances we observe in the phenomenal world are like foam resting upon an ocean that is devoid of either. These phenomena, as it were, wear the 'garments' of existence, garments in which opposites and likenesses emerge, but this is not from the essence of true Being.

Thus, this verse offers a deep insight into the limitations of discursive reason and philosophical inquiry, which is perpetually in pursuit of 'hows and whys.' This mode of thought, however meticulous and analytical it may be, ultimately glides only upon the surface of this boundless ocean, failing to reach its depths. Apprehending the 'ocean of no-how, no-why' necessitates transcending the frameworks of conditionality; it demands an intuitive and mystical vision that perceives unity behind multiplicity and simplicity beyond complexity. Just as we profoundly affirm the existence of free will, even though its philosophical and causal explanation remains impossible or at least incomplete within empirical scientific frameworks, so too the unconditioned nature of absolute Being is a truth that the heart grasps before the intellect can fully comprehend it.

Key takeaways

• All complexities and questions of the phenomenal world are superficial and fleeting, like foam.
• The absolute reality of Being (God) is unconditioned, without 'how' or 'why', and free from all limitations.
• Human discursive reason can only navigate the surface of conditions and causes, never reaching the depths of the unconditioned ocean.
• The multiplicities and contradictions of this world are mere manifestations of an infinite, simple, and unified Being.
• This verse is an invitation to transcend rational argumentation and embrace intuitive perception to grasp ultimate reality.
• Understanding the 'unconditioned' requires liberation from the chains of causality, quality, and quantity.