M6:2207 — آنک تن را مظهر هر روح کرد / وآنک کشتی را براق نوح کرد

Translation: That One Who made the body the locus of every soul's manifestation, And That One Who made the Ark Noah's Buraq. Meaning: This verse speaks of God's profound power: to make the physical body a vessel for the soul's manifestation, and to transform a mundane ark into a spiritual steed for Noah's ascension.

In this verse, Mowlana points to two astounding manifestations of divine power. Firstly, God has made the physical body (تن) a locus of manifestation (mazhar) for the soul (روح). It is crucial to understand mazhar not as indwelling (hulul), nor as the soul occupying a physical 'place' within the body. The common notion that the soul is a subtle body residing within the gross body, like wind in a wineskin, is a popular misconception. The soul is not a physical entity requiring location. Its relationship with the body is one of profound connection (ta'alluq); the body is a mirror reflecting the soul, not a container holding it. It is akin to light shining upon a dark object, illuminating it; as long as the light is present, the object is bright, but the light has not 'dissolved' into the object. Mowlana reinforces this very point elsewhere: "The body boasts of beauty and grace, / While the soul hides its splendor and wing... You wretched heap, who are you? / You lived but a day or two by my radiance (partaw)." The body's existence, beauty, and capabilities derive from the soul's radiance; without it, it is but dust.

The nexus between soul and body has been one of philosophy's most profound enigmas: the meeting point of the transcendent (māvarā-ye tabīʿat) and the natural (tabīʿat), the conjunction of two realms seemingly disparate in essence. As Attar beautifully puts it: "The body became soul, and the soul descended into the body; / None can craft a more wondrous talisman than this." This mystery cannot be grasped by sensory perception or empirical research; its unveiling is predicated upon precise philosophical analysis and, beyond that, the opening of the inner eye.

The second manifestation of divine power Mowlana references is the transformation of Noah's Ark (کشتی) into his Buraq. The Buraq is the renowned heavenly steed upon which the Prophet Muhammad ascended during his Mi'raj (Night Journey), undertaking a spiritual and intellectual voyage through higher realms. Mowlana's designation of Noah's Ark as his Buraq carries deep significance: it suggests that Noah's journey within that ark, his salvation from the flood, and the establishment of a new order, constituted a form of 'spiritual ascension' (mi'raj rūḥānī) for him. It was a Mi'raj that elevated him from the terrestrial world to the celestial, bringing him to spiritual perfection. All prophets, in some manner, experienced a Mi'raj, with the means and mode of ascent differing for each. The ark, for all its physicality, can become a vehicle for the soul's soaring, a passage from material constraints to sacred expanses, should divine will so decree. This verse, in essence, is a tribute to the infinite power of God, who interweaves the inner and outer aspects of existence such that every body becomes a locus of the soul, and every conveyance, a Buraq of ascension.

Key takeaways

• The body is a mazhar (locus of manifestation) for the soul, not a container; the soul does not 'indwell' within the body.
• The soul-body relationship is a profound existential mystery, arising from the intersection of the natural and the transcendent.
• The soul is the source of the body's life, beauty, and power; without the soul's radiance, the body is mortal and without value.
• Divine will can transform any material vessel, such as Noah's Ark, into a spiritual steed (Buraq) for ascension.
• Noah's journey in the Ark and his salvation symbolize a spiritual mi'raj (ascension) towards perfection.