M6:2418 — مؤمن و ترسا جهود و گبر و مغ / جمله را رو سوی آن سلطان الغ

Translation: Muslim, Christian, Jew, Zoroastrian, and Magian — All turn their faces towards that Ultimate Sultan.

Meaning: Mawlana suggests that despite the apparent diversity of faiths and religions, all sincere individuals ultimately orient themselves towards one singular divine source and the same Ultimate God.

In this noble verse, Mawlana enumerates several religious groups: Mu’min (Muslim), Tarsā (Christian), Jahūd (Jew), and Gabr and Magh (Zoroastrian and Magian priest, respectively). This couplet appears within the broader narrative of the three travelers – a Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew – a story first recounted by Shams-e Tabrizi and then extensively elaborated upon by Mawlana. This narrative serves as a profound setting for Mawlana to articulate his deeper perspective on the unity of religious ends.

As I have often emphasized, Mawlana, when viewed through the lens of shariʿa (religious law), considers the Muslim to be guided and others astray; this is a juridical stance. Yet, without doubt, from the vantage point of tariqat (spiritual path) and haqiqat (ultimate truth), he holds a different view. He believes that the differences between Jews, Christians, and Muslims are, in essence, differences in perspectives, viewpoints, and angles of vision. Each prophet observed the transcendent reality from a unique angle and communicated their understanding to their respective communities. All gaze upon the same destination, though they speak in diverse tongues and tread distinct paths. This verse explicitly states: “All turn their faces towards that Ultimate Sultan.” All these groups, with all their disparities, face one Sultān al-Gh – a unique and absolute Sovereign in whom all multiplicity ultimately resolves into unity.

While Mawlana harbors a special regard for Christians, never employing harsh terms for them, admiring their humility, good character, and purity, and even seeing Jesus as, in a sense, the father of Islamic Sufism, he occasionally uses sharp words for Jews and Zoroastrians, which I attribute to his zeal or fervor as a Muslim. Despite this, Mawlana transcends such partisan views, declaring: “Do not look down upon any unbeliever, for it is hoped that they may die as a Muslim.” This statement forms the cornerstone of what I call a “pluralism of salvation.” It signifies that while truth is singular, the paths to salvation are manifold, and sincere intention and noble aspirations are the primary criteria for redemption, not merely adherence to a specific formal law. Thus, in Mawlana’s truth-seeing gaze, all these faiths, if pursued with sincerity and purity towards perfection and transcendence, are ultimately directed to one singular origin and destination.

Further confirmation of this perspective is found in the dream of the Jewish traveler, which Mawlana narrates later in the story. The Jew dreams that Moses leads him to Mount Sinai, where a light manifests, effacing him, Moses, and the mountain. Then the mountain splits into three branches: one sweetens the bitter waters of the sea, another brings forth a healing spring from the earth, and the third soars towards the Kaaba and ʿArafāt. Finally, the Jew realizes the mountain is intact, but the entire desert is filled with beings resembling Moses, all crying out, “Show Thyself to me!” (the Arinī of Moses). He then understands: “These were prophets, people of love, and the unity of prophets became clear to me.” This visionary experience, which feels like Mawlana’s own mystical insight articulated through the Jew, demonstrates that in the depths of spiritual experience, the outward boundaries of religions dissolve, revealing the unity of truth and prophets. The ‘unspoken revelation’ or direct theophany breaks down these boundaries, showing that the path to the ‘Ultimate Sultan’ is open to all genuine seekers.

Key takeaways

• The ultimate destination for all sincere seekers, regardless of their outward religious affiliation, is the same singular Divine Reality.
• Religious differences stem from varying perspectives and viewpoints, not from the essence of Truth or the final goal.
• Profound mystical experiences (like the Jewish traveler's dream) dissolve the superficial boundaries of religions, revealing the unity of prophets and truth.
• Mawlana espouses a 'pluralism of salvation': sincere intention and idealistic striving are the criteria for redemption, not mere adherence to a specific law.
• Even Mawlana's occasional harsh terms for certain groups are tempered by his broader counsel: 'Do not scorn any unbeliever,' leading to an inclusive approach.
• The 'Ultimate Sultan' symbolizes the absolute power and unity of God, drawing all multiplicities towards Himself.