M6:3852 — گفت آخر من کجا دانم شدن / که بهرجا می‌روم من ممتحن

Translation: He said, "After all, where can I go? / For wherever I go, I am tried and afflicted." Meaning: This verse conveys the despair and helplessness of a youth who laments the constant lack of safety and refuge, questioning where in the world he can escape the perpetual trials and harassment of people.

This verse, uttered by a beardless youth (amrad) in a seemingly crude and transgressive story, is a brilliant vehicle for Rumi's profound ethical and social critique. The amrad, responding to a louti who suggests he seek a doctor or hospital, expresses the apex of his desperation and lack of sanctuary in the world. He states that wherever he turns, from the khanqah (the supposed abode of the pious and ascetics) to the marketplace, he finds no safety and is perpetually subjected to torment and 'trial' (meaning affliction and tribulation). This is not merely a personal lament; it is Rumi's biting criticism of a society where even religious centers are not immune to sexual desires and moral abuses. I have frequently emphasized that Rumi was one of the most severe critics of celibate khanqah-dwelling, which he viewed as a 'bachelor house' and a breeding ground for vices, contrary to the Prophet's tradition. This verse thus becomes a symbol of the absence of reason and the dominance of lust among people, who prey upon any vulnerable individual. Even seeking refuge among women leads to temptation and fitna, akin to the story of Joseph. Through this stark and biting narrative, Rumi intends to demonstrate how a person, due to their vulnerability and social position, can be surrounded on all sides by the 'predators of lust' with no escape. This verse poses a fundamental existential question: In a world where all places, even the sacred, are tainted, where is true refuge to be found?

Key takeaways

• Rumi employs seemingly crude narratives for profound social and ethical critiques, revealing harsh truths.
• The verse highlights the pervasive lack of safety and sanctuary for vulnerable individuals in society, even in supposedly sacred spaces.
• Rumi severely criticizes the hypocrisy and moral deviations within religious institutions like khanqahs, which, due to a lack of reason, transform into hotbeds of vice.
• The beyt underscores how unchecked lust and the absence of wisdom can turn individuals into predatory and relentless beings.
• This verse poses a fundamental existential question: In a world permeated by temptation and affliction, where can true refuge be found?