M6:764 — تو بدان نیت نگر در اقربا / تا ز نزع او نسوزد دل ترا

Translation: Look upon your relatives with that very intention (of transience and mortality), So that your heart may not burn from their passing and struggle (nazʿ).

Meaning: This verse urges us to embrace the mortality of our loved ones, living with them in a way that, when separation inevitably comes, profound grief does not overwhelm us, and our hearts are cleansed of malice and envy.

This verse emerges from a profound sequence where Mevlana observes our existence as a continuous, moment-by-moment process of dying. I have consistently stressed that understanding Mevlana is impossible without grasping this 'momentary mortality.' He tells us: every breath we take is a state of nazʿ—not merely the final struggle of life, but the soul's detachment from the other world and its release into this one. This, then, must be the foundation of our view of the world and of our aqrabā, our relatives and closest kin.

The crucial interpretive point in this verse lies in the correct reading of the final word. In many editions and popular recitations, basūzad (it should burn) appears. However, I am convinced that nasūzad (it should not burn) yields a far more precise and profound meaning. If Mevlana intended for the heart to burn, then this verse would be an invitation to sorrow; yet the Masnavi, as I have argued before, is a Jalā al-Ahzān—a polisher of griefs, not a cause of them. Mevlana does not seek to abolish grief, but to transform it into a green, constructive sorrow.

Thus, the correct reading is: tā ze nazʿ-e ū nasūzad del-e torā—'so that your heart may not burn from their passing.' The purpose of this insight is not to render you callous or indifferent to the death of loved ones; never! The intention is to prepare the heart to confront reality by continually acknowledging the transient nature of all human beings, thereby preventing immersion in destructive grief at the moment of separation. This perspective readies the heart for reality and mitigates sudden bitterness.

Beyond reducing sorrow, this philosophical outlook on mortality possesses unparalleled ethical and mystical functions. Mevlana states: 'tā berūyad ʿebrat va rahmat be dīn / tā beborrad bīkh-e boghz o rashk o kīn' (so that admonition and compassion may grow in faith, / so that the root of hatred, envy, and malice may be cut). When we remember that we and all around us are transient guests, the roots of animosity, envy, and rancor are uprooted from the heart. What is the point of envy? For me, who may not exist tomorrow, what benefit is there if another surpasses me? It is the forgetfulness of death that enslaves us to vices. This perspective brings hearts closer, cultivates a spirit of admonition, and inspires compassion. Indeed, this verse is a blueprint for self-purification through the contemplation of death.

Mevlana continues: 'kol-le āt āt, ān-rā naqd dān' (whatever is to come, consider it present and immediate). Death is one such inevitability that must be seen as present from this very moment. This phrase echoes what is found in Imam Ali's Nahj al-Balagha, indicating Mevlana's familiarity with that revered text. Consider your friends, too, as being 'dar nazʿ o andar faqd dān'—always in the throes of passing and disappearance. This viewpoint removes worldly 'ulterior motives' (gharaz-hā) and attachments that obstruct the vision of truth. If one cannot maintain such a perspective and shed these 'motives,' Mevlana instructs: 'khoshk bar ʿajzī mīst / z-ānke bā ʿājez gozīde moʿjezīst' (do not remain inert in your incapacity / for with the incapacitated, there is a chosen one who incapacitates). That is, do not remain fixed in your inability; rather, know that within this inability lies a power that renders one powerless. Your incapacity is a chain that another has fastened upon you, and you must open your eyes to that 'chain-binder' (zanjīr-neh), namely, God Most High. This is the zenith of Mevlana's epistemic and ontological connection; even our incapacity serves as evidence of His presence and will.

Key takeaways

• Mevlana's core philosophy views human existence as a 'moment-by-moment mortality,' not merely death at life's end.
• The correct reading of the verse (with nasūzad instead of basūzad) indicates the goal is to lessen heartache and prepare for the passing of loved ones, not to intensify grief.
• Accepting the transience of all beings uproots hatred, envy, and malice, replacing them with admonition and compassion.
• Forgetfulness of death is the root of many moral vices and worldly ulterior motives that obscure truth.
• All future inevitabilities should be considered 'present' (naqd), especially death, which, seen this way, ceases to be a shock.
• Our inability to grasp this truth is itself a sign of an 'incapacitating' power, directing us to seek the ultimate source of our limitations (i.e., divine will).