M1:2120 — اُسُتنِ حنّانه از هِجر رسول / ناله می‌زد همچو ارباب عُقول

Translation: The moaning pillar (ustun-i hannāna), from separation (hijr) from the Prophet, / Wailed like those possessed of intellect (arbāb-i ʿuqūl). Meaning: This verse refers to the legend of the weeping pillar in the Prophet's mosque, which moaned in deep sorrow at his absence, as if it were a rational, conscious being.

This verse opens a profound window into Rumi's core teachings regarding the nature of religion and rationality. Rumi refers here to the famous story of the 'moaning pillar' (ustun-i hannāna), a pillar in the Prophet's mosque against which he used to lean before the pulpit was built. When the Prophet left the pillar and sat on the new pulpit, the pillar began to wail, a lament that the companions also heard. Rumi likens this wailing to that of 'arbāb-i ʿuqūl,' meaning those endowed with intellect and consciousness.

I consider this narrative a prime example of what Rumi terms 'nā-maʿqūl' (unreasonable). 'Nā-maʿqūl' in Rumi's lexicon does not signify 'irrational' or 'anti-rational,' but rather 'khirad-gorīz' (elusive to reason); that is, something beyond the capacity of conventional intellect to comprehend or process, lying outside the reach of our ordinary perceptions. This is precisely where reason balks, and it is in such instances that 'miracles' (muʿjizāt) become necessary to awe reason into submission and place it in its proper sphere. Rumi states, "Had this flavor (mazeh) not been nā-maʿqūl, / What need would there be for so many miracles?" If certain aspects of religion were not elusive to reason, why would so many miracles be required to persuade the intellect?

The wailing of this pillar is perceivable only through 'hawāss-i anbiyā' (prophetic senses); senses that operate beyond ordinary faculties. The general populace cannot hear a pillar's cry, but the Prophet's senses (and those of mystics who approach his level of perception) can grasp this hidden dimension of existence. Umar, the second Caliph, likewise stated when encountering the Black Stone, "Had the Prophet not kissed you, I would never have done so." This too is a sign of submission to that which is 'khirad-gorīz'; an act that reason alone cannot justify, but is accepted in deference to a source transcending reason.

I find this equally true for 'prayer' (duʿāʾ). The mystery of prayer, the reality of its answer, and the reasons for its non-answer have always remained hidden even from the greatest God-believing philosophers. This is a teaching transmitted to us solely by prophets and is found in no purely rational philosophical school. Prayer, in Rumi's sense, is 'nā-maʿqūl'; meaning it is elusive to reason, not hostile to it. These 'nā-maʿqūl' elements are, in fact, the essence and heart of religiosity: the 'dardmandī' (painfulness/sympathy), 'ʿāshiqī' (loving-passion), and 'ḥayrānī' (wonder/bewilderment) around which all other religious doctrines and rituals are but outward garments and appearances. Deceived is the one who perceives only these outward forms, oblivious to the hidden essence beneath.

Key takeaways

• The story of the moaning pillar symbolizes the 'unreasonableness' (elusiveness to reason) of certain religious truths.
• For Rumi, 'unreasonable' does not mean anti-rational, but refers to that which transcends ordinary rational comprehension.
• Miracles and the unique perceptions of prophets serve as tools to engage with these elusive truths and humble rebellious reason.
• The mysterious nature of prayer is another example of such elusive matters, comprehensible only through prophetic teachings.
• The core of religiosity lies in spiritual pain (dardmandī), passionate love (ʿāshiqī), and wonder (ḥayrānī), hidden beneath the outward forms of religion.