M6:1010 — بی‌خود و سرمست و پر آتش نشست / از دهانش بس کلام تلخ جست

Translation: He sat, lost to himself (bī-khud) and intoxicated (sarmast), full of righteous fire (por-ātash); From his mouth, many bitter (talkh) words gushed forth. Meaning: This verse depicts Abu Bakr's state of spiritual ecstasy and righteous indignation when confronting the torturer of Bilal: consumed by divine zeal and intoxication, he uttered sharp and decisive words.

This profound verse, embedded within a deep narrative in the Masnavi, vividly portrays the unique state of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq when confronting the overt oppression against Bilal the Abyssinian. "He sat, lost to himself (bī-khud) and intoxicated (sarmast), full of righteous fire (por-ātash)"; these three descriptions are key to understanding his singular action. "Bī-khud" signifies being detached from the ego-self, annihilated in the Real. This is not unconsciousness, but the zenith of presence—presence in the divine realm, and self-forgetfulness of the animal self. A human being, created in the "best of forms (aḥsan al-taqwīm)," can in such moments transcend the self to become a perfect mirror of divine will and wrath. This state of bī-khudī transforms human speech into the "tongue of Truth (lisān al-Ḥaqq)," much as Mawlana refers to himself as a "reed" into which the breath of the Flutist (God) is blown.

Abu Bakr's "intoxication (sarmast)" can be interpreted as a spiritual rapture stemming from his presence with the Prophet, or an intensity born of zealous love for the Truth and its saints. This intoxication frees him from worldly conventions, allowing him to enter the oppressor's home without hesitation. "Full of fire (por-ātash)" refers to a holy wrath and religious zeal—a fire not born of ego, but kindled by divine fervor within a seeker of truth. This fire is a driving force to stand against injustice and oppression, which Mawlana interprets as being for a "great deed (kār-i bozorg)."

The outcome of this tripartite state—bī-khudī, sarmastī, and ātash—is "bitter words (kalām-i talkh)." These bitter words do not stem from personal malice but from the surging of divine zeal. In that moment, Abu Bakr challenges the torturer with sharp and biting language. Mawlana even indicates that the intensity and sharpness of these words were so profound that he refrains from quoting them directly, stating: "Whatever then gushed from the truthful one's (Siddiq's) lips / If I were to tell, you would lose your hands and feet." This suggests that Abu Bakr's words carried a divine, crushing power that not everyone could endure.

It is crucial to note here the cultural context of Mawlana's era. In describing the torturer, he employs terms like "Jewish female (jahūdī māddah)" which, from a modern perspective, are unacceptable. I have often stated that our great figures, while peering out from beneath the cultural blanket of their time, were still largely submerged in its waters. Mawlana, as a mystic, not a modern philosopher of human rights, utilizes the cultural clichés of his era to condemn the enemy. However, this should not overshadow the core message: the grandeur of rising against oppression. Here, the manifestation of divine wrath in human form is the most important point; words that emerge from a state of self-loss and fearlessly target injustice.

Key takeaways

• "Lost to self (bī-khud)" here signifies annihilation in God and the peak of divine presence, not unconsciousness.
• Spiritual intoxication and divine zeal lead to breaking conventional norms and courageously defending the truth.
• The "fire (ātash)" in the breast symbolizes holy, zealous wrath, driving action against oppression.
• "Bitter words (kalām-i talkh)" in this state are a manifestation of fearless truth, stemming from the divine realm, not personal animosity.
• Mystical journey can lead one to become a mirror reflecting divine will and power.
• Interpreting classical texts requires distinguishing between the timeless insights of the mystic and the cultural sediments of their era.