M6:1896 — قبلهٔ عارف بود نور وصال / قبلهٔ عقل مفلسف شد خیال

Translation: The qibla of the mystic is the light of union (with God), The qibla of the philosopher's intellect became imagination (or fancy). Meaning: This verse highlights the fundamental divergence between the mystic and the philosopher: the mystic seeks direct, unmediated experience of divine union, whereas the philosopher's intellect remains confined to the realm of thought and imagination.

I have stated many times that the mystic (ʿārif) pursues 'seeing' (dīdan/rūʾyat), while the philosopher seeks 'knowing' (dānistan/maʿrifat). Here, Mowlana, in his characteristic style and with a slightly dismissive tone, delineates the qibla – the spiritual direction or ultimate focus – of these two groups. The mystic's qibla, the point towards which their soul soars and their entire being turns, is nothing but the 'light of union' (nūr-i wisāl). The mystic yearns to enter a realm entirely illuminated by the radiance of union with the Truth; they seek and behold reality unveiled and unmediated.

On the other hand, the qibla of the 'philosopher's intellect' (ʿaql-i mufalsaf) is called 'imagination' (khayāl). The term mufalsaf here evokes a philosopher immersed in mere rational arguments and abstract reasoning. For Mowlana, such philosophers, despite their claims of proof and certainty, and their discourse on definitions and premises, ultimately end up 'playing with imaginations.' This is because, when compared to the mystic's 'vision' or 'beholding,' anything of the nature of 'knowing' or 'thought' constitutes a veil over reality. Imagination is a representation of reality in the mental sphere, not unmediated reality itself.

This verse gains deeper meaning within the context of the preceding and succeeding lines; Mowlana, in this section, enumerates the various qiblas of humankind to show that each person, depending on their essence and aspiration, turns in a particular direction. From the 'slave of the belly' (ʿabd al-buṭūn) whose qibla is the dining cloth (sufra), to the greedy whose qibla is a 'purse of gold' (himyān-i zar). The celestial Gabriel's qibla is the 'Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary' (Sidrat al-Muntahā), and ascetics turn towards the 'Beneficent God' (Yazdān-i bar). Amidst these, the mystic possesses a qibla as exalted and unmediated as the 'light of union,' while the philosopher's intellect attaches itself to mental concepts and imaginations. This distinction reveals that Mowlana's concern transcends theological and intellectual debates; he cherishes the lived, unmediated experience of truth and love, an experience that no 'imagination' can ever replace.

Key takeaways

• One's qibla (spiritual focus) testifies to their inner truth and ultimate destination, ranging from the glutton's table to the mystic's light of union.
• The mystic seeks 'seeing' and unmediated experience of the Divine, not mere 'knowing' or abstract thought.
• Mowlana critiques philosophy (in his specific sense) for being confined to 'imagination' and failing to achieve true 'vision' (rūʾyat).
• Imagination (khayāl) acts as a veil over reality, representing it rather than revealing its unmediated essence.
• One's existential values determine their qibla: whether it be material possessions, wealth, intellectual constructs, or divine union.