M6:2419 — بلک سنگ و خاک و کوه و آب را / هست واگشت نهانی با خدا

Translation: Rather, even the rock, earth, mountain, and water Have a hidden vāgasht (return) to God. Meaning: This verse suggests that even seemingly inanimate objects like rocks, earth, mountains, and water possess an intrinsic, hidden orientation and return towards God, gravitating back to their origin.

This verse, situated within the emotionally charged narrative of the three travelers and in the midst of Rumi’s mystical exposition, unveils a pivotal point in his ontology. In ancient natural sciences, which perceived the human body as composed of four elements—earth, wind, water, and fire—it was believed that upon the soul's departure, each component returned to its original source; dust to dust, air to air. Rumi extends this principle not only to the constituent parts of the body but to all of nature. He states that not just the human body, but all rocks, earth, mountains, and water, even in their apparent lifelessness, possess a 'hidden vāgasht (return) to God.' This 'return' is more than a physical movement; it is an existential and intrinsic inclination.

I strongly believe that Rumi here alludes to a form of 'universal animation' or panpsychism, similar to what contemporary philosophers like Thomas Nagel (in Mind and Cosmos) have proposed: that even in inanimate matter, a kind of proto-consciousness or 'primary awareness' is latent. For Rumi, this world is not a cold, lifeless mass of matter, but a living entity brimming with vitality. Every particle, from rock and earth to flowing water, moves in a voiceless, silent manner, yet with an inner will, towards its origin and Creator. Just as our hungry body wordlessly commands us to eat, and our thirst calls us to water without speech, nature too, silently yet resolutely, speaks to its inhabitants and commands a return.

This return is 'hidden' (nehāni); meaning it is concealed from our superficial gaze, yet it is inscribed in the depths of every object. This is the teleology of the cosmos, where every part, however inanimate it may seem, strives towards its ultimate destination and purpose. This perspective transforms the world from a cold, soulless carcass into a living, loving being that, even in its stillness, cries out with the passion of return. It is a form of tawḥīd afʿālī (unity of divine acts) that sees not only human actions but the actions of every being directed towards God, viewing all existence as a manifestation of His will.

Key takeaways

• All existence, even the most inanimate elements, possesses a hidden return to God.
• The Masnavi depicts a living, animate cosmos where every particle holds an intrinsic awareness and innate inclination towards its origin.
• This 'hidden return' signifies the teleology of existence, where all things move towards a singular destination.
• Nature also, silently and wordlessly, yet with an intrinsic will, moves towards God.
• This verse symbolizes the unity of being and the unity of divine actions, viewing every act in existence as directed towards God.