M6:2428 — در پی موسی شدم تا کوه طور / هر سه‌مان گشتیم ناپیدا ز نور

Translation: I followed Moses to Mount Tur (Sinai), And the three of us became invisible (effaced) by the Light.

Meaning: This verse, recounted by a Jewish traveler in a dream, describes a profound experience of mystical annihilation where the self, the Prophet Moses, and even Mount Sinai are absorbed and rendered invisible by the overwhelming divine Light.

This verse represents the zenith of the mystical experience of one of the three travelers in Rumi's tale, the Jewish man who followed Moses. In this segment of the Masnavi, Rumi expands upon this profound dream in a way that suggests he is narrating his own experiences, or those of fellow mystics. He initially offers a humorous aside about the nature of dreams ("A cat dreams of a fatty tail"), but immediately imbues this particular dream with such depth and reality that it transforms from mere illusion into a living revelation.

As I have explained before, Rumi views these dreams as possessing an external, objective impact, not merely as internal mental images. Here, the dreamer, along with Moses and Mount Sinai, becomes "invisible" in the Divine Light. This invisibility signifies the annihilation (fanā) and absorption of existence in the overwhelming effulgence of Truth. It is noteworthy that this effacement is not sudden but unfolds in stages: first, all three disappear into one light; then, from within that very light, a "new door opens," and "another light rises from the heart of that light," swifter and more progressive. Finally, "I, Moses, and Mount Tur / All three were lost in that illumination." This gradual journey of annihilation and absorption into light demonstrates the various levels and degrees of divine manifestation and illumination.

Rumi equates this divine manifestation with "Wahy" (revelation)—not a verbal revelation, but an illuminative, wordless one, possessing an awesome character. It is the very "heavy word" (qawlan thaqīlan) of which the Quran speaks, capable of shattering mountains. This manifestation, as described in the Quran, causes Moses to faint and the mountain to crumble ("made it dust"). However, Rumi, with a mystic's subtlety, reminds us that this destruction of the mountain occurred within Moses's dream-like, inner experience, not in external reality. Mount Tur remained in its place after Moses recovered consciousness; yet, within Moses's soul, it had been shattered into pieces. This distinction between objective reality and subjective experience is key to understanding many mystical phenomena.

It is through this journey that the Jewish dreamer encounters a plain filled with beings resembling Moses, all crying out "Arinī" (Show me!). This manifestation of multiplicity within unity, and unity within multiplicity, ultimately leads him to the "unity of the prophets" (ittiḥād-i anbiyā). This implies that all prophets, despite apparent differences, draw from the same source and aspire to the same destination. This dream-born conclusion perfectly aligns with Rumi's pluralistic stance on salvation. At the end of this narrative, he emphatically states: "Never look down upon any unbeliever / For there is hope that he may die a Muslim." This statement itself suggests that the journey of souls and their experiences, through diverse paths, can lead to salvation and effacement in the Divine Light.

Key takeaways

• The experience of annihilation (fanā) in Divine Light, where the seeker, the prophet, and even a mountain become effaced before the manifestation of Truth.
• The progressive nature of divine light's manifestation, leading to various degrees of illumination and effacement.
• Illuminative and non-verbal revelation (wahy) as an awe-inspiring, transformative force, not merely a spoken word.
• The critical distinction between objective reality and the truth of inner mystical experience when encountering divine manifestations.
• The discovery of the 'unity of prophets,' suggesting that despite outward diversity, all prophets originate from a single Truth.
• Rumi's emphasis on the pluralism of salvation, conveying that no one should be despaired of divine mercy, regardless of their path.