M6:3310 — ای عجب کو آن عقیق قندخا / آن کلید قفل مشکل‌های ما

Translation: O wonder, where is that sugar-dissolving ruby (aqīq-e qand-khā)? That key to the lock of our problems?

Meaning: This verse expresses a profound longing and wonder for a beloved presence or divine helper whose sweet grace can melt away difficulties and unlock solutions to life's intricate problems.

This verse originates from the lament of a distraught debtor in the Masnavi, bewailing the absence of his benevolent helper. He asks with poignant yearning, 'Where is that aqīq-e qand-khā (sugar-dissolving ruby)?' — a precious, sweet stone symbolizing grace and succor that melts away hardships like sugar in water. He further wonders, 'Where is that key to the lock of our problems?' — a key that can unravel life's intricate knots and reveal a path to liberation. This utterance, on the surface, appears as a human cry for worldly assistance. However, Rumi, following his customary mystical approach, universalizes and divinizes this question.

I believe Rumi employs the same method here that he uses in explaining numerous human desires: every 'where?' (koo?) inquiry, every search for a lost object, every plea for release from difficulty, ultimately reverts to the Origin of existence, to the Absolute Source of mercy and power. Just as the dove (faakhte) in Persian poetry calls 'koo koo' in search of its lost nest, so too does humanity, in every sorrow, every pain, every need, instinctively and unconsciously point towards that ultimate wellspring of hope and healing. Rumi implies that this heart, this thought, this eye of hope, even when seeking earthly aid, is intrinsically directed towards that realm 'where the attributes of mercy reside, / Power, purity, and sagacity abide.' Every desire is a mirror reflecting the ultimate Origin of fulfillment, whether it is for saving a ship from sinking, calling for wind for crops, or soothing a restless heart.

Therefore, this verse transcends the mere complaint of a debtor; it echoes the primordial wail of a soul that finds help, sweetness, and liberation solely in that Absolute Truth. The question 'where?' (koo?) here is not born of ignorance, but rather from an innate intuition that knows where the ultimate answer lies, even if language is only concerned with apparent ambiguities.

Key takeaways

• The verse expresses an intense longing for help and resolution from a beloved or ultimately divine helper.
• The 'sugar-dissolving ruby' and 'key to locked problems' are metaphors for sweet grace, problem-solving, and divine wisdom.
• Rumi universalizes every human 'where, where' inquiry (like the dove's call) into a quest for the ultimate Source of mercy, power, and cosmic order.
• In every 'where?' question, human nature instinctively seeks the ultimate wellspring of hope, healing, and compassion, even if the mind is focused on worldly appearances.