M6:3721 — صورت رحمی بود بالان شود / صورت زخمی بود نالان شود

Translation: Should a sūrat (form/idea) of mercy arise, one will flourish and give aid; Should a sūrat (form/idea) of a wound arise, one will lament and cry out.

Meaning: This couplet illustrates how inner states and intentions profoundly shape outward actions and responses. Compassion leads to growth and helpfulness, while suffering manifests as lamentation and distress.

Mowlana, in this couplet, points to one of the most fundamental insights of the Masnavi: the narrative of bī-sūratī (formlessness), from which this world bā-sūrat (with form) emerges. We are dealing here with a dialectic between forms and meanings, where formless thoughts, intentions, and motives manifest in the world as actions and states bā-sūrat. God, the formless Creator (ṣāniʿ-i bī-sūrat), plants forms (sūratī), thereby nurturing the body with senses and instruments. In this context, sūrat refers to an inner thought, intention, or motive that drives outward actions.

I see this as the ancient mystical idea of how what is within manifests without. This very couplet beautifully elucidates this principle: Should a sūrat (form/idea) of mercy arise, one will flourish and give aid. Here, a benevolent intention and the inspiration of mercy propel the individual to grow themselves and to assist others. Conversely, Should a sūrat (form/idea) of a wound arise, one will lament and cry out. An inner suffering manifests outwardly as wailing and restlessness.

Mowlana elaborates on this rule with numerous examples: the idea of a blessing makes one grateful; the idea of a reprieve makes one patient; the vision of a city in one's imagination prompts one to journey; and the sight of an approaching arrow compels one to raise a shield. All these are instances of how sūrat (forms or ideas) and meanings appear sometimes as premises and sometimes as results, depending on the nature of the premise and the outcome. Mowlana does not, as a philosopher might, precisely differentiate between these types of sūrat and bī-sūratī, but his intent is clear: the infinite variety of motives for actions, which he calls dāʿī-yi fiʿl az khiyāl-i gūna-gūn (the impetus for action from diverse imaginations), all originate from thoughts.

Ultimately, Mowlana concludes that bī-nihāyat kīsh-hā va pīshihā / jumla ẓill-i ṣūrat-i andīshihā (innumerable creeds and professions / are all but shadows of the forms of thoughts). This means that all rituals, customs, vocations, positions, and roles that humans adopt in society, whether for livelihood or power, are merely reflections of their inner thoughts. Thus, this couplet testifies to the truth that our outward world and actions are a mirror of our inner world of thoughts and intentions; just as formless water takes the shape of any vessel, or colorless light reveals colors, and breath, without a melody of its own, creates all melodies.

Key takeaways

• Our outward actions and states are reflections of our inner thoughts and intentions.
• Should an intention of mercy take root, the individual will flourish and extend aid to others.
• When the idea of a wound or suffering dominates one's being, it leads to lamentation and restlessness.
• God, the formless Creator, shapes the world of forms by planting sūrat (ideas/intentions) within the mind.
• Mowlana emphasizes the profound connection between the inner and outer worlds, even if not with philosophical precision.