In Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the vizier's plot culminates in a catastrophic civil war among the Christians. Armed with the contradictory scrolls secretly provided by the vizier, the amirs each claim rightful succession and clash violently, resulting in a massive slaughter. Rumi uses this gruesome destruction of physical bodies to introduce a profound philosophical reflection on the distinction between outward form (the physical body) and inner meaning (the soul). He compares physical death to breaking open a walnut or a pomegranate: the outer shell is destroyed, revealing whether the inside holds a sweet, enduring kernel or is merely rotten and hollow. To further emphasize the peril of possessing outward form without inner spiritual reality, Rumi employs the metaphor of a wooden sword. He argues that a soul lacking true spiritual "meaning" is like a wooden sword hidden in a scabbard. It may appear formidable while sheathed, but once drawn in the critical battle of life or death, it is exposed as useless and fit only for burning. Consequently, Rumi advises seekers to acquire a genuine "diamond sword" through association with authentic spiritual masters.

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## Original content
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ساخت طوماری به نام هر یکی 
نقش هر طومار دیگر مسلکی
حکمهای هر یکی نوعی دگر 
این خلاف آن ز پایان تا به سر
در یکی راه ریاضت را و جوع 
رکن توبه کرده و شرط رجوع
در یکی گفته ریاضت سود نیست 
اندرین ره مخلصی جز جود نیست
در یکی گفته که جوع و جود تو 
شرک باشد از تو با معبود تو
جز توکل جز که تسلیم تمام 
در غم و راحت همه مکرست و دام
در یکی گفته که واجب خدمتست 
ور نه اندیشهٔ توکل تهمتست
در یکی گفته که امر و نهیهاست 
بهر کردن نیست شرح عجز ماست
تا که عجز خود بینیم اندر آن 
قدرت او را بدانیم آن زمان
در یکی گفته که عجز خود مبین 
کفر نعمت کردنست آن عجز هین
قدرت خود بین که این قدرت ازوست 
قدرت تو نعمت او دان که هوست
در یکی گفته کزین دو بر گذر 
بت بود هر چه بگنجد در نظر
در یکی گفته مکش این شمع را 
کین نظر چون شمع آمد جمع را
از نظر چون بگذری و از خیال 
کشته باشی نیم شب شمع وصال
در یکی گفته بکش باکی مدار 
تا عوض بینی نظر را صد هزار
که ز کشتن شمع جان افزون شود 
لیلی‌ات از صبر تو مجنون شود
ترک دنیا هر که کرد از زهد خویش 
بیش آید پیش او دنیا و بیش
در یکی گفته که آنچت داد حق 
بر تو شیرین کرد در ایجاد حق
بر تو آسان کرد و خوش آن را بگیر 
خویشتن را در میفکن در زحیر
در یکی گفته که بگذار آن خود 
کان قبول طبع تو ردست و بد
راههای مختلف آسان شدست 
هر یکی را ملتی چون جان شدست
گر میسر کردن حق ره بدی 
هر جهود و گبر ازو آگه بدی
در یکی گفته میسر آن بود 
که حیات دل غذای جان بود
هر چه ذوق طبع باشد چون گذشت 
بر نه آرد همچو شوره ریع و کشت
جز پشیمانی نباشد ریع او 
جز خسارت پیش نارد بیع او
آن میسر نبود اندر عاقبت 
نام او باشد معسر عاقبت
تو معسر از میسر بازدان 
عاقبت بنگر جمال این و آن
در یکی گفته که استادی طلب 
عاقبت‌بینی نیابی در حسب
عاقبت دیدند هر گون ملتی 
لاجرم گشتند اسیر زلتی
عاقبت دیدن نباشد دست‌باف 
ورنه کی بودی ز دینها اختلاف
در یکی گفته که استا هم توی 
زانک استا را شناسا هم توی
مرد باش و سخرهٔ مردان مشو 
رو سر خود گیر و سرگردان مشو
در یکی گفته که این جمله یکیست 
هر که او دو بیند احول مردکیست
در یکی گفته که صد یک چون بود 
این کی اندیشد مگر مجنون بود
هر یکی قولیست ضد هم‌دگر 
چون یکی باشد یکی زهر و شکر
تا ز زهر و از شکر در نگذری 
کی تو از گلزار وحدت بو بری
این نمط وین نوع ده طومار و دو 
بر نوشت آن دین عیسی را عدو

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## English translation
He made a scroll in the name of each one;
The content of each scroll was a different path.
The injunctions of each were of a different kind—
This contrary to that, from end to beginning.
In one, the path of asceticism and hunger
Was made the pillar of repentance and condition of return.
In one he said: asceticism is of no use;
On this path there is no deliverance except generosity.
In one he said: your hunger and your generosity
Would be associating partners with your Worshipped One—
Except trust in God, except complete submission;
In sorrow and ease, all else is deceit and snare.
In one he said: service is obligatory;
Otherwise the thought of trust is a false accusation.
In one he said: there are commands and prohibitions—
They are not for doing; they are an account of our incapacity,
So that we may see our own incapacity in them
And know His power at that moment.
In one he said: do not look at your own incapacity—
That incapacity is ingratitude for blessings, beware!
See your own power, for this power is from Him;
Know your power as His blessing, for He is it.
In one he said: pass beyond these two—
Whatever can be contained in sight is an idol.
In one he said: do not extinguish this candle,
For this sight is like a candle for the assembly.
When you pass beyond sight and imagination,
You will have extinguished the candle of union at midnight.
In one he said: extinguish it, have no fear—
So that you may see a hundred thousand in exchange for sight,
For from extinguishing the candle the soul increases,
And your Layla will grow mad through your patience.
Whoever renounces the world through their own asceticism,
More of the world will come before them, and more.
In one he said: what the Truth has given you
The Truth has made sweet for you in creation;
He has made it easy and pleasant—take it;
Do not cast yourself into hardship.
In one he said: abandon that self of yours,
For what your nature accepts is rejected and bad.
The different paths have become easy;
Each has become a religion, like a soul.
If God's making-easy were itself the path,
Every Jew and Zoroastrian would know of it.
In one he said: that which is truly made easy
Is the life of the heart, the nourishment of the soul.
Whatever has the taste of mere nature—when it passes—
Yields nothing, like saline soil, no return or crop.
Its yield is nothing but regret;
Its trade brings nothing forward but loss.
That was not easy in the end;
In the end its name will be difficulty.
Distinguish the difficult from the easy;
Look toward the end, at the beauty of this and that.
In one he said: seek a master;
You will not find foresight through noble lineage.
Every kind of community has looked toward the end;
Therefore they inevitably became captives of error.
Seeing the end is not a handmade craft—
Otherwise, when would there be disagreement among religions?
In one he said: the master is also you,
For you are also the one who knows the master.
Be a man, and do not be made a tool of men;
Go, take your own way, and do not wander bewildered.
In one he said: all this is one;
Whoever sees two is a cross-eyed little man.
In one he said: how can a hundred be one?
Who would think this unless he were mad?
Each statement is contrary to the others—
How can there be one when one is poison and one is sugar?
Until you pass beyond poison and sugar,
When will you catch the fragrance from the rose garden of unity?
In this manner and style, ten scrolls and two
Were written by that enemy of the religion of Jesus.

دفتر اول - بخش ۲۲ - تخلیط وزیر در احکام انجیل / Book One - Section 22 - The Vizier's Falsification in the Precepts of the Gospel

In Book One of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, a central element of the deceptive vizier's plot is the creation of twelve contradictory scrolls, each given secretly to a different Christian leader. The vizier embeds opposing religious doctrines in each text, such as strictly mandating asceticism in one while entirely dismissing it in another. This deliberate falsification of the Gospel's precepts is designed to ensure that the leaders will inevitably clash over their irreconcilable 'truths' once he is gone. Allegorically, Rumi uses these scrolls to critique sectarianism and dogmatism. The narrative illustrates how an obsessive attachment to the outward, conflicting forms of religious practice blinds followers to the unified spiritual reality, ultimately leading to communal destruction.

The Vizier's Contradictory Scrolls as an Allegory for Sectarianism in the Masnavi

A central philosophical theme in Rumi's Masnavi is the dichotomy between outward form (Surat) and inner meaning (Ma'ni). In the tale of the hare's deceit, Rumi explicitly warns that words and names can act as traps ('لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست') that lead to a scarcity of true meaning ('قحط معنی'). This concept emphasizes that focusing solely on sweet words or superficial appearances is like sand soaking up the water of life. It serves as a prerequisite for understanding Rumi's subsequent assertions that physical forms are mere waves on the hidden ocean of the universal intellect (Aql).

The Deception of Words and Forms (Surat vs. Ma'ni) in the Masnavi

https://huggingface.co/docs/transformers/model_summary

Huggingface Model Summary

The Metaphor of the Wooden Sword and Spiritual Authenticity in the Masnavi

In Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the narrative of the deceptive vizier's sabotage contains a critical theological caveat: not all Christians fall victim to his trap. Rumi divides the Christian community into two factions based on their reaction to the name of Mustafa (Ahmad or Muhammad), which was prophesied in the Gospel (Injil). The group that reveres his name is shielded from the vizier's malice, finding refuge from his 'scrolls of crooked exposition.' Conversely, those who hold the Prophet's name in contempt are ensnared by the vizier's deceit, leading to their spiritual and religious ruin. Rumi employs this distinction to highlight the immense sanctuary provided by the Prophet, arguing that if his mere name acts as an 'impregnable fortress,' his divine essence and spiritual light must offer absolute, unparalleled protection.

The Protective Power of the Name Ahmad in the Masnavi

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او ز یک رنگی عیسی بو نداشت 
وز مزاج خم عیسی خو نداشت
جامهٔ صد رنگ از آن خم صفا 
ساده و یک‌رنگ گشتی چون صبا
نیست یک‌رنگی کزو خیزد ملال 
بل مثال ماهی و آب زلال
گرچه در خشکی هزاران رنگهاست 
ماهیان را با یبوست جنگهاست
کیست ماهی چیست دریا در مثل 
تا بدان ماند ملک عز و جل
صد هزاران بحر و ماهی در وجود 
سجده آرد پیش آن اکرام و جود
چند باران عطا باران شده 
تا بدان آن بحر در افشان شده
چند خورشید کرم افروخته 
تا که ابر و بحر جود آموخته
پرتو دانش زده بر خاک و طین 
تا که شد دانه پذیرنده زمین
خاک امین و هر چه در وی کاشتی 
بی‌خیانت جنس آن برداشتی
این امانت زان امانت یافتست 
کآفتاب عدل بر وی تافتست
تا نشان حق نیارد نوبهار 
خاک سرها را نکرده آشکار
آن جوادی که جمادی را بداد 
این خبرها وین امانت وین سداد
مر جمادی را کند فضلش خبیر 
عاقلان را کرده قهر او ضریر
جان و دل را طاقت آن جوش نیست 
با که گویم در جهان یک گوش نیست
هر کجا گوشی بد از وی چشم گشت 
هر کجا سنگی بد از وی یشم گشت
کیمیاسازست چه بود کیمیا 
معجزه بخش است چه بود سیمیا
این ثنا گفتن ز من ترک ثناست 
کین دلیل هستی و هستی خطاست
پیش هست او بباید نیست بود 
چیست هستی پیش او کور و کبود
گر نبودی کور زو بگداختی 
گرمی خورشید را بشناختی
ور نبودی او کبود از تعزیت 
کی فسردی همچو یخ این ناحیت

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## English translation
He had no scent of Jesus's one-coloredness,
Nor any disposition from the temperament of Jesus's vat.
A garment of a hundred colors, from that vat of purity,
Would become simple and one-colored, like the morning breeze.
This is not a one-coloredness from which boredom arises,
But rather like fish and clear water.
Though on dry land there are thousands of colors,
Fish are at war with dryness.
What is the fish, what is the sea in this comparison,
That the King, Mighty and Glorious, should be likened to them?
Hundreds of thousands of seas and fish in existence
Bow down before that nobility and bounty.
How many rains of giving have rained
So that that sea became pearl-scattering.
How many suns of generosity have shone
So that cloud and sea learned generosity.
The radiance of knowledge struck dust and clay,
So that the earth became receptive to seed.
The earth is trustworthy: whatever you sow in it,
You harvest that same kind without betrayal.
This trustworthiness it received from that Trust,
For the sun of justice shone upon it.
Until spring brings the sign of the Truth,
The earth does not reveal its secrets.
That munificence which gave to inanimate matter
These tidings, this trustworthiness, and this rectitude,
By His grace makes the inanimate knowing;
By His wrath He has made the wise blind.
Soul and heart cannot bear that ferment;
To whom shall I speak? In the world there is not one ear.
Wherever there was an ear, through Him it became an eye;
Wherever there was a stone, through Him it became jade.
He is the maker of alchemy; what, then, is alchemy?
He is the giver of miracles; what, then, is magic?
My speaking this praise is a leaving-off of praise,
For it proves my self-existence, and self-existence is error.
Before His Being, one must be non-being;
What is existence before Him? Blind and bruised-dark.
If it were not blind, it would melt from Him
And recognize the warmth of the sun.
And if it were not darkened by mourning,
How would this region have frozen like ice?

دفتر اول - بخش ۲۳ - در بیان آنک این اختلافات در صورت روش است نی در حقیقت راه / Book One - Section 23 - In Explanation That These Differences Are in the Form of the Method, Not in the Truth of the Path

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بعد از آن چل روز دیگر در ببست 
خویش کشت و از وجود خود برست
چونک خلق از مرگ او آگاه شد 
بر سر گورش قیامتگاه شد
خلق چندان جمع شد بر گور او 
مو کنان جامه‌دران در شور او
کان عدد را هم خدا داند شمرد 
از عرب وز ترک و از رومی و کرد
خاک او کردند بر سرهای خویش 
درد او دیدند درمان جای خویش
آن خلایق بر سر گورش مهی 
کرده خون را از دو چشم خود رهی

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## English translation
After that, forty more days he shut the door—
He killed himself and freed himself from his own existence.
When the people learned of his death,
Over his grave it became a place of resurrection.
So many people gathered at his grave,
Tearing their hair and rending their garments in uproar for him—
Only God could count that number—
From Arabs and Turks, from Romans and Kurds.
They put his dust upon their heads,
They saw his pain as the remedy for their own.
Those multitudes, for a month over his grave,
Made blood flow freely from both their eyes.

دفتر اول - بخش ۳۲ - کشتن وزیر خویشتن را در خلوت / Book One - Section 32 - The Vizier Killing Himself in Seclusion

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وانگهانی آن امیران را بخواند 
یک‌بیک تنها بهر یک حرف راند
گفت هر یک را بدین عیسوی 
نایب حقّ و خلیفهٔ من توی
وان امیران دگر، اتباع تو 
کَرد عیسی جمله را اشیاع تو
هر امیری کو کِشد گردن، بگیر 
یا بکُش یا خود همی دارش اسیر
لیک تا من زنده‌ام این وا مگو 
تا نمیرم این ریاست را مجو
تا نمیرم من تو این پیدا مکن 
دعوی شاهی و استیلا مکن
اینک این طومار و احکام مسیح 
یک بیک بر خوان تو بر امت فصیح
هر امیری را چنین گفت او جدا 
نیست نایب جز تو در دین خدا
هر یکی را کرد او یک‌یک عزیز 
هرچه آن را گفت این را گفت نیز
هر یکی را او یکی طومار داد 
هر یکی ضدّ دگر بود المراد
متن آن طومارها بُد مختلف 
همچو شکل حرفها یا تاالف
حکم این طومار ضد حکم آن 
پیش ازین کردیم این ضد را بیان

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## English translation
Then suddenly he summoned those commanders,
and, one by one, spoke privately to each for a purpose.
He said to each one: “In this Christian community,
you are the deputy of the Truth and my successor.
Those other commanders are your followers;
Jesus has made them all your adherents.
Any commander who stiffens his neck, seize him;
either kill him or hold him prisoner.
But while I am alive, do not disclose this;
do not seek this leadership until I die.
Until I die, do not make this public;
do not claim kingship and domination.
Here is this scroll, and the decrees of the Messiah;
read them out one by one, eloquently, to the community.”
He spoke so to each commander separately:
“There is no deputy but you in the religion of God.”
He made each one dear, one by one;
whatever he said to that one, he said to this one too.
To each one he gave a scroll;
the intended meaning of each was opposed to the others.
The texts of those scrolls differed,
like the shapes of letters from yā to alif.
The decree of this scroll opposed the decree of that one;
we have already explained this opposition before.

دفتر اول - بخش ۳۱ - ولی عهد ساختن وزیر هر یک امیر را جداجدا / Book One - Section 31 - The Vizier Making Each Commander Separately His Successor

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بود در انجیل نام مصطفی 
آن سر پیغامبران بحر صفا
بود ذکر حلیه‌ها و شکل او 
بود ذکر غزو و صوم و اکل او
طایفهٔ نصرانیان بهر ثواب 
چون رسیدندی بدان نام و خطاب
بوسه دادندی بر آن نام شریف 
رو نهادندی بر آن وصف لطیف
اندرین فتنه که گفتیم آن گروه 
ایمن از فتنه بدند و از شکوه
ایمن از شر امیران و وزیر 
در پناه نام احمد مستجیر
نسل ایشان نیز هم بسیار شد 
نور احمد ناصر آمد یار شد
وان گروه دیگر از نصرانیان 
نام احمد داشتندی مستهان
مستهان و خوار گشتند از فتن 
از وزیر شوم‌رای شوم‌فن
هم مخبّط دینشان و حکمشان 
از پی طومارهای کژ بیان
نام احمد این چنین یاری کند 
تا که نورش چون نگهداری کند
نام احمد چون حصاری شد حصین 
تا چه باشد ذات آن روح‌الامین
بعد ازین خون‌ریز درمان ناپذیر 
کاندر افتاد از بلای آن وزیر

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## English translation
The name of Mustafa was in the Injil—
that chief of prophets, that sea of purity.
His features and his form were mentioned there,
his battles, his fasting, and his eating were recorded.
The sect of Christians, for the sake of thawab,
when they would come upon that name and title,
would kiss that noble name,
would lay their faces upon that gracious description.
In this tribulation of which we spoke, that group
was safe from tribulation and from dread,
safe from the evil of the princes and the minister,
sheltering in the refuge of the name of Ahmad.
Their progeny also became numerous;
the light of Ahmad came as helper and became their friend.
But that other group of Christians
held the name of Ahmad in contempt.
They became despised and abased through tribulations,
through the minister of ill counsel and ill craft.
Their religion and their judgment too were thrown into confusion,
following the scrolls of crooked exposition.
The name of Ahmad renders such assistance—
so how then does his light guard and protect?
The name of Ahmad has become such an impregnable fortress—
what then must be the essence of that Ruh al-Amin?
After this bloodshed beyond all cure
that fell as a calamity from that minister—

دفتر اول - بخش ۳۵ - تعظیم نعت مصطفی صلی الله علیه و سلم کی مذکور بود در انجیل / Book One - Section 35 - The Glorification of the Praise of Mustafa, Peace Be Upon Him, Which Was Mentioned in the Gospel

In Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the distinction between outward form (*surat*) and inner spiritual meaning (*ma'na*) is a foundational hermeneutical concept. In Book 2, Section 7, Rumi warns the listener against getting lost in the literal narrative or external appearance of a tale. He uses the metaphors of walnuts and raisins (*jowz o maviz*) to represent the transient physical body or outward form, urging the spiritual seeker to pass beyond these surface level details. Similarly, he likens the literal plot of a story to chaff (*kah*) and the hidden spiritual truth to the grain (*daneh*), instructing readers to 'separate the grain from the chaff' (*az kah joda kon daneh ra*). Through these metaphors, Rumi argues that attachment to the literal form of stories, religious rituals, or the physical world hinders intellectual and spiritual progression toward divine reality.

The Metaphor of Grain and Chaff, Walnut and Raisin (Form vs. Meaning) in the Masnavi

In the conclusion to the tale of the tree of immortality in Book 2 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, a wise sheikh reveals to the despairing seeker that the miraculous tree he sought is not a physical plant, but a metaphor for divine knowledge. The sheikh explains that the seeker failed because he pursued the literal 'form' and the mere 'name' of the tree, remaining entirely ignorant of its spiritual 'meaning.' Rumi uses this revelation to articulate a profound epistemological principle: a single divine reality can manifest under countless names, such as a tree, the sun, a cloud, or the sea. Fixating on superficial labels creates division, confusion, and fruitless searching. To illustrate this, the sheikh notes that one man can be simultaneously called a father, a son, or an enemy depending on the observer's perspective. Rumi concludes that seekers must look past limiting names to perceive the underlying attributes, which ultimately guide the soul toward the divine Essence, asserting that 'the disagreement of creatures arose from the name; when they went to the meaning, peace arose.'

The Illusion of Names and the Unity of Meaning in the Masnavi

In the *Masnavi*, Rumi uses the story of four men (a Persian, an Arab, a Turk, and a Greek) disputing over grapes to illustrate the conflict between superficial names (forms) and underlying reality (meaning).

### Key Themes of the Metaphor:
1. **Form vs. Meaning (Surah vs. Ma'na):** The four men fight because each knows the grape only by its name in his own language (*angoor*, *inab*, *uzum*, and *istafil*). They fail to realize that they all desire the exact same physical reality. This represents how people fight over theological and linguistic labels while seeking the same Divine Truth.
2. **The Role of the Spiritual Guide (The Master of Secrets):** Rumi notes that a 'man of secrets' (a spiritual guide or prophet) who knows 'a hundred languages' could easily resolve their conflict. This guide possesses universal wisdom and can translate sectarian differences into a unified understanding of the ultimate essence.
3. **Ignorance as the Root of Conflict:** The physical fight symboliz...

The Metaphor of the Dispute Over Grapes: Form vs. Meaning in the Masnavi

In the *Masnavi*, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi frequently employs the dichotomy of the **kernel** or **pulp** (*maghz*) and the **shell** or **peel** (*pust*) to illustrate the relationship between inner spiritual meaning (*ma'na*) and outer form (*surat*).

### The Core Metaphor
* **The Shell (*Pust*):** Represents external forms, ritualistic observance, literal interpretations of scripture, and superficial knowledge.
* **The Kernel (*Maghz*):** Represents spiritual realization, divine love, inner truth, and direct experience of the Divine.

### Application to Quranic Memorization
In Book Three (Section 52), Rumi explains why few of the Prophet's companions (*Sahaba*) were full memorizers (*hafiz*) of the literal words of the Quran. He asserts that as their inner being became filled with the 'kernel' of divine meaning, their attachment to the outer 'shell' of form decreased. Just as a ripening walnut or almond grows its kernel and sheds or thins its shell, the spiritually mature individ...

The Metaphor of Kernel and Shell in Rumi's Masnavi

In the Masnavi, the 'Language of State' (Zaban-e Hal) refers to the non-verbal communication of an entity's inner reality or condition, which conveys truth more profoundly than spoken words. In Book 2, Section 108, Rumi illustrates this concept using analogies such as the silent, expressive interaction between a candle and a moth, the existential meaning of pieces on a chessboard, and a grammarian's standard sentence structure ('Zayd struck Amr'). Through these examples, Rumi demonstrates that outward forms and grammatical rules are merely vessels for deeper meaning (Ma'ni). Learners are urged to 'take the wheat and reject the measure'—meaning one should perceive the spiritual state and extract the true essence directly, rather than being confined by literal expressions and surface-level forms.

The Concept of 'Language of State' (Zaban-e Hal) in the Masnavi

In Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the distinction between human perception and divine nomenclature is a profound theological concept, illustrated through God teaching the 'Names' to Adam. Rumi asserts that human beings assign names based on an entity's outward, superficial aspect or its temporary worldly state. In stark contrast, God names every entity based on its 'hidden secret' and its ultimate, final destiny. To demonstrate this, Rumi contrasts human and divine perspectives: what humans called Moses' mere 'rod,' the Creator already knew as a 'dragon'; what society saw as an 'idol-worshipper' in Umar, God had already named a 'believer' in pre-eternity. This concept emphasizes that true reality is defined by God's foreknowledge of an entity's final end, not by its current borrowed form. Furthermore, Rumi notes that even Adam's vast, divine knowledge of these true names was momentarily eclipsed when divine decree (qaza) arrived, demonstrating that all intellect remains subordinate to God's supreme will.

Divine Nomenclature and Ultimate Reality in the Masnavi

In the Masnavi, Rumi frequently contrasts imposing outward physical forms with a lack of inner substance or courage. A prime example is the metaphor of the empty drum, which makes a loud, intimidating noise but is completely hollow inside. This theme is vividly illustrated in Section 90 through the story of a physically huge but cowardly man who likens himself to an empty drum, as well as in the subsequent Section 91 through the tale of a heavily armed rider who is easily frightened despite his fearsome appearance. These intertwined parables serve to teach learners to look past superficial, intimidating forms and recognize that true strength, courage, and spiritual meaning (ma'ni) reside solely within.

The Metaphor of the Empty Drum: Outward Form vs. Inner Reality

In Section 62 of Book One, Rumi interrupts the narrative of the hare's deceit to introduce a profound philosophical metaphor: the Ocean of Universal Intellect (دریای عقل) versus outward Form (صورت).

Rumi compares human forms to bowls floating on the surface of the sea. As long as the bowl is not filled with water, it floats, but once filled, it drowns in the ocean. This symbolizes how our physical forms and worldly identities keep us separate from the Divine Intellect; yet, when we are overwhelmed and "filled" by it, the illusion of separation vanishes.

He further explains that the true Intellect is hidden, while the physical world is manifest, likening our outward forms to mere waves or moisture originating from that vast ocean. This concept emphasizes the limitation of relying solely on superficial forms and urges the seeker to perceive the hidden, boundless source of meaning and existence.

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