In Book Three, Section 87 of the *Masnavi*, Rumi uses the Quranic narrative of Moses seeking Khidr as an analogy for Daquqi's search for the hidden saints (awliya). Rumi emphasizes that even Moses, despite his exalted status as a law-giving prophet who spoke directly to God (*Kalimullah*), humbled himself, abandoned self-conceit (*khud-bini*), and left his followers to seek Khidr's esoteric wisdom (*'ilm al-ladunni*). This illustrates the fundamental Sufi teaching that formal, exoteric knowledge and high spiritual rank are insufficient without the guidance of a master possessing hidden divine insight. The story serves as a profound lesson in spiritual humility and the absolute necessity of seeking a spiritual guide (*Pir*).

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## Original content
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از کلیم حق بیاموز ای کریم 
بین چه می‌گوید ز مشتاقی کلیم
با چنین جاه و چنین پیغامبری 
طالب خضرم ز خودبینی بری
موسیا تو قوم خود را هشته‌ای 
در پی نیکوپیی سرگشته‌ای
کیقبادی رسته از خوف و رجا 
چند گردی چند جویی تا کجا
آن تو با تست و تو واقف برین 
آسمانا چند پیمایی زمین
گفت موسی این ملامت کم کنید 
آفتاب و ماه را کم ره زنید
می‌روم تا مجمع البحرین من 
تا شوم مصحوب سلطان زمن
اجعل الخضر لامری سببا 
ذاک او امضی و اسری حقبا
سال‌ها پرم بپر و بال‌ها 
سال‌ها چه بود هزاران سال‌ها
می‌روم یعنی نمی‌ارزد بدان 
عشق جانان کم مدان از عشق نان
این سخن پایان ندارد ای عمو 
داستان آن دقوقی را بگو

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## English translation
Learn from the Interlocutor of God, O noble one; see what the Interlocutor says out of longing. With such rank and such prophethood, I am seeking Khidr, free from self-regard. O Moses, you have left your people and are wandering after one of beautiful footsteps. You are a Kayqubad, delivered from fear and hope; how long will you wander, how long will you seek, and to where? What is yours is with you, and you know this; O heaven, how long will you measure the earth? Moses said: Lessen this reproach; stop waylaying the sun and moon. I am going to the Confluence of the Two Seas so that I may become companion to the sovereign of my time. Make Khidr a cause for my affair, or I will go on and journey for ages. For years I will fly with feathers and wings; what are years? Thousands of years. I am going, meaning: that is not worth mentioning; do not count love of the Beloved as less than love of bread. This speech has no end, O uncle; tell the story of that Daqūqī.

دفتر سوم - بخش ۸۷ - سر طلب کردن موسی خضر را علیهماالسلام با کمال نبوت و قربت / Book Three - Section 87 - The Secret of Moses Seeking Khidr, Peace Be Upon Them Both, with the Perfection of Prophethood and Proximity

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the introduction to the tale of Daquqi explores the necessity of seeking out the hidden saints (the elect) and the concept of noble spiritual greed. Daquqi is depicted as a man of unparalleled piety and devotion who nevertheless travels ceaselessly in search of God's 'special servants.' When the Divine Presence questions why he seeks human companionship when he already enjoys intimacy with God, Daquqi explains that his unquenchable desire—likened to a dropsical patient's thirst—is an extension of his divine love. Rumi uses this dialogue to draw a sharp contrast between worldly greed, which he associates with base lust and spiritual regression, and spiritual greed, which drives the seeker toward perfection. Daquqi justifies his quest by invoking the narrative of Moses traveling to find Khidr, illustrating Rumi's core principle that a seeker must never become complacent with their current spiritual rank.

Daquqi's Quest for the Hidden Saints in the Masnavi

In Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, a foundational Sufi principle is the absolute necessity of a spiritual guide—often referred to as a Sheikh, Pir, or 'the Wise' ($$عاقل$$)—to safely traverse the spiritual path. Rumi emphasizes that individual intellect and isolated acts of worship are insufficient against the subtle deceptions of the ego (Nafs) and inner enemies. Seekers are instructed to take refuge under the "shadow" of a perfected master. This theme is explicitly established when the Prophet advises Imam Ali to prioritize companionship with a divine guide over all other forms of devotion, asserting that such a guide serves as an indispensable spiritual protector, shielding the disciple much like Noah's Ark saves believers from a flood.

The Necessity of a Spiritual Guide (Pir) in the Masnavi

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Moses's Quest for Khidr as a Model for Seeking Esoteric Knowledge

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, following the miraculous transformation of the seven spiritual entities into men, the mystic Daquqi approaches them and is immediately recognized through their inward spiritual insight. When Daquqi questions how they know him without looking, they explain that outward names and forms are hidden from saints not out of ignorance, but due to their absolute absorption ($$istighraq$$) in the Divine. Daquqi then requests an hour of their pure companionship to resolve his spiritual difficulties. To illustrate the transformative power of this fellowship, Rumi employs the metaphor of a seed planted in the earth. Just as a seed must completely efface its physical attributes—its color, scent, and form—within the dark soil to expand and bear fruit, the spiritual seeker must undergo self-annihilation ($$fana$$) in the presence of perfected souls. Through this selfless companionship, Daquqi transcends linear time, entering a state of 'hourlessness' and bewilderment where he becomes intimately connected with the ineffable Divine.

Daquqi's Encounter and the Metaphor of the Seed in the Masnavi

In Book Three of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, a central didactic theme is the proper etiquette (adab) and receptivity required of disciples when receiving wisdom from a spiritual guide or Sheikh. Rumi emphasizes that spiritual teachers and divine messengers need attentive, humble, and eager listeners to effectively impart their knowledge. He asserts that without genuine respect, humility, and an enthusiastic readiness to receive, the outpouring of divine wisdom is obstructed. The success of spiritual transmission, therefore, depends heavily on the disciple's sincere state of need and respectful demeanor.

The Etiquette of Receiving Spiritual Wisdom in the Masnavi

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the gathering of afflicted people at the monastery of Jesus serves as a profound allegory for the seeker's relationship with a spiritual master. Rumi describes how the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed would gather at dawn, hoping to be cured by Jesus's miraculous breath. However, once healed, they would hastily depart in joy, quickly forgetting the source of their cure. Rumi sharply criticizes this ingratitude, urging the spiritual seeker to remain steadfast at the threshold of the enlightened guide. To emphasize this necessity, he employs the metaphor of a loyal dog, advising the seeker to hold fast to the "first door" where they received spiritual nourishment and to never abandon it. Just as fidelity is the defining mark of a dog, Rumi insists that the disciple must remain fastened "like a ring" to the master's door, maintaining constant devotion and never rebelling against their spiritual benefactor.

The Metaphor of the Monastery of Jesus and Spiritual Fidelity in the Masnavi

In Book 2 of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, within the narrative of the Prophet Muhammad visiting a dying companion, Rumi underscores the absolute necessity of maintaining close proximity to spiritual masters (*awliyā'*). He warns that becoming "distant from the presence of the saints" is tantamount to becoming "distant from God." Rumi elevates these enlightened guides by referring to them metaphorically as "kings," asserting that if separation from ordinary companions causes grief, isolation from the saints brings profound spiritual detriment. Consequently, he issues a direct imperative to "seek the shadow of the kings at every moment." Rumi promises that by dedicating both one's travels and stillness to seeking this transformative presence, the seeker will be elevated to a spiritual state "better than the sun."

The Imperative of Seeking the Presence of Saints in the Masnavi

In Book Three of the *Masnavi*, Rumi employs the narrative of Jesus healing the afflicted as a profound allegory for spiritual medicine. He equates the 'Monastery of Jesus' (صومعه عیسی) to the 'table of the people of the heart' (خوان اهل دل), which represents the presence and threshold of the perfect spiritual guide or Saint. In this metaphor, the physical ailments of the gathered crowd—such as blindness, lameness, and paralysis—symbolize the spiritual afflictions and moral sicknesses of humanity. Rumi instructs seekers not to abandon the door of the spiritual master, as the master's divine connection and spiritual breath (comparable to the miraculous, life-giving breath of Jesus) serve as the ultimate cure for the ailments of the soul.

The Metaphor of the Monastery of Jesus in the Masnavi

In Book 1 of the *Masnavi*, Rumi warns against the spiritual peril of following false guides or charlatans. He explains that spiritually impoverished seekers often fall prey to these pretenders because they lack the inner light necessary for true discernment. Using the metaphor of a visually impaired person unable to distinguish between genuine eye medicine and ordinary stones, Rumi illustrates how naive disciples mistake outward eloquence and feigned piety for true divine realization, rendering them unable to tell the difference between superficial imitation and genuine spiritual growth.

The Danger of False Spiritual Guides and Blind Disciples in the Masnavi

In Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the Prophet Muhammad delivers a profound discourse on the necessity of spiritual intermediaries for seekers who cannot yet bear the direct light of the Divine. Rumi illustrates this concept using astronomical metaphors, comparing the Prophet's companions to guiding "stars" and the prophet or saint to the "moon." Just as the moon receives light from the sun and reflects it in a gentler, more endurable form for those in darkness, spiritual guides transmit overwhelming divine revelation in a capacity that ordinary human souls can tolerate. Rumi further uses the medical metaphor of mixing "honey and vinegar" to describe how spiritual teachings are intentionally blended with worldly or relatable forms to cure the spiritually ailing. Once the seeker's heart is purified and "freed from illness," they can eventually dispense with these intermediaries and experience unmediated communion with God.

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