(Masnavi Book 3: 72) Fana and Baqa

The question of the faná and baqá of the dervish.

The speaker said, “There is no dervish in the world; and if there be a dervish, that dervish is

(really) non-existent.”

3670. He exists in respect of the survival of his essence, (but) his attributes have become non-existent in the attributes of Him (God).

Like the flame of a candle in the presence of the sun, he is (really) non-existent, (though he is)

existent in (formal) calculation.

Its (the flame's) essence is existent, so that, if you put cotton upon it, it (the cotton) will be consumed by the sparks;

(But) it is (really) non-existent: it gives you no light: the sun will have naughted it.

When you have thrown an ounce of vinegar into two hundred maunds of sugar, and it has become dissolved therein,

3675. The flavour of the vinegar, when you taste (the sugar), is non-existent, (though) the ounce exists (as a) surplus when you weigh.

In the presence of a lion a deer becomes senseless: her existence becomes a (mere) veil for his existence.

These analogies drawn by imperfect men concerning the action of the Lord are (like) the emotion

of love, (they are) not from irreverence.

The lover's pulse bounds up without reverence, he lays himself on the scale of the King's balance.

None is more irreverent than he in the world (outwardly); none is more reverent than he in

secret (inwardly).

3680. Know, O chosen one, that these two opposites also, “reverent” and “irreverent,” are reconciled by means of relation.

He (the lover) is irreverent when you regard the outward aspect, for his claim of love is

(involves) equality (with the Beloved);

(But) when you regard the inward aspect, where is the claim? He and (his) claim are naughted in the presence of that Sultan.

Máta Zaydun (Zayd died): if Zayd is the agent (grammatical subject), (yet) he is not the agent,

for he is defunct.

He is the agent (only) in respect of the grammatical expression; otherwise, he is the one acted upon (the object of the action), and Death is his slayer.

3685. What agent (is he), since he has been so overpowered and all the qualities of an agent have been removed from him?