Couplet 152

ازوے ار سایہ نشانے می دہد

If shadow gives its address

شمس ہر دم نورِ جانے می دہد

The Sun is giving the life to the rooh continuously

              ‘وے is the reference to the sun and ‘شمس’  also meaning the sun, refers to Allah comparing metaphorically, as in ayat-u-noor (Quran -24:35)

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.

           It has been detailed above how ishq is being comprehended without any medium like that of the sun and with this, the mind is diverted to the Real Sun (شمسِ حقیقی i.e. Allah Ta’ala) (the writings of Maulana is full of such diversions).  And now he starts describing the difference between the Real Sun and worldly sun. Although, this external sun is there with the attribute that it does not need any other medium to feel or understand it and be known or felt by its own qualities, as detailed above. But this sun is somewhat weak in this regard i.e. comprehension through itself without any medium, as compared to the Real Sun which is perfect in this regard. Maulana states that in order to understand this, the shadow which it formed also help, as both are opposite to each other and one will always help to understand the other.

              It is obvious that if heat is not there, one cannot understand the cold. Similarly, the sun and shadow made by it, as attributes of shadow is to be understood because of sunlight. Thus shadow is there to understand sunlight i.e. sun and hence, the sun is incomplete as far as its understanding without any other things/ medium is concerned. Contrary to this, the Real Sun is perfect in this respect, and simultaneously, its reason has been described as it provides the light of the life continuously i.e. roohs (souls) of gnostics are always sprinkled with this nor (light).  The external sun is sometimes goes out of sight and it also produces the shadow, which is opposite to it and these opposites are ways to understand each other. Thus the attribute of knowing this through itself is not there and this Real Sun never sets and always giving away its noor and hence there is no opposite to Him and thus He is complete & perfect in this respect of maarifah (knowledge, understanding). Though this showing and showering of noor is available each and every time, but its comprehension cannot be available to every person, but it is the area specifically of gnostics, as they are able to comprehend the noor of maarifah, which is termed by Maulana as نورِ جان. As in the second part of the couplet, the meaning of availability of noor of Allah Ta’ala continuously means it is descending and sprinkled from that side (Allah’s side) irrespective of the fact that it is comprehended or not from this side (our side). This noor of maarifah is to be understood by the people who feel this and witness the ذاتِ پاک, where there is no possibility of intervention from artificial/external proof. This is the meaning of عرفت ربّی بربّی. This comprehension and feeling are known as witnessing (مشاہدہ), where there is no actual sighting. This is also known through this discussion that Allah Ta’ala is never ever out of sight & hidden and also not revealed like any other thing and this excessive extreme of revelation becomes the reason for His concealment as there is no opposite of Him, which eases in helping to understand and comprehend.