Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 355not always visible. When thought is expressedthrough word or sign, be it thanks or complaint,good or evil, then the sun of speech becomes visible,just as the rays of the celestial sun become visiblewhen they shine upon a wall.So, the rays from that sun of speech onlyappear through the medium of letters and sounds.Though always present—for that sun is subtle,and “He is the All-subtle”—some element ofgrossness is required for it to become visible andapparent.A certain man said that “God” had no meaningfor him, the word left him bewildered andfrozen. When they said, “This is God’s Creation,these are His Commandments, and these are HisLaws,” then he felt the warmth of those rays. So,although God’s subtlety always existed and shoneupon that man, until they explained it to himthrough the medium of Commandment, Creationand Law, he was unable to see.There are some people, who, due to illness,cannot use honey. Yet through the medium ofsome other food, such as mixed into rice dressedwith turmeric or halvah, they can eat it. Once