M6:1638 — کو نه آن شاهست کت سیلی زند / پس نبخشد تاج و تخت مستند

Translation: He is not that King who would strike you with a slap, then not bestow a firmly established crown and throne. Meaning:* This verse conveys the truth that any pain or hardship delivered by God is not without wisdom or recompense; rather, it is a prelude to the bestowal of immense and enduring blessings.

Mowlana, in this verse, which he speaks in the spirit of qalmašīt—meaning to unveil hidden secrets and speak without reserve to Sufis with listening hearts—reveals a pivotal insight: “Whatever wound comes to you from the sky, anticipate a robe of honor thereafter.” I must unequivocally state that this is the backbone of a monotheistic worldview. Within the divine school of thought, one cannot accept that any suffering is inflicted upon an individual without purpose or recompense.

This stands in stark contrast to materialistic or even existentialist perspectives, which view suffering as pure loss or a sign of meaninglessness. From Mowlana’s perspective, and indeed my own, wherever a void appears in life, and we perceive ourselves as deprived of something, something better and nobler will fill its place. This reward may be tangible or intangible, in this world or the next, physical or spiritual; the divine ways are infinite.

Our verse articulates this very point with a potent metaphor: “He is not that King who would strike you with a slap, then not bestow a firmly established crown and throne.” The true King is not a ruler who would arbitrarily or out of mere anger strike his subject and then offer no compensation or reward. If God inflicts a hardship upon you, know that this ‘slap’ is a prelude to exaltation and the bestowal of a “firmly established crown and throne.” This very ‘slap’ is an immense bribe, a foretaste of boundless blessings. Mowlana continues, saying: “The entire world is worth a gnat’s wing; a single slap is an infinite bribe.” In God’s sight, the whole world holds less value than a gnat’s wing, yet one of His ‘slaps’ is an endless bribe for innumerable blessings.

This is Mowlana’s great discovery that views the world as having an inverted structure, or perhaps it is we who possess an inverted perception. This is the divine naʿl-i maʿkūs (inverted horseshoe): a false trail that directs us towards what we dislike, while true sweetness is hidden within those very bitternesses. This is the demand of divine ghayrat (jealousy); to prevent blessings from falling into unworthy hands, God makes their taste bitter, so that only longing and deserving souls may discern them.

This verse invites us to prepare ourselves for these ‘slaps’ and sufferings. “Cast away the golden collar of this world from your neck, and bravely receive a slap from the Truth.” This means we must free ourselves from the allure and attachments of this world, which act as a collar around our necks, and eagerly accept divine hardships, knowing that a reward hundreds of thousands of times greater awaits. This is the path the prophets walked: “The prophets endured those blows to the back of the neck; through such tribulations, they raised their heads high.” The elevation and eminence of the prophets in this world were due to these very sufferings and afflictions that they embraced; “For this reason, hardship and defeat befell the prophets more than any other people in the world.”

However, the essential condition for understanding and receiving these rewards is “being present in oneself”: “But be present within yourself, O youth, so that He may find you in the house.” We must be conscious, awake, and vigilant to recognize the suffering, and more importantly, to discern the hidden reward within it. If we remain in heedlessness, neither suffering will hold meaning for us, nor will the rewards reach us; “Otherwise, He will take back the robe of honor, saying: ‘I found no one at home.’”

Key takeaways

• Any suffering inflicted by God is not meaningless; it is a prelude to a greater divine bounty.
• A divine 'slap' is not a sign of wrath, but an invitation to exaltation and the bestowal of an enduring crown and throne.
• In a monotheistic worldview, suffering is not a loss, but an opportunity to attain perfection and boundless blessings.
• The value of the world pales in comparison to divine grace; even the smallest suffering from Him carries infinite worth.
• Like the prophets, one must embrace suffering to achieve true eminence and elevation.
• Self-awareness and presence are essential conditions for discerning the wisdom of hardships and receiving their hidden rewards.