M1:1319 — مر ضعیفان را تو بی‌خصمی مدان / از نبی ذا جاء نصر الله خوان

This couplet appears in the story of the lion and the hare, where the cunning hare tricks the tyrannical lion into jumping into a well, mistaking his own reflection for a rival. Rumi uses this narrative to illustrate a profound spiritual and ethical lesson: even the weakest can be instruments of divine justice against the strong. The first hemistich, "Do not deem the weak to be without an adversary," directly addresses the oppressor, cautioning them not to mistake the apparent helplessness of the weak for an absence of a formidable opponent. The 'adversary' here is not necessarily another physical being but rather the force of divine retribution that acts on behalf of the oppressed.

The second hemistich, "Read from the Prophet: 'When comes the help of God,'" reinforces this point by referencing the Quranic Sura An-Nasr (Chapter 110), which begins with the words, "Idhā jāʾa naṣru Llāhi wa-l-fatḥ" (When comes the help of God and the victory). This verse is traditionally understood as a promise of divine assistance to the Prophet Muhammad and his followers, particularly in the face of overwhelming odds. By invoking this specific Quranic passage, Rumi elevates the hare's victory over the lion from a mere trick to a divinely ordained triumph. It serves as a powerful reminder that God's support is always with the wronged, and that even the most powerful tyrants are ultimately vulnerable to divine justice, often delivered through unexpected and seemingly weak channels.