M1:87 — بدگمانی کردن و حرص‌آوری / کفر باشد پیش خوان مهتری

Translation: To harbor ill-suspicion and avarice / Is disbelief before the table of the Noble One. Meaning: This verse asserts that to harbor mistrust toward God's boundless generosity or to act with greed in consuming His provisions is an act of ingratitude and disbelief in the presence of the Benevolent Lord's majesty.

This verse, I believe, underscores a pivotal point in our relationship with God: adab, which is not merely outward reverence but a profound understanding of divine generosity and self-sufficiency. Rumi, in this context, alludes to narratives found in our sacred texts, such as the heavenly manna and quails for the Israelites, and later, the miraculous table for Jesus's disciples. Moses's people, though fully provided with manna and quails, out of avarice and suspicion, demanded garlic, lentils, and onions. This lack of adab led to the cessation of that blessing and forced them into the toil of cultivation. Later, when Jesus (PBUH) requested a heavenly table for his disciples and it descended, they, instead of being content and grateful, behaved like beggars, avariciously hoarding leftovers. Their suspicion, it seems, was that this bounty might not last. Jesus reminded them that this blessing was perpetual and would never diminish. It is here that Rumi unequivocally states: to harbor ill-suspicion regarding the continuity of divine mercy and to act with avarice in gathering provisions is an act of kufr—disbelief or ingratitude—before God's boundless table.

I consider this, without a doubt, a form of cognitive and practical kufr. Kufr here is not merely the denial of God's existence, but the denial of His attributes; the negation of His infinite providence and boundless mercy. This ill-suspicion and greed close the door of mercy upon humanity. This is the very perspective Rumi expresses elsewhere: 'For those who hoard out of unseen greed, the door of mercy was shut upon them.' Such avarice, stemming from mistrust, blinds us to realities and deprives us of God's unmerited grace.

Rumi expands this narrative, demonstrating that this lack of adab has universal consequences. He cites how the withholding of zakat leads to drought, and fornication to the spread of plague and illness. This view establishes a deep connection between human moral and spiritual actions and the order of the cosmos. I have always maintained that Rumi does not perceive the world as flawed or crooked; rather, he sees it as perfect and immaculate. Therefore, any sorrow or darkness that befalls us stems from our own misunderstanding and presumption, not from a defect in the architecture of existence. This is where Rumi diverges from Hafez; Hafez sometimes deems the world in need of a new structure, advocating for 'a new world to be built'; but Rumi sees the flaw in our perception and conduct, not in the world itself.

This verse is an invitation to absolute trust and reliance on a Creator whose table of generosity is perpetually spread. The recklessness and presumption that Rumi highlights are reprehensible not only before God but before any noble authority. However, in the presence of the Supreme Lord, this lack of adab escalates to the level of kufr; for it originates in the denial of His core attribute: absolute sufficiency and grace.

Key takeaways

• Etiquette (adab) and gratitude towards God are fundamental for continuously receiving divine blessings and bounties.
• Ill-suspicion towards God's boundless generosity and avarice before His table are acts of ingratitude and a form of cognitive disbelief.
• Divine bounties are perpetual and limitless; perceiving their limitation or end indicates our misunderstanding of God's absolute richness.
• Lack of adab, whether in spiritual devotion or adherence to sacred law, incurs adverse worldly and otherworldly consequences.
• Rumi views the world as perfect; any flaw or sorrow we experience stems from our own presumption and misconduct, not from creation's imperfection.
• Absolute trust and reliance on the All-Providing God is the key to unlocking doors of mercy and freeing oneself from the shackles of greed and suspicion.