M6:335 — آن صحابی زین کفالت شد عیار / تا یکی روزی که گشته بد سوار

Translation: That Companion, through this guarantee (of the Prophet), became refined / Until one day, when he was mounted (on his horse). Meaning: This verse recounts the story of a Companion of the Prophet whose character was profoundly transformed after he heard a specific teaching about self-reliance and refraining from asking others for anything.

Mawlana, in elucidating the principle that one should not burden others, invokes a sacred Tradition (hadith) from the Prophet, who declared: if a person asks nothing from anyone – not even legitimate requests – I guarantee them Paradise. While seemingly advocating for worldly self-sufficiency, Mawlana delves into the esoteric dimension of this teaching.

To illustrate this transformation, Mawlana narrates a story about an Arab Companion of the Prophet. This Companion, accustomed to such arrogance that he would summon others to retrieve his dropped whip rather than dismounting himself, underwent a profound change after hearing the Prophet's words. The verse under discussion, "That Companion, through this guarantee (of the Prophet), became refined," refers to this very transformation. He became ʿayyār, meaning his being was tested and purified. Subsequently, one day, while mounted on his horse, his whip fell; but this time, out of respect for the Prophet's teaching, he dismounted himself to retrieve it, asking no one for help.

For Mawlana, this understanding of self-sufficiency carries an even deeper meaning: that one should ask nothing, not even from God. In essence, to relinquish formal prayer (duʿāʾ). Ostensibly, this appears contrary to the Shari'a and the prophetic tradition, which are replete with supplication and humility. However, Mawlana, in Book Three of the Mathnavi, expounds on this esoteric dimension. He posits two categories of saints (Awliyāʾ): those who are active in prayer and seeking change, and another group "whose tongues are tied from prayer." These latter have attained the sublime station of Riḍā (Contentment) with divine decree. For them, whatever emanates from the Divine is intrinsically delightful and desirable; to seek change or deliverance from it would seem almost blasphemous. Thus, with absolute trust and good faith in God, they transcend all forms of asking, gratitude, or complaint. The Companion in our story was at the beginning of his spiritual journey toward such a station; he had severed his reliance on creation, which was itself the nascent stage of absolute independence from all save the Divine.

Key takeaways

• The Prophet's teaching on self-sufficiency became the catalyst for a Companion's spiritual refinement (becoming ʿayyār).
• The Prophet's 'guarantee' (kifālat) extends beyond promising paradise, encompassing spiritual education and elevation.
• Mawlana extends this teaching from external self-reliance to an internal state of needing nothing, even from God.
• The Station of Contentment (Maqām-i Riḍā) is the highest spiritual rank, where the tongue is stilled from all supplication.