M6:438 — مرغک آمد سوی او از ناشناخت / پس طوافی کرد و پیش مرد تاخت

Translation: The little bird came towards him unknowingly; Then it circled and darted towards the man. Meaning: A small bird, oblivious to the hidden hunter's deceit, cautiously approaches, yet ultimately succumbs to the trap due to its own need and greed.

This verse is part of the tale of a cunning hunter disguised as a plant and an ascetic, setting a trap for unsuspecting birds. The hunter here symbolizes spiritual charlatans, and the little bird, a naive but needy seeker, falls for the ascetic's deceptive appearance. Mowlana subtly notes that the bird came towards the hunter "az nā-shenākht," meaning unknowingly or unawares. Yet, this unawareness was not absolute; the astute bird initially "smelled a rat" (بویی برد اندکی), suspecting this was no mere plant but a human. However, lacking "qāteʿ" (certainty) in its initial perception, it was "deceived" (maghrūr shod) by the hunter's allure. This moment of hesitation followed by a fall is central here.

I emphasize that the most common ground for human deception lies where "ḥirṣ-o ṭamaʿ" (greed and avarice) are involved, especially "ʿinda farṭ al-ḥājah wa al-faqr," that is, in conditions of extreme need and destitution. The poverty Mowlana critiques here is "faqr-i luqma" (poverty of the morsel), not "faqr-i Ḥaqq" (poverty for the sake of Truth/God). Some pseudo-Sufis are merely after sustenance and worldly gain, not divine truth. Mowlana explicitly states, "He has the poverty of the morsel, not the poverty of Truth / Before a dead image, he places no tray."

This perspective aligns with the Prophetic tradition, "Kād al-faqr an yakūna kufrā" (Poverty nearly leads to disbelief). Material poverty, while sometimes seemingly virtuous, can, Mowlana suggests, lead one to disbelief, distorted perception, and vulnerability to deceit. For the health and purity of the soul, a minimum level of livelihood is necessary to prevent avarice and to see truth unclouded.

Therefore, "ṭawāfī kard-o pīsh-i mard tāḵt" (it circled and darted towards the man) indicates that the bird, despite its innate cleverness, was ultimately overcome by its own poverty and need. With a sudden movement (tākhtan), it surrendered itself to the deceiver. This is not merely a critique of the deceptive hunter, but a warning to seekers who, without sufficient insight and driven solely by appearances and material needs, rush towards claimants of spirituality. Mowlana is a fierce critic of institutionalized Sufism (Khanqah Sufism) that had become afflicted with flaws and greed, where the pursuit of mere sustenance overshadowed the "nourishment of Truth."

Key takeaways

• The tale of the hunter and the bird is an allegory for spiritual charlatanry and the vulnerability of seekers.
• Material destitution and need ('poverty of the morsel') make individuals susceptible to deceit and deviation from truth.
• Complete insight and certainty ('qāteʿ') in discerning truth from falsehood prevent being misled by deceptive appearances.
• Mowlana is a clear critic of a form of Sufism that seeks worldly gains ('the morsel') instead of divine truth.