M1:3730 — از علی آموز اخلاص عمل / شیر حق را دان مُطهَّر از دغل

Translation: Learn purity of action from ʿAlī; consider the Lion of God as cleansed of all deceit. Meaning: This verse instructs us to perform our actions solely for God, free from any egoistic motives, holding ʿAlī as the perfect exemplar of such sincerity.

This verse stands as a profound testament to Mowlana's reverence for Imam ʿAlī, appearing as the final and second story in the first book of the Masnavi. It recounts the celebrated encounter between ʿAlī and a champion who, in the heat of battle, spat upon the Imam's face. While Shiʿi traditions identify this champion as ʿAmr ibn ʿAbd-i Wud, Mowlana deliberately omits the name, presenting him as an embodiment of the deceptive ego. Mowlana, in this narrative, not only hails ʿAlī as a mighty warrior but also as the "Lion of God" and, remarkably, declares him the "pride of every prophet and every saint." This unparalleled and extraordinary tribute is found nowhere else in the Masnavi for any other figure; Mowlana elevates ʿAlī to a rank that makes him the very source of honor for all prophets and divine friends. When Mowlana speaks of a "face before which the moon would prostrate itself in the place of prostration," it becomes clear that the discourse transcends a mere historical personage, portraying instead a perfect mirror reflecting the manifestation of the Divine. The climax of the story occurs when, after the insult, ʿAlī casts aside his sword and refrains from killing the champion. Mowlana interprets this act as the separation of sincerity (ikhlāṣ) from deceit (daghal). Outwardly, the action is the same: killing an enemy. However, by momentarily letting go of his sword and then reconsidering, ʿAlī illuminates the boundary between fighting for God and fighting for the ego. The moment wrath surged and the spittle defiled his noble face, the battle would have become for the self, not for God. In this pause, ʿAlī not only extinguishes his own egoistic anger but also "kills" the champion "without a sword"; that is, he slays the champion's unbelieving spirit and invites him to faith. It is here that the champion, astonished, asks ʿAlī: "Unfold! I know these are secrets of 'He' / For to kill without a sword is His work." He implores ʿAlī to reveal the secret of his action, calling him "all intellect and all sight" (jumla ʿaql o dīda). This description of ʿAlī, embodying complete rationality and insight, is singular. Mowlana concludes: "The sword of forbearance is sharper than an iron sword / Nay, it brings victory more than a hundred armies." It is this divine forbearance and patience that conquers hearts, not the blade of iron. This purity of action, in his own words, is "cleansed of all deceit." Through this act, ʿAlī offers humanity a symbol of self-purification and sincere intention—demonstrating that even in the height of conflict and anger, one can align intention with the Divine and purify action from the taint of ego. This story, which Mowlana adopted from Ghazali's Kīmiyā-ye Saʿādat, became for him the groundwork for expanding this profound spiritual knowledge: that sincerity is realized not in withdrawal from the world, but in the depth of action and amidst life's very battlefield.

Key takeaways

• Perform actions solely for God, free from egoistic motives; purity of action (ikhlāṣ-i ʿamal) is the true measure of our deeds.
• Imam ʿAlī (AS) is not merely an exemplar of courage, but a manifestation of sincerity and forbearance, purifying his intention even in the fiercest struggle.
• The 'sword of forbearance' (tīgh-i ḥilm) is more potent than any material weapon, capable of conquering hearts and guiding individuals to faith.
• Mowlana's esteem for ʿAlī (AS) is unique; he hails him as the 'pride of every prophet and every saint,' indicating Mowlana's profound understanding of his spiritual stature.
• Sincerity in action frees us from the 'deceit' (daghal) of the ego, elevating our deeds to a divine level.
• Mowlana emphasizes in this story that spiritual growth is achieved on the battlefield of life and amidst challenges, not through isolation.