M6:3724 — صورت محتاجی آرد سوی کسب / صورت بازو وری آرد به غصب

Translation: The image of need leads one towards gain and effort; / The image of strength and might leads one towards usurpation. Meaning: This verse illustrates how our inner feelings and thoughts are the primary drivers of our outward actions, whether those actions are constructive or destructive.

I believe this verse, like many in the Masnavi, unveils a profound philosophical truth that penetrates the core of our existence. Here, Mawlana points to a fundamental dialectic between the “mental form” or “idea” (ṣūrat) and “outward action.” He asserts that whatever takes shape in our minds—be it a feeling of need or a perception of strength—becomes a driving force that propels us towards action.

For me, this beyt evokes deep philosophical discussions, especially in relation to Hegel and Marx. In my youth, when I was deeply immersed in the study of Marxism, these verses held particular significance. Hegel, the unrivaled master of philosophy, believed that “Idea” precedes “Matter.” That is to say, the world begins with a formlessness and meaning which, throughout history, manifests itself in various forms—civilizations, cultures, art, science, and religion. Hegel's formless Geist, over the course of history, takes on diverse forms and becomes the architect of the world.

However, Marx inverted the Hegelian pyramid, contending that it is “material conditions” and “professions” that shape ideas and “creeds,” not the other way around. He famously argued: “Your life orders your thought, not your thought your life.”

Yet, in Mawlana’s view, within this very verse, we clearly see the imprint of Hegelian thought. When he says, “The image of need leads one towards gain and effort,” or “The image of strength and might leads one towards usurpation,” it is these inner thoughts and mental forms that become the “impetus for action.” In other words, “ideas are the source of professions, creeds, and religions.” The internal sensation of need or power (that “form” which appears in our minds) is what generates the act of earning or the act of usurpation. This aligns perfectly with idealist philosophies that consider the “mind” and “thought” as the creators of “external reality.”

Mawlana, in these verses, demonstrates that our “imagination” and “thought” are not merely passive reflections of the external world, but rather a creative and proactive force capable of giving rise to countless “creeds and professions,” for they are all “the shadow of the form of thoughts.” This implies that every doctrine, every occupation, every social position, is a shadow of a form that originated in the realm of thought. This is a powerful worldview that, contrary to materialism, posits internal will and intention as prior to material reality.

Key takeaways

• Inner feelings and thoughts (ṣūrat) are the primary drivers of our outward actions.
• The feeling of need leads to effort, and the sense of power leads to usurpation; both stem from mental forms.
• This verse emphasizes the primacy of “mind” and “thought” over “matter” and “external action,” akin to Hegelian idealist philosophy.
• Mawlana believes that “ideas” are the source of creeds, professions, and cultures, not vice versa.
• “Forms of thought” are not merely reflections but are creative, generative forces for our actions.