M6:1072 — نه که تاثیر از قدر معمول نیست / لیک تاثیرش ازو معقول نیست

Translation: It is not that the divine decrees lack their usual effect; Rather, attributing that effect to them inherently is not rational. Meaning: This verse clarifies that while worldly causes and effects appear to be effective, their power does not originate from their own essence; instead, it is a manifestation of divine will and decree, appearing as a custom in the world.

In this verse, Mowlana peels back the curtain on a fundamental truth concerning God's relationship with the world and how causes and effects operate. He has previously stated, "Divine attraction, through effects and causes, / Speaks a hundred hidden words without letter or lip." This means God speaks through His actions and craftsmanship, not through explicit, conventional words. This universe, in itself, is His continuous discourse. This particular verse complements and deepens that meaning.

Mowlana assertively states that it is not that we deny the impact of 'usual decree' (qadr-i ma'mūl). The divine decrees, manifesting themselves in the form of causes and effects, do indeed have apparent effects. Water extinguishes fire, medicine cures illness, a stone returns to the earth. These are visible and 'usual' effects that we observe and experience daily.

However, the crucial and profound point is: "But attributing that effect to them inherently is not rational" (lik ta'sīrash az-u ma'qūl nīst). This implies that if we consider this effect to be intrinsic to the causes and effects themselves, or if we imagine that they possess the power to affect by their own nature and essence, then such a perception is by no means 'rational' or logical. This is what Mowlana refers to as 'divine custom' ('ādat-i ilāhī), not an inherent necessity. He believes that the system of cause and effect we observe is merely a 'tradition' (sunnat) and a 'cover' (rūpūsh) that God has drawn over His direct action. Water could have been a fire-igniter, and medicine could have exacerbated illness. This current world order is not an inherent determinism (jabr-i zātī), but a manifestation of divine power that could have been, and can be, otherwise.

The 'imitative intellect' ('aql-i muqallid), meaning an intellect that merely contents itself with the appearance of things and the common traditions of the world, and which in its principles and branches imitates the findings of others or conventional sensory data, fails to grasp this profound truth. This superficial intellect attributes effects to apparent agents and remains oblivious to their true root. Mowlana says that if such an intellect asks about the truth of this doctrine, respond: "Say, 'as you do not know.'" This statement serves as a limitation for the partial intellect and an invitation to a higher understanding that can perceive the hand and will of the Divine beyond the veil of habit. It is an endeavor to break free from mechanistic thought and achieve a monotheistic understanding of existence.

Key takeaways

• The effect of worldly causes is apparent and conditional upon divine will, not inherent to themselves.
• What we call 'laws of nature' are, for Mowlana, 'divine customs' ('ādat-i ilāhī) that can change.
• The universe is a manifestation of God's craftsmanship and discourse, not an autonomous mechanical system.
• The partial and imitative intellect fails to grasp the profound monotheistic order of the world.
• An invitation to look beyond apparent causes and perceive the direct hand of God behind all phenomena.