M6:1828 — آن لجاج کفر قانون کپیست / وآن سپاس و شکر منهاج نبیست

Translation: That stubborn ingratitude is the law of the ape-like; And that praise and thanks is the path of the Prophet. Meaning: This verse fundamentally distinguishes between obstinate ingratitude and denial of truth—a behavior characterized as ape-like—and the path of profound thankfulness and appreciation, which is the way of the Prophets.

Undoubtedly, in this verse—one of his pivotal couplets in moral and spiritual discernment—Mawlana contrasts two fundamental ways of life. On one hand, "That stubborn ingratitude is the law of the ape-like;" and on the other, "And that praise and thanks is the path of the Prophet."

Mawlana's "stubborn ingratitude" (lejāj-e kofr) does not necessarily refer to doctrinal disbelief, but rather to a persistent denial of blessings and an obstinate refusal to acknowledge the source of grace. When he states, "it is the law of the ape-like" (qānūn-e kopī-st), he makes a profound allusion to the Quranic simile that likens some rebellious and ungrateful Jews to "apes, disgraced" (qiradatun khāsiʾīn). Here, "ape" (kopī) symbolizes blind imitation, thoughtlessness, and the forgetting of one's origin. Just as in Rudaki's tale, the monkeys mistook a glow-worm for fire and piled wood upon it, these "ape-like" individuals, in essence, deny the rose, even though they themselves are its rosewater; just as human thought (rosewater) denies its origin from the body (a heap of roses). This is a crucial point: ingratitude is synonymous with forgetting one's source and existential origin.

Conversely, Mawlana calls "praise and thanks" (sepās-o shokr) the "path of the Prophet" (menhāj-e nabī). Prophets are the epitome of gratitude and appreciation for divine blessings. This is the path of insight and wisdom, where one is acutely aware of their source and origin, perceiving all that emanates from it as precious gifts, for which they offer thanks. This is the characteristic of the "Prophet-like" (nabī-khuyān), upon whom Mawlana, in preceding verses, bestows "bounty of sun and rain" (nisār-e mehr o mīgh), meaning heavenly blessings shower upon them. This fundamental difference lies between those who indulge in "shamelessness" (tahattuk) and those who practice "piety" (tanassuk) in their lives. Mawlana here paints an ethical and existential dichotomy: one is ingratitude and ignorance of one's true origin, the other is thankfulness and knowledge of one's source.

Key takeaways

• "Stubborn ingratitude" (lejāj-e kofr) is a state of denying one's existential origin and divine blessings, which Mawlana labels as "ape-like" behavior.
• The concept of "ape-like" (kopī-khuyān) stems from the Quranic simile of "apes, disgraced" (qiradatun khāsiʾīn), symbolizing blind imitation and forgetting one's source.
• "Praise and thanks" (sepās-o shokr) is defined as the "path of the Prophet" (menhāj-e nabī), embodying awareness, insight, and gratitude for the source of existence.
• This verse establishes a profound ethical and existential distinction between two ways of life: blind ingratitude and conscious thankfulness.
• Ingratitude here is not merely doctrinal disbelief, but a failure to acknowledge the roots and blessings that shape our very being.