M6:2589 — چارهٔ دفع بلا نبود ستم / چاره احسان باشد و عفو و کرم

Translation: The remedy for warding off calamity is not oppression; The remedy is benevolence, forgiveness, and generosity. Meaning: This verse asserts that oppression and cruelty cannot avert misfortune; rather, true solutions to suffering and adversity lie solely in kindness, pardon, and magnanimity.

Mowlana, in this couplet, articulates a fundamental ethical and existential principle deeply intertwined with our practical wisdom and rooted in an intuitive, mystical understanding of the world. He states with certainty that "The remedy for warding off calamity is not oppression"; this is absolutely true. Anyone who, under the illusion of averting danger or preserving themselves, commits oppression against others, merely plants the seeds of a greater catastrophe. History, especially the history of dictators, bears witness to this. Many rulers, out of mere suspicion, destroyed their own children or closest confidants in a fit of furious rage and power, only to find remorse utterly futile once their intoxication wore off and the truth came to light. The anger and lust for revenge are blinding, swiftly dragging one into the abyss of irreparable errors.

As I have often reiterated: 'The demonic temper rushes to take revenge.' If your anger stems from your own nature, from a lack of forbearance and patience, its hallmark will be this very haste. You wish to quickly strike down, crush, and imprison the other, to savor the pleasure of vengeance before your anger cools and its delight vanishes. But divine command and true justice are never hasty. Deliberation and patience in good deeds and the execution of justice are the very essence of wisdom.

So, what is the remedy? "The remedy is benevolence, forgiveness, and generosity." This is the key to unlocking salvation. Mowlana expands on this teaching in the Masnavi with profound depth, echoing the traditions that state: "Charity wards off off calamity (al-ṣadaqa tarfaʿu al-balāʾ)." Giving charity, donating, and indeed any good deed that benefits others, is what truly wards off misfortune. We have two types of good: khayr-i lāzim (necessary good) and khayr-i mutaʿaddī (transcendent good). The khayr-i lāzim benefits only the individual, like many personal devotions. But khayr-i mutaʿaddī, whose benefits extend to others, is a hundredfold more valuable, even if it is more challenging. Attending to the needy, assisting the destitute, and seeking opportunities to do good for others are all manifestations of this benevolence and generosity.

Mowlana himself illuminates this truth with a beautiful analogy elsewhere: "The wind is fierce, and my lamp is flickering / From it, I shall light another lamp." The wind of death blows fiercely, destined to extinguish the lamp of our lives. The solution is not to stop the wind, which is impossible. The solution is to "light other lamps" by doing good for others. By establishing a charity, by helping someone in need, we infuse life and goodness into others and into society. Then, even when the lamp of our own life is extinguished, thousands of other lamps will remain lit through the blessing of our actions. This is the true meaning of benevolence and generosity: not just averting calamity from oneself, but keeping the flame of life and goodness alight in the world.

Key takeaways

• Oppression does not avert calamity; rather, it cultivates greater misfortunes, as history consistently demonstrates.
• Anger fueled by the desire for revenge is hasty and pleasure-seeking, whereas true justice necessitates patience and deliberation.
• The genuine remedy for averting calamity is benevolence, forgiveness, and generosity, which extend their benefits to others.
• Good deeds that transcend the individual are a hundredfold superior to purely self-serving virtues.
• By 'lighting other lamps' through acts of kindness, one can leave an enduring impact on the world that outlasts their mortal life.