M6:2832 — گفت یک نک خاصیت در پنجه‌ام / که کمندی افکنم طول علم

Translation: Another said: "I have a special skill in my hand, that I can cast a lasso as high as a mountain (ʿalam)." Meaning: One of the night thieves, boasting of his abilities, declares his skill is in his powerful grip, enabling him to cast a lasso to the summit of any mountain. This boast is then used by Mowlana to reflect on the Prophet's ascension and divine will.

This verse is part of the famous tale of the night thieves and Sultan Mahmud, in which each thief boasts of a particular skill. One of these thieves claims that his art lies in the strength and power of his grip, to the extent that he can throw a lasso to the top of the highest mountains. The word ʿalam here means 'mountain' in Arabic, as Mowlana himself later points to its Quranic usage (e.g., ka’l-aʿlām fī’l-baḥr – 'like mountains in the sea'), not its common Persian meaning of 'flag'.

However, in this and subsequent verses, Mowlana immediately elevates the thief's skill to a deeper, more spiritual dimension. He compares this ability to cast a lasso to great heights with the ascension (Mi'raj) of Prophet Muhammad: "Like Ahmad, whose soul cast a lasso / Until his lasso carried him towards his heaven." Here, Mowlana speaks of the Prophet's spiritual and soulish ascension, not necessarily a physical one. The soaring of the Prophet's soul is the manifestation of that powerful lasso-casting, which draws an eager and dynamic spirit towards the divine realm. This lasso symbolizes the soul's aspiration, effort, and high ambition that transcends earthly boundaries.

But Mowlana, with his characteristic genius, immediately addresses the issue of agency and divine will. He recalls the noble verse from the Quran: "And you threw not when you threw, but Allah threw" (Al-Anfal: 17): "God said to him, 'O thrower of the lasso of the House / Know that from Me it was, 'You did not throw when you threw.'" This verse, frequently cited by Ghazali in his works, presents a profound epistemological paradox: the action originates from the servant, but its truth returns to divine will and power. This is where we see that philosophy shuns paradox and considers it a sign of error, whereas mysticism immerses itself in paradox and regards it as the inevitable language for expressing truths beyond ordinary perception. This contradiction signifies the limitation of human language in describing the unseen world and divine realities.

Mowlana beautifully reiterates this concept elsewhere, for example, in discussions of predestination and free will, which he calls not jabr (coercion) but jabbārī (divine might); meaning a divine compulsion that itself opens the way for the servant's choice and guides them towards truth. Here too, the soul of the Prophet casting a lasso towards heaven, although stemming from his will and effort, ultimately receives its success and ability from the Almighty. This perspective not only avoids absolute determinism but also honors the dignity and grandeur of the human spirit in its alignment and harmony with divine will. Thus, this simple verse from a popular tale of thieves becomes intertwined with one of the deepest mystical and theological discussions on the agency of God and man.

Key takeaways

• The word ʿalam here signifies 'mountain,' which Mowlana connects to Quranic usages.
• The ability to cast a lasso symbolizes the soul's high ambition and desire to ascend to the divine realm.
• Mowlana interprets the Prophet's ascension (Mi'raj) as primarily 'spiritual' and 'soulish,' not merely physical.
• The verse alludes to the Quranic verse "You threw not when you threw, but Allah threw," highlighting the paradox of divine and human agency.
• Mysticism, unlike philosophy, embraces paradox as the inevitable language for expressing truths beyond ordinary comprehension.
• Human effort (casting the lasso) is inseparable from divine success and power (God's will); this is jabbārī (divine might), not jabr (coercion).