M6:3726 — بی‌نهایت کیش‌ها و پیشه‌ها / جمله ظل صورت اندیشه‌ها

Translation: Countless creeds and professions / Are all but the shadow of the forms of thoughts. Meaning: All our beliefs, spiritual paths, and worldly vocations are merely reflections and outward manifestations of our inner thoughts and intentions.

In this verse, which has always commanded my special attention, Mawlana articulates one of his deepest insights into the relationship between the inner and outer worlds. Following numerous examples of how formless intentions and thoughts (the bi-ṣūrat) manifest as various external forms (the ṣūrat)—from giving thanks for a blessing to seeking solitude after a divine thought—he now states this overarching principle: Countless creeds and professions / Are all but the shadow of the forms of thoughts.

This verse explicitly declares that all belief systems, religions, and schools of thought (the kīsh-hā), as well as all trades, professions, and economic or social structures (the pīshe-hā), hold no independent authenticity. They are, rather, mere shadows (ẓill) of the ṣūrat-i andīshe-hā—the mental and conceptual forms that take shape within our inner world. Here, 'thought' (andīshe) is not merely an abstract concept, but rather a catalyst, an impulse, or a semantic template that ultimately expresses itself in action and objective reality. This 'form of thought' is, in fact, the source and origin of all our external manifestations; if a thought of beauty and delight settles in the mind, acts of revelry are born from it; if the thought of need overtakes the heart, the individual turns to work and livelihood.

The significance of this verse for me became particularly pronounced during my youth, when I was deeply immersed in Western philosophies, especially Marxism. Marx, as you know, inverted Hegel’s philosophical pyramid. Hegel, that unparalleled master of Western philosophy, believed that 'Idea' or 'Absolute Spirit' (what we might call Mawlana’s bi-ṣūrat) precedes 'matter' and external reality. It is this bi-ṣūrat that, throughout history, 'forms' itself into civilizations, cultures, art, science, and religion. I have always equated Hegel's 'Geist' with Mawlana’s bi-ṣūrat, which constantly manifests itself in the ṣūrat of history, culture, and civilization.

Marx, however, inverted this idea, asserting that the bi-ṣūrat (i.e., thought and culture) is born from the ṣūrat (i.e., material realities and livelihood). He emphasized that our way of life and social class shape our thinking and beliefs, not the other way around. In other words, material existence takes precedence over thought.

Mawlana, in this verse, unequivocally aligns himself with Hegel and the 'Idealist' philosophical current. He states that the kīsh-hā and pīshe-hā, which for Marx constitute the foundation of reality, are in truth nothing but the 'shadows of the forms of thoughts'—mere projections of inner ideas and conceptions. This is what I have always called 'the precedence of thought over livelihood.' External action is the embodiment of mental forms, and this is the originality Mawlana bestows upon the realm of thought and intention—a world that, for him, is more fundamental and real than anything that appears in the objective world.

Key takeaways

• The origin of creeds (beliefs) and professions (vocations) lies in humanity's inner thoughts.
• Our external actions and creations are mere shadows or manifestations of our mental and conceptual forms.
• In this verse, Mawlana aligns with philosophical idealism, asserting the precedence of idea over matter.
• This perspective stands in fundamental opposition to Marx's historical materialism, which posits livelihood as the generator of thought.
• Mawlana emphasizes the primacy of the inner world and its decisive influence on the outer world.