M6:1631 — این ترا باور نیاید مصطفی / چون ز مسکینان همی‌جوید دعا

Translation: This you might not believe, concerning Mustafa (the Prophet), / How he would seek prayers from the destitute.
Meaning: The verse highlights the astonishing humility of the Prophet Muhammad, who sought prayers even from the poor, presenting this as an example of a deeper, hidden, and often inverted order of reality.

This verse, undoubtedly, offers one of Rumi's key insights into unveiling the true order of the universe—an order fundamentally different from our conventional understanding of 'high and low.' Rumi alludes here to the dialogue between intellect (aql) and body (jasad), where the body is but a rarefied shadow of the transcendent and itself needs help, rather than being a source of help. Yet, the intellect responds that the 'Sea of Return' (bahr-i ma'ād), the realm of truth beneath the foam of this deceptive world of ours—this bewildering 'house of delusion' (dār al-ghurūr)—operates on an entirely different principle.
In this bewildering earthly abode, it might appear that 'the deserving is more assertive than the undeserving'; that is, those seemingly worthy, or those who seized power by force, may occupy positions of authority and dominance. This world, in Rumi's terms, has 'inverted horseshoes' (naʿl-e maʿkūs); it gives us false directions, making what is low appear high and vice versa. We label those who are merely 'board-bound'—who have nailed together some planks and sit upon them—as 'kings,' and this is the very essence of the world's 'self-deception' and 'allure.'
However, in the 'realm of truth,' which is the same 'Sea of Return,' the situation is utterly transformed. There, 'the luminous sun serves an atom like a servant.' In that domain, 'the lion bows before the gazelle' and 'the hawk humbles itself before the partridge.' To make us believe in this inverted yet true order, Rumi points to the Prophet Muhammad, Mustafa (peace be upon him) himself. The Prophet, who is the 'luminous sun' of existence, would seek prayers from the 'destitute' (meskīnān), showing humility before them 'like a servant.' This signifies that even great souls are not independent of the assistance of smaller souls; in certain respects, the smaller soul can aid and support the Prophet.
This point, to my mind, is crucial: the Prophet was not self-sufficient in anything from others. Like us, he grew, learned, and gradually acquired perfections. This runs contrary to the exaggerations some make about prophets. The authentic Sunni tradition, where the Prophet, regarding palm pollination, stated, 'You know better about your worldly affairs than I do,' testifies to the fact that the Prophet did not possess absolute knowledge even in worldly matters. This humility and neediness of the Prophet is 'pure truth.'
Here, Rumi addresses a common misconception: some argue that when the Prophet or the Imams (peace be upon them) sought prayers or asked for God's forgiveness for their sins (as seen in the prayers of Sahifa Sajjadiyya), it was merely 'for the instruction' of the community, to teach them how to pray. Rumi vehemently rejects this view, deeming it 'pure ignorance' (ayn-e tajhīl) and a grave misunderstanding. The words of the Prophet and the Imams are not lies or mere courtesies; they are sincere and heartfelt expressions.
What lies behind this inverted order and divine 'inverted horseshoe' is God's wisdom: 'The King places royal treasures in ruins.' God hides His treasures in desolate and unappealing places. Our 'disfavor' (badgumānī) towards what seems undesirable is, in fact, this divine 'inverted horseshoe.' That is, God sometimes makes what we prefer appear bitter and unpleasant, and conversely, places a treasure in what we dislike, so that the unworthy may not access it. This is the demand of 'divine jealousy' (ghayrat-e Elāhi), which keeps blessings away from the undeserving. Our comfort-seeking and ease-loving ego perpetually misleads us, hindering us from the effort required to attain perfection. Therefore, we must always hold our ego in suspicion, for 'a believer wakes and sleeps with his self accused in his sight.' This inverted horseshoe is one of God's 'spies' that imparts a hidden message, guiding us to find truth in its rightful place.

Key takeaways

• The apparent world often presents an inverted order where superficial powers dominate, but in the realm of truth, the great serve the small.
• The humility of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in seeking prayers from the destitute exemplifies this true, inverted cosmic order, showing that even the greatest souls are not self-sufficient.
• Rumi rejects the notion that the Prophet's humble acts or prayers for forgiveness were merely for teaching; these acts are sincere expressions of inner truth, not mere courtesy or pretense.
• God hides spiritual 'royal treasures' in 'ruins' and unexpected, often undesirable places, challenging our superficial and comfort-seeking perceptions.
• Divine 'jealousy' (ghayrat) and God's 'inverted horseshoe' (naʿl-e maʿkūs) cause truth to appear bitter or unappealing to the unworthy, ensuring only the deserving attain it.
• Our ego (nafs) is inherently comfort-seeking and diverts us from the effort of acquiring virtues; thus, we must always hold our ego in suspicion.