M6:121 — صدرشان در وقت دعوی هم‌چو شرق / صبرشان در وقت تقوی هم‌چو برق

Translation: Their chest, at the time of claim, is like the East (sun-rising) / Their patience, at the time of piety, is like lightning (fleeting). Meaning: This couplet critiques individuals who are grand and prominent in their assertions and declarations, yet exhibit fleeting and unstable patience when it comes to the actual demands of piety and self-restraint.

Mowlana, in these verses, is criticizing a particular type of reason (ʿaql) that he describes as 'sharp-headed but weak-footed.' It is a reason intricate and adept in worldly affairs but utterly impotent in abandoning desires or achieving true piety (taqwā). This specific couplet precisely points to the contradiction and hypocrisy of such individuals.

I have repeatedly emphasized that Mowlana’s critique of ʿaql is solely in relation to ʿishq (love). He never advocates for ignorance or foolishness; how could he, being among the most rational of the rational? But when ʿaql transforms into a 'calculating, mercantile reason' and deprives humanity of a higher virtue—love—then Mowlana steps in, warning that one should never sacrifice love for reason, but rather reason for love.

This ʿaql, which Mowlana criticizes, is inherently arrogant, selfish, hostile, and ambitious. It constantly seeks victory over adversaries and the acquisition of benefits, refusing to be sacrificed. Such a reason is indeed necessary for managing our worldly affairs, and we can only wish that this very form of rationality would prevail in our world. However, the truth is that without the 'salt' of love, this world, even with all its reason, becomes so tasteless and harsh that it is uninhabitable.

This couplet provides a vivid image of this inconsistency: "Their chest, at the time of claim, is like the East (sun-rising)." That is, their presence, their stage for self-display and grand claims, is as bright and conspicuous as the eastern sun. They appear magnificent and radiant in their declarations. But "Their patience, at the time of piety, is like lightning (fleeting)." These very individuals, who shine like the sun in their claims, exhibit patience during acts of piety and abstinence that is fleeting like lightning; it appears for a moment and vanishes the next. This is a symbol of instability, hypocrisy, and an inability to steadfastly adhere to spiritual values. It is a sharp critique of those whose outer appearance does not align with their inner state concerning faith and spirituality.

Key takeaways

• The couplet critiques the profound contradiction between grand spiritual claims and weak practical application of piety.
• Mowlana's criticism of ʿaql (reason) is directed at its calculating, self-serving form that obstructs love, not at reason itself.
• Steadfastness in taqwā (piety and self-restraint) serves as the true test of sincerity in spiritual declarations.
• The imagery of the 'East' (rising sun) for claims and 'lightning' (fleeting) for patience in piety highlights a fundamental dichotomy.