M6:1744 — خود چه باشد گر ببخشد آن جواد / بنده را مقصود جان بی‌اجتهاد

Translation: What would it be if that Generous One were to grant The servant the soul's aim without striving? Meaning: This verse poses a Sufi's profound question: why does the Generous God not bestow upon the servant the soul's ultimate desire without the prerequisite of arduous effort and struggle?

This verse, truly, arises from the depths of existential and theological questions that have occupied the human mind throughout history. Here, Mowlana employs the voice of a Sufi who, as if in protest, or rather, in an inquiry into Divine wisdom, utters this plea. This verse is part of a series of questions the Sufi poses to God regarding the necessity of suffering, transience, and arduous efforts in this world. Prior to this, the Sufi had spoken of God's power to turn fire into a rose garden, thorns into blossoms, and winter into spring, asking why, if God can do these, He cannot make our trades harmless, or turn sorrow into joy.

This particular verse marks the climax of this questioning: "What would it be if that Generous One were to grant / The servant the soul's aim without striving?" That is, what if the All-Generous Lord were to bestow upon us the ultimate purpose of our soul, the final aspiration of our existence, without us enduring the slightest hardship or effort? Imagine achieving treasure without toil, securing our livelihood effortlessly, without the dust and loss and blame of commerce. Imagine a world without illness, where no suffering or cost is required for healing. These questions stem not merely from a desire for comfort, but from a more fundamental idea: why is our world not like the world of angels? A world where there is no suffering, no transience, no sorrow of death, and no relentless striving. In the sacred court, as we know, there is no room for melancholy; there are no evils, no death, no bitterness. The Sufi, as it were, yearns for the human realm to become a celestial one, a world where the "soul's aim" is achieved without any struggle. This query is not only challenging but also an invitation to reflect on the wisdom behind suffering and striving on the path to human perfection.

Key takeaways

• The Sufi's fundamental theological question concerning divine wisdom regarding suffering and effort.
• The yearning for the soul's aim to be granted effortlessly, a 'treasure without toil'.
• The expression of a longing for a world free from hardship, akin to the angelic realm.
• A profound challenge to the necessity of striving and enduring difficulties on the path to perfection.