M6:2175 — امر حق آمد به شهرستان و ده / خانه و دیوار را سایه مده

Translation: The command of Truth (God) came to the city and village, / "Grant no shade to the house and wall." Meaning:* This verse speaks to God's absolute power to withdraw natural blessings like shade by divine command, thereby subjecting people to the torment of heat and hardship. It underscores human vulnerability to divine will and destiny.

This verse appears in the midst of a discussion by Mowlana, and before him, Sunni jurists, concerning the concept of āab-e karr (karr water). I explain that in Sunni jurisprudence, karr water was defined as a volume equivalent to 'two qullah' – two large pitchers of water – which by definition cannot be defiled. In contrast, 'one qullah', or a small volume of water, becomes impure upon contact with defilement. Mowlana employs this juridical analogy for the human soul, cautioning ordinary people: "You are not two qullahs; you are one qullah." Meaning, O human, do not imagine that your soul is like karr water, immune to defilement, or that you are infallible. No, you are vulnerable like that small volume of water and can become impure. This is a direct message against spiritual arrogance and unwarranted self-assurance. Following this foundational explanation, Mowlana turns to a Quranic example to illustrate this vulnerability and the absolute power of Truth. He speaks of the 'Azāb-e Yawm al-Dhilla (the punishment of the Day of Abasement or Day of the Cloud), a torment inflicted upon the people of Shu'ayb, described in the Holy Quran as a 'shadow of torment.' Commentators explain that during this event, God withdrew shade from the people, commanding walls and houses to provide no shadow, exposing them to unbearable heat until they perished. This verse precisely refers to that divine command: "The command of Truth came to the city and village, / 'Grant no shade to the house and wall.'" Indeed, this is the very 'Divine Wrath' (qahr-e ilāhī) that Mowlana introduced earlier in other verses. God can transform bread, which is the sustenance of the body and wards off hunger, into a choking affliction. Similarly, warm clothing, which provides refuge from the cold, can be endowed with the 'temperament of zamharīr' (extreme cold). This means that any blessing, if touched by divine wrath, can be transformed into a curse and affliction. This verse serves as a stark example of such a transformation, where shade, a symbol of mercy and comfort, becomes an instrument of torment. It offers a profound lesson on the necessity of constant vigilance and the avoidance of complacency regarding the ever-present possibility of changes in one's circumstances at the hand of the Creator of existence.

Key takeaways

• Humans are inherently vulnerable and not immune to spiritual defilement, unlike the pure souls of saints and prophets.
• Undue confidence in one's own purity and infallibility is a great danger on the path of spiritual journeying.
• Divine power can transform everyday, natural blessings (such as shade) into instruments of torment and hardship.
• The story of the people of Shu'ayb and the 'punishment of the Day of Abasement' serves as a reminder that no comfort is guaranteed against divine wrath.