M6:38 — ذره‌ای بالا و آن دیگر نگون / جنگ فعلیشان ببین اندر رکون

Translation: One particle rises, and that other descends; / See their active conflict in their present state. Meaning: This verse illustrates the constant, apparent conflict between every particle in the natural world, emphasizing that this struggle is an inherent and observable aspect of existence.

We read this verse in the context of Mawlana's profound discourse on contradiction and conflict in the world. As a great philosopher, Mawlana begins with particulars to reach universals. Having previously spoken of the conflict between vinegar and sakanjabin, he now asserts that this opposition is not limited to large, tangible objects; rather, every particle in the universe, even in its most minute form, is engaged in endless battle. One particle ascends while another is cast down; this active, ongoing conflict resonates in the very essence of rakūn (the 'present state') of the world.

As I have explained before, Mawlana believes that the lower world, or this natural realm, possesses two inherent and inseparable attributes not found in the higher, spiritual world: aḍdād (contradictions) and aʿdād (multiplicity). This world, therefore, is a realm interwoven with contradiction and plurality. The reason for its transience and instability lies precisely in this; contradictions constantly clash, and ultimately, all 'compositions' lead to 'decompositions.' This cycle of 'composition and decomposition,' a manifestation of inherent oppositions, eventually culminates in the demise and departure of life from this earth.

Some Marxist intellectuals in the past, such as the late Tabari, referred to Mawlana as the 'Hegel of the East,' supposing that he, too, explored the concept of contradiction. However, I immediately assert that this view is superficial. If such a comparison were to be made, it should be said that Hegel is the 'Mawlana of the East,' for Mawlana contemplated these profound concepts centuries before him. In truth, the concept of contradiction in Mawlana's worldview differs fundamentally from Hegel's dialectic. Hegelian thought centers on the Absolute Spirit or 'Absolute Idea' unfolding through history. While Mawlana speaks of 'This world is a thought from the Universal Intellect; the Intellect is like a king, and forms are messengers' (īn jahān yak fikrat ast az ʿaql-e koll, ʿaql choon shāh ast o ṣūrat-hā rosol), which bears more resemblance to Hegel's 'Absolute Idea,' this, too, emerges from Mawlana's own intellectual school, not borrowed from elsewhere.

The phrase andar rakūn in this verse means 'in the present state' or 'in this current condition.' Mawlana clarifies that this 'active conflict' (jang-e feʿlī) that we observe outwardly stems from a 'hidden conflict' (jang-e nahān). This hidden conflict can be interpreted in two ways: first, it could be the inherent, essential nature of things—that objects are fundamentally created in opposition to one another, and this contradiction is not accidental. Second, and more aligned with Mawlana's mystical perspective, this hidden conflict is the struggle between divine 'Wrath' (qahr) and 'Grace' (loṭf). The manifestations of the divine attributes of Beauty (jamāl) and Majesty (jalāl), the emergence of His names, and the opposition of His 'wrath' and 'grace' in this world are what initiate these apparent conflicts. The world is the arena for the expression of these opposing divine attributes.

But when does this conflict cease? Mawlana responds that it concludes only when all things return to their origin and become effaced in the Divine Being. In the essence of God, there is no conflict; the attributes of Majesty and Beauty are not in opposition to each other. These discrepancies only appear when these attributes manifest in the instances of the natural world. Hence, 'A particle that became effaced in the sun / Its conflict passed beyond description and reckoning' (ḏarra-ī k-ān maḥv shod dar āftāb / jang-e ū bīrūn shod az vaṣf o ḥesāb). When a particle is effaced in the sun, it no longer has conflict; it has reached the zone of peace. This is the return to the source, which Mawlana articulates with innā illayhi rājiʿūn ('Indeed, to Him we shall return'). In that state, neither motion nor stillness remains, for both are reciprocal concepts that only gain meaning in the realm of contradictions. This return to the origin and effacement in the One Being is the end of all contradictions, just as when we arrive at a figure like the Prophet Muhammad or Jesus, all sectarian and religious conflicts dissolve; they are beyond all such divisions.

Key takeaways

• The natural world is inherently a realm of conflict and contradiction, even at the particle level.
• This cosmic struggle stems from two intrinsic attributes of the lower world: contradictions (aḍdād) and multiplicity (aʿdād).
• The 'active conflict' (observable) is rooted in a 'hidden conflict,' which can be either the inherent nature of objects or the clash of divine attributes (Wrath and Grace).
• Unlike Western dialectical perspectives, Mawlana's view of contradiction ultimately resolves in annihilation and return to divine unity.
• The cessation of conflict and entry into a state of peace is achieved only through effacement and absorption into the Divine Origin.