M6:1827 — از کپی‌خویان کفران که دریغ / بر نبی‌خویان نثار مهر و میغ

Translation: Woe to the kopi-khūyān (ape-natured) in their kufrān (ingratitude); May mehr (sun) and mīgh (rain) be showered upon the nabī-khūyān (prophet-natured). Meaning:* This verse expresses regret and sorrow for those who exhibit ape-like ingratitude, while simultaneously wishing for divine grace and blessing upon those of prophet-like disposition and gratitude.

This verse continues the discourse on ingratitude, following the idea of the "rosewater" that denies its origin in the "rose"—a metaphor for forgetting the source of one's being and splendor. Here, Mawlana unequivocally divides humanity into two contrasting categories, each destined for a distinct fate.

First, he speaks of the kopi-khūyān in their kufrān. Kopi means ape or monkey, and by this epithet, Mawlana refers to a group of people who are not merely ungrateful, but also possess a superficial, imitative quality. This ape-like disposition, in Mawlana’s lexicon, is synonymous with kufrān, which is the denial of the source of blessings and the oblivion of the origin of existence. This expression undoubtedly carries a Quranic resonance, alluding to the story of the Jewish people who were transformed into apes due to their disobedience and ingratitude: "We said to them, 'Be apes, outcasts!'" (Quran 2:65). The Arabic term qirada (apes) resonates with the Persian qirtī-bāzī (monkey-play or mimicry), implying blind imitation and superficiality. Thus, the kopi-khūyān are those who, in their ingratitude, abandon authenticity and depth, settling for a lifeless imitation of outward forms without grasping the true essence of the divine bounty.

In stark contrast, Mawlana introduces the nabī-khūyān, meaning those with the disposition of prophets. These are individuals who possess prophetic traits: they are grateful, thankful, and perceive the true nature of blessings. They are not only aware of the source of their existence but are perpetually in a state of shukr (gratitude). Mawlana wishes for mehr and mīgh to be showered upon this group. Mehr denotes both sun and love, while mīgh signifies cloud and rain. Thus, the phrase is an idiom for the showering of divine grace and mercy—both the life-giving light and warmth of the sun and the blessings and growth brought by the rain. These cosmic endowments are the reward for profound, prophet-like gratitude.

Mawlana’s conclusion is clear, as elucidated in the subsequent couplet: "That stubborn persistence in unbelief is the law of the ape; And that thanks and gratitude are the path of the prophet." This means that obstinate ingratitude is the way of the ape-natured, while thanks and gratitude constitute the path and method of the prophets. This verse illustrates not only an ethical distinction but also an existential and ontological one between two human archetypes: one submerged in imitation and ingratitude, thereby distancing itself from authenticity, and the other, through gratitude and thankfulness, returning to its origin and becoming a recipient of perpetual divine grace.

Key takeaways

• Ingratitude (kufrān) is an ape-like trait that distances humanity from its authentic roots.
• Gratitude (shukr) is a prophet-like disposition that opens one's path to divine grace and mercy.
• Mawlana categorizes humanity into two ethically and existentially opposed groups: ungrateful imitators and authentic grateful ones.
• The verse critiques ingrates for their mimicry and lack of authenticity, deeming the grateful worthy of cosmic blessings.
• The concept of kopi-khūyān (ape-natured) is rooted in the Quranic story of transformation, signifying blind imitation and superficiality.