M6:2195 — قصد او آن نه که آبی بر کشد / یاکه کنجد را بدان روغن کند

Translation: Its intention is not to draw water, / Nor to make oil from sesame by that (turning). Meaning: The animal turning the millstone or drawing water has no intention of producing oil or fetching water; its sole motivation is to escape pain or compulsion, yet its action results in a beneficial outcome for others.

This verse unravels one of the Masnavi's most profound insights: as I've previously stated, the world is replete with 'inverse appearances' (vārūne-namāyihā). What appears to our eyes may not be the whole truth; a different logic prevails behind the scenes. Mawlana, through simple and relatable examples, points to a deep sociological and psychological principle, which we might call 'hidden good in apparent self-interest.' He asserts that, in many instances, God has woven beneficial outcomes into motivations that are not inherently good, but rather selfish or even unpleasant.

The verse directly refers to animals employed in productive cycles: a donkey turning a millstone or an ox pulling a wagon to extract oil from seeds or draw water from a well. Mawlana explicitly states that the animal's intention is not to produce oil for humans or irrigate fields; it merely seeks to escape the blows of the whip or the sting of pain. Its aim is 'release' (khalāṣ). This animal's motivation is entirely individual, instinctual, and based on avoiding suffering. Yet, this raw and unsophisticated motivation leads to production and creation.

This principle is not confined to animals. Mawlana previously offered the example of a king who, out of his own avarice, battles other tyrants. His intention is not the safety of his people, but to ensure his 'realm remains steadfast' (molk gardad pāybənd); that his throne endures. Yet, through this very greed and lust for power, his people also find security. This is precisely the interpretation we can derive from the Quranic verse, "Had God not repelled some people by others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of God is much invoked, would surely have been destroyed." This implies that if human conflicts did not exist, no prosperity, security, or even religiosity would remain. It does not mean God directly intervenes alongside natural causes, but rather that humanity is constituted as self-interested and power-seeking, and this very structure, in a hidden manner, contributes to the preservation of order and welfare.

Another example Mawlana provides is the merchant in their shop. No merchant opens their shop for the 'reform of the world'; they strive for their personal profit. However, the collective result of these individual efforts, and even the competition among merchants, is the establishment and reform of the economic and social system. This is a fundamental principle in explaining many social phenomena: public order and welfare sometimes arise not from individual benevolent intentions, but from the unintended coordination of selfish motives. This is what classical economists like Adam Smith referred to as the 'invisible hand'; yet, the roots of this idea in Mawlana's Masnavi are far deeper and more theological.

Therefore, this verse and the surrounding ones teach us not to be content with mere appearances and overt motivations. God uses the pain, suffering, greed, and even belligerence of humans and animals to achieve greater good and welfare. This is a manifestation of the principle 'the transcendent becomes naturalized' (māvarā-ye tabī'at tabī'ī mī-shavad): God's will and wisdom manifest themselves in the world through natural and psychological mechanisms.

Key takeaways

• Mawlana's world is full of inverse appearances; the outward look of things can be deceptive, concealing hidden truths.
• God has placed beneficial outcomes in the wake of motivations that are not inherently benevolent, but rather selfish or even unpleasant.
• Animals and humans, sometimes inadvertently and out of instinct or self-interest, serve a greater order and welfare in the cosmos.
• This verse offers a profound sociological and psychological insight into how individual motivations, whether intentional or not, contribute to the functioning of larger systems.
• The cosmic order is built upon the wise utilization of 'fear and pain' (khowf va vaj'), from which 'benefits' (masāleḥ) are derived.