M6:2995 — چون نهد در تو صفات جبرئیل / هم‌چو فرخی بر هواجویی سبیل

Translation: When He instills in you the attributes of Gabriel, / You, like a noble bird, will seek a path in the air. Meaning: This verse asserts that the inherent character and qualities instilled within an individual dictate their orientation, guiding their path towards either the celestial or the terrestrial realms.

This verse immediately follows Mawlana's profound statement: “What draws the body in every direction? The nazar (gaze/intellect). What draws the oblivious? The aware.” It is our thought, our will, our conscious perception, that impels our physical being and sets it in motion. This nazar is not merely a glance, but an intellectual insight, an inner discernment.

Mawlana here draws a brilliant contrast. He states that if the attributes of Gabriel — qualities of lightness, transcendence, and flight — are awakened within you, then you, like a farrokhi (a noble, auspicious bird), will fix your gaze upon the air. You will become “alienated from the earth, enamored of the heavens.” This is precisely the state of those who have become estranged from earthly attachments, surrendering their hearts to the heavens and divine knowledge. Their entire movement, desire, and aspiration are directed upwards; they soar because they have acquired wings forged from lightness of being and spiritual detachment.

Yet, Mawlana immediately, and starkly, contrasts this with another set of attributes, stating: “If He instills in you the attributes of a donkey, / Even if you have a hundred wings, you will fly towards the manger.” This is the ultimate expression! He contends that if a person's being is infused with the qualities of a donkey — heaviness, ignorance, and an inclination towards materialism and gluttony — then regardless of possessing a hundred wings and immense potential for flight and ascent, their ultimate destination will remain the “manger.” This means that no matter how much capacity for elevation they inherently possess, they will ultimately gravitate towards whatever their inner desire and intrinsic character impels them. Such an individual reduces the entire world to their stomach and lower desires, their entire inclination being fixed on these.

Thus, this verse and the subsequent lines teach us that humanity is perpetually situated within a dichotomy of opposing characteristics. What is instilled within a person — whether through their own volition or by divine decree — determines the trajectory and conduct of their life. This is not merely a choice but an inner destiny, shaped by the very essence of their internal qualities. This is Mawlana's core insight: the essence of our being is not merely our physical form, but the hidden attributes and dispositions within us; and these very attributes draw us either towards the heavens or towards the manger.

Key takeaways

• One's intrinsic qualities and hidden attributes determine their life's spiritual trajectory.
• Gabriel's attributes symbolize lightness of being, transcendence, and aspiration towards the spiritual realm.
• A yearning for the heavens and detachment from earthly concerns arise from cultivating angelic qualities.
• The presence of 'donkey-like' qualities, embodying material heaviness, will pull one towards baser desires, regardless of inherent potential.
• A person's capacity for flight or their tendency to cling to the earth is directly proportional to their inner characteristics.