M6:32 — گر پلیدان این پلیدیها کنند / آبها بر پاک کردن می‌تنند

Translation: If the impure commit these impurities, waters exert themselves to cleanse them. Meaning: This verse signifies a divine providence at work in the world, asserting that for every impurity or defilement, there is a corresponding force or agent of purification and cleansing.

I contend that this verse vividly illustrates the profound divine providence (تدبیر الهی) at work in the cosmic order. The world Mowlana portrays for us is neither abandoned nor plunged into absolute depravity. Rather, it is a system where, for every ugliness and impurity, a measure for cleansing and purification has also been instituted. As he declares, "If the impure generate these impurities, waters exert themselves with all their might to cleanse them."

This insight extends and generalizes Mowlana's perspective that for every poison, an antidote has been created. This world is not unidirectional, where evil reigns supreme; rather, a deep balance between opposing forces prevails. "The thorn-patch is fodder for fire, but the scent of a rose is nourishment for a joyful mind." Every phenomenon has a function and a place in this order, even impurities, which may serve as food for swine and dogs. Yet, alongside this, divine wisdom has created water so that the earth and time do not become saturated with defilement. The serpent may shed its venom, but the bee also lays sweet honey; poisons may bring bitterness, but antidotes swiftly arise to neutralize their effects. This view reveals a comprehensive worldview that does not ignore impurities and poisons, but never considers them the ultimate victors.

However, the deeper point emerges when Mowlana transitions from this specific providence to a more general principle that shapes his entire worldview: “This world is entirely war (جنگ) when you observe it.” Contradiction (تضاد) is an intrinsic and inseparable characteristic of the lower world (عالم اسفل). This world is built upon the struggle and conflict of opposites. From the smallest particle to the grandest phenomenon, all are in contention and challenge, "particle with particle, like faith with disbelief." This contradiction is not merely in the opposition of vinegar and oxymel, or water and impurity; it permeates the very essence of this world's existence.

The natural world, in my view and Mowlana’s, possesses two fundamental attributes that distinguish it from the higher world: first, it comprises opposites (اضداد); and second, it comprises multiplicities (اعداد). Souls in the higher world are one, but in bodies, they become manifold. However, opposites are among the inseparable characteristics of this material world. It is this perpetual war of opposites that leads to the impermanence of this world. Every compound eventually decomposes, and this process of composition and decomposition, which is a manifestation of opposites, culminates in the end of life on this planet. Figures like Tabari called Mowlana the Hegel of the East, but this comparison is superficial; for the concept of contradiction in Mowlana’s worldview differs fundamentally from Hegelian dialectics. For Mowlana, this contradiction is a sign of this world's imperfection and limitation, which itself is a prelude to the longing for permanence and a higher realm, not the driving engine of historical evolution.

Key takeaways

• Divine Providence: For every impurity, a cleansing force; for every poison, an antidote.
• Contradiction (tazādd) as an intrinsic and governing principle of the natural world (ʿālam-e asfal).
• This world is a constant battlefield of opposites, ultimately leading to decomposition and impermanence.
• Mowlana’s worldview acknowledges evils but never sees them as ultimate victors, maintaining a profound balance within the cosmic order.
• Mowlana’s concept of contradiction differs fundamentally from Hegelian dialectics, steering towards a longing for permanence and a higher realm.