M6:1420 — بره‌ای بدهی رمه بازت دهد / پرورندهٔ هر صفت خود رب بود

Translation: If you give a lamb, He will return a flock to you; for the Nurturer of every quality is the Lord Himself. Meaning: This verse speaks to the immense generosity of God, who rewards even small acts with abundance, and highlights His role as the ultimate developer and refiner of all human qualities.

This verse from Mowlana contains two crucial messages: first, the vast and boundless generosity of the Divine, and second, God's fundamental role in nurturing and developing all qualities within creation.

In the first part, where Mowlana says, "If you give a lamb, He will return a flock to you," he alludes to God's attributes of Karim (Generous) and Jawd (Bountiful). This is, without a doubt, a foundational religious teaching: that in exchange for a small act from His servants, God bestows immense and manifold rewards – not just tenfold, as often stated in religious law, but sometimes hundreds of times over. This endless giving, far from diminishing His treasury, actually increases His bounty and generosity, as affirmed in the Duʿāʾ-i Iftitāḥ: "Neither does the abundance of giving decrease anything for Him, but rather increases His generosity and bounty." This principle is not confined to the spiritual realm; we see earthly parallels, such as a scholar whose knowledge expands as he imparts it to others. So, if we offer a "lamb" – a small deed, good or charitable – into His presence, He returns a "flock" – an abundance of material and spiritual rewards.

However, the second part of the verse, "for the Nurturer of every quality is the Lord Himself," invites deeper contemplation. Here, Mowlana emphasizes the Divine role in the nurturing of qualities. I must, of course, interject a subtle linguistic point here: Mowlana, despite his unparalleled mastery of both Arabic and Persian literature, uses the word Rabb (رب) in this context to mean "nurturer" (parvaranda). From a grammatical and etymological perspective in Arabic, this usage is questionable. Rabb, stemming from the root r-b-b, properly means "master," "owner," or "proprietor"; its plural is arbāb. Thus, Rabb al-ʿĀlamīn signifies the "Master and Owner of the worlds." In contrast, "nurturer" (murabbī) derives from tarbiyat (education, upbringing) and rabā (to grow, increase). So, a murabbī nurtures qualities, whereas a rabb possesses or masters. That Mowlana employs rabb where murabbī would be more grammatically precise is noteworthy, even though his intent, I am certain, points to God's essential role in cultivating and fostering virtuous qualities in human beings.

Ultimately, Mowlana’s profound message is that God is the Nurturer of all qualities, but especially, He is the Nurturer of the characters and virtues of the prophets. Prophets, these uniquely woven individuals in the tapestry of existence, are nurtured by special Divine care from the very beginning of their character formation. Just as modern psychologists (like Jung or Gurdjieff) speak of distinct personality types, and genetics reveals the role of DNA and genes in shaping individual traits, Mowlana too alludes to these innate and acquired distinctions in human nature. Early personality formation, particularly during childhood and even in the fetal stage, has a decisive impact on one's adult character. Traditions recount that an angel guarded Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from childhood to protect him from environmental corruptions. This specific Divine nurturing endowed prophets with characters marked by certainty, resilience, and profound insights (true visions) from the outset. As I have put it, God authored Muhammad, and Muhammad authored the Quran. This unique nurturing enables the Friends of God and the prophets to exert profound influence in the world and to perfect virtuous qualities within themselves.

Key takeaways

• God's generosity is boundless; even small deeds are met with immense rewards.
• The term Rabb (رب) in the Quran signifies 'Master and Owner,' not 'Nurturer,' though Mowlana uses it here in the latter sense.
• God is the Nurturer of all qualities, especially the character and virtues of prophets and His chosen saints.
• The formation of character and noble qualities in humans is influenced by divine nurturing from the beginning of life, particularly for prophets who received special care from birth.
• Our actions, however small, can be met with infinite divine grace and bounty.