M6:1436 — هست مادر نفس و بابا عقل راد / اولش تنگی و آخر صد گشاد

Translation: The mother is the carnal soul (nafs), and the father is the noble intellect (ʿaql-i rād); At first, it is constriction (tangi), but at the end, a hundred expansions (sad goshād). Meaning: This verse likens the carnal soul (nafs) to an ignorant mother whose misplaced kindness hinders spiritual growth, and the intellect (ʿaql) to a noble father whose initial strictness leads to profound liberation. It suggests that following the intellect, though difficult at first, ultimately yields vast spiritual breadth and ease.

This couplet follows the tale of a mother complaining about her child's schooling, contrasting her ignorant kindness with the salutary 'slap' of a father. Here, Mowlana unveils the allegory: "The mother is the carnal soul (nafs), and the father is the noble intellect (ʿaql-i rād)." Thus, the mother in the story symbolizes the unruly nafs, while the wise father embodies the guiding intellect. This analogy, linking woman to nafs and man to intellect, was prevalent in Mowlana's era's psychology and literature. It's important to acknowledge that even philosophers like Aristotle held similar views, deeming women 'deficient in intellect' due to the perceived dominance of emotion over reason—a perspective we critically reassess today. However, Mowlana employs this analogy to articulate a deeper truth.

Elsewhere in the Masnavi, in Book One's story of the desert couple, Mowlana develops this theme, reiterating that the woman symbolizes the nafs and the man, the intellect. He even cites traditions attributed to the Prophet, such as "Delay them (women) from where God has delayed them," advising women be kept behind men. Mowlana, however, interprets this tradition allegorically, suggesting it means to "put your nafs behind you," not women in a gendered sense. Here, I must stress my hermeneutical stance on narrations: we treat them as false until proven true. The history of Hadith literature indicates that many are fabricated, like searching for a golden needle in a haystack of straw. Yet, Mowlana, in transmitting and interpreting these, uses this very framework to argue that if the Prophet indeed spoke thus, his intent was to subjugate the nafs to the intellect.

This couplet concludes by highlighting the fruit of surrendering the nafs to the intellect: "At first, it is constriction (tangi), but at the end, a hundred expansions (sad goshād)." This implies that embarking on the arduous path of following the intellect may initially bring hardship and limitation, akin to a father's corrective slap or the bitterness of medicine. Yet, the reward for such discipline is boundless spiritual liberation and vastness. It is an existential investment: if you don't entrust your 'pure gold' (your self) to just any betrayer, but rather bring it to one who returns one hundredfold or a thousandfold what you gave, then this initial 'constriction' will transform into a 'hundred expansions.' Mowlana thus delineates the path of spiritual journeying: the intellect's mastery over the nafs, though painful at first, leads to infinite spiritual breadth. It is an invitation to embrace initial difficulty for ultimate freedom.

Moreover, Mowlana spontaneously breaks into prayer, calling upon God as "O Giver of intellects, O Helper!" This prayer reveals that intellect, in Mowlana's view, is not merely a tool to control the nafs, but a divine gift that must be sought from God. This very act of seeking is a sign of divine grace, for "Unless You will, no one else will" (a direct echo of Quran 76:30). If we find the grace to seek intellect from God, it is itself a testament to His will and intention. These are Mowlana's spontaneous prayers, bursting forth from the depths of his being in moments of profound need and yearning, not artificial or predetermined supplications.

Key takeaways

• The verse allegorizes the carnal soul (nafs) as an ignorant mother and the intellect (ʿaql) as a noble father, underscoring the necessity of intellect's dominion over the nafs for spiritual progress.
• This analogy is rooted in the psychology of Mowlana's era, though Dr. Soroush critically examines its historical and philosophical implications.
• Mowlana interprets even Prophetic traditions concerning women as allegories for the nafs's submission to the intellect, noting that the authenticity of such traditions must be independently verified.
• The phrase "At first, it is constriction, but at the end, a hundred expansions" encapsulates the essence of the spiritual path: initial difficulties in following the intellect lead to countless spiritual and existential liberations.
• For Mowlana, intellect is a divine gift, and the very act of seeking it from God is a sign of divine grace and will.