M6:1739 — آنک آتش را کند ورد و شجر / هم تواند کرد این را بی‌ضرر

Translation: He who can make fire into a rose and a tree, He can also render this (our endeavor) without harm. Meaning: This verse is a Sufi's question, expressing wonder: if God possesses the power to transform fire into a garden of roses, why can He not ensure that our life's pursuits are free from loss or suffering?

Here, I observe Mowlana, in the guise of a judge, responding to the profound questions and challenges posed by a “Sufi”—who, in essence, symbolizes the ordinary questioners of his era. This verse is part of the Sufi's insistent query, which, while tinged with a questioning tone, nonetheless speaks from a place of wonder and hope, pointing to God's immense power. The Sufi asks: If God is capable of transforming scorching fire into a rose garden for Abraham, if He is the One who brings fire from green wood, then how can He not also ensure that our endeavors and transactions are free from harm and loss? This question extends beyond mere trade; it generalizes to all the suffering and losses of life. The Sufi says to God that if You can perform such mighty miracles, if You create being from non-being and bring forth roses from thorns, what prevents You from turning sorrows into joy, or shielding us from death, thereby making our existence eternal? These are all expressions of our desire for a world free of suffering; a world where life resembles a celestial, angelic realm, devoid of annihilation, sickness, or arduous effort.

It is crucial to remember that Mowlana's method in addressing such theological and philosophical matters is tamthīlī (allegorical or exemplary). Like Christ in the Gospels, he employs parables and examples to illuminate the essence of an issue, rather than engaging in dry philosophical arguments. The Sufi's questions, in truth, reflect fundamental human anxieties when confronting death, loss, and life's hardships—anxieties deeply rooted within us. This questioning articulates humanity's yearning for survival, immortality, and the complete absence of all forms of loss in the world, a condition that the Quran refers to as, “Indeed, mankind is in loss.”

Key takeaways

• Humanity's fundamental question regarding suffering and loss in a world governed by an omnipotent God.
• God's power is illustrated through natural and supernatural miracles (fire for Abraham, fire from green wood).
• The ancient human yearning for a risk-free existence, devoid of all loss and arduous effort.
• Mowlana's use of allegorical dialogue (Sufi and Judge) to address profound theological issues.
• The Sufi's desire for a life akin to the celestial realm of angels.