M6:1834 — لابه کردی در نماز و در دعا / کای خداوند و نگهبان رعا

Translation: He would plead in prayer and supplication, / Saying, 'O Lord and Guardian of the raʿā (flock/subjects)!'

Meaning: A poor and suffering man begins his humble and earnest prayer, addressing God as the protector of all humanity and creation, imploring His grace.

This verse marks the beginning of a profound and stirring narrative in the Masnavi, the story of the "poor man seeking sustenance." For me, this tale profoundly illustrates that one must turn inward to find the inner treasure; what one seeks is not distant, but intimately close. Many, in their misguided efforts, prolong their journey needlessly, whereas the cherished goal resides deep within their own being. This particular destitute man, who has tasted "thousands of poisons" of poverty and helplessness, turns to God in fervent supplication and prayer.

I understand this "pleading" (lābe kardi) as a cry of the soul, rising from the depths of desperation and destitution—a cry born of his "lack of possessions" and the bitter experience of poverty. This initial depiction is not merely the plight of one specific pauper, but rather a symbol of humanity's inherent neediness when confronted with the boundless majesty of the Divine. He addresses God with the epithet, "Guardian of the raʿā." It is important to note, as Mevlana himself does, that raʿā here is a poetic abbreviation, compelled by rhyme, for raʿāyā, meaning subjects or flock. God is the Guardian of this vast realm of creation, and the poor man seeks refuge under this divine guardianship.

What is particularly insightful is that immediately following this earnest plea, the pauper advances an argument rooted in Mevlana's profound monotheistic understanding. He will proceed to say: "You created me without effort / Grant me sustenance in this world without any skill from me." This line of reasoning is, without doubt, deeply rooted in the Quranic worldview, echoing the sacred verse from Ayat al-Kursi: "Wala ya'uduhu hifzuhuma" (And He is not wearied by their preservation, Q2:255). Just as God maintains the heavens and the earth without any toil or expenditure of energy, without ever growing weary, so too was the creation of humanity effortless for Him. Therefore, having been granted existence without any effort on his part, this poor man now presumes to ask for sustenance also to be granted without effort. This exemplifies Mevlana's profound intuition, as he masterfully weaves Quranic concepts into the fabric of his allegorical narratives, drawing from them grand spiritual conclusions.

Key takeaways

• The destitute man, overwhelmed by poverty, seeks refuge in God's presence and pleads fervently.
• The term raʿā here signifies subjects or flock, abbreviated for poetic meter.
• The pauper's prayer reflects his intuitive belief in God's boundless and effortless provision.
• This verse sets the stage for the pauper's argument that his own effortless creation warrants effortless sustenance.