M6:1895 — کعبهٔ جبریل و جانها سدره‌ای / قبلهٔ عبدالبطون شد سفره‌ای

Translation: The Kaʿba of Gabriel and souls is the Sidra (Sidrat al-Muntaha); The qibla of the belly's slave became a dining-cloth. Meaning: This verse starkly contrasts the ultimate aspirations of divine beings and spiritually ascending souls with the base desires of those enslaved by their material appetites. It illuminates how one's inner disposition dictates their perceived "direction" of worship and longing.

Here, Mawlana, with deeply evocative language and brilliant allegories, teaches us that every being, according to its nature and essence, possesses a qibla—a direction for its flight, and a destination for its aspirations. This verse, in fact, marks the beginning of a profound elucidation by Mawlana, demonstrating how the diversity of aspirations and qiblas is a manifestation of the diverse divine provisions; provisions that encompass not merely food and drink, but everything that nourishes the human soul.

He states: "The Kaʿba of Gabriel and souls is the Sidra." The qibla refers to the direction the soul yearns towards, and the Kaʿba signifies the ultimate destination of existence's circumambulation. Gabriel symbolizes the pinnacle of purity and ascension, representing souls that are Gabriel-like, perpetually seeking the highest heavens and soaring to higher realms. What is the qibla and Kaʿba of such souls? It is the Sidra. Mawlana immediately alludes to Sidrat al-Muntaha, the green tree that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reached in the final stage of his spiritual journey, the Miʿraj, on the Night of Ascension. As the Quran states: "At which is the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary." This Sidra was the terminus of the path the Prophet traversed in the world of meaning, beyond forms; a point beyond which lay veils of light. These descriptions and images are, of course, allegories of the formless realm and the events that unfolded there. A green light, said to be the interface between Muhammad and the Most High God, was interpreted by mystics as the intermingling of the white light of divine necessity and the black darkness of the perfect human's contingency. In any case, the Sidra symbolizes the zenith of spiritual journey and the destination of celestial souls; a point beyond which description is impossible.

However, in the second half of the verse, he states: "The qibla of the belly's slave became a dining-cloth." ʿAbd al-buṭūn is not a proper name but a description of one enslaved by their stomach—that is, someone in bondage to desires, eating, sleeping, and carnal appetites. The qibla of such a person, meaning that which draws their entire being towards itself, is the dining-cloth (sofreh). With such striking simplicity, Mawlana places a vast spectrum of humanity, from the most sublime to the most base, in sharp contrast. This opposition reveals how human provisions, from the most spiritual union to the most material bread, are bestowed according to their inherent "disposition" (khuy) and existential "structure." This is not a matter of predestination (jabr) but the intrinsic organization of the cosmos. God Almighty has created every being according to its nature and temperament, and has provided the suitable sustenance for it. As Mawlana himself elaborates later: "We have made one enamored of bread / And another intoxicated by the Beloved"—some are lovers of bread and body, others are drunk with the Beloved and meaning. This verse serves as a prelude to asserting that the qibla of the mystic is the light of union, but the qibla of the philosophizing intellect is mere imagination.

Key takeaways

• Each person's ultimate destination is aligned with their inherent "nature" and "essence"; some strive for the celestial, others for the material.
• The Sidrat al-Muntaha symbolizes the apex of spiritual ascent and the destination of celestial souls, a point beyond all form and description.
• An ʿAbd al-buṭūn (slave of the belly) describes one enslaved by carnal desires and gluttony, whose qibla is the dining-cloth.
• The diversity of aspirations and qiblas is a systematic manifestation of divine provisions, granted in proportion to each being's existential structure.
• This classification is not determinism but the wise ordering of the cosmos, reflecting differing capacities and existential orientations.