M6:2161 — دور دور و قرن قرن این دو فریق / تا به فرعون و به موسی شفیق

Translation: Age after age, and century after century, these two factions [persisted], Until they reached Pharaoh and Moses, who were companions (shafiq) [in their entanglement]. Meaning: This couplet speaks to the enduring conflict between two opposing forces throughout history, personified by Pharaoh and Moses. Rumi asserts that these antagonisms are not merely past events but are ever-present within each individual's being.

This couplet is one of Rumi's master-verses, pointing to the very essence of history and existence. As I have often insisted, for Rumi, history is not merely a sequence of past events, but a mirror reflecting eternal, inner truths. These 'two factions,' these two opposing groups that the verse speaks of, are none other than the forces of truth and falsehood, justice and oppression, light and darkness, which have been in struggle since the dawn of creation. From Abel and Cain, to Nimrod and Abraham, and finally to Pharaoh and Moses, this struggle forms the core drama of human existence and history.

The most critical point, emphasized by Rumi and, following him, by myself, is that these conflicts should not be regarded as mere historical occurrences. No, these two adversaries, Pharaoh and Moses, live on within each and every one of us. Every single one of us harbors both a Moses who calls towards truth and liberation, and a Pharaoh who invites to arrogance and self-worship. The story of Moses and Pharaoh is our own story, repeating itself in every moment. We must seek these two antagonists within ourselves, for until this duality is resolved internally, their saga will continue.

Rumi teaches us that 'things are known by their opposites' (tuʿrafu l-ashyāʾ bi-aḍdādihā). Without oppression, the concept of justice remains ungrasped; without Pharaoh, Moses would not possess such luminosity. These contradictions, manifested in history and within us, are tools for attaining divine knowledge. They pave the way for the soul's growth and refinement. Therefore, these antagonisms are not mere conflict and destruction; rather, they are a prelude to problem-solving and progress. Just as fire judged between Nimrod and Abraham, the sea adjudicated between Pharaoh and Moses. These confrontations ultimately separate truth from falsehood and illuminate the path of evolution. So long as these 'two factions' are in contention, humanity attains a deeper understanding of itself and the world, and this, indeed, is the ultimate wisdom of Rumi.

Key takeaways

• History is not a static collection of events; it is a mirror reflecting eternal, inner truths.
• The conflict between two opposing forces (truth vs. falsehood, justice vs. oppression) constitutes the essence of human existence and history.
• Pharaoh and Moses are not merely historical figures; they symbolize the two opposing existential poles present within every individual.
• One must recognize the inner Moses and Pharaoh to attain knowledge and perfection.
• Contradictions and confrontations are divine tools for deeper understanding, separating truth from falsehood, and fostering spiritual progress.