M6:2276 — ضد طبع انبیا دارند خلق / اژدها را متکا دارند خلق

Translation: People possess a disposition contrary to that of the prophets; people make a dragon their pillow. Meaning: This verse suggests that ordinary people, due to worldly preoccupations, develop an inverted nature, finding bitter what is sweet for the saints, and vice versa; instead of seeking divine guidance, they become attached to transient and harmful things.

When I look at this verse by Mawlana, I see a profound image of the transformation and inversion of humanity's spiritual taste. Mawlana explicitly speaks of a 'perverse folk' (qawm-i maʿkūs) whose dispositions have been turned upside down; instead of the water of life, they consume dirt. This perversion of nature stems from self-forgetfulness and entanglement in life's countless attachments. What is sweet and delightful for the prophets – that is, worship of God, intimacy with Him, contemplation of the ultimate end, detachment from worldly bonds, and adorning oneself with forbearance, compassion, and good character – comes across as harsh and disagreeable to these people. Their nature is fundamentally at odds with it.

Instead of these virtues, we observe them constantly in conflict, avariciously pursuing more worldly possessions, heedless of their ultimate fate, and cultivating intimacy with things other than God. Even worse, they submit to humiliation before other creatures, yet refuse to humble themselves before the Divine threshold. This is precisely the 'disposition contrary to that of the prophets' (żidd-i ṭabʿ-i anbiyā) that Mawlana points out.

And then there is that even more striking image: 'people make a dragon their pillow.' What does this signify? It means that instead of seeking refuge in the secure divine sanctuary, instead of leaning on the life-giving and salvific guidance of the prophets, they lean on a man-eating dragon; the very dragon that is destined to devour their souls. Making a dragon one's pillow symbolizes finding comfort and solace in something intrinsically destructive and annihilating, yet, out of ignorance or a perverted taste, perceiving it as a safe haven. This is the great self-deception whereby humans, instead of eternal treasures, cling to fruitless suffering and mistake it for 'life.' As mentioned elsewhere: 'To seek anything but God from God / Is deemed an increase, but is utterly a decrease.' Here, we understand how humanity, instead of adding to its being, diminishes it, stepping onto a path of erosion. This inverted nature is the result of a lack of inner contemplation; the result of eyes remaining closed to existential truths, and instead, opening to counterfeits that are unworthy and ill-suited substitutes.

Key takeaways

• Many people possess an inverted taste: what is sweet for prophets and saints is bitter for them, and vice versa.
• Self-forgetfulness and attachment to worldly concerns pervert human nature.
• Instead of relying on divine guidance, people seek solace and refuge in transient and harmful things.
• This inverted nature causes humans to diminish their being rather than augment it, leading to spiritual erosion.
• What people perceive as 'life' is, in truth, 'life-struggle' and a diminishment of existence if not spent in the Beloved's presence.