M6:2599 — ای بسا زجری که بر مسکین رود / در ثواب از نان و حلوا به بود

Translation: How often does suffering (zajr) befall the poor (maskīn) and needy, Yet in spiritual reward (thawāb), it proves better for them than bread and sweets (nān o ḥalwā). Meaning:* This verse suggests that sometimes, the hardship and suffering experienced by a downtrodden individual can be more beneficial for their ultimate spiritual recompense than receiving superficial, transient comforts, as such trials contribute to their inner purification and growth.

This verse delves deeply into the nature of 'justice' (ʿadl) and 'injustice' (ẓulm), and the relativity of 'good' (khayr) and 'evil' (sharr), a theme I have consistently emphasized. Justice, as Aristotle and Islamic thinkers have also posited, is nothing but 'placing something in its proper position' (waḍʿ andar mawḍiʿash). In contrast, injustice is 'placing it out of its proper position' (waḍʿ dar nā-mawqiʿash). From this perspective, nothing in existence is inherently or absolutely good or evil. Anger, forbearance, advice, or even stratagem (in the sense of hidden planning) – each can be good or bad, depending on its context and situation.

Mowlana explicitly states: "No absolute good is found in any of these things / No absolute evil is found in any of these either / For profit and loss, each depends on its context." Thus, knowledge (ʿilm) – that is, knowing the right and proper place of things – becomes obligatory and beneficial. We must understand what is good where, and what is bad where; this profound understanding liberates us from superficiality.

It is in this vein that the present verse appears: "How often does suffering befall the poor and needy / Yet in spiritual reward, it proves better for them than bread and sweets." Yes, sometimes overlooking superficial comforts and even inflicting temporary suffering on a poor individual is far more beneficial for guiding them to the right path and attaining 'spiritual reward' (thawāb) than giving them bread and sweets or offering ill-timed kindness. This is a crucial educational and ethical principle that Mowlana articulates with great clarity.

He illustrates this point with multiple examples: just as "sweets, out of season, produce bile" (meaning ill-timed sweetness is harmful for someone with a bilious temperament, causing sickness), so too "a slap can cleanse one of corruption" (sīlī-ash az khubth mustanqa kunad). Or, as he says, "Give the poor a timely slap / That might save them from decapitation." A small, timely correction can save them from far greater and irreversible consequences. The target is not the person themselves, but the ill disposition and corruption that has taken root within them. It is akin to beating a dusty rug; the stick hits the dust to clean the rug, not the rug itself.

And the example I always refer to is that of the wound and the abscess: "If you apply ointment to a wound that needs to be cut / You would only strengthen the pus within the wound." If a wound is deep and festering, applying ointment to it is not only useless but will drive the pus deeper, reaching the bone. Here, the solution is to incise the wound (which appears harsh) and drain the pus. Gentleness in this situation would yield "half a gain with fifty losses." This perspective demonstrates a profound wisdom that pierces through appearances to grasp the inner truth of matters. It is this outlook that perceives the universe's function as generous and considers everything, even if seemingly harsh or unpleasant, to be ultimately good when placed correctly.

Key takeaways

• Justice and injustice are contextual; an act is just if placed in its proper position, otherwise it is unjust.
• Good and evil are not absolute; the same action can be beneficial at one time and harmful at another.
• Apparent hardship and suffering can sometimes be more valuable for an individual's inner growth and purification than fleeting, ill-timed comforts.
• "Knowledge"—understanding the true context of things—is essential for discerning good from evil and identifying just actions.
• Ill-timed kindness can, like ointment on a festering wound, lead to far greater harm than any minor benefit.