M6:3139 — تا ز چرخ غیب وز خورشید روح / عنکبوتش درس گوید از شروح

Translation: So that its intricate spider-web patterns may teach lessons, offering explanations of the celestial sphere of the Unseen and the Sun of the Spirit.

Meaning: This verse suggests that the complex, enigmatic patterns etched upon human existence are a key to unlocking the mysteries of the unseen realm and the sublime spiritual reality, revealing profound truths about them.

Mowlana, in this verse and the preceding ones, introduces the profound metaphor of 'Adam as the astrolabe of lofty attributes.' I interpret this metaphor by noting that an astrolabe was an astronomical instrument used by ancients to understand stars and celestial movements. This device did not bring distant stars closer; rather, it reflected their states and conditions through intricate, cryptic patterns on its surface—patterns that only astrologers could read and interpret. Humanity, too, is such an astrolabe, a vessel in which the supreme divine attributes are reflected.

The 'spider-web patterns' (nuqūsh-i ʿankabūt) in this verse refer to those extremely delicate and interwoven lines drawn on an astrolabe, each carrying specific meaning. Mowlana here posits that human existence possesses such 'spider-web patterns'—enigmatic lines and codes that, if deciphered and brought out of obscurity, can guide one to the truth of humanity and, consequently, to the truth of God, whose manifestation humanity is. These patterns are signs that speak of the 'attributes of eternity' (awsāf-i azal), meaning God's eternal attributes within us.

So, what is the ultimate purpose of these patterns? It is for them to 'teach lessons' and offer 'explanations' (dars gūyad az shurūḥ) of the 'celestial sphere of the Unseen' (charkh-i ghayb) and the 'Sun of the Spirit' (khurshīd-i rūḥ). The 'celestial sphere of the Unseen' symbolizes the hidden, invisible realm, and the 'Sun of the Spirit' refers to the luminous and vital source of spiritual truth. These two are the ultimate wellsprings of divine attributes and existential realities, manifested as spider-web patterns on the tablet of human existence. In essence, these patterns are like an encoded language inscribed to communicate with those higher realms.

The thought-provoking aspect is that Mowlana immediately states in subsequent verses that this astrolabe of guidance and these spider-web patterns have fallen into the hands of common folk, 'without an astrologer' (bī-munajjim) to interpret them. This is akin to an X-ray image of lungs falling into the hands of an illiterate person, who understands nothing from it, or a text in Chinese handed to someone who doesn't know the language. The truth of humanity, with all its divine symbols and allusions, remains largely unknown among ordinary people.

It is here that Mowlana clarifies the role of the prophets, stating: 'God gave the prophecy of this to the prophets' (anbiyā rā dād ḥaqq tanjīm-i īn). Tanjīm refers to the science of astrology and reading the astrolabe. Thus, the prophets are the true astrologers of human existence; with their 'unseen-seeing eye' (chashmī bayābād ghayb-bīn), they can read these spider-web patterns, uncover their secrets, and enlighten humanity about its own truth and the truth of the unseen world. They are the interpreters and explainers of these patterns, meant to untangle the enigmatic knots and tell us what message these intricate lines carry from the 'celestial sphere of the Unseen' and the 'Sun of the Spirit.' This interpretation by Mowlana reveals the depth of his perspective on anthropology and ontology, considering humanity not merely as an earthly being but as a mirror reflecting divine attributes and a bearer of the secrets of the Unseen.

Key takeaways

• Humanity serves as an astrolabe, reflecting the sublime attributes of the Divine.
• The 'spider-web patterns' are the intricate inner codes within humans that contain hidden spiritual truths.
• These patterns are intended to convey lessons and provide explanations from the unseen realm and the sun of the spirit.
• Prophets are the true 'astrologers' who, with their 'unseen-seeing eye,' can decipher these patterns and unlock the divine truths embedded in humanity.
• The natural world and human existence hold keys and symbols of higher realms, requiring a special insight for their comprehension.