M6:3450 — تاب لطفش را تو یکسان هم مدان / سنگ را و لعل را داد او نشان

Translation: Do not deem the power of His grace equal, To the stone and to the ruby He gave their distinct mark.

Meaning: Mowlana expresses here that while God's overflowing grace and mercy encompass all beings in the cosmos, each creature partakes of this grace differently, according to its inherent nature and existential capacity.

This verse from the Masnavi opens a window onto one of the deepest philosophical and mystical discussions: the differentiation among beings in receiving divine grace. Mowlana, using the metaphor of the stone and the ruby, beautifully articulates the truth that God’s grace is bounteous and universal, yet its reception and manifestation are not uniform.

I have often stressed that we, as beings in this world, possess discernible differences. One is soil, another water; one is fire, another gold, and yet another a ruby. These differences are outwardly clear and undeniable, but the question is: from where do these distinctions arise? Early philosophers, especially those preceding Mulla Sadra, posited that these differences stem from diverse 'essences' (māhiyyāt). Water has one essence, fire another, and each essence possesses an inherent nature which is 'uncaused' (al-dhātī lā yuʿallal). God did not create these essences; rather, He bestowed existence upon them. As Ibn Sina said, 'God did not make the apricot an apricot, but brought it into existence.' Essences were like empty vessels in non-existence, which, by the illumination of existence, became filled. Yet, each vessel possessed its own capacity and inherent properties. God could not create a circle with unequal radii, for inequality of radii contradicts the essence of a circle.

However, Mowlana, in my estimation, is closer to Mulla Sadra’s view, which championed the 'primacy of existence' (aṣālat al-wujūd) over the primacy of essence. According to Mulla Sadra, existence is stratified (dhū marātib); that is, existence is a hierarchy of ranks and degrees, much like the sequence of numbers. Humanity occupies one rank of existence, angels another, and animals, plants, and inanimate objects each hold a distinct rank. In this perspective, all beings share in the fundamental reality of existence, but their capacities and potentials differ. One may have the capacity of a liter, another ten liters, and yet another fifty. When the rain of divine grace falls, each vessel receives from it according to its own capacity and holds it within.

Thus, when Mowlana says, 'Do not deem the power of His grace equal / To the stone and to the ruby He gave their distinct mark,' he does not mean that God gives more to one and less to another. Rather, he points out that His uniform grace leads to varied outcomes due to the inherent differences in the aptitudes and capacities of beings. The sun of divine grace shines upon a stone, but the stone only receives warmth and luminescence, for that is its capacity. However, this same sun shines upon a ruby, and the ruby, by virtue of its intrinsic disposition and potential, transforms into a precious jewel. Or another example: the same light that warms the soil illuminates green leaves, and with the aid of chlorophyll, they produce fruit, sugar, and vitamins. God's bounty is 'not withheld' (Qur'an 17:20), meaning it is denied to no one, but the reception varies.

This is a profoundly deep insight: God bestows His grace equally, yet it is 'we' who act differently in receiving it. It is the order of the cosmos that everything is as it is, yet 'humanity' possesses the capacity to soar from the realm of angels to the realm of the divine (malakūt), from dust to the heavens. Humanity is the only being whose 'existence precedes its essence,' meaning it can shape its own essence and unveil its latent potentials. This is the difference between potentiality and actuality, and this is Mowlana's invitation to awaken and utilize the immense human capacity.

Key takeaways

• Divine grace and bounty are universal, illuminating all beings in the cosmos.
• Differences in receiving divine grace do not stem from unequal giving, but from the distinct nature and existential capacity of each being.
• Mowlana's perspective on this aligns closely with the philosophical notion of the 'primacy of existence' and its various ranks, explaining diverse capacities.
• The example of the stone, which only gains warmth, versus the ruby, which transforms into a precious jewel, illustrates how a single light yields varied effects based on the receiver.
• Unlike many other creatures, humanity possesses the unique ability to shape its own essence and actualize its immense latent potentials.