M6:3882 — طالب الدنیا و توفیراتها / طالب العلم و تدبیراتها

Translation: The seeker of the world and its abundances, The seeker of knowledge and its arrangements. Meaning: This couplet, echoing a prophetic tradition, identifies two insatiable appetites: the one driven by the pursuit of worldly possessions and gains, and the other by the quest for knowledge and its systematic application.

Mowlana here draws upon the well-known prophetic tradition (hadith) which states: 'There are two hungry ones who are never satiated: the seeker of the world and the seeker of knowledge.' However, in this couplet and the ones that follow, Mowlana extracts a precise and profound point from this hadith.

I understand Mowlana to argue that for these two categories—'the seeker of the world' (ṭālib al-dunyā) and 'the seeker of knowledge' (ṭālib al-ʿilm)—to truly represent two distinct divisions and entities, the 'knowledge' (ʿilm) mentioned here must signify something beyond mere 'worldly knowledge' (ʿilm-i dunyawī). If the knowledge intended by the Prophet were solely for worldly ends, then these two categories would lack differentiation, and the hadith would become redundant; it would amount to 'the seeker of the world and the seeker of the world.' Such redundancy, to my mind, is unfitting for the discourse of a wise prophet. To put it succinctly, 'worldly knowledge is itself the world'; knowledge pursued for worldly purposes is a part of the world itself and cannot be considered a separate category.

Mowlana, therefore, concludes: 'So this knowledge, O father, must be other than the world.' He immediately elaborates: 'If not the world, what then? The Hereafter, which takes you from here and is your guide.' Consequently, the 'knowledge' that is lauded in this hadith, and whose seeker is characterized by insatiability, is the 'knowledge of the Hereafter' (ʿilm-i ākhirat); it is the knowledge that draws an individual from this material realm towards ultimate truth and serves as their guide on that spiritual path.

This is a vital distinction that Mowlana emphasizes throughout the Masnavi: the divergence between worldly knowledge (ʿilm-i dunyawī) and otherworldly knowledge (ʿilm-i ukhrawī). The seeker of the world is censured, even if they seek knowledge for worldly gain. However, the seeker of otherworldly knowledge is praiseworthy due to its elevated and eternal orientation. These two concepts, 'the world' (dunyā) and 'knowledge' (ʿilm), are presented here with immense richness and depth of meaning, forming the bedrock of Mowlana's mystical perspective on the nature and purpose of cognition.

Key takeaways

• Mowlana, drawing on a prophetic tradition, establishes a crucial distinction between 'worldly knowledge' (ʿilm-i dunyawī) and 'otherworldly knowledge' (ʿilm-i ukhrawī).
• Knowledge pursued for worldly ends is considered an extension of the world itself and is thus blameworthy in Mowlana's view.
• True 'otherworldly knowledge' (ʿilm-i ākhirat) is the profound insight that elevates one beyond material limitations and guides towards ultimate truth.
• Both the seeker of the world and the seeker of knowledge (in a general sense) are insatiable, yet their paths and ultimate goals differ profoundly.
• The inherent value of knowledge lies in its ultimate purpose: whether it draws us towards worldly pursuits or towards the Divine Hereafter.