M6:4011 — دیو بر شبه سلیمان کرد ایست / علم مکرش هست و علمناش نیست

Translation: The demon posed as Solomon; he has the knowledge of trickery, but not our Divine knowledge (ʻilmunā).

Meaning: This verse warns against spiritual imposters who mimic true masters through cunning and deceit, yet lack genuine divine knowledge and authentic insight.

Mowlana here alludes to a well-known story, though not found in the Quran, which was prevalent in religious narratives and commentaries: the tale of a demon (Div) who stole Solomon's ring, assumed his form, and for a time sat on his throne, issuing commands. Many were deceived until the truth was eventually revealed, and the true Solomon returned. Hafez also references this point, stating that "a demon cannot become Solomon through deception and trickery."

However, Mowlana's purpose in recounting this story is not merely to narrate a tale; he employs this parable for a deeper insight. This verse is, unequivocally, a firm warning to seekers and truth-aspirants regarding false claimants to spiritual authority and counterfeit Sufi masters. This demon represents the charlatan who dons the garb of gnosis, speaking the terminology and allusions of the mystics, but has acquired these teachings externally, not from within.

Mowlana explicitly states: "ʻIlm-i makrash hast u ʻilmunāsh nīst" (He has the knowledge of trickery, but not our Divine knowledge). "ʻIlm-i makr," or the knowledge of deceit, cunning, artifice, and dissimulation, is their forte. These pretenders are adept at creating deceptive appearances of piety and wisdom, drawing the masses after them. But what they lack is that "ʻilmunā" to which God referred in the Quran regarding Solomon: "Wa ʻallamnāhu mantiq al-ṭayr" (And We taught him the language of the birds). This "ʻilmunā" points to a divinely bestowed, ladunī knowledge (knowledge from the Divine presence) that originates from the very presence of God; a knowledge not acquired through study and intellection, but through illumination and inspiration. This is the "revelation of the heart" (wahi dil), which Mowlana equates with "divine revelation" (wahi-i Haqq), describing it as that which is expressed from the hidden sense.

These demon-like Solomons, as Mowlana puts it, "ṭumṭarāq u sarvarī andūkhtand" (accumulated pomp and sovereignty), meaning they gained a false status and respect, but in Mowlana's words, "hast ghayr" (he is an outsider). They are alien to truth, even if they momentarily sit on the king's throne. The true Solomon possesses an inner radiance and is imbued with divine grace, knowing the "ṭuyūr min ladun" (the primordial, divine birds). The deceivers, however, only recognize the birds of the air, meaning they are attached solely to outward forms and manifestations, oblivious to the inner realities and truths of the cosmos. This distinction is crucial for any seeker wishing to differentiate between pure gold and base metal; between one genuinely connected to truth and one who merely claims such connection.

Key takeaways

• This verse serves as Mowlana's emphatic warning against charlatans and false claimants to spiritual authority.
• It distinguishes between ʻilm-i makr (the knowledge of deception and trickery) and ʻilmunā (divinely bestowed, ladunī knowledge).
• ʻIlmunā refers to authentic, illuminative knowledge granted by God to prophets and true mystics, akin to Solomon's 'language of the birds.'
• The deceptive demon only mimics Solomon's outward form, remaining ignorant of the true, inner essence of his power.
• Mowlana stresses that alluring appearances can never replace luminous inner truth and divine insight.
• The beyt is an invitation to deep discernment, urging seekers not to be swayed by superficial displays when identifying spiritual guides.