M6:4253 — اتفاقا اندر آن شب‌های تار / دیده بُد مردم ز شب‌دزدان ضرار

Translation: It so happened that in those dark nights, People had suffered much harm from night thieves. Meaning: This verse sets the scene for the story, explaining that during that particular period, night thefts were rampant and the populace had endured significant losses from these criminals.

This verse is situated within a specific narrative in the Masnavi, detailing a confrontation between a mendicant and a constable during the night. In essence, Mawlana here intends to report a social condition: the prevalence of night thefts — shab-dozdān zarār — had reached such a point that people had suffered widespread harm and loss. This atmosphere creates a context that justifies the constable's harshness, who, due to heightened insecurity and strict orders from the ruler, would accost and punish any stranger out at night.

However, if we wish to move beyond a mere report of events and delve into Mawlana’s perspective, this verse, like many allegories in the Masnavi, is not simply a narrative; it is a vehicle for expressing deeper truths. The mendicant's predicament in these dark nights and the suffering he endures at the hands of the constable are examples of ‘usr (hardship), which God has promised will be followed by yusr (ease). As we see in the Quran: 'Asā an takrahū shay'an wa huwa khayrun lakum (Perhaps you dislike a thing and it is good for you) and Sayaj'alu Allahu ba'da 'usrin yusrā (God will bring ease after hardship). In confronting difficulties, humans often suffer from a 'poverty of imaginative creativity'; they assume the situation is eternal and unending. Mawlana, however, constantly teaches us that the world is in flux; neither sorrow nor joy is permanent. These dark nights and their attendant harm are transient and ultimately lead to an opening and relief, of which the story of the mendicant finding the treasure is an example.

On a broader level, the ruler's command to the constable to amputate the hands of thieves, even kin, is not mere cruelty, but an instance of the principle of aṣba' maldūgh (the bitten finger); that is, the bitten finger must be cut off to prevent the poison from spreading throughout the body. In other words, the suffering of the 'few' must be sacrificed for the health of the 'many' to protect society from widespread harm. Mawlana, through this allegory, even in the context of a harsh decree, points to an important principle of governance: that sometimes, sacrificing a part is unavoidable to avert a greater evil. All this indicates that even in describing a dark and dangerous night, Mawlana maintains a multifaceted view of existence and divine providence; it appears as hardship, but intrinsically, it is the prelude to a greater good and opening.

Key takeaways

• Appearances can be deceiving; these dark and harmful nights are but a prelude to a greater opening.
• Human understanding of suffering is limited; we often believe our pain is eternal, yet the world is in constant flux.
• The Quranic principle of ba'da 'usrin yusrā (after hardship, ease) is inherent in this narrative.
• Sometimes, sacrificing the suffering of the 'few' is necessary to preserve the well-being of the 'many', akin to amputating a bitten finger to save the entire body.