M6:4368 — چند لشکر می‌رود تا بر خورد / برگ او فی گردد و بر سر خورد

Translation: Many an army marches forth to conquer and to gain spoils, But its own provisions become spoils for others, and it is itself struck down. Meaning: This verse points to a profound paradox in the world where human intentions and actions, particularly those driven by worldly ambition, often lead to outcomes diametrically opposed to what was initially sought.

I have repeatedly told you that our world is full of such wonders and inversions. Mawlana, with his gnostic insight, constantly urges us to look beyond appearances to the core of matters. This verse is one of the most powerful elucidations of these very reversals. An army marches forth with pride and a craving for spoils, convinced it will achieve great gains; yet, in this world so full of divine cunning, it not only acquires nothing but finds that everything it carries, its barg (provisions/wealth), turns into fay' (spoils) for others, and it is itself defeated.

This is precisely the 'hidden grace' (لطف خفی) that God embeds within wrath, or conversely, the 'divine cunning' (مکر حق) that sets a person on a path with ill intent, only for it to yield a good or at least an inverse outcome for them. Here, Mawlana suggests that human intentions often do not directly translate into results; where they strive for evil, it may lead to good, and where they aspire to good, they may unknowingly stumble into error.

This is a great lesson for us: we should neither fully trust our intentions nor be overly concerned by the reversal of outcomes. For it is entirely possible that in the darkest intentions, God has opened a window to light, and in the most overt successes, has hidden a subtle warning. This is what I have always emphasized: one must perceive the divine design behind the veil of subtlety. Here, 'cunning' (مکر) does not mean deceit, but rather a hidden, unexpected stratagem. It is akin to the story of Abrahah, who came to destroy the Ka'ba, but his efforts not only failed to demolish it but magnified its honor a hundredfold, and his spoils fell into the hands of the poor of Mecca. Do you see? An evil intention brought forth a reversed, benevolent result. This verse is of the same nature. When an army goes forth to be 'struck on the head,' it means that what intended the destruction of another, destroys itself and enriches others. This is not merely a military defeat, but a profound expression of the hidden architecture of the cosmos, where sometimes misguidance precedes guidance, and evil paves a path to good.

Key takeaways

• The world is replete with inversions and unexpected outcomes; human intentions rarely translate directly into results.
• What appears to be detrimental may, in essence, be beneficial, and vice-versa; this is divine 'cunning' (مکر حق) and 'hidden grace' (لطف خفی).
• Evil intentions sometimes lead to benevolent outcomes, bringing honor and success to others.
• Mawlana invites us to transcend appearances and perceive the hidden divine design of the cosmos.
• Defeats and successes are subject to a higher will and wisdom, beyond the grasp of our ordinary understanding.