M6:18 — قهر سرکه لطف هم‌چون انگبین / کین دو باشد رکن هر اسکنجبین

Translation: The harshness of vinegar is grace like honey's sweetness; For these two are the pillars of every oxymel (sekanjebīn). Meaning: This verse illustrates that seemingly opposite elements, such as divine wrath and grace or sourness and sweetness, are fundamental and necessary components of any balanced system, meant to be integrated to form a beneficial whole.

I believe this verse provides a pivotal insight into Rumi's worldview, an insight that permeates the entire Masnavi and his perspective on existence. Here, Rumi resorts to the beautiful analogy of sekanjebīn (oxymel) to elucidate the combination of opposites and contradictions within the cosmos and, indeed, the very essence of the Divine. This is a profound epistemological lesson on how balance and good can arise from disharmony and difficulty.

As you know, sekanjebīn is a syrup made by combining vinegar and honey (or sugar). Vinegar is sour and cold in temperament, while honey is sweet and warm. Consumed individually, each might be detrimental to certain constitutions; however, their combination yields a moderate and beneficial concoction, embodying the virtues of both while mitigating their potential drawbacks. This is not merely a lesson in traditional medicine or temperament analysis, but a symbol of unity and harmony within the multiplicity of the world.

Rumi, in essence, states that in the realm of existence, Divine "wrath" (qahr) and "grace" (lutf) are always present side-by-side. Vinegar symbolizes wrath, anger, and bitterness, while honey represents grace, forgiveness, and sweetness. The crucial point is that neither can be eliminated from the world, nor can one be preferred over the other. These two are the fundamental pillars of the cosmos, just as they are essential components of sekanjebīn. The world is pluralistic; it is a world of contradictions, and it is from these very contradictions that balance and beauty emerge. It is not about eliminating one for the other to stand alone, just as the moon shines and dogs bark, each playing their role, and a harmonious order results from their interplay.

Therefore, we cannot claim that because we have grace and sweetness, we do not want wrath and bitterness. Or vice versa. On the contrary, the wisdom of Divine providence and the secret of creation lie in the intermingling of these two. Our task and our art lie in recognizing and blending them, thereby creating a "beneficial third entity" that bears neither the harm of one nor the other, but rather combines the benefits of both. This balanced view of existence prevents us from succumbing to hardships and adversities or from believing them to be pointless and futile.

It is crucial to understand that from a religious worldview, none of the phenomena that appear to us as "bad," "harsh," or "harmful" have come into being without purpose or capriciousness. Even if they occasionally cause suffering and detriment to humans, this does not mean they are created in vain or ought to be erased from the stage of existence. The notion that we are the criterion and axis of creation, and that everything must revolve around us, is a grave error. God is in a constant state of activity (kullu yawmin huwa fi sha'n), and His wrath and grace continually flow in the world. Sometimes His wrath prevails, sometimes His grace, and sometimes these two cooperate to bring forth a moderate and balanced order.

Rumi cites the example of Noah: his people poured "vinegar" upon him for nine hundred years—meaning bitterness, opposition, and enmity. Yet, God bestowed upon Noah the "sugar" of His grace and generosity. Even amidst the peak of the world's "vinegar," Divine "sugar" gained strength. This implies that even in difficult and adverse conditions, Divine grace is at work, and what matters is our approach to this combination, so that we can create the sekanjebīn of happiness from it. This world is full of such oxymels; we must have the discerning eye to see them and live in harmony with them.

Key takeaways

• Divine wrath (qahr) and grace (lutf), like vinegar and honey, are inseparable pillars of the cosmos.
• Wisdom lies not in negating one for the other, but in blending them to create balance from contradictions.
• The oxymel (sekanjebīn) symbolizes the creation of a beneficial third entity from the combination of opposites.
• Seemingly 'bad' or 'harsh' phenomena in the world are not arbitrary; they have a place in the overall scheme of creation.
• The presence of divine wrath does not prevent the flow of His grace; both are always present and work in concert.