M6:2010 — قصد کرده‌ستند این گل‌پاره‌ها / که بپوشانند خورشید ترا

Translation: These clods of earth have intended / To cover your sun. Meaning: Mowlana refers to the petty critics and envious individuals who sought to diminish the spiritual stature of Husam al-Din Chalabi, likening their futile efforts to covering the sun with mere dust-motes.

This couplet, beyond any doubt, is one of those revelatory passages in the Masnavi that unveils the profound depth of Mowlana's relationship with Husam al-Din Chalabi, while also hinting at the conflicts of his era. As I have repeatedly stated in my lectures, Husam al-Din was not merely the scribe of the Masnavi; he was Mowlana's "Gabriel of Love," and without his presence, this sea of knowledge would not have thus erupted.

"These clods of earth" (īn gol-pāra-hā) here refer to the detractors who, out of envy or perhaps misunderstanding, attacked Husam al-Din's lofty spiritual station. He was a young man, lacking the long beard and the experience of the "shopkeeper shaykhs," yet in Mowlana's eyes, he was an ocean of truth. I have previously alluded to how Mowlana himself detested those "bearded ones" who only adorned appearances while ignoring the true worth of the "beardless." His point was that "the matter is not about beards and mustaches, white beards, black beards; these have no bearing at all," but rather "it is inner knowledge and the capacity for beholding truth that should be the measure and criterion of individuals' status and greatness."

These criticisms and taunts clearly provoked Mowlana. With words brimming with devotion and humility, he elevates Husam al-Din to the highest heavens, addressing him as "You are my Gabriel of love and my Sidra; I am ailing, you are my Jesus-of-Mary." Such descriptions for a young man were, in the eyes of those who looked only at appearances and traditions, strange and even unacceptable, undoubtedly stirring envy. It is here that Mowlana emphatically declares that these worthless and trivial criticisms are like clods of earth that have intended to cover the sun of Husam al-Din's truth. But can the sun ever be covered by mere clods?

Key takeaways

• Truth and merit cannot be obscured by envy and malice; such attempts are futile.
• Mowlana prioritizes inner worth and essential talent over superficialities (age, appearance, title).
• This couplet exemplifies Mowlana's profound devotion and unreserved praise for Husam al-Din Chalabi.
• Envy towards accomplished individuals is an ancient phenomenon, often manifesting as slander and denigration.
• Mowlana decisively confronts detractors and defends the truth.