M6:3255 — رحمت مادر اگر چه از خداست / خدمت او هم فریضه‌ست و سزاست

Translation: Though a mother’s mercy is from God, Service to her is a duty and fitting.

Meaning: This verse underscores that despite a mother's compassion being ultimately a divine gift, expressing gratitude through service and devotion to her is a moral and religious obligation.

This profound verse takes us to a venerable and complex theological debate within Islamic thought: the obligation of shukr al-mun'im, or gratitude to the benefactor. The Ash'arites, often proponents of determinism and textual authority (naql), argued that there is no independent rational basis for gratitude to a benefactor, let alone to God. In their view, if we express gratitude, it is solely because scripture has commanded us to do so. The Mu'tazilites, conversely, championing the autonomy of reason, unequivocally asserted that sound intellect dictates that one must thank a benefactor, and this obligation becomes exponentially greater when the benefactor is God Almighty.

Rumi, however, without any qualifications or reservations, presents the obligation of gratitude as a self-evident, rational, and moral imperative. In this couplet, he elucidates this truth using the example of a mother. He states that a mother's mercy and compassion, for all their vastness and grandeur, are in truth but reflections of God's boundless mercy. The mother herself is not the primary benefactor, but rather a conduit for divine grace. Yet, this fact in no way diminishes the obligation of service and gratitude towards her. On the contrary, it emphasizes it. If such a precious intermediary is worthy of service, then how much more deserving of gratitude and praise is the true Benefactor, the Sacred Essence of God?

This perspective of Rumi's serves as a prelude to the subsequent verse, which discusses sending blessings (salawat) upon the Prophet. He interprets salawat not as a mere perfunctory greeting, but as a form of active, heartfelt thanksgiving. Just as the mother is the conduit for the grace of creation and affection, the Prophet is "mehtāl ilayh" — the means of guidance and of reaching the Truth. Therefore, gratitude for this immense blessing of guidance is expressed through salawat and blessings upon him.

It is here that I allow myself to highlight a crucial point that Rumi emphasizes throughout the Masnavi: the imperative to keep profound meanings alive in our language and actions. Just as in today's secular world, words like "God-bye" are reduced to "take care," and "My God" transforms into "My gosh" — ostensibly to distance religion from language — in reality, sublime meanings are banished from the psyche and tongue. Rumi does not utter this verse merely to issue a jurisprudential decree; he states it to revive the deep semantic and existential connection of gratitude and service, so that our salawat, our greetings, or even our farewells, are no longer just lifeless words, but rather manifestations of our pure intentions and profound spiritual connections.

Key takeaways

• Gratitude to a benefactor, especially God, is an inherent and rational duty, not merely a scriptural command.
• A mother's mercy, though divinely sourced, affirms the obligation of service and devotion to her.
• Rumi implicitly aligns with the Mu'tazilite view on the rational necessity of thanking benefactors.
• The quality and depth of meaning in everyday words and actions (like salawat) reflect our spiritual and inner state.