M1:88 — زان گدارویانِ نادیده ز آز / آن در رحمت بریشان شد فراز

Translation: Because of those impudent, beggar-like ones, insatiated by greed (āz), That door of mercy (dar-e raḥmat) was shut upon them (farāz). Meaning: This verse asserts that human greed and ingratitude in the face of divine blessings lead to the closure of God's mercy and the cessation of His bounties.

This verse articulates one of the Mathnawi's profound principles regarding the relationship between humanity and divine grace. Mowlana here refers to the story of the heavenly table (Mā'ida) sent down for the people of Moses and later for Jesus' disciples. He recounts how Moses' people, after receiving manna and quails, with insatiable greed and impudence, demanded garlic and lentils, leading to the cessation of this bounty. The narrative concerning Jesus' heavenly table, however, is presented by Mowlana in a way that, as Mathnawi commentators acknowledge, lacks clear textual basis in the Gospels or even the Quran (which only mentions the disciples' request, not its subsequent withdrawal). Nonetheless, Mowlana leverages this narrative to establish a universal spiritual law.

I have consistently emphasized that impropriety (bi-adabi) and ingratitude in the realm of existence, before the Divine Presence, carry specific consequences. Here, Mowlana speaks of “those impudent, beggar-like ones, insatiated by greed (āz)”—people characterized not by poverty but by an unquenchable avarice. This undue greed and excessive craving led to “the door of mercy being shut upon them (farāz)”. This use of farāz must be understood as 'closed' or 'sealed', rather than 'open' or 'aloft'. Hafez, in another context, uses farāz to mean 'open' (as in "va in yakād bekhvānīd va dar farāz konīd" – 'recite in yakād and open the door'), but Mowlana employs it here in its inverse sense, closing the doors on these avaricious individuals. This choice itself is a testament to Mowlana's rhetorical precision and mastery of language.

This principle is not confined to historical tales. Mowlana immediately extends this axiom, intertwining it with natural and societal phenomena. He states: "The clouds do not rise because of the withholding of zakat (manʿ-e zakāt) / And from adultery (zinā), plague (wabā) falls upon the lands." This means if zakat (alms) is not paid, drought ensues, and the clouds refuse to rain. If adultery and immorality spread in a society, plague and epidemics engulf that community. This perspective reflects a traditional religious understanding that establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between human actions and natural/societal events. Although today we attribute 'plague' to 'microbes and viruses,' Mowlana aims to convey that the ultimate root of these calamities lies in a kind of "audacity and impudence (bi-bāki wa gustākhi)" against divine will and order.

He goes further, declaring: "Whatever darkness and sorrow (ẓulmāt o gham) befalls you / That too is from audacity and impudence." This implies that even personal suffering and misfortune originate from a kind of misconduct or impropriety towards God. This view aligns perfectly with the Holy Quran, which deems "ingratitude for blessings (kufr al-niʿma)" as the cause for being made to "taste the garment of hunger and fear (libās al-jūʿ wa al-khawf)", and conversely, considers "faith and piety (īmān wa taqwā)" as the reason for "opening blessings from heaven and earth (fatḥ barakāt min al-samāʾ wa al-arḍ)". Mowlana perceives this moral-ontological causal system as pervasive throughout all layers of existence: from the minutest individual sins to the grandest collective calamities, all are products of bi-adabi before the Lord.

Key takeaways

• Greed and excessive desire in the face of divine bounty lead to the closure of mercy's doors and the cessation of blessings.
• Improper conduct (bi-adabi) and ingratitude towards divine provisions are the root cause for deprivation of God's grace.
• Mowlana generalizes this principle from prophetic narratives (the Mā'ida of Moses and Jesus) to societal (withholding zakat, adultery) and personal issues.
• Both individual and collective calamities stem from human audacity and impudence towards the Divine.
• The word farāz here means 'closed' or 'sealed', highlighting Mowlana's precise and nuanced lexical choice.
• Mowlana's perspective emphasizes a 'moral-ontological causal system' where human actions have tangible consequences.