M6:3837 — یک عنایت به ز صد گون اجتهاد / جهد را خوفست از صد گون فساد

Translation: One divine grace is better than a hundred kinds of exertion; effort is prone to a hundred kinds of corruption. Meaning: This verse asserts that a single act of divine grace or attention far outweighs countless human efforts, as human striving is perpetually exposed to numerous perils and corruptions.

This verse presents one of Mawlana's fundamental propositions concerning the human condition and its relation to divine decree; it is a statement delivered with unequivocal certainty. With rare directness, he deems the outcome of a hundred human efforts and exertions (ijtihād) to be negligible in the face of a single act of divine 'ināyat (grace). Mawlana here virtually refers matters to 'bakht' (fate or luck), but not in the common, superstitious sense. Rather, 'bakht' here signifies that specific divine attention and special bounty which, as he posits, is unevenly distributed.

I have emphasized for years that the world and its blessings, both material and spiritual, are not distributed equally. Just as some lands are verdant and abundant in water while others are arid deserts, and just as humans are unequal in intelligence, beauty, physical health, and genetics, so too are they unequal in receiving divine 'ināyat. This is a truth that mystics have never concealed, and Mawlana, in this verse and those that follow, alludes to this very reality.

But why is human exertion and effort so inferior in this comparison? Mawlana immediately provides the reason: "Effort is prone to a hundred kinds of corruption." Human striving, when undertaken alone, faces thousands of perils and corruptions. The spiritual path built solely upon effort and striving is slow and fraught with danger. This is where Mawlana highlights the crucial distinction between the 'zāhidāneh' (ascetic) and 'āsheqāneh' (loving) paths of spiritual journeying. The ascetic path, founded on effort and piety, is 'slow' and proceeds 'on foot,' akin to a bicycle or an automobile. This slowness exposes the seeker to fatigue, discouragement, satanic deception, illness, and ultimately failing to reach the destination. Many diligent seekers have grown weary and regretful mid-journey or fallen prey to internal and external afflictions.

The path of love, however, is 'swift' and 'flies swifter than lightning and air,' akin to an airplane. Lovers do not walk with their feet but fly with the wings of love. This speed and fervent progress on the path reduce its perils and corruptions. Regret (pashīmānī), which I consider one of the most fatal afflictions of the spiritual path, finds no opportunity to manifest. Mawlana himself says: "Regret will not sprout from nothingness / When it sees the fervor of the swift-footed." One who proceeds with ardor and speed allows no space for regret to stand in their way.

Ultimately, this verse is an invitation to abandon self-serving 'tricks' and contrivances. As the Sufis say, "Al-Hīlah tark al-Hīlah" (The best trick is to abandon all tricks). This does not imply passivity, but rather surrendering oneself to the 'ināyat and grace of the Unique One, for if He wills, a hundred-year journey can be traversed in a single night, and one can be safe from a hundred kinds of corruption.

Key takeaways

• Divine grace and favor are superior to all human effort and striving.
• Human exertion, when relying solely on itself, is susceptible to countless perils and corruptions.
• The crucial distinction between the slow, perilous ascetic (zohd) path and the swift, secure path of love (eshq).
• "Regret" (pashīmānī) is identified as a primary affliction of slow and protracted spiritual journeys.
• The necessity of abandoning self-serving strategies and relying on divine benevolence and grace.
• An acknowledgment of the unequal distribution of divine blessings and favors in the world.