M6:1278 — تخم نادر در فضیحت کاشتی / در جهان تو مصحفی نگذاشتی

Translation: You sowed a rare seed of scandal; In the world, you left no sound Qur'an. Meaning: Iblis tells an old woman, who was stealing gold leaf from a Qur'an to adorn herself, that her act has brought about a unique disgrace and left no complete or intact scripture behind in the world.

This beyt emerges from a stark and powerful story in the Masnavi. An aged woman, desperate to appear beautiful for a wedding, resorts to a desperate act: she scrapes the delicate gold leaf from the ʿasharāt (decadic markers) of an ancient, gilded Qur'an. She attempts to apply this stolen gold to her face, only for it to repeatedly fall off as she adjusts her veil. In her frustration, she curses Iblis.

It is at this point that Iblis himself startlingly appears. His words to her constitute a profound rebuke, revealing an ethical boundary even he seemingly respects. "I, who am the source of all mischief," Iblis declares, "have never conceived of such an act. You have sowed a rare seed of scandal ('tukhm-i nādir dar faḍīḥat kāshī'), and in this world, you have left no [intact] scripture ('maṣḥafī nagzāshtī')." The phrase "rare seed of scandal" points to the unprecedented nature of her desecration for such a trivial, superficial purpose. Even the arch-deceiver is astonished by her audacity and misjudgment.

However, Mowlana, through Iblis's voice, is not merely condemning a petty theft. This story is a potent metaphor for the "false claimants of insight and gnosis" (muddaʿiyān-i kāzib-i baṣīrat va ʿirfān). These are individuals who attempt to adorn themselves with the "words of men of God" (ḥarf-i mardān-i Khudā) or "knowledge of scribes" (ʿilm-i katīb) – external trappings of spirituality – without cultivating genuine inner substance. They steal the gold of sacred texts or the prestige of spiritual masters, not for true understanding, but to appear "colored like an apple" (mulavvan hamchu sīb), that is, deceptively appealing and pious. They steal the "words of men of God" to "sell them and gain applause" (bifurūshī va sitānī marḥabā).

The phrase "you left no sound Qur'an" extends beyond the physical desecration of the sacred text. It implies that such individuals, by their hypocrisy and superficiality, leave no true spiritual legacy. Their "book of life" or "inner scripture" remains defiled, corrupted, and ultimately, empty of authentic meaning. Just as the old woman's borrowed beauty falls away, so too do the outward displays of piety from those lacking inner truth. Mowlana's philosophy draws a crucial distinction between that which is "rooted" (rusta) and that which is merely "tied" (basta). True beauty, true virtue, true knowledge is "rooted" – it grows organically from within the soul, like the natural blush of a young face. False appearances are merely "tied" – externally applied, borrowed, artificial, like rouge on a cheek or a branch tied to a tree. These "tied" embellishments are fleeting and will fall away when the "veil of death" descends. Only what has truly become "part of one's soul" (juzv-i jān-i tu) – genuine virtues, authentic love, inner qualities – will accompany one beyond this world. Material possessions, children, external honors – these are all "tied" and will remain behind. This beyt, therefore, is a profound critique of spiritual pretense and a powerful call to cultivate an inner reality that is "rooted," not "tied."

Key takeaways

• Even Iblis is astonished by the rare disgrace of exploiting sacred texts for superficial gain.
• Spiritual pretense without inner truth is not just worthless, but constitutes a unique form of sin.
• A person's true legacy is their inner quality, not borrowed adornments from the sacred.
• Mowlana's insight: Only what has become 'part of one's soul' (rooted from within) is carried beyond this world, not what is 'tied' or artificial.