M1:276 — این خورد زاید همه بُخل و حسد / وآن خورد زاید همه نور احد

Translation: This sustenance gives rise to naught but avarice and envy; / That sustenance gives rise to naught but the light of the One. Meaning: One form of sustenance only amplifies moral vices like envy and greed, while another kind nourishes divine light and love within the human being.

In this verse, Rumi points to a profound and fundamental truth: outward forms and appearances can be identical, yet their inner essences and dispositions vastly differ. This is akin to the “confusing a lion with milk” (both written as “shir” in Persian) that Rumi alluded to earlier. The sustenance one consumes is not inherently neutral; rather, it interacts with the eater’s innate disposition (ṭab‘) and produces an effect congruent with that nature.

An individual deeply rooted in bukhul (avarice) and hasad (envy)—whatever they consume—is effectively strengthening and vitalizing these vices. It is as if their very being functions as a factory, taking raw material and converting it into avarice and envy. Conversely, a person whose heart is dedicated to the ʿishq-i Aḥad (love of the One) and whose soul is filled with divine light, will find that the same sustenance transforms within them into light and love, further solidifying their path toward divine proximity. The food remains the same, yet its effects are as distinct as heaven and earth.

I often liken this to Rumi’s story of the raven and its wish for a long life: a raven that feeds on filth desires a long life solely to continue its filthy eating habits. If it asks God to extend its lifespan, it is essentially praying for the prolongation of its own corruption and impurity. What good is such a life? If an individual’s nature is corrupt, a hundred years of life will amount to nothing more than a continuation of impurity. The crucial point is that the nature must change.

This same insight is profoundly expressed in Imam Sajjad’s (peace be upon him) prayer from the Sahifa Sajjadiyya, where he states: “My God, grant me life as long as my life is spent in Your obedience, but when my life becomes a pasture for Satan, then take me to You.” This means that a long life is not desirable at any cost; rather, the value of life lies in its quality and spiritual direction. If a life merely extends vices, it is better for it to end sooner.

The Quran also teaches us this meaning: “And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss” (17:82). The same Qur’an is healing and mercy for believers, yet for wrongdoers, it only adds to their loss. It is precisely like a single meal offered to two individuals: one is healthy and gains strength, the other is ill and might even die from the same food. The effect of sustenance changes depending on the eater’s disposition and temperament. We must reflect: which tree of our being are we watering? The tree that nurtures avarice and envy, or the one that blossoms with light and love? This tree is our very existence, and we are responsible for what we choose to cultivate within it.

Key takeaways

• Appearances can be identical, but inner realities and true effects differ greatly.
• Sustenance is not neutral; its effect depends on the eater's disposition.
• For the avaricious and envious, consumption merely reinforces their vices.
• For loving and illuminated hearts, the same sustenance transforms into divine light and love.
• Longevity alone is not a virtue; the spiritual quality and direction of life are paramount.
• Like the Quran, which is healing for believers but loss for wrongdoers, any source yields different results based on the recipient.