M6:2628 — چون شوی تمییزده را ناسپاس / بجهد از تو خطرت قبله‌شناس

Translation: When you become ungrateful to the one who discerns, / Your qibla-knowing thought will leap away from you. Meaning: This verse cautions that if you show ingratitude to a discerning guide, your inner faculty for recognizing the true direction and ultimate goal will depart from you.

Mawlana, in this verse, points to a crucial truth: the fate of our inner discernment hinges on how we engage with the 'tamīzde'. The 'tamīzde' here refers to one who is himself endowed with discernment, distinguishing truth from falsehood; one who points to the right path and endeavors to instill that same discernment in us. I contend that this 'tamīzde' is none other than the 'aslah'—the most fitting or righteous guide—who directs us toward the 'original qibla'.

The danger Mawlana highlights is 'nāspāsī' (ingratitude) towards this guide. Ingratitude here means turning away from him, disregarding his guidance, and ultimately, relying on one's own 'khud-hujjat-dānestan' (considering oneself the ultimate authority). This self-authorization, as I have repeatedly emphasized, is in our era an 'unacceptable' approach and amounts to 'kufrān-e niʿmat-e ʿaqlāniyyat' (ingratitude for the blessing of rationality). Reason, after all, is a divine gift for discerning and accepting guidance, not for rejecting it.

The consequence of this ingratitude is the loss of one's 'khaṭarat-e qibla-shenās'. 'Khaṭarat' signifies the thought or opinion that crosses the mind, and 'qibla-shenās' refers to that inner intuition that recognizes the true direction and destination. Should this ingratitude occur, then the thought of qibla-recognition will distance itself from you, and indeed, the very inclination to search and inquire for the right path will vanish. You will be left without an inner compass.

Mawlana, in the preceding verses, clarified this point: 'When the hand of God made the Qibla manifest / Then seeking (taharrī) after this is to be rejected.' This means that once the truth, the true qibla, becomes apparent, further aimless searching is pointless. One must bow down and follow the path. He warns: 'If for a moment you become heedless of this Qibla / You will become the mockery of every false qibla.' If you lose sight of this true qibla for even a moment, you will become a plaything for every false direction. This verse further emphasizes the same meaning: disloyalty to the guide of truth carries a heavy price—spiritual blindness and absolute disorientation.

Key takeaways

• Our inner intuition (khaṭarat-e qibla-shenās) depends on valuing discerning guides (tamīzde).
• Ingratitude and heedlessness towards a true guide lead to losing the inner power to discern the right path.
• Mawlana deems self-authorization, which negates the need for a guide, an 'ingratitude for the blessing of rationality.'
• Once the true Qibla is manifest, further inquiry becomes pointless; one must submit to guidance.
• Heedlessness of the true Qibla makes one easily susceptible to being deceived by false qiblas.