M6:3138 — بر صطرلابش نقوش عنکبوت / بهر اوصاف ازل دارد ثبوت

Translation: Upon his astrolabe are spiderweb-like patterns, For the eternal attributes, it holds proof.

Meaning: This verse suggests that human existence, like an intricate astrolabe, bears coded patterns that serve to manifest and confirm the eternal attributes of God. Humanity acts as a mirror, reflecting divine qualities.

Mowlana, with his unparalleled genius, portrays the existential truth of humanity and its relation to God through a profound and singular metaphor: 'Adam is the astrolabe of lofty attributes.' In this verse, he states:

Upon his astrolabe are spiderweb-like patterns, For the eternal attributes, it holds proof.

I firmly believe this metaphor represents the pinnacle of Mowlana's perspective on humanity's place in existence. The 'astrolabe,' that intricate astronomical instrument of antiquity, with its delicate designs and lines, offered a path to understanding the heavens and celestial bodies. Humanity, in Mowlana's view, is not merely an earthly creature but an astrolabe that reflects and proves the 'lofty attributes' (owsāf-i ʿolū) and 'eternal attributes' (owsāf-i azal) of the Divine. This is precisely the self-knowledge that, in our mysticism, opens a path to God-knowledge: 'He who knows himself knows his Lord'; and in Greek philosophy, it begins with Socrates: 'Know Thyself.'

The 'spiderweb-like patterns' (noqūsh-i ʿankabūt) Mowlana mentions refer to those enigmatic and intricate lines etched upon a real astrolabe, which only astronomers could read and comprehend. By analogy, human existence is also replete with complex and 'puzzling' lines; secrets hidden in the depths of the soul that, if one is a 'line-reader' (khaṭ-shenās) and can decipher them, can lead to the core truth of humanity and subsequently to the truth of God. This is the 'secret-knowing' (rāz-shenāsī) that is the foundation of our gnosis, where the ' عارف ʿārif' (gnostic) is derived from 'ʿarf' meaning scent or fragrance, implying one who senses the truth, rather than merely understanding it logically.

However, Mowlana emphasizes that this human astrolabe has fallen into the hands of the 'common folk' (ʿām) and is useless 'without an astronomer': 'ʿAnkabūt va în asṭorlāb-i rashād / bī-monajjem dar kaff-i ʿām oftād.' It is like someone holding an X-ray of their lungs without the expertise to interpret it. Here, the prophets play the role of the 'astronomer': 'Anbiyā rā dād ḥaqq tnajīm-i în.' They are the ones who possess 'an eye for the unseen that must be unseen-seeing'; they, with their clairvoyant vision, can interpret the spiderweb patterns on our existential astrolabe so that 'from the wheel of the unseen and from the sun of the spirit / its spiderweb may teach us lessons from commentaries.' Thus, true knowledge of humanity, and through it, knowledge of God, is possible only under the guidance of prophets and saints, not through partial intellect or deficient human senses.

I strongly contend that Mowlana, in this verse, views the world and humanity as a 'reflection' (ʿaks) of a higher realm. This Neoplatonic idea, that 'this world is the shadow of the higher world' and everything in this realm is a 'reflection' and manifestation of supreme truths, is woven into the fabric of our mysticism. Just as we see in the story of the 'Foolish Lion,' the lion in the well mistakes its own reflection for reality and fights with it. Humanity, too, without an astronomer or guide, remains caught in its 'own reflection' and is unaware of 'what lies beyond the well.' Therefore, our existential astrolabe is not the truth itself, but a tool for the manifestation and proof of eternal truths; like the reflection of the moon in a stream, which does not bring the moon itself, but signals its presence.

It is also crucial to consider that Mowlana, when addressing fundamental existential concepts like creation, employs a metaphorical and figurative language. In our era, where the theory of evolution and modern sciences have altered our perspective on 'instantaneous creation,' these words should not be taken literally or historically. 'Adam from dust' or 'God's potter's breath' are all 'metaphors' and 'allegories.' As I have previously stated, 'the language of religion is metaphorical,' and this metaphorical nature does not diminish its profound truth, but rather opens the way for a deeper understanding of the 'gradually-achieved engineering' of existence. This verse, too, is not a scientific account of creation, but a gnostic expression of the relationship between human existence and the eternal attributes of God.

Key takeaways

• Humanity, like an intricate astrolabe, is a vessel and mirror reflecting the eternal attributes of God.
• The 'spiderweb patterns' within human existence are hidden codes that point towards divine truth.
• Only prophets and saints (the true 'astronomers') can read and interpret this human 'astrolabe' and its secrets.
• This world and humanity are manifestations and 'reflections' of a higher realm, not the ultimate reality itself.
• The language of religion, especially when addressing ontological concepts, is metaphorical and demands a deeper hermeneutic.