M1:360 — حیف می‌آمد مرا کان دینِ پاک / درمیان جاهلان گردد هلاک

Translation: It pained me that that pure religion / Should perish amidst the ignorant. Meaning: This verse expresses the vizier's profound concern that the true, pure religion would be lost and destroyed if left in the hands of the ignorant, thus justifying his cunning strategies to preserve it.

This verse, uttered by the Christian vizier in the story of the King, the Vizier, and the Christians, reveals the depth of this character's concern and strategic thinking. The vizier, despite knowing he would soon be martyred, paused and devised a plan; not out of fear of death, but out of fear for the perishing of religion. He declares: It pained me that that pure religion / Should perish amidst the ignorant. This “it pained me” (ḥeyf mi-āmād marā) is a remarkably precise expression. Religion, in his view, is a trust, a precious deposit that should not be readily abandoned to perish among the ignorant and those who do not appreciate its worth.

Here, through this vizier, Mowlana articulates a complex stance. The vizier is neither a hypocrite nor a coward. He is a Christian scholar who knows the secrets of Jesus's faith, and, in his own words, wishes to pass on these trusts and deposits to future generations. This is a crucial point: he sees himself as a guardian and preserver of truth. For him, his own death, compared to the death of religion, is a lesser loss. However, he intelligently chooses a path that would both preserve his own life (for a time) and, more importantly, save religion from destruction.

This approach resonates with our understanding of the concept of makr (cunning, strategy) in the Masnavi. As I have repeatedly emphasized, makr in itself is neither good nor bad; it is a tool whose value is determined by the intention and purpose of its user. In the Quranic phrase, “And they schemed, and God schemed; and God is the best of schemers” (wa makarū wa makar Allāh wa Allāhu khayru l-mākirīn), divine makr stands against the schemes of ill-wishers and signifies superior wisdom and planning. Here too, the vizier employs a strategy to preserve the “pure religion,” a strategy that may appear unconventional on the surface, but whose essence is service to truth. This demonstrates that in Mowlana's wisdom, sometimes to achieve noble goals, one must traverse unconventional and intricate paths, provided that the intention and destination are pure and divine. Thus, this verse not only reveals a deep concern for the preservation of religion but also teaches us that sometimes, safeguarding great truths requires a sagacity and set of measures that transcend common understanding.

Key takeaways

• The Sorrow for Religion: The vizier's concern is not for his own life, but for the perishing of the pure religion amidst the ignorant.
• Religion as a Trust: For the vizier, religion and its secrets are a precious deposit to be handed down to future generations.
• Legitimate Cunning (Makr): The vizier's strategem exemplifies the use of makr (cunning, strategy) for noble purposes, not out of malice.
• Preservation of Truth: Sometimes, to safeguard great truths, it is necessary to employ intelligent and unconventional methods.