M6:3380 — اندرین گر می‌نداری باورم / امتحان کن امتحان گفت و قدم

Translation: If you don't believe me in this matter, / Test me, test my word and my deed. Meaning: The distraught horse-owner, with utter sincerity, implores Emad-ol-Molk to test the truth of his words and actions regarding his profound attachment to his horse, seeking his intercession.

Here, through the voice of the horse-owner engulfed in profound grief, Mawlana illuminates a crucial ethical and existential point. The man turns to Emad-ol-Molk, the benevolent minister, seeking intercession for his horse, an animal that to him is as precious as his very life. He declares, “I can bear the loss of my wife, my gold, my properties (ʿaqār), but this horse, my life is hostage to it.” This is a weighty claim. Mawlana, at this juncture, emphasizes the concept of sidq (sincerity) and ikhlāṣ (purity of intention). The man insists: “If you don't believe me in this, imtihān kun imtihān, guft o qadam (test me, test my word and my deed).” That is, come and measure my utterance against my actions, my steps. See whether I merely make a verbal claim, or if I stand firm on my words in my conduct and readiness to act. This verse reveals how, in Mawlana's view, the truth of a claim is manifest not only in speech but also in the willingness to act and sacrifice. This is neither takalluf (pretension) nor tazwīr (deceit), but rather the apex of sincerity and guilelessness. In essence, it is a challenge to prove the depth of his attachment.

Key takeaways

• The sincerity and integrity of a claim are tested by action and sacrifice.
• Words (guft) and deeds (qadam) must align for credibility to be established.
• In Mawlana's view, the true depth of attachment and value is revealed through the willingness to prove it in action.
• This verse emphasizes the testability and transparency of expressed feelings and claims.
• Genuine declarations, free from pretense or deceit, invite examination and proof.