M6:129 — واعظی را گفت روزی سایلی / کای تو منبر را سنی‌تر قایلی

Translation: One day a questioner said to a preacher, "O you who speak more brightly from the pulpit!" Meaning:* This verse opens a dialogue where a questioner asks a renowned preacher whether a bird's head or tail is superior as it perches on a city wall. This seemingly simple question sets the stage for Rumi's parable on the supreme importance of intention and orientation in one's journey.

This verse initiates a profound story through which Rumi expounds one of his most crucial teachings: the singular importance of intention and orientation. A questioner addresses an eloquent preacher, praising his elevated discourse from the pulpit, and then poses a seemingly simple query: if a bird rests upon a city wall, which part of it – its head or its tail – is more noble or revered? The preacher's response, which Rumi frames as tailored to the questioner's understanding, reveals a fundamental truth: "If its face is towards the city and its tail towards the village, know its face is superior to its tail / But if its tail is towards the city and its face towards the village, be the dust of that tail and jump away from its face." This means that the physical orientation of the head or tail is irrelevant; what matters is their direction. If the tail points towards prosperity and civilization, it is superior to a head turned towards desolation and wilderness. The physical parts of the bird are inconsequential; their orientation alone determines their worth. This parable serves as a key to understanding our interaction with the world and sacred texts. Rumi, in Book 3 of the Masnavi, likens the Qur'an to a rope: "A rope bears no fault, O stubborn one, if your aspiration was not for ascending." This rope is intrinsically neither good nor bad; it is you, with your 'sowdā' (inner drive, intention), who determines its direction. You can use it to ascend to the heavens, to descend into a well, or even to strangle yourself. The Qur'an, the Masnavi, or any other text, are like this silent rope; it is human aspiration, whether for ascent or descent, that imbues them with meaning and direction. This same principle applies to religious devotion; the precondition for religiosity is the intention for religiosity. For what purpose do you approach faith? For murder or for compassion? Whatever your intention, religion will manifest itself accordingly, and you will reach that particular destination. Humanity, in this context, is wāhib-al-suwar (the giver of forms); we breathe life into inanimate objects and give form to the formless. Therefore, in this act of 'form-giving', we must pay utmost attention to truth and beauty. It is this himmat (resolve, ambition) and 'sowdā' that elevate a person's stature to the height of their aspirations. As Rumi states, "The wing of humans is their resolve, O people." An eagle, the noble bird of prey, becomes lowly if it hunts a mouse instead of grander quarry. Conversely, an owl whose will is directed towards the king is superior to many an eagle. Outer appearance, temperament, or race holds no significance; "Look to his resolve and his aim." Resolve, aim, ambition, and inner drive – these are what determine a person's true worth, not their external facade or physical attributes.

Key takeaways

• Orientation and intention (niyyah) are paramount in determining the true value of things, superseding outward form.
• The worth of sacred texts and religion is derived from the seeker's inner aspiration and resolve.
• Humans are "givers of forms" (wāhib-al-suwar), imbuing inert objects and abstract concepts with life and meaning.
• A person's true stature is measured by the height of their aspirations and resolve, not by their external appearance.
• The intention behind one's religiosity dictates its ultimate manifestation and destination for the individual.
• Resolve and ambition (himmat) serve as humanity's wings for spiritual flight and reaching one's true aim.