M6:439 — گفت او را کیستی تو سبزپوش / در بیابان در میان این وحوش

Translation: The bird said to him, "Who are you, clad in green In the desert, amidst these wild beasts?" Meaning: The bird, observing the fowler disguised in green foliage, questions his identity and purpose in the desolate wilderness populated by wild creatures.

In my engagement with the verses of the Mathnawi, I have always emphasized that Mawlana is not only a mystic and poet, but also a discerning and fearless critic. This particular verse marks a crucial point in a deeper narrative that Mawlana unfolds in Book Six: the story of the clever bird and the cunning fowler. The bird, from a distance, sees the fowler cloaked in green foliage and, with an instinctive intuition, suspects that this "plant" is something extraordinary. This very opening question, "Who are you, clad in green?", itself contains an initial insight; it shows that outward identity does not always correspond to inner reality.

This fowler, by donning green attire and feigning asceticism and solitude in the desert, is in fact practicing hypocrisy. In response, the fowler introduces himself as an "ascetic man" and one "detached," who has abandoned "business and shop" and is content with vegetarianism, for he has seen "death before him" and wishes, to prepare for his eventual solitude in the grave, to now accustom himself to the "One" (God) and not to cultivate intimacy "with every man and woman." These arguments, though superficially resembling the discourse of ascetics, are shrewdly highlighted by Mawlana as containing traces of "hunger for sustenance" (faqr-i luqma) and avarice.

Mawlana's critique here is profoundly significant. Contrary to many Sufis of his time who extolled outward poverty and reclusion, he distinguishes between "hunger for sustenance" (faqr-i luqma) and "hunger for Truth" (faqr-i haqq). "Faqr-i luqma" is merely greed and avarice that drives a person to any action, even to the point where "poverty almost leads to disbelief," as the Prophet stated. In contrast, "faqr-i haqq" signifies detachment from creation and the pursuit of absolute Truth. Our fowler, alas, is of the former type. With his green, ascetic appearance, he seeks prey, not the communion with Truth.

This story is a foundational critique of the Khanqah-based Sufism and its hypocrisies prevalent in Mawlana's era, against which he frequently railed. Throughout the Mathnawi, unlike Sa'di who often quarrels with the wealthy and praises dervishes, Mawlana sometimes launches sharp criticisms against these pseudo-dervishes who exploit the name of poverty and asceticism for worldly gain. I am reminded of the story of the Sufi who brought his donkey to the khanqah, and the hungry Sufis ate it, then all together chanted, "The donkey is gone, the donkey is gone!" There, too, Mawlana says, "The greedy Sufi finds sustenance late in life / Therefore, the Sufi is a gluttonous eater." This illustrates that Mawlana is a critic of corrupt Sufism and false dervish-hood. This "green-clad one" (sabz-push) is also a symbol of this deception: a seductive appearance that hides a dark, cunning inner self, seeking to ensnare the innocent.

Key takeaways

• A green, ascetic appearance does not always signify a pure, truth-seeking inner self.
• Deep questioning and intuitive discernment are key to uncovering truth behind deceptive facades.
• Mawlana distinguishes between 'hunger for sustenance' (faqr-i luqma) and 'hunger for Truth' (faqr-i haqq).
• Hypocrisy and the abuse of asceticism for worldly gain are core targets of Mawlana's critique of Khanqah Sufism.
• Greed and avarice, especially in times of extreme need, can lead one to disbelief and deceit.
• Mawlana's insight allowed him to discern pretense and fraudulence, regardless of disguise or claim.