M6:1270 — عشرهای مصحف از جا می‌برید / می‌بچفسانید بر رو آن پلید

Translation: She would tear out the gilded decade-markers (ʿashr) from the Qur'an / And stick them onto that foul, ugly face. Meaning: This verse describes an old woman who, in an attempt to adorn herself, removes the gilded decorative elements from a Qur'an manuscript and tries to stick them onto her unattractive face to conceal her blemishes.

Mowlana, with his characteristic biting humor, recounts the tale of an old woman who, in the autumn of her life, is obsessed with self-adornment and display. She desires to appear at a gathering, eager to conceal her worn and unappealing visage. But what path does she choose? A path that, in Mowlana's view and, indeed, in the view of Satan (as the story unfolds), is utterly clumsy and vile. This woman, instead of attending to inner purity and beauty, turns to the Qur'an. Not just any Qur'an, but precious handwritten manuscripts, often adorned with gold. She tears off the 'ʿashr' — the decade-markers which were frequently embellished with gilding — from the pages of the Divine Word to paste them onto her face.

This act, from Mowlana's perspective, is a spiritual transgression. The muṣḥaf (Qur'an manuscript) is a symbol of divine speech, sanctity, and guidance. To sever gold from it for superficial, physical adornment signifies an utter contempt for the sacred. This is a startling metaphor for those who sacrifice the outward form of religion for base worldly desires, or who transform sacred objects into tools for transient worldly embellishment. It is as if they wish to conceal their inner ugliness by affixing the name of God upon it. But can truth be so hidden? No, as Mowlana states: 'When she pulled her veil, they fell off.' These borrowed ornaments never truly adhere to ugliness and eventually fall away.

This narrative, far beyond a simple story, is a potent critique of superficiality and hypocrisy. False beauties and attempts to mask inner deformities with sacred gold and glitter are not only ineffective but ultimately lead to profound disgrace. Mowlana clearly shows here that even Satan, himself the embodiment of evil and deceit, is astonished by such an act and deems it an unprecedented innovation in villainy. Satan finds himself outdone by the woman in this particular 'art' of depravity! This is the most eloquent critique of those who instrumentalize religion for their personal ends. It is the 'rare seed of infamy you have sown' that Satan later declares to her. We must always be wary of these afflictions of outward-focus and the instrumental use of religion, for their danger can even surpass the temptations of Satan himself.

Key takeaways

• Superficiality and the instrumental use of the sacred are contemptible acts, even shameful in the eyes of Satan.
• True beauty lies within; attempts to mask inner ugliness with outward adornments are futile.
• The sanctity of divine scripture must not be sacrificed for worldly desires and display.
• Mowlana, through his irony, offers a profound critique of hypocrisy and the debasement of spiritual matters.
• This verse serves as a warning against any distortion or misuse of religious symbols for personal gain.