M6:3861 — یوسف از زن یافت زندان و فشار / من شوم توزیع بر پنجاه دار

Translation: Joseph found prison and pressure because of a woman; I shall be distributed upon fifty gallows. Meaning: Spoken by an amrad (beardless youth), this verse reflects on Joseph's fate due to a woman's temptation, asserting that the amrad, in a society consumed by lust, faces an even graver danger of being torn to pieces on many gallows.

This verse is uttered by an 'amrad' or beardless youth, expressing his bitter complaint against the lustful and irrational men of society, as depicted in the Masnavi. Here, Mowlana, with characteristic candor, offers a searing critique of the moral decay prevalent in his society, extending even to seemingly spiritual institutions like khanqahs. As I have elucidated in my lectures, these monastic centers sometimes devolved into 'azab-khaneh' (bachelor houses), creating an unsafe environment for youths, a stark deviation from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, who not only permitted marriage but embodied it.

The amrad in this couplet contrasts his plight with that of Prophet Joseph (Yusuf), not to equate their experiences, but to underscore the vastly greater catastrophe engulfing him. Joseph, a prophet of purity, was ensnared by the temptation of a single woman (Zulaykha) and consequently imprisoned. However, the amrad declares, 'I shall be distributed upon fifty gallows.' This imagery transcends mere incarceration; it symbolizes utter dismemberment, effacement, and the complete annihilation of one's identity and very existence. It implies that while Joseph merely faced imprisonment, he, the helpless amrad, is literally destroyed by the irrational, lust-driven individuals who pursue him like 'wild beasts.' This situation portrays a temptation far more widespread and ruinous than what Joseph endured.

Through the voice of this youth, Mowlana exposes the corrupt culture of his era. The amrad finds himself defenseless amidst lustful men and even among women who might 'covet' him, lamenting, 'I have no escape from men, nor from women; what shall I do, for I am neither of this nor of that?' These verses paint a picture of a profound ethical impasse where the vulnerable find no sanctuary. Mowlana, with this explicit and unvarnished language—occasionally employing stark, 'abusive' terminology, as I've observed—strips away the facade of societal norms, confronting the reader with the harsh realities and deep-seated problems of his time.

Key takeaways

• Mowlana, through this verse, points to pervasive moral corruption within society, extending even to ostensibly spiritual centers like khanqahs.
• The comparison of the amrad's fate to Prophet Joseph's highlights the extreme danger and catastrophic scale of the youth's predicament.
• The phrase 'distributed upon fifty gallows' symbolizes complete destruction, dismemberment, and the annihilation of identity in the face of rampant lust.
• This verse represents the voice of a defenseless victim who finds no escape in an environment filled with greed and irrationality.
• Mowlana offers a harsh and direct social critique through this youth's lament, addressing the pressing issues of his own era.