(Masnavi Book 1: 59) Harut and Marut

How Hárút and Márút relied upon their immaculateness and desired to mix with the people of this world and fell into temptation.

As (for example), because of their arrogance, the celebrated Hárút and Márút were smitten by the poisoned arrow (of Divine wrath).

They had confidence in their holiness, (but) what (use) is it for the buffalo to have confidence in the lion?

Though he make a hundred shifts (to defend himself) with his horn, the fierce lion will tear him to pieces limb by limb. (Even) if he become as full of horns (prickles) as a hedgehog, the buffalo will inevitably be killed by the lion.

3325. (But) though the Sarsar wind uproots many trees, it makes every blade of grass glisten with beauty. That violent wind had pity on the weakness of the grass: do not thou, O heart, brag vainly of your strength. How should the axe be afraid of the thickness of the branches? It cuts them to pieces.

But it does not beat itself against a leaf, it does not beat its edge except against an edge (something hard and solid like itself).

What does the flame care for the great quantity of firewood? How should the butcher flee in terror from the multitude of sheep?

3330. What is form in the presence of (in comparison with) reality? Very feeble. It is the reality of the sky that keeps it upside down (like an inverted cup).

Judge by the analogy of the celestial wheel: from whom does its motion proceed? From directive Reason. The motion of this shield-like body is (derived) from the veiled spirit, O son.

The motion of this wind is from its reality, like the wheel that is captive to the water of the stream.

The ebb and flow and incoming and outgoing of this breath —from whom does it proceed but from the spirit that is filled with desire?

3335. Now it (the spirit) makes it (the breath) jím, now há and dál; now it makes it peace, now strife. Even so our God had made this (Sarsar) wind like a (raging) dragon against ‘Ád.

Again, He had also made that wind (to be) peace and regardfulness and safety for the true believers.

“The Reality is Allah,” said the Shaykh of the (Mohammedan) Religion, (who is) the sea of the spiritual realities of the Lord of created beings.

All the tiers of earth and heaven are (but) as straws in that flowing sea.

3340. The rushing and tossing of the straws in the water is produced by the water when it is agitated.

When it (the sea of Reality) wishes to make them (the straws) cease from struggling, it casts the straws toward the shore. When it draws them from the shore into the surge it does with them that which the Sarsar (wind) does with the grass.

This topic is endless. Speed back, O youth, to (the story of) Hárút and Márút.

The rest of the story of Hárút and Márút, and how an exemplary punishment was inflicted on them, even in this world, in the pit of Babylon.

Inasmuch as the sin and wickedness of the people of the world was becoming clearly visible to them both from the latticed window (of Heaven),

3345. They began to gnaw their hands in wrath, but had no eyes for their own fault.

The ugly man saw himself in the mirror: he turned his face away from that (spectacle) and was enraged.

When the self-conceited person has seen any one commit a sin, there appears in him a fire (derived) from Hell. He calls that (hellish) pride defence of the Religion: he regards not the soul of arrogance in himself.

Defence of the Religion has a different character, for from that (religious) fire a (whole) world is green (verdant and flourishing).

3350. God said to them, “If ye are enlightened, (nevertheless) look not (with scorn) upon the doers of black deeds who have been made forgetful (of God).

Render thanks, O Host (of Heaven) and Servants (of God)! Ye are freed from lust and sexual intercourse. If I impose that kind of nature on you, Heaven will accept you no more.

The preservation (from sin) which ye have in your bodies is from the reflexion of My preservation and care (of you).

Oh, beware! Regard that as (coming) from Me, not from yourselves, lest the accursed Devil prevail against you.”

3355. As (for example) the writer of the Revelation given to the Prophet deemed the Wisdom and the Original Light (to be residing) in himself.

He was reckoning himself a fellow-songster of the Birds of God, (whereas) that (which proceeded from him) was (only) a whistle resembling an echo.

If you become an exponent (imitator) of the song of birds, how will you become acquainted with the (real) meaning of the bird?

If you learn the note of a nightingale, how will you know what (feelings) it has towards a rose?

Or if you do know, ’twill be from analogy and surmise, like the conjectures formed by deaf people from those who move their lips.