In Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the harsh judgment cast upon sinners by the angels Harut and Marut serves as a profound warning against spiritual arrogance and self-conceit. Rumi observes that individuals who possess deep-seated flaws often project their own inner ugliness onto others. He illustrates this psychological projection through the metaphor of an ugly man who, upon seeing his reflection in a mirror, turns away in anger rather than acknowledging his own face. Furthermore, Rumi severely critiques self-righteous individuals who mask their egotistical anger and harsh condemnation of others as the 'zeal of religion' ($$حمیت دین$$). He asserts that this hypocritical fury stems from a hellish pride within their own souls. In stark contrast, Rumi explains that genuine religious zeal is a divine, life-giving fire; rather than consuming others in judgment, it 'turns a world verdant'. Ultimately, Rumi emphasizes that any spiritual purity ($$عصمت$$) one possesses is not an innate achievement, but solely a reflection of God's continuous grace and protection.

False Religious Zeal and Spiritual Projection in the Masnavi

In Book One, Sections 152-153 of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the story of the angels Harut and Marut is introduced to warn against the dangers of spiritual pride (*'ujb*) and self-righteousness. Confident in their own angelic purity, they look down upon the sins of mankind, only to be tested by God on earth, where they succumb to the same worldly temptations. Rumi uses their fall to show that no one is immune to the carnal soul's deceptive power (*nafs*) and that judging others' moral failings stems from a lack of self-awareness. True spiritual safety lies in humility and perpetual reliance on divine grace, not in trusting one's own infallibility.

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## Original content
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همچو هاروت و چو ماروت شهیر 
از بطر خوردند زهرآلود تیر
اعتمادی بودشان بر قدس خویش 
چیست بر شیر اعتماد گاومیش
گرچه او با شاخ صد چاره کند 
شاخ شاخش شیر نر پاره کند
گر شود پر شاخ همچون خارپشت 
شیر خواهد گاو را ناچار کشت
گرچه صرصر پس درختان می‌کند 
با گیاه تر وی احسان می‌کند
بر ضعیفی گیاه آن باد تند 
رحم کرد ای دل تو از قوت ملند
تیشه را ز انبوهی شاخ درخت 
کی هراس آید ببرد لخت لخت
لیک بر برگی نکوبد خویش را 
جز که بر نیشی نکوبد نیش را
شعله را ز انبوهی هیزم چه غم 
کی رمد قصاب از خیل غنم
پیش معنی چیست صورت بس زبون 
چرخ را معنیش می‌دارد نگون
تو قیاس از چرخ دولابی بگیر 
گردشش از کیست از عقل مشیر
گردش این قالب همچون سپر 
هست از روح مستر ای پسر
گردش این باد از معنی اوست 
همچو چرخی کان اسیر آب جوست
جر و مد و دخل و خرج این نفس 
از کی باشد جز ز جان پر هوس
گاه جیمش می‌کند گه حا و دال 
گاه صلحش می‌کند گاهی جدال
گه یمینش می‌برد گاهی یسار 
که گلستانش کند گاهیش خار
همچنین این باد را یزدان ما 
کرده بد بر عاد همچون اژدها
باز هم آن باد را بر مؤمنان 
کرده بد صلح و مراعات و امان
گفت المعنی هوالله شیخ دین 
بحر معنیهای رب العالمین
جمله اطباق زمین و آسمان 
همچو خاشاکی در آن بحر روان
حمله‌ها و رقص خاشاک اندر آب 
هم ز آب آمد به وقت اضطراب
چونک ساکن خواهدش کرد از مرا 
سوی ساحل افکند خاشاک را
چون کشد از ساحلش در موج‌گاه 
آن کند با او که آتش با گیاه
این حدیث آخر ندارد باز ران 
جانب هاروت و ماروت ای جوان

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## English translation
Like Hārūt and Mārūt, the renowned,
from insolent pride they were struck by a poison-tipped arrow.
They trusted in their own holiness;
what is a buffalo's trust against a lion?
Though it contrive a hundred devices with its horns,
the male lion tears its horns apart, horn by horn.
Even if it became full of horns like a porcupine,
the lion will inevitably kill the ox.
Though the violent wind uproots trees,
it shows kindness to the tender plant.
That fierce wind had mercy on the plant's weakness;
O heart, do not brag because of strength.
When would the axe fear the abundance of a tree's branches?
It cuts them to pieces.
But it does not strike itself against a leaf;
only against a sting does it strike its sting.
What worry has flame over abundant firewood?
When does a butcher flee from a flock of sheep?
Before meaning, form is very abased;
its meaning keeps the sphere overturned.
Take your analogy from the water-wheel:
from whom is its turning? From directing intelligence.
The turning of this body, like a shield,
is from the hidden spirit, O son.
The turning of this wind is from its meaning,
like a wheel captive to stream-water.
The ebb and flow, intake and outflow of this breath:
from whom are they except the desire-filled soul?
Sometimes it makes it jīm, sometimes ḥā and dāl;
sometimes it makes peace, sometimes conflict.
Sometimes it carries it right, sometimes left;
sometimes it makes it a rose-garden, sometimes thorns.
Likewise, our God had made this wind
like a dragon against ʿĀd.
Again, He had made that same wind for the believers
peace, care, and safety.
The shaykh of religion, the sea of the meanings
of the Lord of the Worlds, said: al-maʿnā huwa Allāh.
All the layers of earth and heaven
are like straw floating in that sea.
The assaults and dancing of the straw in the water
also come from the water at the time of turbulence.
When He wishes to make it still, out of mercy,
He casts the straw toward the shore.
When He draws it from the shore into the place of waves,
He does to it what fire does to grass.
This discourse has no end; drive back
toward Hārūt and Mārūt, O young man.

دفتر اول - بخش ۱۵۲ - اعتماد کردن هاروت و ماروت بر عصمت خویش و امیری اهل دنیا خواستن و در فتنه افتادن / Book One - Section 152 - Harut and Marut Trusting in Their Own Infallibility, Desiring to Rule the People of the World, and Falling into Temptation

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چون گناه و فسق خلقان جهان 
می‌شدی بر هر دو روشن آن زمان
دست خاییدن گرفتندی ز خشم 
لیک عیب خود ندیدندی به چشم
خویش در آیینه دید آن زشت مرد 
رو بگردانید از آن و خشم کرد
خویش‌بین چون از کسی جرمی بدید 
آتشی در وی ز دوزخ شد پدید
حمیت دین خواند او آن کبر را 
ننگرد در خویش نفس گبر را
حمیت دین را نشانی دیگرست 
که از آن آتش جهانی اخضرست
گفت حقشان گر شما روشن گرید 
در سیه‌کاران مغفل منگرید
شکر گویید ای سپاه و چاکران 
رسته‌اید از شهوت و از چاک‌ران
گر از آن معنی نهم من بر شما 
مر شما را بیش نپذیرد سما
عصمتی که مر شما را در تنست 
آن ز عکس عصمت و حفظ منست
آن ز من بینید نه از خود هین و هین 
تا نچربد بر شما دیو لعین
آنچنان که کاتب وحی رسول 
دید حکمت در خود و نور اصول
خویش را هم صوت مرغان خدا 
می‌شمرد آن بد صفیری چون صدا
لحن مرغان را اگر واصف شوی 
بر مراد مرغ کی واقف شوی
گر بیاموزی صفیر بلبلی 
تو چه دانی کو چه دارد با گلی
ور بدانی باشد آن هم از گمان 
چون ز لب‌جنبان گمانهای کران

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## English translation
When the sins and depravity of the world's people
became clear to both of them at that time,
they would gnaw their hands in anger,
yet they could not see their own faults with their eyes.
When the ugly man saw himself in the mirror,
he turned his face away and grew angry.
The self-conceited one, when he saw a fault in someone,
a fire from hell became manifest in him.
He called that pride the zeal of religion —
he does not look at his own unbelieving soul.
The zeal of religion has a different mark:
from that fire a world turns verdant.
God said to them: If you are illumined,
do not gaze heedlessly upon the evildoers.
Give thanks, O host and servants —
you have been freed from lust and licentiousness.
If I were to lay that meaning upon you,
the heavens would no longer receive you.
The ʿiṣmat that resides in your bodies
is from the reflection of My ʿiṣmat and protection.
See that as from Me, not from yourselves — heed! heed! —
lest the accursed devil prevail over you.
Just as the scribe of the Prophet's revelation
saw wisdom in himself and the light of first principles,
he reckoned himself of the same voice as God's birds —
that poor whistler, like an echo.
If you become a describer of the birds' melody,
when will you be privy to the bird's intent?
If you learn the nightingale's whistle,
what do you know of what it holds with the rose?
And if you do know, that too is from conjecture,
like the guesses of the deaf from lip-movements.

دفتر اول - بخش ۱۵۳ - باقی قصهٔ هاروت و ماروت و نکال و عقوبت ایشان هم در دنیا بچاه بابل / Book One - Section 153 - The Rest of the Story of Harut and Marut and Their Exemplary Punishment and Chastisement Even in This World in the Well of Babylon

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Spiritual Pride and the Fall of Harut and Marut in Book One of the Masnavi

## Original content
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پیش ازین زان گفته بودیم اندکی 
خود چه گوییم از هزارانش یکی
خواستم گفتن در آن تحقیقها 
تا کنون وا ماند از تعویقها
حملهٔ دیگر ز بسیارش قلیل 
گفته آید شرح یک عضوی ز پیل
گوش کن هاروت را ماروت را 
ای غلام و چاکران ما روت را
مست بودند از تماشای اله 
وز عجایبهای استدراج شاه
این چنین مستیست ز استدراج حق 
تا چه مستیها کند معراج حق
دانهٔ دامش چنین مستی نمود 
خوان انعامش چه‌ها داند گشود
مست بودند و رهیده از کمند 
های هوی عاشقانه می‌زدند
یک کمین و امتحان در راه بود 
صرصرش چون کاه که را می‌ربود
امتحان می‌کردشان زیر و زبر 
کی بود سرمست را زینها خبر
خندق و میدان بپیش او یکیست 
چاه و خندق پیش او خوش مسلکیست
آن بز کوهی بر آن کوه بلند 
بر دود از بهر خوردی بی‌گزند
تا علف چیند ببیند ناگهان 
بازیی دیگر ز حکم آسمان
بر کهی دیگر بر اندازد نظر 
ماده بز بیند بر آن کوه دگر
چشم او تاریک گردد در زمان 
بر جهد سرمست زین که تا بدان
آنچنان نزدیک بنماید ورا 
که دویدن گرد بالوعهٔ سرا
آن هزاران گز دو گز بنمایدش 
تا ز مستی میل جستن آیدش
چونک بجهد در فتد اندر میان 
در میان هر دو کوه بی امان
او ز صیادان به که بگریخته 
خود پناهش خون او را ریخته
شسته صیادان میان آن دو کوه 
انتظار این قضای با شکوه
باشد اغلب صید این بز همچنین 
ورنه چالاکست و چست و خصم‌بین
رستم ارچه با سر و سبلت بود 
دام پاگیرش یقین شهوت بود
همچو من از مستی شهوت ببر 
مستی شهوت ببین اندر شتر
باز این مستی شهوت در جهان 
پیش مستی ملک دان مستهان
مستی آن مستی این بشکند 
او به شهوت التفاتی کی کند
آب شیرین تا نخوردی آب شور 
خوش بود خوش چون درون دیده نور
قطره‌ای از باده‌های آسمان 
بر کند جان را ز می وز ساقیان
تا چه مستیها بود املاک را 
وز جلالت روحهای پاک را
که به بوی دل در آن می بسته‌اند 
خم بادهٔ این جهان بشکسته‌اند
جز مگر آنها که نومیدند و دور 
همچو کفاری نهفته در قبور
ناامید از هر دو عالم گشته‌اند 
خارهای بی‌نهایت کشته‌اند
پس ز مستیها بگفتند ای دریغ 
بر زمین باران بدادیمی چو میغ
گستریدیمی درین بی‌داد جا 
عدل و انصاف و عبادات و وفا
این بگفتند و قضا می‌گفت بیست 
پیش پاتان دام ناپیدا بسیست
هین مدو گستاخ در دشت بلا 
هین مران کورانه اندر کربلا
که ز موی و استخوان هالکان 
می‌نیابد راه پای سالکان
جملهٔ راه استخوان و موی و پی 
بس که تیغ قهر لاشی کرد شی
گفت حق که بندگان جفت عون 
بر زمین آهسته می‌رانند و هون
پا برهنه چون رود در خارزار 
جز بوقفه و فکرت و پرهیزگار
این قضا می‌گفت لیکن گوششان 
بسته بود اندر حجاب جوششان
چشمها و گوشها را بسته‌اند 
جز مر آنها را که از خود رسته‌اند
جز عنایت که گشاید چشم را 
جز محبت که نشاند خشم را
جهد بی توفیق خود کس را مباد 
در جهان والله اعلم بالسداد

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## English translation
Before this, we had said a little of that; how could we speak even one of its thousands? I wanted to speak about those investigations, but until now it was left over because of delays. In another charge, a little from its abundance will be told: the description of one limb of the elephant. Listen to Harut and Marut, O slave and servants of 'we showed you.' They were drunk from beholding God and from the wonders of the King's gradual enticement. If the enticement of the Real produces such intoxication, what intoxications must the ascension of the Real produce? If the grain of His snare showed such drunkenness, what things must the table of His bounty know how to open? They were drunk and escaped from the snare, crying lover-like, 'hay, huy.' There was an ambush and a trial on the road; its violent wind would carry off even a mountain like straw. The trial was turning them upside down; how would one who is deeply drunk know of such things? Before him a trench and an open field are one; a well and a ditch seem to him a pleasant path. That wild goat on the high mountain runs up harmlessly for a morsel, until, while grazing, it suddenly sees another play from heaven's command. It casts its eye toward another mountain and sees a female goat on that other mountain. Its sight darkens at once; drunk, it leaps from this mountain toward that one. The distance appears to it so near as running around a house drain. Those thousands of yards appear to it as two yards, so that, from drunkenness, the urge to leap comes over it. When it leaps, it falls helplessly in the midst, between the two mountains. It has escaped well from the hunters on the mountain, but its own refuge has spilled its blood. The hunters sit between those two mountains, awaiting this majestic decree. The capture of this goat is usually like this; otherwise it is nimble, quick, and enemy-aware. Though Rustam has head and moustache, the snare that catches his foot is certainly lust. Escape, as I do, from the drunkenness of lust; see the drunkenness of lust in the camel. Yet know this drunkenness of lust in the world to be contemptible before the drunkenness of dominion. That intoxication breaks this intoxication; when would he pay attention to lust? Until you have drunk sweet water, salt water seems pleasant, pleasant as light within the eye. A drop of the wines of heaven tears the soul away from wine and cupbearers. Then what intoxications must the angels have, and the pure spirits from majesty, who by the heart's scent are bound to that wine and have broken the wine-jars of this world, except for those who are hopeless and far, like unbelievers hidden in graves. They have become hopeless of both worlds and have planted infinite thorns. So from their intoxication they said, 'Alas, we would have rained on the earth like a cloud; we would have spread justice, equity, worship, and faithfulness in this place of injustice.' They said this, and decree was saying, 'Enough; before your feet are many invisible snares. Beware, do not run boldly in the plain of affliction; beware, do not drive blindly into Karbala, for amid the hair and bones of the destroyed, the feet of wayfarers cannot find the road. The whole road is bone and hair and sinew, because the sword of wrath has annihilated so many things.' God said that servants paired with aid walk gently and humbly on the earth. How can one who is barefoot walk in a thorn-brake except with pause, reflection, and caution? This decree was saying so, but their ears were closed within the veil of their boiling excitement. Eyes and ears are closed, except for those who have escaped from self. What but grace opens the eye? What but love settles wrath? May no one's striving be without divine enabling; in the world, God knows best what is right.

دفتر سوم - بخش ۲۵ - قصهٔ هاروت و ماروت و دلیری ایشان بر امتحانات حق تعالی / Book Three - Section 25 - The Story of Harut and Marut and Their Boldness in the Trials of God Almighty

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