In Section 89 of his literary collection Subhat al-Abrar (part of the Haft Awrang), Jami utilizes the orthographic and grammatical properties of the Persian/Arabic letter Bā' (ب), which initiates the Basmalah, as a profound spiritual metaphor for the Sufi virtue of humility (tawadu').

Key Symbolism & Metaphors:

• The Grammar of Humility (Khafḍ and Raf'): Jami plays on the grammatical term 'khafḍ' (which means both the genitive/lowered case and physical/spiritual lowliness). The letter Bā' carries the vowel 'kasrah' beneath it and has its dot at the very bottom. Jami explains that by voluntarily choosing this 'lowered' state, the letter Bā' was spiritually elevated ('raf'') by God to occupy the very first position in the Basmalah, surpassing all other letters.
• The Analogy of the Seed: To reinforce this concept of growth through self-effacement, Jami introduces the natural analogy of a seed. A seed must first fall down into the dark, lowly soil before it can burst fort...