Concept

The Prophet's Disdain for Worldly Conquest and Iblis's Inheritance in the Masnavi

In Book 1 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the Prophet Muhammad's conquest of Mecca is used to illustrate the pure intentions of God's chosen ones, contrasting sharply with worldly ambition. Rumi argues that since the Prophet remained entirely detached from the magnificent treasures of the seven heavens, it is absurd to suspect him of desiring earthly territories like Mecca or Syria. He explains that individuals who accuse the Prophet of worldly greed are merely projecting their own inner corruption onto him. Rumi likens this psychological projection to looking through a "yellow glass" and mistakenly perceiving the pure, colorless sunlight as yellow. Furthermore, he identifies this materialistic, superficial judgment as "Iblis's inheritance." Just as Iblis (Satan) arrogantly saw only the physical clay or "dust" of Adam and failed to recognize his divine spirit, those who view prophets and saints merely as ordinary, flawed humans are blinded by their own spiritual ignorance.

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Updated 2026-05-17

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