In Rumi's *Masnavi*, the conflict between Moses and Pharaoh is frequently used as an allegory for the internal spiritual and epistemological struggle between true Intellect (عقل, *'Aql*) and Illusion or false imagination (وهم, *Wahm*). Moses represents the divine intellect, which is grounded in ultimate reality, humility, and divine guidance. Pharaoh represents illusion, a counterfeit intellect that is driven by ego, worldly arrogance, and spiritual blindness. Rumi emphasizes that while *Wahm* may superficially resemble *'Aql*, it is its fundamental adversary, leading individuals to reject the truth and rely on flawed, materialistic perceptions.

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## Original content
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عقل ضد شهوتست ای پهلوان 
آنک شهوت می‌تند عقلش مخوان
وهم خوانش آنک شهوت را گداست 
وهم قلب نقد زر عقلهاست
بی‌محک پیدا نگردد وهم و عقل 
هر دو را سوی محک کن زود نقل
این محک قرآن و حال انبیا 
چون منحک مر قلب را گوید بیا
تا ببینی خویش را ز آسیب من 
که نه‌ای اهل فراز و شیب من
عقل را گر اره‌ای سازد دو نیم 
هم‌چو زر باشد در آتش او بسیم
وهم مر فرعون عالم‌سوز را 
عقل مر موسی به جان افروز را
رفت موسی بر طریق نیستی 
گفت فرعونش بگو تو کیستی
گفت من عقلم رسول ذوالجلال 
حجةالله‌ام امانم از ضلال
گفت نی خامش رها کن های هو 
نسبت و نام قدیمت را بگو
گفت که نسبت مر از خاکدانش 
نام اصلم کمترین بندگانش
بنده‌زادهٔ آن خداوند وحید 
زاده از پشت جواری و عبید
نسبت اصلم ز خاک و آب و گل 
آب و گل را داد یزدان جان و دل
مرجع این جسم خاکم هم به خاک 
مرجع تو هم به خاک ای سهمناک
اصل ما و اصل جمله سرکشان 
هست از خاکی و آن را صد نشان
که مدد از خاک می‌گیرد تنت 
از غذایی خاک پیچد گردنت
چون رود جان می‌شود او باز خاک 
اندر آن گور مخوف سهمناک
هم تو و هم ما و هم اشباه تو 
خاک گردند و نماند جاه تو
گفت غیر این نسب نامیت هست 
مر ترا آن نام خود اولیترست
بندهٔ فرعون و بندهٔ بندگانش 
که ازو پرورد اول جسم و جانش
بندهٔ یاغی طاغی ظلوم 
زین وطن بگریخته از فعل شوم
خونی و غداری و حق‌ناشناس 
هم برین اوصاف خود می‌کن قیاس
در غریبی خوار و درویش و خلق 
که ندانستی سپاس ما و حق
گفت حاشا که بود با آن ملیک 
در خداوندی کسی دیگر شریک
واحد اندر ملک او را یار نی 
بندگانش را جز او سالار نی
نیست خلقش را دگر کس مالکی 
شرکتش دعوی کند جز هالکی
نقش او کردست و نقاش من اوست 
غیر اگر دعوی کند او ظلم‌جوست
تو نتوانی ابروی من ساختن 
چون توانی جان من بشناختن
بلک آن غدار و آن طاغی توی 
که کنی با حق دعوی دوی
گر بکشتم من عوانی را به سهو 
نه برای نفس کشتم نه به لهو
من زدم مشتی و ناگاه اوفتاد 
آنک جانش خود نبد جانی بداد
من سگی کشتم تو مرسل‌زادگان 
صدهزاران طفل بی‌جرم و زیان
کشته‌ای و خونشان در گردنت 
تا چه آید بر تو زین خون خوردنت
کشته‌ای ذریت یعقوب را 
بر امید قتل من مطلوب را
کوری تو حق مرا خود برگزید 
سرنگون شد آنچ نفست می‌پزید
گفت اینها را بهل بی‌هیچ شک 
این بود حق من و نان و نمک
که مرا پیش حشر خواری کنی 
روز روشن بر دلم تاری کنی
گفت خواری قیامت صعب‌تر 
گر نداری پاس من در خیر و شر
زخم کیکی را نمی‌توانی کشید 
زخم ماری را تو چون خواهی چشید
ظاهرا کار تو ویران می‌کنم 
لیک خاری را گلستان می‌کنم

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## English translation
Intellect is the opposite of lust, O champion;
do not call it intellect in one who spins lust.
Call it illusion (wahm) in one who is lust's beggar;
illusion is the counterfeit coin of the pure gold of intellects.
Without a touchstone, illusion and intellect cannot be distinguished;
quickly bring them both to the touchstone.
This touchstone is the Quran and the states of the prophets;
when the touchstone says to the counterfeit coin, "Come,
so that you may see yourself from my harm —
that you are not fit for my ascending and descending."
If intellect is sawed in two by a saw,
like gold in fire it gleams all the brighter.
Illusion belongs to Pharaoh, the world-burner;
intellect belongs to Moses, the soul-illuminator.
Moses went on the path of annihilation (nistī);
Pharaoh said to him, "Tell me, who are you?"
He said, "I am intellect, the messenger of the Lord of Majesty;
I am the Proof of God (Ḥujjat-Allāh); I am safety from error."
He said, "No — be silent, leave off this clamor;
tell me your ancient lineage and name."
He said, "My lineage comes from His dust-heap;
my essential name is: the least of His servants,
born a servant of that unique Lord,
born from the loins of slave-women and bondsmen (jawārī wa ʿabīd).
My essential lineage is from earth, water, and clay;
to water and clay, God (Yazdān) gave soul and heart.
The return of this earthly body of mine is also to earth;
your return too is to earth, O fearsome one.
The origin of us and the origin of all the rebellious
is from earth — and there are a hundred signs of that:
your body draws its sustenance from earth;
from earth's nourishment your neck stiffens with pride.
When the soul departs, it turns back to earth again
in that fearsome and dreadful grave.
Both you and we and all your like
will become earth, and your station will remain no more."
He said, "Besides this lineage, you have another name,
and that name is far more fitting for you:
Slave of Pharaoh and slave of his slaves,
for it was by him that his body and soul were first nurtured;
a rebellious, tyrannical, and oppressive slave,
who fled this homeland on account of a wicked deed;
murderer, traitor, and ingrate —
measure yourself against these attributes as well.
In exile — lowly, destitute, and of base disposition —
who showed no gratitude to us or acknowledgment of our right."
He said, "God forbid that with that King
there should be any other partner in lordship.
He is unique in His kingdom; He has no companion;
His servants have no master but Him.
None else holds ownership over His creation;
only the perishing one claims partnership with Him.
He has made me His image, and He is my painter;
if another makes this claim, he seeks injustice.
You cannot fashion my eyebrow —
how then can you claim to know my soul?
No — it is you who are the traitor and the tyrant,
you who make a claim of duality against the Truth.
If I killed a taskmaster by mistake,
I did not kill for the ego's sake, nor for sport.
I struck a blow and he suddenly fell;
one whose soul was already feeble surrendered a worthless soul.
I killed a dog; you have slaughtered the children of the messengers (mursal-zādagān),
a hundred thousand innocent and harmless children.
Their blood is upon your neck —
see what comes upon you from this blood-drinking of yours.
You have slaughtered the progeny of Jacob (Yaʿqūb)
in hope of killing me, the desired one.
In your blindness, the Truth (Ḥaqq) itself chose me;
what your ego was plotting has been overturned."
He said, "Leave all these aside — without any doubt
this was my right, my bread and salt:
that you should humiliate me before the assembly
and darken my heart on a bright day."
He said, "The humiliation of the Resurrection (qiyāmat) is far more severe
if you do not observe my right in good and ill.
You cannot endure the bite of a flea —
how will you taste the bite of a serpent?
Outwardly I am ruining your work,
but I am turning a thorn-patch into a rose garden."

دفتر چهارم - بخش ۸۹ - در بیان آنک وهم قلب عقلست و ستیزهٔ اوست بدو ماند و او نیست و قصهٔ مجاوبات موسی علیه‌السلام کی صاحب عقل بود با فرعون کی صاحب وهم بود / Book Four — Section 89 — On the Explanation That Illusion (Wahm) Is the Counterfeit of Intellect and Its Adversary, Resembling It Yet Not Being It, and the Story of the Dialogues of Moses, Peace Be Upon Him, Who Was a Person of Intellect, with Pharaoh, Who Was a Person of Illusion

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the narrative of Pharaoh's tyrannical ego is expanded by exploring the psychological impact of public veneration. Rumi explains that the continuous prostration and adulation of his people, who constantly addressed him as lord and king, fed Pharaoh's delusions and made his heart sick. This overwhelming praise inflated his ego to the point where he boldly claimed divine status, metaphorically transforming into an insatiable dragon. Rumi uses this historical example to warn against the 'partial intellect' (aql-i juzwi), asserting that its greatest vulnerabilities are illusion (wahm) and conjecture. To illustrate the paralyzing power of illusion, Rumi provides a practical metaphor: a person can safely walk a narrow path on the ground, but walking on a high wall of the same width causes trembling and a disastrous fall solely due to the fear born of illusion. Thus, Pharaoh's tragic downfall is portrayed as a fatal capitulation to inner delusion.

The Role of Illusion and Partial Intellect in Pharaoh's Hubris in the Masnavi

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Ganjoor

## Original content
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دی یکی می‌گفت عالم حادثست 
فانیست این چرخ و حقش وارثست
فلسفیی گفت چون دانی حدوث 
حادثی ابر چون داند غیوث
ذره‌ای خود نیستی از انقلاب 
تو چه می‌دانی حدوث آفتاب
کرمکی کاندر حدث باشد دفین 
کی بداند آخر و بدو زمین
این به تقلید از پدر بشنیده‌ای 
از حماقت اندرین پیچیده‌ای
چیست برهان بر حدوث این بگو 
ورنه خامش کن فزون گویی مجو
گفت دیدم اندرین بحث عمیق 
بحث می‌کردند روزی دو فریق
در جدال و در خصام و در ستوه 
گشت هنگامه بر آن دو کس گروه
من به سوی جمع هنگامه شدم 
اطلاع از حال ایشان بستدم
آن یکی می‌گفت گردون فانیست 
بی‌گمانی این بنا را بانیست
وان دگر گفت این قدیم و بی کیست 
نیستش بانی و یا بانی ویست
گفت منکر گشته‌ای خلاق را 
روز و شب آرنده و رزاق را
گفت بی برهان نخواهم من شنید 
آنچ گولی آن به تقلیدی گزید
هین بیاور حجت و برهان که من 
نشنوم بی حجت این را در زمن
گفت حجت در درون جانمست 
در درون جان نهان برهانمست
تو نمی‌بینی هلال از ضعف چشم 
من همی بینم مکن بر من تو خشم
گفت و گو بسیار گشت و خلق گیج 
در سر و پایان این چرخ پسیج
گفت یارا در درونم حجتیست 
بر حدوث آسمانم آیتیست
من یقین دارم نشانش آن بود 
مر یقین‌دان را که در آتش رود
در زبان می‌ناید آن حجت بدان 
هم‌چو حال سر عشق عاشقان
نیست پیدا سر گفت و گوی من 
جز که زردی و نزاری روی من
اشک و خون بر رخ روانه می‌دود 
حجت حسن و جمالش می‌شود
گفت من اینها ندانم حجتی 
که بود در پیش عامه آیتی
گفت چون قلبی و نقدی دم زنند 
که تو قلبی من نکویم ارجمند
هست آتش امتحان آخرین 
کاندر آتش در فتند این دو قرین
عام و خاص از حالشان عالم شوند 
از گمان و شک سوی ایقان روند
آب و آتش آمد ای جان امتحان 
نقد و قلبی را که آن باشد نهان
تا من و تو هر دو در آتش رویم 
حجت باقی حیرانان شویم
تا من و تو هر دو در بحر اوفتیم 
که من و تو این کره را آیتیم
هم‌چنان کردند و در آتش شدند 
هر دو خود را بر تف آتش زدند
از خدا گوینده مرد مدعی 
رست و سوزید اندر آتش آن دعی
از مؤذن بشنو این اعلام را 
کوری افزون‌روان خام را
که نسوزیدست این نام از اجل 
کش مسمی صدر بودست و اجل
صد هزاران زین رهان اندر قران 
بر دریده پرده‌های منکران
چون گرو بستند غالب شد صواب 
در دوام و معجزات و در جواب
فهم کردم کانک دم زد از سبق 
وز حدوث چرخ پیروزست و حق
حجت منکر هماره زردرو 
یک نشان بر صدق آن انکار کو
یک مناره در ثنای منکران 
کو درین عالم که تا باشد نشان
منبری کو که بر آنجا مخبری 
یاد آرد روزگار منکری
روی دینار و درم از نامشان 
تا قیامت می‌دهد زین حق نشان
سکهٔ شاهان همی گردد دگر 
سکهٔ احمد ببین تا مستقر
بر رخ نقره و یا روی زری 
وا نما بر سکه نام منکری
خود مگیر این معجز چون آفتاب 
صد زبان بین نام او ام‌الکتاب
زهره نی کس را که یک حرفی از آن 
یا بدزدد یا فزاید در بیان
یار غالب شو که تا غالب شوی 
یار مغلوبان مشو هین ای غوی
حجت منکر همین آمد که من 
غیر این ظاهر نمی‌بینم وطن
هیچ نندیشد که هر جا ظاهریست 
آن ز حکمتهای پنهان مخبریست
فایدهٔ هر ظاهری خود باطنیست 
هم‌چو نفع اندر دواها کامنست

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## English translation
Yesterday someone was saying: "The world is originated (ḥādith),
This celestial sphere is perishable, and the Truth (Ḥaqq) is its inheritor."

A philosopher said: "How do you know about origination (ḥudūth)?
You are originated — how can a cloud know the downpour?"

"You yourself are not even an atom amid the revolution (of time),
What do you know of the origination of the sun?"

"A little worm buried in dung —
When would it know the end and beginning of the earth?"

"You have heard this by imitation (taqlīd) from your father,
You are tangled in this out of stupidity."

"What is the proof (burhān) of origination? Tell me this,
Or else be silent — do not seek to say more."

He said: "I saw, in this deep dispute,
Two parties arguing one day."

"In disputation, contention, and exhaustion,
A crowd gathered around those two people."

"I went toward the assembled crowd
And learned the state of their affairs."

"One of them was saying: 'The heavens are perishable;
Beyond doubt, this structure has a builder.'"

"And the other said: 'This is eternal (qadīm) and without a "how" —
It has no builder, or it itself is its own builder.'"

He said: "You have denied the Creator (Khallāq),
The One who brings day and night, the Sustainer (Razzāq)."

He said: "Without proof (burhān) I will not hear
What a fool has chosen through imitation."

"Come, bring argument (ḥujjat) and proof — for I
Will not hear this without argument in our time."

He said: "The proof (ḥujjat) is within my soul,
Hidden within my soul is my evidence (burhān)."

"You cannot see the crescent moon because of the weakness of your eyes;
I see it — do not be angry with me."

The discussion grew much and the people were bewildered
About the beginning and end of this intricate sphere.

He said: "O friend, within me is a proof (ḥujjat);
For me there is a sign (āyat) of the origination of the heavens."

"I am certain — its sign would be this:
That the one who knows with certainty would walk into fire."

"Know that this proof cannot come into words,
Like the state of the secret of the lovers' love."

"The secret of my speech is not apparent
Except in the pallor and gauntness of my face."

"Tears and blood flow down the face —
The beauty and loveliness of it become the proof."

He said: "I do not accept these as proof —
What would be a sign (āyat) before the common people?"

He said: "When counterfeit and genuine coin both speak,
Saying: 'You are counterfeit, I am fine and precious,'"

"Fire is the ultimate test —
That these two companions fall into the fire."

"Common and elite will learn from their state,
They will go from doubt and suspicion toward certainty (īqān)."

"Water and fire, O soul, are the test
For the genuine and the counterfeit that lie hidden."

"So that both you and I go into the fire —
We will become proof remaining for the astonished ones."

"So that both you and I fall into the sea —
For you and I are a sign (āyat) for this sphere."

So they did, and both entered the fire;
Both threw themselves onto the blaze of the fire.

The man who spoke of God, the true claimant, was saved,
And that impostor (da'ī) burned in the fire.

Hear this proclamation from the muezzin (mu'adhdhin),
The blindness of those who rush ahead, the raw ones.

For this name has not been burned by the decree of death,
Whose bearer (musammā) has been foremost and most exalted.

Hundreds of thousands of such proofs in the Qur'ān
Have torn apart the veils of the deniers.

When they made the wager, right (ṣawāb) was victorious
In permanence, in miracles, and in response.

I understood that the one who spoke of precedence
And of the origination of the sphere is victorious and right (ḥaqq).

The proof of the denier is always pale-faced —
Where is one sign of the truthfulness of that denial?

One minaret in praise of the deniers —
Where is it in this world to serve as a sign?

Where is a pulpit upon which a preacher
Would recall the age of denial?

The face of dinars and dirhams bears their names,
Giving this sign of Truth until the Day of Resurrection.

The seal (sikka) of kings keeps changing —
See the seal of Aḥmad: how it endures.

On the face of silver or the surface of gold,
Show us a denier's name upon a seal.

Do not even take this miracle — as bright as the sun:
In a hundred tongues, see his name: Umm al-Kitāb.

No one has the courage to steal even one letter of it
Or to add to its expression.

Be a companion of the victorious so that you may be victorious;
Do not be a companion of the vanquished — beware, O misguided one!

The proof of the denier amounts only to this: "I
See no home beyond this manifest world."

He never reflects that wherever there is a manifest thing,
It is a messenger of hidden wisdoms.

The benefit of every manifest thing is itself the hidden (bāṭin),
Just as the benefit in medicines lies latent.

دفتر چهارم - بخش ۱۱۰ - جواب دهری کی منکر الوهیت است و عالم را قدیم می‌گوید / Book Four — Section 110 — Reply to the Dahrī Who Denies Divinity and Claims the World Is Eternal

Allegory of Moses as Intellect and Pharaoh as Illusion in the Masnavi

In the Masnavi, Jalaluddin Rumi uses the historical relationship between Pharaoh and his vizier Haman to symbolize the internal dynamic between the human soul and a corrupted intellect. Rumi illustrates that while Moses's divine words would initially soften Pharaoh's heart, Haman's spiteful counsel would instantly destroy that spiritual progress, acting like a catapult stone against a glass house. Allegorically, Rumi posits that the king represents the soul, while the vizier represents the intellect. He warns that when the intellect is conquered by passion and worldly greed, it becomes a destructive force—a highwayman on the spiritual path—that brings the spirit to ruin. To avoid such wretchedness, Rumi advises seekers to reject the short-sighted 'partial intellect' as their guide. Instead, the soul must appoint the 'Universal Intellect', which focuses on ultimate spiritual realities and the afterlife, as its true vizier.

The Metaphor of Haman and the Corrupt Intellect in the Masnavi

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the psychological danger of public adulation and Pharaoh's arrogant claim to divinity are vividly illustrated through the metaphor of a jackal masquerading as a peacock. Rumi explains that Pharaoh, intoxicated by the constant prostrations of his deluded followers, became utterly blind to his own spiritual poverty. Just as a lowly jackal might falsely assume the majestic identity of a peacock to demand respect, Pharaoh adopted a divine persona. However, Rumi warns that such deceit is unsustainable; when confronted by genuine spiritual majesty—represented by the true 'peacocks,' Moses and Aaron—the tyrant's fraudulent display is instantly exposed. The passage emphasizes that worldly wealth is a venomous snake, and public veneration acts as a destructive dragon that fatally inflates the ego, inevitably leading to absolute disgrace when tested by divine truth.

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