The Luzumiyat · Chapter
XLIX explained
A quatrain reflecting on human existence as transient coins created by Allah, used by Fate to deceive Iblis, with both good and bad souls spent on a fleeting shadow.
What happens
A quatrain reflecting on human existence as transient coins created by Allah, used by Fate to deceive Iblis, with both good and bad souls spent on a fleeting shadow.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Themes in this chapter
- Mortality and Transience
The quatrain compares humans to coins that fade and are spent on a passing shade, emphasizing life's ephemeral nature.
- Illusion and Reality
The notion that Allah created humans to deceive Iblis suggests a deceptive or illusory purpose behind existence.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“We are coins which fade In circulation, coins which Allah made To cheat Iblis: the good and bad alike Are spent by Fate upon a passing shade.”
We are like coins that wear out as they are used, created by God to trick the devil; both virtuous and wicked people are used up by destiny for a fleeting, shadowy purpose.
The quatrain uses the metaphor of coins to express the transient and seemingly deceptive nature of human life.
