S. R. Faruqi:

[This is the second of five 'continuous' verses that make up a kind of unofficial verse-set; for extensive discussion see the first verse, {307,1}.]

If before the second verse we place a verse of Sauda's, then the idea becomes clear:

ʿajz-o-ġharūr donoñ apnī hī żāt se hai
ham ʿabd se judā kab maʿbūd jānte haiñ

[submissiveness and pride are both toward our very own self
when do we consider the worshiper to be separate from the worship?]

Sauda has exercised extreme caution, so that the charge of infidelity wouldn't even remotely be made against him. He declares the human to be in any case a slave/worshipper, but he doesn't overlook the possibility of the slave's attaining union with the Truth.

Mir says clearly that our handful of dust alone is the true worshipped one. If we show submissiveness and entreaty and lamentation, then that too we do only toward ourselves. That is, we are both the Lord and the slave. In the capacity of slave we engage in submissiveness and entreaty, and in the capacity of Lord we accept that submissiveness and entreaty.

[See also {502,3}; {1076,7}.]

FWP:

SETS == GRANDIOSITY
MOTIFS
NAMES
TERMS == MUSALSAL; VERSE-SET

This is the second of five 'continuous' verses that form an unofficial verse-set; for discussion see {307,1}.

To call the 'handful of dust' the masjūd is a nice touch, because it is then literally the 'receiver of prostrations'. Prostrations are done by falling flat on the ground (which is made of dust). So we, the 'handful of dust' (being made of dust, like all children of Adam), fall down flat in the dust in order to pay tribute to our dust-handful selves.