M6:3125 — او زرم داد و تو دست زرشمار / او ستورم داد و تو عقل سوار

Translation: He gave me gold, but You gave the hand to count it; He gave me a mount, but You gave the intellect to ride it.

Meaning: This verse distinguishes between material gifts from human benefactors and the fundamental, empowering capacities bestowed by God, asserting that God grants not merely objects, but the inner faculties to utilize them.

These verses, spoken from the perspective of a debtor who has turned back to his true Self, carry a clear and unambiguous meaning. As Rumi himself and his commentators have noted, they "do not require much explanation." Yet, this very clarity serves as a gateway to a profound point on Tawhid (divine unity) and Tawakkul (reliance on God), which I emphasize.

I contend that this beyt draws a crucial distinction between what a creature can give and what the Creator bestows. A creature, here referred to as the worldly patron or benefactor (khawāja), can grant material and external objects like gold (zar) and mounts (sutūr). However, God, in Rumi's astute observation, grants the inner faculties and vital capacities necessary for utilizing those objects: the dast-i zarshomār (the hand for counting gold), which is the ability to manage wealth; and the aql-i savār (the intellect for riding), which provides the wisdom and capability to guide and control a mount. This distinction continues in subsequent verses: "He gave a cap, but You gave the intelligent head; He gave a robe, but You gave the stature and height," implying that the creature gives the superficial, while the Creator gives the essence, the core, and the capacity.

This perspective complements my discussion on Tawakkul. True reliance on God is not about abandoning means or entrusting one's tasks entirely to the divine; rather, Tawakkul means to entrust "God's work to God" within the framework of means and causality. We must exert diligent effort in this world because God has established "means" for achieving "ends." In fact, recourse to creatures is, ultimately, recourse to God, for "God resides within these very creatures." These verses demonstrate that even when good comes to us from another human, that good stems not only from them but also from our dast-i zarshomār, aql-i savār, and 'intelligent head'—all direct divine endowments. This is precisely where Sufis must be careful not to label their laziness as Tawakkul, as God has provided both the means and the power to use them.

Another point arising in this context is that even sakhā (generosity) and rahm (mercy), and other virtuous attributes we find in humans, ultimately belong to God: "That generosity and mercy, too, You bestowed upon him." These attributes are not merely created by Him; they are, in fact, "Your manifestation." This means that the good qualities of human beings are manifestations and reflections of divine attributes in the realm of possibility. Therefore, humanity, in every moment and every action, is in need of the direct grace and attention of the Truth, even for using gifts ostensibly received from creatures.

Key takeaways

• God bestows not just the tools, but also the inner capacities to utilize them (e.g., the hand for counting gold, the intellect for riding a mount).
• Creatures offer superficial gifts; the Creator grants essential, empowering capacities.
• True reliance on God (Tawakkul) involves engaging with means while recognizing God as the ultimate source of all abilities.
• Laziness disguised as Tawakkul is a misinterpretation of divine providence.
• All virtuous human attributes are manifestations and reflections of divine attributes in the world.