M3:2987 — آدمی را هست در هر کار دست / لیک ازو مقصود این خدمت بدست

This couplet, M3:2987, comes in a section where Rumi is discussing the purpose of creation, particularly the creation of both Heaven and Hell, and the reason for human existence. He argues that just as a prison is for the wicked and a mosque for the devout, so too are different spiritual states and destinations created according to the nature and actions of individuals. The preceding verses establish that for the 'mean-spirited' (لئیمان), Hell serves as their 'mosque of obedience' because it is only through suffering and coercion that they turn to God. Conversely, the truly noble (کریمان) offer willing service.

Here, Rumi emphasizes that while humans possess a wide range of capabilities and can engage in countless activities ('آدمی را هست در هر کار دست' – literally, 'humanity has a hand in every work'), the intended purpose of this capacity, the real aim of their being, is 'this very service' (این خدمت). This 'service' is not just any act, but specifically the service and worship of God, as explicitly stated in the subsequent verse (M3:2988) which quotes the Quran: 'I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me' (Quran 51:56). Rumi is distinguishing between what humans can do and what they should do, asserting that all human potential ultimately points towards divine service as its highest and true fulfillment.