M1:638 — ور تو می‌بینی که پایت بسته‌اند / بر تو سرهنگانِ شه بنشسته‌اند

Translation: And if you see your feet are bound, and the King's sergeants have taken command over you. Meaning: This verse speaks to the overwhelming experience of divine might, which should inspire humility and supplication, rather than leading to fatalism or the oppression of others.

This verse, in my view, arrives as a crucial continuation of Mawlana's exposition on the ontological nature of humanity and its relationship to absolute Truth. Prior to this, Mawlana asserts, 'We are but reeds, and the melody within us is from You,' and 'We are naughts, and You manifest all beings; You are the absolute Being, our very existence.' Within this framework, he portrays our existence, when measured against absolute Being, as nothingness, as a hollow reed through which divine breath flows. Here, in this particular couplet, he touches upon a pivotal and profound point: the experience of God's jabbariyyat (absolute might).

He says, 'And if you see your feet are bound, and the King's sergeants have taken command over you.' This is a deep existential experience, a visceral sensation of being overwhelmed by the divine, of encountering the indelible will and infinite power of God. I strongly contend that Mawlana here is by no means advocating philosophical determinism that absolves one of responsibility. He explicitly states elsewhere in the Masnavi: 'This is not jabr (determinism), this is the meaning of jabbari (divine might); the mention of jabbari is for zāri (supplication).' This articulation does not imply that humans lack free will or are devoid of responsibility for their actions; rather, it speaks to the existential station of humanity before the Divine.

Jabbari refers to that unique and unparalleled sovereignty of God, which the human being, in moments of profound spiritual journey and gnosis, perceives with startling clarity. One feels that one's existence, power, and even will are all borrowed from Him. The core question then becomes: what is the purpose of this apprehension of jabbariyyat? Mawlana's answer is clear: 'The mention of jabbari is for zāri.' This means that the recognition of divine power and dominion should instill in the human being humility, reverence, and supplication (zāri). This knowledge restrains one from arrogance and pride, making it clear that before that absolute Being, one is nothing, and everything originates from Him. This experience leads neither to passivity nor to the justification of oppression.

Crucially, Mawlana draws an important ethical conclusion immediately following this verse (as recorded in my lectures): 'So do not act like an officer with the weak.' This implies a stunning ethical pivot: if you yourself feel like a captive, with your feet bound and divine sergeants overseeing you, how then can you allow yourself to behave like an oppressive officer towards others, especially the vulnerable? The experience of humility before God must translate into compassion and non-tyranny towards creation. Thus, this verse is an invitation to the profound depth of towḥīd-e afʿālī (the unity of divine acts), not to negate free will and responsibility, but for the purification of the self, the cultivation of zāri, and ultimately, for ethical transformation.

Key takeaways

• The experience of divine might (jabbariyyat) is distinct from philosophical determinism (jabr).
• The recognition of divine might aims to cultivate humility and supplication (zāri) in humans.
• Feeling one's hands and feet bound by divine power should not lead to passivity or oppression of others.
• Mawlana links this experience to ethical transformation: one who feels helpless before God should not oppress the helpless.
• The verse emphasizes that human existence and will, though real, ultimately originate from the Divine source.