M6:3553 — از خدا اومید دارم من لبق / که رساند حق را در مستحق

Translation: From God, I hope, with eloquence (labaq), That He may deliver what is due (haqq) to its rightful recipient (mostahaqq).

Meaning: This verse articulates the speaker's profound and eloquent hope in divine justice, trusting that God will ensure every right is delivered to its deserving claimant.

This couplet is situated within a larger narrative in the sixth book of the Masnavi, where Mawlana recounts the story of a deceased wealthy merchant (khwāja) who, through a dream-messenger, arranges for his wealth to reach a deserving, indebted stranger. This particular verse is uttered by the deceased khwāja himself, expressing an absolute trust in God and a plea for divine justice to prevail. The term labaq, meaning eloquent, fluent, and cheerful, functions here as an adverb, indicating that the speaker utters this hope and request to God with utmost willingness, clarity, and open-heartedness. This hope is not merely a wish; it signifies a deep reliance and submission to divine will and justice, which finds its channel of operation even from the realm of the unseen. The discussion here transcends the conventional fiqh (jurisprudence) and its rules regarding wills (where typically only one-third of an estate can be bequeathed after death). Instead, Mawlana is speaking of a profound spiritual vow or covenant (nadh or ʿahd) that the khwāja has made with "the Possessor of Majesty and Glory" (Dhūʾl-Jalāl). This covenant, extending beyond legal mandates, is an existential commitment that compels him, even after death, to ensure justice is served and human dignity upheld. The khwāja insists that not even a naqīr (the smallest particle) of his donation should ever be returned to him, alluding to the Prophet Muhammad's hadith: "He who takes back his gift is like a dog that returns to its vomit." This metaphor underscores the ethical and spiritual repulsiveness of retracting a gift, and Mawlana uses this approach to elevate the vow and donation to a level of irrevocability where human will merges with the absolute divine will for establishing justice. This couplet, in essence, reflects a worldview where God is the ultimate guarantor and agent of delivering what is due to its rightful recipient. This responsibility, as Mawlana illustrates, can engage even the souls of the deceased; it implies that reliance on God, both in life and beyond death, is the bedrock of justice and fairness.

Key takeaways

• Absolute reliance on divine justice, which operates even beyond death to establish what is right.
• Fulfilling vows and covenants with God, transcending legal and jurisprudential boundaries.
• The ethical imperative of ensuring that rights reach their rightful claimants, a spiritual commitment.
• Mawlana's emphasis on the moral reprehensibility of retracting a gift, and the resolve in the act of giving.
• God's active role in bringing about justice, connecting human hope with divine will.