M6:213 — تا بکی این ابتلا یا رب مکن / مذهبی‌ام بخش و ده‌مذهب مکن

Translation: How long this tribulation, O Lord, do not! / Grant me one creed, and do not make me of ten creeds. Meaning: In this verse, Mawlana laments to God about the multitude of choices and trials that stem from human free will. He pleads for a single, clear path or creed, seeking refuge from bewilderment and the dangers of erroneous decisions.

In this verse, Mawlana utters a sentiment that, at first glance, might appear peculiar. He laments not against predestination (jabr), but against free will (ikhtiyar). We commonly complain about the constraints of determinism and the limitations imposed by fate. Yet, Mawlana here recoils from the burden that free will places upon humanity, appealing to the Divine to alleviate it. He pleads: “How long this tribulation, O Lord, do not! Grant me one creed, and do not leave me with ten creeds.” This is a request not to be tested, not to have ten or a hundred divergent paths laid before him, lest he become bewildered in choosing among them and ultimately fall into error.

From my perspective, when Mawlana speaks of ikhtiyar here, he refers less to the inherent agency of a person — which persists even in chains and prison — and more to the power of choice amidst a multitude of options. He does not seek to be stripped of his faculty of choice, but rather implores that his qudrat (power) to choose be directed towards a single, correct path, rather than having countless crooked avenues open before him that could lead to destruction. This plea for yak madhhab (one creed) in contrast to deh madhhab (ten creeds) is, in essence, a plea for the Sirāt al-Mustaqīm (the Straight Path), a desire for practical monotheism and unity in the trajectory of life.

Mawlana is acutely aware that āfat-hā (calamities or dangers) are inherent in ikhtiyar. These are pitfalls that can sometimes lead to ruin, for one might, by choosing poorly, suffer all the negative consequences. He wishes to be freed from this heavy burden of free will and the power of choice from the outset, seeking the straight path from God so that he may reach his lofty destination without confusion or error. This is not a complaint against the injustice of fate, but a profound spiritual yearning for divine guidance and succor amidst the bewildering array of choices; a plea for simplicity and certainty on a path that leads to perfection. This verse demonstrates that Mawlana, at the pinnacle of his Gnosis and affirmation of Unity, considers the responsibility of ikhtiyar to be more arduous and perilous than jabr, and it is for this reason that he seeks refuge from it in God.

Key takeaways

• Mawlana's lament in this verse is against free will (ikhtiyar), not determinism (jabr), contrary to common expectation.
• He implores God for a single, clear path to be safeguarded from bewilderment and the multiplicity of choices.
• Ikhtiyar here signifies the 'power of choice' among numerous options, which itself carries perils and dangers.
• This request is not for the abolition of free will, but for the limitation of the power of choice and freedom from the burden of multiple decisions.
• Mawlana seeks a certainty that reduces the multiplicity of paths to a single, safe destination.
• This verse is a profound plea for divine guidance and simplicity in life's journey, not a complaint against fate.