M6:2326 — چون کفم زین حل و عقد او تهیست / ای عجب این معجبی من ز کیست

Translation: Since my hand is empty of His power to tie and untie (ḥall-o ʿaqd) affairs, O wonder, from whom is this self-admiration (maʿjabī) in me?

Meaning: Rumi expresses astonishment at human self-admiration, despite acknowledging that all power to manage and orchestrate affairs belongs to God, rendering humans inherently powerless. This verse highlights the deep paradox between humanity's intrinsic lack and its self-congratulatory pride.

This verse represents one of the brilliant acknowledgments of humanity's intrinsic poverty in the face of absolute divine richness. Rumi, with an interrogative and astonished tone, unveils a profound paradox in human psychology: how can we, beings whose hands are empty of all power to "tie and untie" (ḥall-o ʿaqd) affairs, be so filled with "self-admiration" (maʿjabī)?

"Ḥall-o ʿaqd" refers to the ability to knot and unknot, to manage affairs, and to resolve difficulties. This term also appears in legal and political discourse as "ahl-e ḥall-o ʿaqd," referring to those who possess the authority to make decisions and govern. Rumi asserts that this power of determination lies absolutely in the hand of God. Our hands are empty of any independent agency. If we look at ourselves, we will see that we are "wingless and featherless" (bī-bāl-o param) and incapable of managing the smallest aspects of our existence. In the realm of sleep, our agency is taken from us; "my consciousness did not depart without my command at night." In wakefulness, we are immersed in the twists and turns of sorrows and anxieties. If the power of management were ours, we would undoubtedly create ourselves in the best and most perfect way, but this is not the case. This reality of "not having" and "being "powerless" is an undeniable truth.

So, in the face of this intrinsic poverty and absolute helplessness, where does this "self-admiration" (maʿjabī), meaning self-conceit and self-approval, originate? This question is not meant to find an external source for pride, but rather to highlight the baselessness of this internal narcissism. Rumi repeatedly emphasizes that creation is based on divine "generosity" (jood), not His "justice" (adl). "In non-existence, when were we deserving" of anything being given to us? Existence, soul, knowledge, and everything we possess are gifts from His boundless grace and generosity. Even capabilities and talents are His gifts. Therefore, humanity, before a God who has even bestowed its very existence, not only has no inherent right but its entire being is borrowed and gifted.

In such a context, what meaning can self-admiration hold? This verse calls us to deep contemplation on the roots of pride and self-importance. Does this self-admiration stem from our ignorance of our true poverty? Does it arise from the heedlessness that makes us imagine we are "possessors" (dārā), when we merely hold a "delusion of possession" (wahm-e dārāī)? This paradox calls humanity to humility and reminds us that any elevation and perfection can only come from that transcendent Essence. Rumi further emphasizes this point in subsequent verses, stating that "the meem of the longing is the time of wisdom," meaning true intellect and wisdom lie in acknowledging weakness, longing, and intrinsic poverty, not in the rootless, 'Alif-like' pride and self-admiration.

Key takeaways

• The power of administration and problem-solving (ḥall-o ʿaqd) rests absolutely with the Divine, and humanity is inherently empty of it.
• Human self-admiration, in the face of intrinsic poverty and absolute powerlessness, is an astonishing and baseless paradox.
• All of human existence, soul, and knowledge are divine gifts and grace, for which there was no inherent desert or right.
• This verse is an invitation to contemplate the roots of pride and self-importance, leading to humility before the Creator.
• True wisdom and intellect lie in acknowledging one's inherent poverty and powerlessness, not in self-conceit.