M6:2597 — خیر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ چیز / شر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ نیز

Translation: Among these (things), nothing is absolute good. Among these (things), nothing is absolute evil either. Meaning: This couplet asserts that no phenomenon or quality in the world is intrinsically and absolutely good or evil; rather, its goodness or badness is entirely contingent upon its context and proper placement.

This couplet offers a pivotal insight into Rumi's vision of justice and the order of creation. Immediately following his timeless definition, 'What is justice? To place a thing in its proper station; what is injustice? To place it out of its station,' Rumi extends this principle to all phenomena and qualities of the world. He states unequivocally that nothing in existence, in and of itself, is absolutely good or absolutely evil. This profound stance is deeply intertwined with his understanding of divine creation: 'Nothing that God has created is vain.' From his perspective, everything God has brought into being—even attributes and actions that appear negative, such as ghadhab (anger) contrasted with hilm (forbearance), or even makīd (stratagem/trickery)—is not futile or meaningless. The issue lies not in the essence of these phenomena, but in their 'misplacement.'

I have always emphasized that anger, lust, or sternness can, in their proper context, be beneficial and even necessary. For instance, makīd, as Rumi understands it, does not necessarily mean harming someone; rather, it can be a subtle, indirect action undertaken for a greater good. If such an action is placed in its right context, it is not evil but precisely good.

This is why Rumi immediately adds: 'Benefit and harm, each comes from its station / Hence knowledge is obligatory and beneficial.' True ilm (knowledge), not merely accumulated facts, is the precise discernment of the 'station' of things and phenomena; a wisdom that teaches us what to use where and how, so that good may result and evil be avoided. For example, advising a 'fanciful' (بدگمان) or deluded person is not only useless but can solidify their delusion; here, naṣīḥat (advice) becomes an act of 'misplacement' and creates harm instead of good.

Rumi offers highly relatable examples to clarify this principle: sometimes, inflicting a temporary hardship or punishment (zajr) upon a miskīn (poor/helpless person), when necessary, is far better and more beneficial than giving ill-timed sweets (halva). Just as inappropriate halva is harmful for someone with a bilious temperament, while being beneficial for a phlegmatic one. Or a slap (sīlī) given to a wicked person can cleanse them of their impurity (khubth) and deter them from committing greater crimes. This timely severity is, in fact, a good that prevents greater evil; it is like striking the 'dust' (gard) off a rug, not the rug itself.

In Rumi's system, every ruler (Bahrām) has both a feast (bazm) for the sincere (mukhliṣān) and a prison (zindān) for the raw (khāmān). Each, in its proper place, is an act of justice and wisdom. Even surgically opening an abscess (shaqq-e rīsh), though it seems a violent act, is necessary to release the pus. If ointment is applied instead, the infection penetrates deeper, and the harm becomes fiftyfold the slight benefit of superficial relief. These examples collectively demonstrate that in existence, good and evil are not inherent but gain meaning through their specific context and their relationship to the totality of the created order. This perspective is enlightening not only in ethics but in our understanding of the entire divine creation; while God created the world out of generosity (karam) rather than strict justice (ʿadl), in the management of worldly affairs, both justice and generosity have their proper place, and the benefit or harm of anything depends on its station and context.

Key takeaways

• Relativity of Good and Evil: Nothing is intrinsically or absolutely good or bad.
• Context is Key: The goodness or badness of things depends on their 'station' or 'place'.
• The Role of Knowledge and Wisdom: True 'knowledge' is discerning the correct placement for everything to be used properly.
• Divine Creation's Wholeness: Even seemingly negative attributes like anger or stratagem are, in their proper place, beneficial and wise.
• Timely Intervention: Sometimes sternness and calibrated punishment, when appropriate, are more beneficial than misplaced kindness and prevent greater harm.