M6:354 — عزم کرده که دلا آنجا مه‌ایست / گشته ناسی زانک اهل عزم نیست

Translation: He resolved: "O heart, do not linger there!" But he became forgetful, for he is not a man of resolve. Meaning: This verse articulates the human tendency to make a firm resolution to avoid a certain action or direction, only to forget that commitment and revert to the old ways due to a lack of genuine inner determination and strength of will.

I believe this verse, in its profound depth, points to one of the most fundamental weaknesses of the human spirit: a lack of resolve and the forgetfulness of covenants. Rumi immediately steers our minds to the story of Adam in the Quran, where we read: "We had already taken a covenant from Adam before, but he forgot, and We found not in him resolve" (Surah Taha, 115). God made a covenant with Adam not to eat from a certain tree, but Adam forgot it, and no firm resolve was found in him. This verse of Rumi precisely depicts this human condition; one makes an intention, a resolve, saying "do not linger there!" and do not yield to that desire or temptation, but because "the seed of sincerity" has not been planted in one's heart, or to put it differently, because one "is not a person of resolve," forgetfulness takes hold, and one once again steps into the same past domain of error.

It is here that Rumi draws a crucial distinction between the "ulu'l-azm" (Prophets of strong resolve) and other human beings, including Adam. The ulu'l-azm are those with an iron will and an unwavering resolve; they never forget or weaken their covenant. But most of us are the children of that same Adam who, as Hafez says: "Where the lightning of disobedience struck pure Adam, how does it become us to claim innocence?" We, too, fall prey to the same weakness and forgetfulness. The question is, why does a person, despite a firm decision, break their covenant?

Rumi answers that this weakness and forgetfulness stem from a lack of inner purity and sincerity. He speaks of an "alien" (beganeh) that has taken residence in the abode of our soul; the impure and mixed self that stands in opposition to our "authentic self." This "earthly body" (tan-e khaki) and its desires act like a hidden thief. Rumi illustrates this concept with a brilliant parable: Imagine in a dark night, a man wishes to light a candle with a flint and tinder (sokhteh). Each time a spark flies from the flint and ignites the tinder, but a hidden thief in the darkness immediately extinguishes that nascent flame with his finger. The homeowner assumes the tinder is damp or the fire dies on its own, but does not see that a thief is at work.

This story precisely describes our state. We often resolve to move towards truth and virtue, and sparks of light appear in our hearts, but this "inner thief"—which is the commanding self (nafs-e ammarah) or the impure part of our being—immediately extinguishes those sparks, preventing the lamp of guidance from remaining lit. Therefore, Rumi emphasizes that until this "thief" or "alien" is expelled from the house of our soul, the situation will continue as it is. Humanity mistakenly identifies itself with this alien and becomes "alienated" from its true self, whereas "by God, this is not you!" The path to liberation from this fragmentation and to grappling with this "alien," according to Rumi, passes only through the path of "love" (ʿāshiqī); only love can purify this house of aliens and lead us to true sincerity and resolve.

Key takeaways

• Weak resolve and forgetfulness of covenants have Quranic and human roots, exemplified by the story of Adam.
• Humans are perpetually prone to breaking vows and reverting to past errors, unless endowed with strong determination.
• An "inner thief" (the impure self) resides within each person, undermining resolutions and spiritual sparks.
• Purifying the self from this "alien" and attaining "sincerity" is essential for steadfastness on the spiritual path.
• According to Rumi, love is the sole path to overcome inner fragmentation and achieve true unity and resolve.