M6:411 — این تردد هست که موصل روم / یا برای سحر تا بابل روم

Translation: This hesitation exists for me: whether I go to Mosul / Or for sorcery, I go to Babylon. Meaning: This verse uses the phenomenon of hesitation between two possible choices as undeniable proof of human free will and agency.

Undoubtedly, one of the most profound and challenging discussions in the Masnavi-ye Ma'navi is the question of determinism versus free will. In Book Six, which reflects the ripeness of his later years, Rumi emphasizes human free will even more forcefully. This couplet is a clear example of his ingenious argument for proving choice.

Rumi argues that taraddud (hesitation, vacillation, indecision) itself is conclusive proof of our free will. We do not hesitate about actions we are incapable of performing. No one deliberates, "Shall I fly to the sky or dive to the bottom of the sea?" because we are aware of our inability to do either, and such options are simply not within our power to contemplate. However, when Rumi speaks of going "to Mosul" or "to Babylon for sorcery," these are actions that fall within the scope of human power and choice. Hence, the heart pauses between them. This hesitation signifies an inner power and capacity for selection. If there were no such power, there would be no hesitation; and Rumi suggests that denying this power is akin to mocking oneself.

Iqbal Lahori, that mystic and philosopher of our age, rightly observed that we often perceive only God's power and remain oblivious to His free will. Yet, we are created in the image of God, and the foremost attribute we inherit from Him is precisely this free will. God, despite being Wājib al-Wujūd (Necessary Existent), possesses free will, and He has bestowed this attribute upon us. The verse, "God created us in His own image," clearly alludes to this share of free will in our existential domain.

Thus, in Book Six, Rumi explicitly reinforces this intuitive call for us to accept responsibility for our actions. He regards those who "blame their own fault on others" and attribute their errors to fate or luck as "one-eyed." This one-eyed perspective sees only a fraction of the truth; one who looks with both eyes perceives both divine decree (qazā) and "the effort of the truthful servant." Rumi proclaims, "Sorrow is caused by ill-doing / Recognize evil from your own action, not from fate." This implies that all good and bad that befalls us is the product of our own actions, not blind destiny or external chance.

A crucial point arising from this is the concept of tawbah (repentance) and istighfār (seeking forgiveness). Repentance is a practical acknowledgment of free will. How can one who deems himself coerced feel remorse? What sin has he committed that warrants an apology? However, one who repents, having hesitated before the act and subsequently felt regret, resolves to abandon that action in the future; these are all clear indications of human free will. Denying free will is, in essence, denying the self. One who says, "I did not do it; other factors were at play," effectively removes himself from the stage of existence. Yet, even if a hundred factors are involved, the hundred-and-first factor is always ourselves, and we bear a share in every action, the responsibility for which rests on our shoulders. This is the core message of Rumi concerning human will and agency.

Key takeaways

• Hesitation between choices is decisive proof of human free will.
• We do not hesitate over actions that are beyond our capacity.
• Free will in humans is a reflection of God's attribute of choice.
• Responsibility for our actions rests with ourselves, not fate or chance.
• Repentance and seeking forgiveness are practical affirmations of free will.
• Denying free will is, in essence, denying one's own self and agency.