M6:4537 — چون به آزادی نبوت هادیست / مؤمنان را ز انبیا آزادیست

Translation: Since prophethood is a guide to freedom, Believers thus find their freedom through the prophets.

Meaning: Prophets serve as guides to genuine human freedom; consequently, true liberty for believers stems directly from the path and teachings revealed by the prophets.

This verse appears in my discussion regarding the criterion for measuring spiritual progress. I unequivocally state that popular metrics such as prophetic dreams, tayy al-ard (folding of earth for rapid travel), or mind-reading are absolutely no indication of human perfection. Such miraculous powers may be found even in individuals of low moral character, or indeed in non-human beings. This pursuit of miracles is itself a form of deviation and the 'abasement of the gnostic.'

I recognize only one standard for spiritual advancement: 'how much a person has released themselves from the self, how much freer they have become, and how much more mukhtār (endowed with free will) they have become.' To the extent that one severs the bonds of self-captivity and emerges from the 'snare of the ego' and the 'false self,' to that same extent one becomes 'more human,' 'more perfect,' and 'more godly.' This liberation signifies indifference to others' praise and blame, fearlessness of criticism, and disinterest in adulation. This is precisely what Husayn ibn Ali declared: 'If you have no religion, be free.' For the ultimate aim of religion is precisely to lead humanity to this genuine freedom.

Now, Mawlana's verse explicitly confirms this very meaning. Nubuvvat (prophethood) is the hādī (guide) to this 'freedom.' A freedom that results from the intellect's and the nafs' (soul/ego's) release from their captivities. Believers, too, inherit this freedom from the prophets and attain it through their teachings. This freedom is not merely political or social liberty, but a profound existential and inner liberation. This is a long and gradual path; a journey in which one, bit by bit, releases oneself from constraints and attachments to achieve true ikhtiyār, meaning the power of choice stemming from one's authentic self. This free will, as I have stated elsewhere, is the most mysterious and fundamental truth of human existence; a principle that philosophies must integrate to grasp the essence of humanity.

Key takeaways

• The true measure of spiritual progress is inner liberation from internal constraints and the 'false self,' not the acquisition of miraculous powers.
• Prophethood serves as humanity's primary guide to this profound existential freedom, which believers attain through the prophets' teachings.
• This freedom encompasses detachment from the 'praise and blame' of others, leading to indifference towards external adulation and criticism.
• Genuine freedom is the attainment of mukhtāriyyat (true free will) and the ability to choose from one's 'authentic self,' which is the most mysterious truth of human existence.
• The ultimate goal of religion is to lead humanity to this specific type of freedom, liberating both the intellect and the soul.