M1:3992 — تو ترازوی احدخو بوده‌ای / بل زبانهٔ هر ترازو بوده‌ای

Translation: You have been a balance with the disposition of the One; Indeed, you have been the tongue of every balance. Meaning: This verse asserts that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) embodies divine attributes of justice and impartiality, serving as the ultimate standard and arbiter for discerning truth and falsehood in all matters.

This verse, uttered by Rumi through the mouth of the vanquished warrior in the story of the Battle of the Trench, is in essence Rumi's own address to Imam Ali. Indeed, I consider this a pivotal verse for understanding Ali's character, and moreover, Rumi's epistemology of the perfect human being. Rumi declares that Ali "has been a balance with the disposition of the One (Ahad)." "Ahad" is one of God's unique attributes, signifying His absolute oneness and incomparability. A balance with an "Ahad-like disposition" implies a balance of divine justice, of that absolute impartiality found only in the divine realm. Such a balance never sways, never errs in its measurement, and no external factor can divert it from its divine standard. This balance is of the very essence of Truth, not merely an instrument for measuring it.

But Rumi does not stop there; he elevates the description further: "Indeed, you have been the tongue of every balance." The "tongue" of a balance is that small pointer whose movement ceases precisely when equilibrium is achieved, signaling the precision and correctness of the measurement. If Ali himself is the tongue of every balance, it means he is not just a divine balance, but the ultimate standard and criterion for determining balance and truth in every scale and every judgment. He is the gravitational center around which everything is measured. In other words, Ali is the absolute embodiment of justice and truth; he is not merely just, but justice itself. He is not merely a seeker of truth, but truth itself. This is a station that for human beings is only possible as the "disposition of Ahad" or the "manifestation of Ahad," for absolute Ahad-ness belongs solely to God.

This verse demonstrates how Rumi, like a mirror, stands before Ali's character, receiving his light and reflecting it to others. He views Ali not merely as a courageous hero and a man of chivalry, but as the origin and culmination of justice and knowledge. Ali, in Rumi's perspective, is the reference point to whom seekers of truth must turn to move from "shells" to "kernels"; a path that through his "gate of mercy" leads to the court of "Ma lahu kufuwan Ahad" (none is like unto Him).

Key takeaways

• Imam Ali (pbuh) embodies the absolute justice and impartiality of the Divine.
• He serves as the ultimate standard and criterion for discerning truth from falsehood in all matters.
• The term Ahad-khu (disposition of the One) signifies Ali's profound connection to God's unique attributes.
• This verse presents Ali as the embodiment of justice and truth, beyond merely a courageous hero.
• Rumi, in these lines, offers not just a historical account, but his own epistemology of the perfect human being.