M6:577 — جز که تسلیم و رضا کو چاره‌ای / در کف شیر نری خون‌خواره‌ای

Translation: Save submission and contentment, what remedy is there In the paw of a bloodthirsty lion?

Meaning: Before a Beloved who wields absolute, unchallengeable power, likened to a fearsome lion, the only path is one of complete surrender and acceptance.

This couplet emerges from the depths of the distraught lover’s heart, a heart that has decided to shed its inhibitions and disclose its profound secrets. It is an expression of utter helplessness before a Beloved who combines absolute power with boundless affection—a “Mighty Beloved.”

The imagery of a “bloodthirsty lion” (shīr-i nar-i khūn-khvāra) for the Divine might seem stark, even terrifying, to a modern sensibility. Yet, for certain mystics and in Rumi’s own experience, God sometimes manifests as this formidable lion, its mouth stained with blood, symbolizing absolute, unconstrained divine power. This image resonates deeply with Ash‘arī theological thought, a dominant school in Sunni Islam to which Rumi was profoundly inclined. Ash‘arism posits that God’s justice and generosity are entirely subordinate to His supreme will and power. God is not bound by any pre-existing moral code; rather, what He wills is justice, what He does is good. As the saying goes, “Whatever the King does, it is sweet.” This doctrine asserts that God acts freely, even 'self-willedly,' unbound by any human or even cosmic 'should.' He can destroy without compunction, and no one can question or morally admonish Him. In this view, divine power (qudrat) is primary, followed by generosity (karam), and only then justice (ʿadl).

I have often argued that this Ash‘arī emphasis on unconstrained divine power, at the expense of divine justice, had profound and regrettable consequences for Muslim societies. It fostered a mindset where justice, both divine and human, was not given its due importance, hindering the development of robust theories of justice in jurisprudence and governance.

In the face of such an absolute, unchallengeable Beloved, there is indeed “no recourse but submission and contentment” (taslīm o riḍā). The lover is utterly at the mercy of this powerful, yet ultimately loving, force. To resist is futile; to accept is the only path to peace.

Furthermore, the Beloved “has no need for sleep or sustenance, like the sun,” nourishing all but needing none. This echoes the Qur’anic truth, “He feeds, but is not fed” (yuṭʿim wa lā yuṭ‘am). This self-sufficiency, however, does not imply detachment; rather, it renders souls restless and enraptured. The Beloved’s implicit invitation to humanity is profound: “Come, be Me, or be of My nature,” hinting at the ultimate goal of spiritual transformation and union, where the seeker becomes imbued with divine attributes.

Finally, it is worth noting, as I have on other occasions, how common it was in classical Persian poetry—even in the praise of the Beloved, whether human or divine—to use stark, even violent, metaphors (e.g., “Turk, the plunderer,” or “bloodthirsty lion”). This perhaps points to a certain normalization of such imagery in the cultural consciousness of the time, making these powerful, somewhat fearsome, attributes acceptable, even alluring, in describing ultimate power and beauty. For Rumi, however, the Ash‘arī theological undercurrent is the dominant interpretive key here.

Key takeaways

• The couplet expresses the lover's utter helplessness before the Beloved's absolute power; submission and contentment are the only recourse.
• The image of the 'bloodthirsty lion' symbolizes God's absolute power, unconstrained by any conditions.
• This imagery is rooted in Ash‘arī theology, which prioritizes God's power over His justice and generosity.
• Rumi describes this Beloved as possessing 'dignified' attributes: both powerful and loving.
• The Beloved's self-sufficiency ('has no need for sleep or sustenance like the sun') contrasts with the lover's boundless need, referencing the Qur'anic verse 'He feeds, but is not fed.'
• The Beloved's implicit invitation to 'be Me or be of My nature' indicates the ultimate goal of spiritual journey: union and embodying divine attributes.