M6:1443 — بال بازان را سوی سلطان برد / بال زاغان را به گورستان برد

Translation: Predestination carries the wings of falcons to the Sultan; That same predestination bears the wings of crows to the graveyard. Meaning: The divine concept of predestination or determinism, depending on one's inner disposition, can either uplift an individual toward spiritual perfection and truth or lead them to idleness and ruin.

I have often emphasized that Rumi deeply pondered predestination and free will, at times seeing himself completely bound by divine decree, and at other times utterly free. However, the point he makes here is less a theological or epistemological one, and more a psychological insight; a profound exploration into the inner states of the human being.

He states that our understanding of divine predestination (jabr) functions in two distinct ways, depending on whether we are a kāmel (perfected) or a kāhel (indolent) person. This concept of jabr, which Rumi portrays as wings for flight, is in itself neutral. A wing is neither good nor bad; it is merely a tool for movement. But into whose hands does this tool fall?

If it is in the hands of bāzān (falcons), meaning high-spirited, diligent individuals seeking perfection, those wings carry them suy-e Soltān (towards the Sultan). The Sultan here symbolizes absolute truth, the center of existence, the pinnacle of gnosis. The perfected human, relying on this jabr, not only refrains from ceasing effort but declares: "God has willed that I be a person of work and endeavor, that I be an active servant." They take jabr as a vehicle to reach their goal. It is as if these wings empower them to soar on the path of perfection.

But if these same wings are in the possession of zāghān (crows), meaning feeble, inactive, and inwardly disintegrated individuals, they carry them be gūrestān (to the graveyard). The crow symbolizes carrion-eating and baseness. The indolent human uses this same jabr as an excuse for irresponsibility and laziness. They say: "Since everything is predetermined, what need is there for my effort? God has willed that I sit idly by." For them, jabr is not wings for flight, but a prison of inaction and lethargy that draws them towards spiritual ruin and death.

Thus, you see that jabr is not inherently a prison; yet, for the indolent, it can become a prison of stagnation and idleness. And it is not inherently wings for flight; yet, for the perfected, it is a tool for soaring and reaching the threshold of truth. This very issue is precisely replicated in the discussion of tawakkul (trust in God). True believers are those who work and then rely on the Almighty, not those who cease work under the pretext of tawakkul. This point is fundamental: Rumi, with a deep psychological insight, teaches us here that we must not turn predestination into an excuse to escape our moral and spiritual responsibilities. It is not your fate which way jabr carries you; it is your fate which way you fly with the wings of jabr.

Key takeaways

• Predestination (jabr) is a neutral tool; its effect depends on the individual's inner character.
• Diligent individuals (falcons) perceive jabr as wings for soaring towards perfection and truth.
• Indolent individuals (crows) use jabr as an excuse for inaction, leading them towards ruin.
• Rumi emphasizes the psychological dimensions of jabr over its purely theological aspects.
• True reliance on God (tawakkul), in Rumi's view, accompanies effort, not idleness.
• The verse warns against using destiny as a justification to evade spiritual and ethical responsibilities.