M6:1905 — مادگی خوش آمدت چادر بگیر / رستمی خوش آمدت خنجر بگیر

Translation: If femininity (mādagī) pleases you, take up the chador; / If valor akin to Rostam (rostamī) pleases you, take up the dagger. Meaning: This verse suggests that each individual should choose their life's path and the corresponding tools or manifestations according to their innate disposition and character.

This stirring verse, following immediately upon earlier lines discussing divine provision tailored to each individual’s 'disposition' (khū), is in fact an invitation to self-knowledge and the choosing of a path consonant with our authentic existential nature. Here, Mawlana tells us that God, in 'ordering this cosmos' (as I interpret it), has created each person with a unique temperament and set of aptitudes. One He has made an 'eater of bread' (worldly-minded), and another, 'intoxicated by the Beloved' (spiritually oriented); and the sustenance and portion of each has been appointed in accordance with this very khū.

It is for this reason that this beyt is not a statement of fatalism or determinism (jabr), but rather, precisely the opposite: it is an invitation to thoughtful and responsible freedom. You must first discover your 'self'; understand what 'pleases' you – that is, what harmonizes with your essential nature. If your nature inclines towards mādagī (femininity, symbolizing gentleness, receptivity, nurturing), then you should adopt the tools befitting it, such as the 'chador' (representing protection and modesty). And if rostamī (valor, symbolizing bravery, action, and overcoming) is pleasing to you, then take up the 'dagger,' which is the instrument of that path.

This is not merely about gender or traditional roles; it is an analogy for all our choices in life. We must honestly confront ourselves and acknowledge what talents and inclinations have been deposited within us. Once we have recognized this 'self,' then our choices must be in alignment with this very 'self.' This is the 'root of the root of the root of religion' (uṣūl uṣūl uṣūl ad-dīn) that I have previously alluded to; meaning that the foundation of all faith and meaning lies in knowing oneself. If your path is not congruent with your nature, it will lead nowhere, nor will it bring felicity. This verse is a call for existential harmony between the inner self and outer action, and thereby, a profound step on the journey towards God.

Key takeaways

• An invitation to choose one's life path based on innate disposition and character.
• Emphasis on self-knowledge as the foundation for making right choices.
• The 'chador' and 'dagger' symbolize tools appropriate to one's nature and role.
• Underlines the wise organization of existence, not pure determinism.