M6:339 — بد نماند چون اشارت کرد دوست / کفر ایمان شد چو کفر از بهر اوست

Translation: No evil remains when the Friend (God) points to it; Disbelief (kufr) turns into faith (īmān) when that disbelief is for His sake.

Meaning: Rumi states that an act seemingly ill or even impious becomes good, indeed the very essence of faith, if it is performed by God's command or with the ultimate intention of serving Him.

In this verse, Rumi utters a profound statement, resonant with divine discourse and the Ash'arite philosophical tradition. While I have always emphasized that Rumi transcends the narrow confines of sects, being a path unto himself rather than merely treading others' paths, it is in moments like these that his human essence occasionally inclines towards certain existing frameworks. Here, we undeniably encounter a rich leaning towards Ash'arite thought.

Rumi proclaims: "No evil remains when the Friend (God) points to it." This means that what appears to us as 'bad' or disagreeable, when touched by the command or indication of the Divine Friend, ceases to be bad. It transmutes into pure goodness and virtue. As is well-known, in Ash'arite theology, good and evil do not possess inherent essences. It is God's command and prohibition that imbue an action with the quality of goodness or badness, or strip it away. An act is not intrinsically good or bad; it becomes good when God commands it and bad when He forbids it.

He then continues, "Disbelief turns into faith when that disbelief is for His sake." This statement takes the concept even further. Even that which outwardly appears as 'disbelief' (kufr) – be it defiance, denial, or any act seemingly outside the bounds of religious law – if it is inwardly and sincerely 'for His sake', meaning for God's sake and in pursuit of His pleasure, then that very disbelief transforms into faith. This signifies that the intention and ultimate purpose of an action fundamentally alter its nature. In the realm of love and gnosis, the superficial boundaries of disbelief and faith dissolve, and what truly matters is one's relationship with the Eternal Beloved.

I have observed this perspective elsewhere in the Masnavi. For instance, Rumi states: "Any ill that His command brings forth / Surpasses the good deeds of the world." This implies that even an unfortunate event, if it occurs by divine decree, carries benevolent consequences that are profounder and more far-reaching than ordinary worldly good. Or, in the parable of the oyster shell and the pearl, he advises: "If the shell's skin is wounded by that / Reject it not, for a hundred thousand pearls lie within." The breaking of the shell, seemingly a destructive act, ultimately leads to the discovery of hidden jewels. This illustrates that, in Rumi's view, what appears unseemly or even bad, when placed within the crucible of divine will and done with divine intention, can become the conduit for greater blessings and the source of immeasurable treasures. This is a profound realization that stems from the station of رضا (acceptance) and complete surrender to divine decree; a station where one's tongue is tied from prayer or even complaint, for everything that comes from the Friend is inherently good and beneficial.

Key takeaways

• The nature of good and evil is not intrinsic but subject to divine command and will.
• An inward intention 'for His sake' can transform the moral quality of outward actions.
• Even apparent disbelief, if performed for the Beloved's pleasure, transmutes into true faith.
• The station of divine acceptance (reza) allows one to discover hidden goodness within apparent misfortunes.
• Appearances can be deceptive; the ultimate criterion is the inner connection with the Divine.