M6:430 — متهم کن نفس خود را ای فتی / متهم کم کن جزای عدل را

Translation: Accuse your own soul, O noble youth; Accuse less the retribution of Justice. Meaning: Mowlana advises individuals to hold their own souls accountable for adverse outcomes, urging them to accept responsibility for their actions instead of blaming fate or divine justice.

This couplet encapsulates Mowlana’s profound message on human free will and responsibility. I strongly believe that this teaching forms one of the most fundamental pillars of his epistemology and ontology, permeating the entire Masnavi.

In this section of the Masnavi, Mowlana unequivocally emphasizes the weight of free will. He argues, through the voice of the Sultan, that we are endowed with choice, and the notion that all actions are God’s alone, leaving us with no agency, stems from a misunderstanding. Human taraddod (hesitation or deliberation) when choosing between multiple paths (“Should I do this or that?”) is, without doubt, a clear sign of free will. A person whose hands and feet are bound does not experience such indecision. Hesitation arises only when we possess the power to act. Were there no power or choice, such deliberation would be a mockery of oneself.

“Accuse less Fate, O young man, how can you lay your own crime on others?” This is Mowlana’s direct address. We cannot commit an act and then blame divine decree or destiny. Would it be rational to punish Amir for a murder committed by Zayd? This is logically absurd. Mowlana explicitly states: “Lay the crime on yourself, for you yourself have sown it; make peace with Divine retribution and Justice.” The suffering that befalls us is the consequence of our own misdeeds. This suffering should not be attributed to bakht (luck or fortune). One who constantly dwells on luck develops an ahwal (squint or distorted) eye, seeing truths incorrectly. Such a perspective makes a person kāhil (lazy and sluggish).

One particular point Mowlana raises here is the issue of the “invisible forms of deeds” and the “intrinsic retribution of actions.” He suggests that the punishments humans have devised for wrongdoing—such as executing an armed thief—are divinely inspired. It is as if God has imprinted this image in the minds of rulers. This implies that the connection between an action and its retribution is not merely conventional but a real and inherent link, envisioned in the unseen realm. The act, as it were, brings forth its own consequence. This is a profound and indeed challenging assertion, but if we accept it, then the punishment for each action is an inherent demand of that action itself, rather than merely an external convention. This is why he says: “When you ate honey, no fever came to another,” meaning your fever stems from your own consumption of honey, not someone else’s.

Therefore, this couplet carries a core teaching: “Accuse your own soul, O noble youth; Accuse less the retribution of Justice.” We must always accuse our own nafs (ego or soul), remaining wary of its deceptions and temptations. The nafs constantly seeks to portray us as compelled and devoid of free will, allowing us to escape responsibility. But this is a fusūn (trickery) of the ego. The denial of free will, in essence, is the denial of oneself. If I claim I was not free, it means I was passive, I was nothing at all! But if we accept that a 'self' is involved, even if a hundred other factors contribute to an action, I am the 101st factor, and I must bear my share of responsibility.

Finally, Mowlana brings the discussion to tawba (repentance). Repentance is the highest sign of free will. One who considers themselves compelled does not repent, for no crime was committed by them. But remorse for the past and a firm resolve to abandon such actions in the future are all testimonies that a human being perceives themselves as free and accepts responsibility for their deeds. Before the “Sun of Truth,” no particle remains hidden. All “particles of our thoughts and ideas” will be revealed before the “Sun of Realities,” and there will be no place to hide. Therefore, do not hide from yourself, and when you have committed a wrong, attribute the crime to yourself; accuse yourself, not fortune or divine decree.

Key takeaways

• Humans are free and responsible for their actions, not compelled.
• Hesitation in making choices is itself proof of free will.
• Do not blame fate or divine justice for misfortunes and suffering; accuse your own soul.
• The retribution for evil deeds is inherent and divinely inspired, stemming from the action itself, not merely a convention.
• Denying free will is, in essence, denying the self and the existence of an independent agent.
• Repentance is the highest sign of accepting one's free will and responsibility.