M6:768 — عجز زنجیریست زنجیرت نهاد / چشم در زنجیرنه باید گشاد

Translation: Helplessness is a chain; someone else placed that chain upon you. Now, you must open your eyes and gaze upon the one who has placed the chain. Meaning: This verse suggests that our perceived powerlessness is not merely a limitation, but a deliberate signpost; we must look beyond the immediate chain of helplessness to recognize the transcendent Agent who has placed it.

Mowlana, as I've repeatedly emphasized, is a poet of questions, not definitive answers. He sets you on a path of self-discovery. This particular verse perfectly embodies that approach. Prior to it, Mowlana asks us to view the world and its inhabitants as ephemeral, embracing the notion that kull āt āt — all that is coming has already come, all is passing. He suggests that by adopting this perspective, even the loss of a loved one brings less grief, for you've already acknowledged their transient nature. But then he poses a crucial challenge: what if worldly attachments and veils prevent you from achieving this insight? What if you cannot achieve it — var nayārī? In that case, he advises, do not despair or become stagnant (khushk bar ajzī mīst); rather, pause and reflect upon this very helplessness, this ʿajz.

And here, Mowlana reveals his profound philosophical and mystical insight. He declares: "Helplessness is a chain; someone else placed that chain upon you." This inability you perceive within yourself, this limitation, this despair, is not merely an internal state or a flaw. It is a "chain" that "another" has placed upon your leg. Who is this "other"? Undoubtedly, it is God, whom Mowlana refers to as the Muʿjiz—the one who renders others helpless, the Miraculous Agent.

Now that you have seen this chain and understood that it is not of your own making, the time has come to "open your eyes and gaze upon the one who has placed the chain." You must open your inner eye and look at the chain itself, but not just at its limiting nature. You must look beyond it to its origin and its Agent. From the chain, you must arrive at the Chain-Placer. This chain of helplessness is, in reality, not placed to imprison you, but to guide you. Your powerlessness is a pointer, a signpost, not a barrier. It is a sign of the active presence of an absolute Power, a Muʿjiz who both bestows capacity upon you and, when deemed appropriate, withdraws it.

This is where Mowlana invites us from existential despair to a journey of gnosis. Helplessness is no longer a source of frustration; it becomes a catalyst for curiosity and awakening. It echoes Mowlana's anecdote to his son: "You see their absence, but you do not see my turning them away." Here too, we see our helplessness and inability, but we must ponder its source: from where did this helplessness come, and who placed it upon us? This powerlessness draws us to supplication and inquiry: "O Life-Giver, I was open, now I am bound—why is this?" This is a fundamental step in self-knowledge, and through it, the knowledge of God.

In Mowlana's ontology, contrary to existentialist approaches that prioritize loneliness and meaninglessness, judāʾī (separation) is always intertwined with wiṣāl (union). Our helplessness is not a sign of God's absence, but rather a sign of His active presence, constantly engaged in our creation and governance. This helplessness guides us towards the Origin and Destination that is ever-present. It is a great mystical lesson: that even the negation of our power is, in itself, an affirmation of a superior Power that calls us towards itself.

Key takeaways

• Helplessness, for Mowlana, is not a flaw but a signpost to the hidden hand of the Divine.
• He views ʿajz (helplessness) as an opportunity for self-knowledge and recognition of the Muʿjiz (the one who renders helpless).
• The chain of helplessness serves as a guide for inquiry and supplication, not a barrier to despair.
• Contrary to existentialist thought, powerlessness in Mowlana's ontology does not lead to loneliness, but to inquiry into the active Agent of existence.