M6:412 — پس تردد را بباید قدرتی / ورنه آن خنده بود بر سبلتی

Translation: Thus, for deliberation there must be a power / Otherwise, that would be laughter at a sablat (mustache). Meaning: This verse asserts that our capacity for doubt and deliberation between choices is irrefutable evidence of our free will and agency; otherwise, to deliberate over what one entirely lacks the power to do would be a meaningless act of self-mockery.

This verse from the sixth book of the Masnavi marks a pivotal moment where Rumi intensifies his discourse on free will (ikhtiyār). I have consistently argued that the denial of free will is, in essence, the denial of the self; for one who claims, “I was not free,” effectively declares, “I was nothing, I did not exist at all, I was naught.” It is here that Rumi, with a profound psychological and philosophical insight, presents deliberation (taraddod) as an undeniable indicator of agency.

Rumi asserts that one of the clearest signs of our free will is our capacity to deliberate, to pause between two or more courses of action, and to make a choice. This very deliberation is definitive proof of a power residing within us. He elucidates this point with vivid examples: A person whose hands and feet are bound cannot say, 'Shall I do this, or that?' Nor do I ever deliberate on whether I should plunge into the sea or fly high into the sky, for neither is within my power. However, if I hesitate between 'going to Mosul or traveling to Babylon to learn magic,' this hesitation demonstrates that both paths are open to me, and I possess the power of choice.

This is why Rumi emphasizes in this verse: “Thus, for deliberation there must be a power.” To fall into doubt and to possess the ability to choose among options, we inherently require an underlying power. “Else, that would be laughter at a sablat (mustache)”; otherwise, if we lacked the power to choose yet still found ourselves deliberating, such an act would be nothing short of self-mockery—a laughing at one's own masculine pride, as Rumi implies.

This is a fundamental lesson in accountability. Through this argument, Rumi rejects all forms of excuse-making, declaring: “O youth, make fewer excuses based on fate / How can you lay your own fault upon others?” One cannot cast blame for their transgressions upon destiny or external factors. We are free, and our deliberation is the very mark of this freedom. It is precisely from this understanding that individuals, after committing a wrong, feel regret and shame, leading them to repentance (tawba) and seeking forgiveness (istighfār). For what would one who does not consider themselves free have to repent for? They would have committed no fault. This very sense of remorse, coupled with the resolve to abandon wrong actions in the future, stands as a testament to our acceptance of our own free will and responsibility.

Key takeaways

• Deliberation and choice among options serve as irrefutable evidence of human free will and agency.
• The absurdity of deliberating over actions beyond our power underscores the rationality of recognizing our limits.
• The denial of free will inherently constitutes a negation of one's own identity and existence.
• Any excuse-making based on fate or external factors is rejected in favor of individual responsibility.
• The capacity for regret and repentance is a profound indicator of accepting one's own free will and accountability for actions.