M6:2837 — مجرمان را چون به جلادان دهند / چون بجنبد ریش من زیشان رهند

Translation: When criminals are surrendered to executioners, / If my beard moves, they are set free from them. Meaning: The disguised king, amidst the thieves, declares his unique ability: with a mere gesture of his beard, he can rescue criminals from their fate.

This beyt is part of the 'Tale of the Thieves' in the Sixth Book of the Masnavi, a story where Sultan Mahmud, disguised as a commoner, encounters a band of thieves. Each thief boasts of a unique 'art' (farhang), and when the King is asked about his own, he reveals his special ability: 'My special skill lies in my beard; when criminals are handed over to executioners, a mere tremor of my beard will grant them freedom.' He further clarifies in the following beyt (M6:2838): 'When I move my beard with mercy, / They (the executioners) will put aside that killing and that apprehension.'

This seemingly simple statement, as I interpret it, carries profound allegorical weight in Mowlana's thought.

1. The King as Absolute and Autocratic Sovereign: On a literal level, the beyt vividly depicts the arbitrary and absolute power of an autocratic monarch. In such systems, legislative, executive, and judicial powers are concentrated in one person. The king's word is law; a mere gesture can determine life or death, punishment or pardon. I reference Louis XIV's 'L'état, c'est moi' (I am the state) to illustrate this historical reality, where rulers wielded unchallenged authority without accountability.

2. A Mirror to Divine Power in Mysticism: More significantly, in Sufi mystical discourse, especially in Mowlana's time, earthly kings were often seen as 'mirrors of God' (mir’āt-e Haqq). Their sovereignty, however absolute, reflected a greater, more ultimate divine sovereignty. Here, the king's arbitrary power becomes a metaphor for God's power, which, in a certain theological perspective, is also seen as khudkāme (autocratic or arbitrary). God, like the king, is 'not to be questioned for His acts, while they (His creation) are questioned' (lā yus'alu 'ammā yaf'alu wa hum yus'alūn – Quran 21:23).

3. The Sacrifice of Justice, Reason, and Ethics before Divine Power: I highlight a challenging aspect of this theological stance within a segment of Islamic mysticism, particularly associated with Ash'arite theology. In this view, divine power is so boundless that it is not constrained by human notions of justice, reason, or even morality. God's will precedes and can override all principles. Could God make 2+2=5? Could God create a circle whose radii are not equal? Ash'arites, as I explain, would answer 'yes,' asserting that even the laws of logic, causality, and mathematics are subservient to God's absolute power. Similarly, ethical principles do not bind God; He is 'above ethics.' This parallels European Nominalism, which I have noted, denying universal laws outside of divine will. In this framework, justice, reason, ethics, and even human free will are ultimately sacrificed at the altar of God's limitless might.

4. Mowlana's Joy and the Paradox of Fear and Love: I point out Mowlana's seemingly joyous and ecstatic portrayal of this 'overwhelming, unaccountable power.' Mowlana revels in the depiction of such infinite might, suggesting a sense of security in surrendering to a Being of ultimate power. However, I critically add that this absolute, boundless power is not necessarily 'safety-giving' (amān-bakhsh). God could fail to uphold His promises and even send His most devout servants to hell. This is a state of 'strange vulnerability' (bīpanāhī-ye ajīb) that some Sufis (especially within Ghazali's 'fear-based Sufism' – tasawwuf-e khā'efāne) confronted. To alleviate this inner anxiety, they turned to 'love-based Sufism' (tasawwuf-e 'āsheqāne); that is, instead of fear, they chose to love God and see His beauties to escape the terror of this 'fearsome entity.' Mowlana, with his delicate and poetic words, strives to soften this 'fear' (khawf), yet the essence of this boundless power remains one of the 'darker' aspects of our mysticism, which is illumined by the discourse of divine love and generosity, offering hope to humanity in a God who sits 'above ethics'.

Key takeaways

• This beyt depicts the absolute and arbitrary power of a king who can commute a death sentence with a mere gesture.
• In mystical discourse, this king is a metaphor for the boundless and autocratic power of God.
• Through this narrative, Mowlana aligns with the Ash'arite theological view that divine power is not bound by reason, justice, or ethics.
• For Mowlana, even the laws of logic and causality are subservient to God's infinite will.
• Mowlana expresses a sense of joy and ecstasy in depicting this absolute power, even while acknowledging its potential for terror.
• Love-based Sufism offers a path to overcome the fear stemming from God's unaccountable power, finding solace and release through divine love.