M6:216 — بفکن از من حمل ناهموار را / تا ببینم روضهٔ ابرار را

Translation: Cast off from me this uneven burden, So that I may behold the garden of the pious. Meaning: In this couplet, Rumi implores God to relieve him of the heavy burden of perplexity, particularly regarding the complex interplay of divine will and human agency, so that he may attain clear spiritual vision and perceive the straightforward path of the virtuous.

Rumi, being undoubtedly one of the profound thinkers on the subject of divine determinism (jabr) and human free will (ikhtiyār), frequently addresses this issue throughout the Masnavi. He often oscillates between these two poles, and this couplet, along with those preceding and following it, is a heartfelt prayer for liberation from this 'uneven burden'—which I firmly believe refers to the heavy load of perplexity and bewilderment in this very domain.

For me, the 'uneven burden' (ḥaml-e nā-hamvār) here points to Rumi’s intellectual and practical quandary when confronting the dilemma of jabr and ikhtiyār. This bewilderment can cause hesitation in the spiritual journey or lead one astray. Rumi implores God to save him from this ambiguity and intellectual vacillation, asking for 'one creed' (maẕhabī) rather than 'ten creeds' (dah maẕhab); that is, a clear, unambiguous path that leads to certainty (yaqīn).

The desire to 'behold the garden of the pious' (rowża-ye abrār rā) is a longing for clear insight and direct knowledge, resulting from the removal of the veil of doubt and temptation. The 'garden of the pious' is not merely paradise or the abode of the virtuous, but rather their way of life and spiritual path—perceiving a path devoid of ambiguity or distortion. This is a plea for experiential clarity, to end this epistemic duality that can delay or derail one’s spiritual journey.

As I have frequently noted, Rumi views jabr as the wings that God has bestowed upon us. These wings, in themselves, are neither good nor evil; they are merely an instrument. With these wings, one can soar to the 'rose garden' (i.e., the garden of the pious) or, like crows, descend to the 'graveyard'. Jabr, for the perfect ones (kāmelān), is a source of reliance, enabling them to engage in prostration and good deeds with eagerness, trusting in divine knowledge and power. However, for the indolent (kāhelān), it becomes an excuse for laziness and abandonment of responsibility. This wing, this divine force, is 'clear water' for the believer but 'blood' for the unbeliever. So, the issue is not jabr itself, but how we understand and utilize it.

In this couplet, Rumi prays to be freed from the 'uneven' and misleading aspect of jabr, not for jabr itself to be taken away. He desires for that facet of this existential truth, which causes confusion, indolence, or misinterpretation, to be removed so that he can, with full insight, comprehend and tread the true and unambiguous path of the pious. This is a prayer for clarity and certainty in the spiritual journey, not for the negation of the reality of jabr or ikhtiyār.

Key takeaways

• Rumi articulates the heavy burden of doubt and intellectual perplexity concerning divine determinism and human free will.
• The 'uneven burden' is a metaphor for the complexity and ambiguity of this issue, leading to spiritual vacillation and hesitation.
• The plea to 'behold the garden of the pious' signifies a yearning for clear insight and direct vision into the true path of God.
• Determinism (jabr) itself is neither good nor evil; it is a divine force that, if misunderstood, leads to indolence and straying, but if rightly understood, inspires eagerness and action.