M6:421 — دار کی ماند به دزدی لیک آن / هست تصویر خدای غیب‌دان

Translation: How does hanging resemble theft? But that / Is an image of God, the Knower of the Unseen. Meaning: This verse suggests that punishments, though seemingly unrelated to the crime (like hanging for theft), are in fact divine inspirations and 'images' from the All-Knowing God, revealing an inherent, non-arbitrary link between an action and its retribution.

This couplet appears within the expansive discussion of free will and determinism in the sixth book of the Masnavi, where Mowlana once again emphasizes human agency and places the responsibility for deeds squarely on the shoulders of the doer. Amidst this, he raises a subtle yet challenging point regarding the punishments and penalties that humans have established for crimes.

We know that in human legal and judicial systems, punishments are primarily determined by contract and collective agreement. That is, we contractually decide to assign a specific penalty for a particular act. However, Mowlana here challenges this contractual view, stating that the link between an action and its retribution transcends a mere agreement; it is an inherent and real connection rooted in the unseen world (ghayb).

Mowlana begins with a question: "How does hanging resemble theft?" Meaning, what physical or essential similarity exists between these two? On the surface, there is none. But he immediately answers: "But that is an image of God, the Knower of the Unseen." Here, the core point is unveiled. He believes that God, the Knower of hidden things, has, in the unseen world and beyond our sight and senses, formed an image of retribution for every action. So, when, for instance, an armed robbery occurs, and a sentence of death or hanging is passed, this is not a contractual ruling invented by humans themselves; rather, it is a divine inspiration (ilhām-e ilāhī) that has been cast into the heart of the judge (shaḥneh).

This means that the All-Knowing God has projected these punishments into human minds as an image of the action itself in the unseen. This connection is a real, non-contractual one; it is as if the action itself brings forth its consequence, which is the retribution. In other words, just as a barley seed does not yield wheat but barley, a bad deed manifests its specific retribution, which has an inherent connection with it in the unseen world. Punishment is not merely a "reaction" from humanity; rather, it is a "reflection" of the unseen image of that very act.

Indeed, we must acknowledge that this is a peculiar point Mowlana raises here, and its acceptance might be difficult for modern reason. However, his intention is that every action, especially sinful ones, carries with it an unseen form of requital. This unseen image later manifests in the phenomenal world as divine inspiration or sagacity, eventually taking the form of human judgment. This theory redoubles human responsibility; for one can no longer view punishment as an external, contractual matter merely imposed by society, but rather as an inherent and internal matter arising from the depth of one's own actions. This is the meaning of the "inherent retribution of deeds" that Mowlana emphasizes: you who have sown barley cannot expect a harvest of wheat.

Key takeaways

• Punishments are not merely human contracts; they have an unseen, divine origin.
• The connection between an action and its retribution is inherent and real, not merely conventional or contractual.
• The All-Knowing God has determined an unseen 'image' or form of retribution for every deed.
• Divine inspiration in the heart of a judge is a manifestation of this very unseen retribution.
• This perspective intensifies human responsibility, as one's retribution is seen as arising from the very essence of their action.
• Mowlana hints at the 'inherent retribution of deeds'; the consequence of every action is of the same kind as the action itself.