M6:2410 — گفت قسام آن بود کو خویش را / کرد قسمت بر هوا و بر خدا

Translation: The apportioner is one who has apportioned one's self / Between whim and God. Meaning: This verse refers to the human being who constantly makes choices, dividing their essence and actions between following personal desires and surrendering to divine will.

This verse appears within the tale of the three travelers (a Jew, a Christian, and a Muslim), a story that Mawlana himself adapted and expanded from Shams-i Tabrizi. This act of 'apportioning oneself' is a fundamental and central predicament in human spiritual life. We are constantly dividing ourselves: between the desires of the lower self, which Mawlana terms hawā (whim or caprice), and the will and pleasure of God, Khodā. The one who is qassām (apportioner) is not merely someone who divides things, but one who divides their very self between these two primary poles of their existence.

As we observe in the story of the three travelers, the hungry Muslim eats the halva. This act, ostensibly driven by hawā and weakness of the lower self, is artistically revealed by Mawlana to hold a divine wisdom, for ultimately, it was his 'dream' that proved true. Here we understand that the distinction between hawā and Khodā is not always straightforward. Sometimes what arises from natural need and initially appears as hawā, is in its depth aligned with divine destiny and Khodā. Conversely, efforts seemingly made 'for God' can be fueled by deeper hawā of pride, competition, or superficial religiosity.

Through these seemingly simple parables, Mawlana teaches us that judging by outward appearances is not the task of the people of gnosis. The inner reality of matters is always more complex. Our qassām-like decisions are not just about dividing possessions, but about our way of living, our choices, and the spiritual orientation of our soul. This verse is, in fact, an invitation to reflect on intentions and to gain insight into the distinction between the 'form' and 'essence,' and the 'outward' and 'inward' aspects of the actions that, at every moment, make us the apportioners of ourselves.

Key takeaways

• Human spiritual life is a continuous effort to divide oneself between hawā (whim) and Khodā (God).
• What appears to be mere pursuit of hawā can, in its depth, be aligned with divine will.
• True discernment of intentions and inner realities is the work of gnostics, not judging by outward appearances.
• Being a qassām extends beyond material division to the existential apportionment of one's self.
• Mawlana, in the tale of the three travelers, illuminates the subtle complexities between intention and destiny.