Divine and Human Might (qudrat) in Jalal al-Din Rumi’s Oeuvre: A Combined Reading Approach

Abstract

The paper presents an attempt to analyze the theme of power (qudrat) in the works by Jalal al-Din Rumi using quantitative methods, mostly vector-semantic analysis. Based on the obtained results, representative quotations were selected. They demonstrate how Rumi seeks to find a balance between the absoluteness of Divine power and the human capacity for autonomous action. In accordance with the Islamic tradition, Rumi asserts that humans possess no power independent from the God. At the same time, he affirms the special status of the spiritual protectors — the awliya. The God grants them His power to alter predestination, not only concerning their own fate but also the fate of others, thereby modifying the very chain of causality from cause to effect. Furthermore, Rumi describes the relationship between humans and God as that of a slave and a Turkic ruler (reflecting the political realities of the poet’s era). This relationship is governed by rules of courtesy, which form the basis for distinguishing the faithful slave from the unfaithful one. The faithful slave is close to the Master, so he is capable to enter the intimate space of the Divine presence, while the unfaithful one becomes the prey of Shaytan, who, however, lacks independent agency and merely serves the commands of the Holy Master as His guard dog.