Mystical and Theological Comparison of Rumi’s and Saadi's View on Determinism and Free Will

The present study entitled: "Mystical and theological comparison of Rumi’s and Saadi's view on Determinism and Free Will" has tried to analyze the issue in a descriptive- analytical approach in the prose and poetic works of Rumi and Saadi and present the meanings of these two categories in order to discover the characteristics of some verses and works of the poets to readers. Determinism and free will is one of the key and practical points of their poems, which also includes terms such as: destiny and fatalism, good and evil, determinism and delegation. Free will in Rumi's thought is somewhat beyond free will in Saadi’s belief. The determinism which Rumi speaks about is somewhat different from what Saadi expresses in his works. Rumi in Masnavi has considered with these two issues sometimes from the aspect of mysticism and sometimes from the theological aspect; but when he reaches the position of annihilation in God (Fanna Fi Allah) and in company with him, he no longer has any free will, but his existence is in absolute predestination. Saadi's attitude is more inclined to determinism and speaks less of free will. Determinism in his thought, according to Ash'ari theory, is the absolute sovereignty of fate that rules the whole world, and man moves within a predetermined destiny in this world. Finally, Rumi and Saadi, in raising free will, have engaged in carnal struggle and self-training, considering that man has authority over his carnal and spiritual affairs.