In Book Six, Section 4 of the Masnavi, Rumi explores the concept of free will (ekhtiyar) from the perspective of an advanced spiritual seeker. While earlier books emphasize free will as an essential foundation for moral accountability and meaningful worship, this section depicts it as a heavy burden and a source of profound trial (ibtila). The seeker recognizes that human choice often leads to error, suffering, and divine wrath, as demonstrated by the destruction of past nations and figures like Pharaoh. Consequently, the soul supplicates God to be relieved of the agonizing fluctuations of choice, yearning instead for a state of pure, restful surrender—comparing this desired state to the peaceful slumber of the Companions of the Cave. This marks a critical theological shift from defending the existence of free will to seeking spiritual annihilation (fana) by returning it to God.