In Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the relationship between divine agency and creation is frequently illustrated through the metaphor of instruments. In Book Five, Rumi explains that when a creature causes harm or injustice, they are merely an instrument in the hand of the ultimate agent—the Divine. To make this concept accessible, Rumi employs several vivid analogies:

• The Wall and the Peg: Drawing on a well-known proverb, Rumi depicts a wall asking a peg, 'Why do you split me?' to which the peg replies, 'Look at the one who strikes me.' This teaches that the rational observer should look past the immediate cause (the peg) to the ultimate cause (the striker).
• The Pen and the Fingers: Human agency is described as a pen (kelk) held between two fingers. Just as a pen has no independent choice in what it writes, the creature is entirely subject to the movements of the Divine writer.
• The Idol and the Craftsman: The human is like an idol being carved by Azar (the master ...