M6:2609 — در روش یمشی مکبا خود چرا / چون همی‌شاید شدن در استوا

Translation: Why, in one's journey, does one walk head-down (yamshī mukibbā), When one can indeed walk upright (dar istiwā)?

Meaning: Drawing from the Quran, this verse poses a rhetorical question: Why should a person choose a crooked or errant path when a straight and balanced way is clearly available to them? It calls for a conscious choice towards a rectified mode of being.

Mowlana, with his profound insight and passionate philosophical bent, raises a question in this verse of the Masnavi-ye Maʿnavi that delves into the very core of human life and spiritual journey. The verse begins with a direct appropriation from the Quran, Surah Al-Mulk: "Is he who walks headlong on his face better guided or he who walks upright on a straight path?" This Quranic inquiry forms the bedrock of Mowlana’s discourse here.

I understand yamshī mukibbā to mean someone who walks on their head or face; that is, crookedly, head bowed, without balance. This is an image of one who, out of ignorance, arrogance, or thoughtlessness, has chosen a difficult and deviated path. In contrast, dar istiwā signifies walking upright, straight-backed, balanced, and on a direct path. This is precisely the sirāt-e mustaqīm (straight path) that the Quran repeatedly emphasizes.

Mowlana, through this rhetorical question, seems to call humanity to a deep contemplation: Why should we, in the affairs of life, in our modes of thought, in our ethics, in our decisions, choose a crooked and twisted path, when the straight and balanced way is before us, and its traversal is possible? This is not merely an ethical recommendation but an existential decree; an invitation to emerge from the darkness of ignorance and deviation into the light of balance and wisdom.

Immediately after posing this verse, Mowlana articulates one of the concrete manifestations of walking dar istiwā: "Consult with the group of the righteous / Know that to the Prophet was the command: 'Consult them.'" He sees this upright conduct in seeking counsel from the wise and the virtuous. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), despite his prophetic stature, was commanded to consult with his companions ("and consult them in the matter"). This divine command, unequivocally, was not merely ceremonial. Those who have considered the Prophet's consultation as merely for pleasing his followers or for show, have fallen short of a deep understanding of religious teachings and the prophetic tradition. This is not just a directive for ordinary believers, but for spiritual leaders and guides as well; it is a real and impactful command.

Just as the prophets' seeking of forgiveness for their sins was genuine and not merely for teaching people, their consultation was also real and stemmed from a need for collective wisdom. This demonstrates that istawā and walking upright, even for the most elevated of humans, includes humility before collective intellect and avoidance of self-reliance. Yamshī mukibbā is a symbol of relying on one's singular and insufficient self, while dar istawā is a symbol of openness to wisdom, guidance, and consultation that protects one from downfall and deviation.

Key takeaways

• The verse, inspired by the Quran, presents a choice between a crooked path and a straight path in life.
• "Yamshī mukibbā" symbolizes crookedness, self-reliance, and ignorance, while "dar istiwā" represents the straight path, moderation, and wisdom.
• Mowlana identifies consulting with "the righteous group" as a prime example of walking "in uprightness."
• God's command to the Prophet for consultation ("shāwirhum fī al-amr") was genuine, not merely ceremonial; this principle applies to all.
• Humility before collective wisdom and avoidance of arrogance are fundamental to following the straight and balanced path.