M6:1649 — گفت قاضی بس تهی‌رو صوفیی / خالی از فطنت چو کاف کوفیی

Translation: The judge said: "You are a very empty-minded Sufi, Empty of sagacity, like a Kufic kāf." Meaning: In response to a Sufi complaining about the world's hardships, the judge deems him spiritually uninformed and lacking discernment, suggesting his questions stem from a superficial understanding.

In this verse, Rumi, speaking through the judge, offers a sharp yet illuminating response to a Sufi who is questioning the wisdom of creation and the mixture of suffering and comfort within it. The Sufi, in preceding verses, had complained about the bitterness, dark nights, illnesses, and the impure nature of divine blessings. He had asked why divine generosity and mercy were so mixed with vexation and sting, and what would diminish God's magnanimity if the world were entirely pleasant? Such questions, from Rumi's perspective, betray a rudimentary level of spiritual insight.

When confronted with these seemingly unfounded objections, the judge first addresses the Sufi's character and understanding. He calls him a "tehī-row (empty-faced) Sufi," which I interpret as "empty-handed and deprived of gnosis." This description indicates that the Sufi, despite his ascetic appearance, lacks a profound comprehension of the world's mysteries. He is a Sufi not in the sense of a profound ʿarif (gnostic) but merely an individual with a specific external demeanor and perhaps a superficial spiritual practice.

The latter part of the verse clarifies this emptiness with a subtle and precise analogy drawn from the art of calligraphy: "Empty of sagacity, like a Kufic kāf." "Sagacity" (fṭanat) here refers to shrewdness and acumen. The judge implies that this Sufi, much like the Kufic kāf, is devoid of discerning insight. As I have explained elsewhere, the Kufic kāf, in Kufic script (an ancient style of Islamic calligraphy), is a letter without a dot or a sarkash (the small stroke seen above the Persian kāf or gāf). It is a simple, unmarked letter, lacking the subtle distinctions that give it full identity and precise meaning. Likening the Sufi to such a letter suggests that he is ignorant of the secrets and subtleties of existence; he is like a letter without diacritical marks, incapable of conveying full meaning. His questions, due to this lack of deep understanding, are characterized by a simplicity and superficiality insufficient for delving into profound theological matters.

This response from the judge serves as a prelude to the story of the "Turk and the Tailor" (Darzī). Rumi uses this narrative to distance himself from the complexities of philosophical and theological debate, inviting his audience to a different mode of reflection through a humorous tale. This is a characteristic Rumi-esque approach: occasionally employing stories and parables to sweeten and convey meaning, especially when listeners are weary of weighty discussions and "the expediency of the moment" calls for bringing "a smile to their lips, to gladden their hearts, and then to continue the discussion." This verse, in essence, is Rumi's critique of superficial and solely rational approaches to the mysteries of existence, and an invitation to deepen one's "knowledge" (maʿrifat) and "discernment" (fṭanat) in order to grasp divine wisdom.

Key takeaways

• A Sufi's appearance does not guarantee profound spiritual insight; some may lack true discernment.
• Rumi suggests that superficial questions about divine wisdom stem from an inner lack of vision.
• The 'Kufic kāf' serves as a metaphor for blandness, lack of distinguishing marks, and absence of insightful characteristics in spiritual understanding.
• Rumi often shifts from direct criticism to humorous parables to lighten the tone and convey deeper meanings.