M6:2373 — زیرکان با صنعتی قانع شده / ابلهان از صنع در صانع شده

Translation: The clever ones are contented by the handiwork (sanʿat); / The simpletons, from the handiwork, have become in the Artisan (sāneʿ). Meaning: This verse illustrates the diverging paths of the worldly-wise and the simple-hearted when encountering existence: the clever become engrossed in the intricacies of creation, while the simple-hearted transcend these intermediaries to arrive directly at the Source of being, the Creator.

In this verse, Rumi employs the term ziraki (cleverness) not in its sense of true intelligence, but rather to denote a worldly cunning or a kind of 'superficial knowing' that obstructs the perception of ultimate reality. Indeed, this cleverness acts as a snare, trapping individuals in conceit, greed, and arrogance, distancing them from true brokenness and need. As I have often remarked, the goli (simplicity) or ahmadi (innocence) lauded by Rumi is a blessed foolishness that fills the heart with sincerity and the soul with purity. It is from this simplicity that genuine need and spiritual poverty arise.

I have reiterated in my lectures that the zirakān—those who consider themselves shrewd and sagacious—are, paradoxically, those who cling to intermediaries. Their gaze falls upon the sanʿat, upon creations and artifacts, and they become content and absorbed there. They remain oblivious to the sāneʿ, the true Artisan or Creator, and mistake this absorption for the height of wisdom. This is precisely like someone holding a complex machine who, instead of contemplating the engineer and maker of the device, becomes entirely preoccupied with its intricate details, losing sight of the fundamental question. Such a person is 'contented by the handiwork'.

However, the ablahān (simpletons), or the un-clever ones, swiftly move towards the ultimate destination. They cast aside sanʿat as a veil or an intermediary, rendering it inoperative. As Rumi puts it elsewhere, while some may infer the presence of fire from the smoke rising behind a wall, these simpletons find themselves in the very midst of the fire, needing no smoke as proof. They discard the intermediary, passing from creation into the Creator, establishing direct contact with the Creator Himself. In truth, creation was meant to lead us to an acquaintance with the Creator; it is like the matchmaker of old who introduced a girl to a boy. If one were to become engrossed with the matchmaker herself, rather than marrying the girl, one would likewise be contented by the intermediary. These simpletons, without mediation or veil, contemplate beyond the veil.

This is a profoundly significant point, whose roots can be traced even to Christian sacred texts. As recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says: 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants.' This expression clearly indicates that certain divine secrets remain concealed even from the 'wise and learned' (ḥukama and ʿulamāʾ), confusing them, while the 'simple-hearted' and 'sincere' apprehend them with ease. With this verse, Rumi reflects the same evangelical spirit within the framework of Islamic mysticism: a spirit of childlike surrender and dependence, where the child abandons all to the mother, trusting completely. This true cleverness lies in shunning worldly cleverness, which ultimately leads us to 'unawareness' of the divine.

Key takeaways

• In this verse, 'cleverness' (ziraki) signifies a superficial, worldly intelligence that hinders the perception of truth, rather than true sagacity.
• The 'clever' individual stops at the 'handiwork' (sanʿat, creations), becoming engrossed in the details and intermediaries of the natural world, rather than transcending them to reach the 'Artisan' (sāneʿ, Creator).
• 'Simpletons' (ablahān) or 'simple-hearted ones' are those who, by passing beyond creations, connect directly and without intermediaries to the Source of existence.
• Rumi's perspective here aligns with evangelical teachings regarding the reception of truth by the 'simple ones' (bustaʾ) in contrast to the 'wise and learned'.
• The ultimate goal is direct and unmediated connection with the Creator; attachment to intermediaries constitutes a form of oblivion to this primary objective.