M6:3900 — ای دلی که جمله را کردی تو گرم / گرم کن خود را و از خود دار شرم

Translation: O heart, that hast warmed everyone / Warm yourself and be ashamed of yourself. Meaning: This verse serves as a potent admonition to any heart or soul that can inspire and guide others: it must first inspire and guide itself, feeling shame for any internal hypocrisy or failure to practice what it preaches.

Mowlana, in this striking couplet, directs a sharp and unreserved address to those scholars and preachers who have assumed the role of educators and guides, yet remain untouched by the very teachings they impart to others. This is a profound lament, not from an outsider, but from a heart that should itself be the kindler of souls.

I argue that Mowlana here points to a crucial flaw also highlighted by the Holy Quran in an admonitory tone: "It is most hateful in the sight of God that you say what you do not do" (Quran, Surah As-Saff, verse 3). What could be worse than for a person to speak of something they fail to practice themselves? This is not merely a moral failing, but a spiritual malady that darkens one's soul and corrupts one's heart.

The metaphor of "warming" (garm kardan) is key here. A heart capable of "warming" others—meaning it ignites passion, guides, and awakens them—how can it remain indifferent to its own internal warmth? This "warmth" is the very vitality one benefits from and extends to others. If the spring itself is dry, how can it quench the thirst of others?

Mowlana, further into this discussion, offers a deep irony: "Our turn came, why did we become so obstinate / Like ugly women, we hid in a veil." This expression suggests that in Mowlana's time, beautiful women might occasionally reveal a glimpse of their charm, while less comely women would completely cover their faces to hide their imperfections. Mowlana here likens the hearts of inactive advisors to ugly women who hide themselves, feeling shame for their own inadequacies. They conceal themselves behind their words and sermons, lest their lack of action be exposed. He then asks: "O tongue, that wast an advisor to all / When your turn came, why did you fall silent?" Meaning, when it was time for self-admonition, why did you become quiet and cease?

This verse, as we also see in the story of Sultan Mahmud "shaking his beard," speaks to the necessity for individuals to employ their true skill and ability where it matters most: in self-correction. The thief boasted of his prowess, and the Sultan, in disguise, introduced himself as someone who, by shaking his beard, could save lives. The next day, when the thieves stood before the Sultan in court, and the Sultan shook his beard, they were saved. Mowlana implies, O advisor! It is your turn to shake your beard; that is, to reveal the essence of your being and your actions, rather than merely relying on the outward appearance of your sermons.

Another point is the critique of intellectual "weaving" (bāfandegi) sometimes observed in philosophy or theoretical mysticism. As my late teacher, Dr. Sayyed Jafar Shahidi, used this term, suggesting that some of these ideas and intellectual systems are nothing more than "weaving"—luxurious mansions with dazzling lights that overwhelm, but are in reality empty of content and lack any practical effect on the soul or the world. Mowlana here tells the philosopher, jurist, and mystic who has spent their life on such "weaving": "That which for fifty years you wove with consciousness / From that fabric, make a cloak for yourself." What is the result of all this weaving? Do you yourself have a garment from these intellectual achievements to wear? Or, as the common saying goes, "You grazed so much, where is your fat?"

The essence of all knowledge and gnosis, as Mowlana says elsewhere: "The soul of all sciences is this, this / That you know who I am on the Day of Judgment." It is here that self-knowledge, in the truest sense, becomes the pivotal point and ultimate goal of all learning. If a person knows the entire world and influences it, but loses themselves, they have in fact suffered a great loss. This verse is a wake-up call to anyone in a position to influence others: first yourself, then others. To feel shame before oneself is the first step in this awakening.

Key takeaways

• The essence of guidance begins with self-guidance.
• Inaction in the face of knowledge and advice leads to internal shame and hypocrisy.
• Mowlana is intensely critical of scholars and advisors who do not practice what they preach.
• The metaphor of 'warming' emphasizes the necessity of inner awakening and fervor before influencing others.
• Self-knowledge is the ultimate aim and destination of all learning and intellectual 'weaving.'
• Feeling shame before oneself is the starting point for self-criticism and inner transformation.