M6:4118 — کار و باری که ندارد پا و سر / ترک کن هی پیر خر ای پیر خر

Translation: Abandon every task and affair that has neither foot nor head (i.e., no beginning nor end/direction), Forsake it, O old ass (ignorant elder), O old ass! Meaning: This verse directly addresses an elder who has wasted their life in fruitless pursuits and aimless wandering, urging them to abandon this unproductive path and seek a worthy guide or master.

This frank and decisive verse from Mowlana directly addresses one who has spent a lifetime in aimless wandering and futility. Mowlana declares, without mincing words: "Abandon every task and affair that has neither foot nor head!" This means that any preoccupation or effort that has led you nowhere—that has brought no joy, no spiritual flight, no inner or outer liberation, that has not severed your bonds nor granted freedom—is a fruitless, inconclusive endeavor that must be forsaken. This perpetual wandering is not a sign of progress, but rather of stagnation and a waste of one's precious life. Then, Mowlana uses a thought-provoking phrase: "O old ass, O old ass!" This address is not a simple insult but a profound critique of one who has aged in years but remains a "donkey" (ignorant and unaware) in insight and spiritual maturity. It refers to someone on whom years have passed, yet they have grasped nothing of gnosis or spiritual states; the shackles of the self remain firm upon them, and they have not attained a true understanding of the world or themselves. The message is clear: You have been your own master and guide until now and have arrived nowhere, so change your path! The solution is implicitly drawn from this very address: go "buy a Pīr," meaning go choose a master who can untangle your affairs. This is a pivotal point in Sufism, particularly in Mowlana's school, which considers the journey towards God impossible without a leader and master. One who lacks seeing eyes must entrust themselves to the hand of a clear-sighted guide. Just as a patient trusts a doctor or surrenders to a surgeon, so too in the spiritual journey, submission to a "Pīr" or spiritual master—one who has traversed the path and matured—is essential. This submission does not mean suspending reason or rejecting counsel; rather, it is an acknowledgment of one's own limitations and an affirmation of the knowledge and experience of an individual who has become a "Pīr-e Rashād" (a master of guidance), not merely a "Pīr-e Gardūn" (one who is only old in years). A "Pīr-e Gardūn" is simply advanced in age, whereas a "Pīr-e Rashād" has walked the path of spiritual growth and guidance for years and attained perfection. Mowlana considers this self-willed wandering and reliance on illusory or imagined certainties to be a "hundred shames," in contrast to the "single shame" that might come from mistakenly choosing a master. He believes that if you flee from your father (a master who might sometimes be harsh), you will fall among ruffians and scoundrels (i.e., into misguidance and error). If you flee from a mosquito (a minor sting), you will seek refuge with a scorpion (a major harm). Ultimately, without a guide, human identity becomes fragmented into a thousand pieces, drifting aimlessly and indecisively like straw on water. This verse is a call to find an anchor and a pillar to lean on, to gain clear insight for the journey ahead.

Key takeaways

• Aimless wandering and fruitless endeavors are a sign of being on the wrong path; such pursuits must be abandoned.
• One who has only grown old in years but lacks spiritual insight and growth is designated an 'old ass' (pīr-e khar).
• Relying on self-will and illusory certainties is a 'hundred shames,' prolonging the journey without yield.
• The necessity of finding a Pīr-e Rashād (a mature spiritual guide) who has traversed the path and attained wisdom.
• Submission to a chosen guide is a prerequisite for spiritual progress; it's not the cessation of reason, but a step towards freedom from indecision.
• Without a guiding pillar or anchor, one becomes susceptible to transient trends and deceptions, losing their authentic self by conforming to the crowd.