M6:3367 — بس همایون‌رای و با تدبیر و راد / آزموده رای او در هر مراد

Translation: He was of blessed counsel, sagacious, and generous, / His judgment proven in every desire. Meaning: This verse describes a character endowed with profound wisdom, foresight, and magnanimity, whose advice has always proven effective and trustworthy in achieving various aims.

This verse describes Emad al-Molk, the Sultan's wise and reputable vizier. Here, Mowlana paints a picture of an inspiring and unique figure who, amidst temporal power and kingship, kept alive a flame of spirituality and ethics. He is called homāyun-rāy (of blessed counsel), meaning his thought is full of fortune and blessing—a wisdom that springs not from worldly shrewdness, but from inner purity and connection to the 'hidden sun' (khorshīd-i ghayb). This felicitous counsel is coupled with tadbir (sagacity) and rādd (generosity); it involves sound planning and is imbued with magnanimity and beneficence.

As I have often stated, in Mowlana's view, true wisdom originates from spiritual roots. Emad al-Molk, with qualities like being bi-tamaʿ (disinterested), aṣīl-o-pārsā (noble and pious), rāyiḍ (ascetic), and shab-khīz (one who rises for night vigil), symbolizes this truth. These are the qualities that make his rāy (judgment) 'proven in every desire' (āzmūde rāy-i ū dar har murād). This implies that his advice was effective not only in minor matters but in all aspirations and purposes, as it was rooted in a comprehensive wisdom.

To my mind, Mowlana here sketches an ideal image of a perfect human being in a position of power. As he says elsewhere in the narrative: dar amiri-ye ū gharīb-o-moḥtabis / dar ṣefāt-e faqr-o-khellat moltabas ('He was a stranger and confined in his viziership, yet adorned with traits of poverty and friendship with God'). He did not wear this mantle of power for personal gain, but rather assumed it to aid others, perhaps to quell the wrath of tyrannical rulers and to offer refuge to the oppressed. In an era where political theory offered no alternative to accepting the rule of despots, such a vizier served as a pāy-i ʿalam (foot of the banner), a safe haven for those seeking refuge. This point is crucial: power, when nourished by spirituality, does not corrupt; rather, it becomes a vehicle for goodness and righteousness. His counsel drew aid from the unseen world, and it is for this reason that it was proven in every desire; experience had shown that anyone who trusted his advice would achieve their aim. This transcends mere worldly shrewdness or political maneuvering; here, divine wisdom manifests through human sagacity.

Key takeaways

• The source of true wisdom and effective counsel lies in inner purity and connection to ultimate truth, not mere worldly cleverness.
• A spiritually aligned individual, even in a position of power, can serve as a refuge for the oppressed and a mitigator of tyranny.
• Counsel and decisions stemming from sincerity and disinterest prove effective and trustworthy in every endeavor.
• The presence of such wise figures within power structures demonstrates the potential to transform worldly positions into instruments of good and service.
• Mowlana highlights the significance of ethics, piety, and asceticism in shaping a sagacious leader and advisor.