M6:4018 — بهر جان خویش جو زیشان صلاح / هین مدزد از حرف ایشان اصطلاح

Translation: For your own soul, seek righteousness from them; Beware, do not steal their terminology from their words. Meaning: Seek true spiritual rectitude and guidance for your inner being from the authentic masters, but be careful not to merely appropriate their specialized vocabulary and jargon without understanding their true state.

This verse, without a doubt, stands as one of Rumi’s most fundamental warnings to seekers and aspirants. He explicitly distinguishes here between ṣalāḥ (rectitude, soundness) and iṣṭilāḥ (terminology, jargon)—a distinction vital for anyone who harbors the ambition of spiritual journeying.

Ṣalāḥ refers to that inner, essential state attained through the purification and cultivation of the self, and through unmediated encounter with truth. This is the very rectitude, purity, and transcendent nature that illuminates the heart and soul of the seeker. Rumi states that from the people of truth, one must seek this ṣalāḥ—meaning one must pursue the spiritual state from which these words originate. This entails learning their way of life and path of conduct, and embodying it within one’s own soul.

In contrast, iṣṭilāḥ refers merely to the specific vocabulary, expressions, and specialized language that people of gnosis use to articulate their experiences and unveilings. These are the outer shell, not the core truth. Rumi unequivocally declares: “Beware, do not steal their terminology from their words.” This is an absolute prohibition. It is by no means permissible for a person to merely appropriate the jargon of mystics and utter it without possessing that inner ṣalāḥ. Such an act is hypocrisy and self-deception.

Rumi clarifies this distinction elsewhere with a beautiful analogy: “Between the Realizer and the Imitator are differences; the one is like David, the other is but an echo.” The difference between someone who has truly grasped reality (the Realizer) and someone who merely mimics their words (the Imitator) is like the difference between David’s authentic voice and its reverberating echo. David’s voice is original, soul-stirring, whereas the echo is nothing but repetition, devoid of life and spirit. The imitator speaks lifelessly, but the Realizer’s words spring from the very core of their being.

This warning from Rumi extends beyond the dervish circles of his time. In our own era, we witness how many claimants, whether in the realm of spirituality or other intellectual domains, present themselves as insightful and knowledgeable by merely adopting a few “bombastic words” and specialized terms. This is all a form of “stylistic imitation” that is easily discernible to any discerning individual. The greater danger arises when these imitators occupy the seat of Realizers, making “boasts of mastership,” and supposedly guiding others, while they themselves are devoid of ṣalāḥ and merely mislead others with iṣṭilāḥ. Rumi refers to such false claimants as “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and strongly advises against pledging allegiance to them. The essence here is that inner emptiness that must be cleared of mere words for truth to reside within it.

Key takeaways

• Prioritize inner spiritual rectitude (ṣalāḥ) over outward mimicry of language (iṣṭilāḥ) on the spiritual path.
• The distinction between a true Realizer and an imitator is like David's voice versus its mere echo.
• Beware of false claimants and those who boast of spiritual mastery using elaborate jargon.
• Authentic speech springs from an authentic state, not the other way around.
• The purpose of the masters' teachings is inner transformation and the attainment of purity, not the accumulation of vocabulary.