M6:1431 — جان مادر چشم روشن گویدت / جز غم و حسرت از آن نفزویدت

Translation: That one will say to you, 'O dear mother, my bright eye,' / (But) from that, nothing but grief and regret will be added to you. Meaning: This verse warns that the outwardly sweet and affectionate words of an ignorant and characterless individual will ultimately bring you nothing but sorrow and regret.

This verse is situated within my broader exposition on the character of the 'ignorant person' (jāhil) or 'hypocrite' (munāfiq). Rumi describes such individuals as 'two-faced' (do-ālat), metaphorically akin to a hermaphrodite in their lack of a fixed personality, fluctuating between different guises. Such a person is ultimately devoid of genuine character, today one color and tomorrow another. Sa'di, too, refers to such individuals as 'nobody' (hīch-kas), stating: "Wherever you find such a person, pay them no heed, for they are a nobody."

Now, this ignorant individual, though their 'actions of both (faces) will undoubtedly be revealed,' appears kind and sweet-tongued. They approach you with deceptive and sugary words, like 'O dear mother, my bright eye' (jān-i mādar, chashm-i roshan-i man). But one must understand that this 'sweet-tongued friendship of the ignorant' is like 'old poison' (samm-i kohan), a latent venom whose effects may appear late but are ultimately fatal.

Rumi illustrates this 'ignorant kindness' (mehrbānī-ye jāhilāneh) with a profound example: a mother who, out of ignorance, offers affection that ultimately harms her child. For instance, she might tell the father, 'My child has become frail from going to school so much.' Or, she might add sardonically, 'If this were the child of another woman, you wouldn't treat them this way.' This unwitting mother believes she is acting out of compassion, but in reality, she hinders her child's growth. This is the 'idle talk' (feshār) that issues from her mouth, not out of malice, but out of sheer ignorance.

The consequence of such words and the 'love of the ignorant mother' – which is outwardly sweet and sympathetic – will be nothing but 'grief and regret' (gham o hasrat). It is precisely like the old proverb which states: 'A father's slap is better than her sweetmeat' (sīlī-ye bābā beh az halwā-ye ū). This means that sometimes, a harsh but conscious and benevolent discipline is far superior to ignorant kindness that brings forth nothing but deception and harm. Therefore, be vigilant: seemingly sweet words from the ignorant have no outcome but regret and sorrow.

Key takeaways

• The deceptive words of the ignorant or hypocritical ultimately lead only to sorrow.
• Character instability and duplicity, even disguised as kindness, are harmful.
• Affection stemming from ignorance impedes true growth and perfection.
• The sweet words of the ignorant are like old poison, slow-acting but lethal.
• A bitter but conscious truth is superior to superficial, ignorant kindness.