M6:2217 — آن حکیمک وهم خواند ترس را / فهم کژ کردست او این درس را

Translation: That little sage called fear an illusion; / He has misunderstood this lesson. Meaning: Rumi critiques philosophers who reduce fear to mere imagination, asserting that even illusions are rooted in reality and have a discernible origin.

This couplet unveils Rumi's critical stance towards certain philosophical positions. He refers here to a hakīmak — a 'little philosopher' or 'sagelet' — with a tone that is clearly dismissive. This hakīmak attempts to reduce profound human experiences, such as fear, to mere illusions or figments of imagination. Rumi categorically states that such an understanding is distorted and incorrect, for, as he asserts, "How can any illusion be without a reality? / How can any heart be without a truth?"

I have emphasized for years that in Rumi's intellectual framework, wahm (illusion or imagination) is never an entirely baseless or rootless phenomenon. Even a lie only gains currency if there is a truth in the world that it can leverage and masquerade as. As Hafez puts it (in Soroush's reading): "He buys the crooked for the sake of the straight; / Poison enters sugar, and then is consumed." That is, falsehood sells itself and establishes its place by hoping to mimic a genuine reality that exists. Thus, illusion, too, cannot be without a root or a reality. Even if a fear appears baseless and 'illusory,' it has a deep root in the real world, though that root may not necessarily be material or tangible.

Rumi, in essence, stands against naturalists and materialists who reduce all causes to material and efficient ones, neglecting deeper, often hidden, causes or purposes. He believes that many of our fears, which we mistakenly label as 'imaginary,' are in fact the fruit of the education, suggestion, and environment in which we are raised. A child who sees their mother afraid of a mouse unconsciously learns and internalizes this fear, even if the mouse is not present at the moment of their fear, and their terror stems purely from its image. This 'illusory' fear has a completely external and real origin (the learned experience). Thus, what the little philosopher calls an illusion is, in truth, the manifestation of a real, albeit intangible or psychological, phenomenon.

I find it remarkable how Rumi so beautifully and precisely points out how upbringing and environment affect our souls and instill 'fear' in us. This is a profoundly deep psychological critique that transcends any superficial analysis of our senses and perceptions. Instead of engaging in the endless squabbles of mufalsifān (mocking term for philosophers) and 'sagelets' that distract the mind from its true purpose, Rumi guides us toward contemplating the hidden roots of truth. He declares that he will forgo intricate philosophical debates and turn to "His ships and oceans" – meaning the sea of divine knowledge – for there lies deliverance and salvation, freeing humanity from drowning in illusions and ceaseless intellectual conflicts.

Key takeaways

• Rumi critiques reductionist philosophers who label profound human experiences like fear as mere 'illusion' (wahm).
• In Rumi's view, no illusion (wahm) is without a reality, and no lie without a truth; even illusory fear has a real root.
• Seemingly 'imaginary' fears often stem from early conditioning, social learning, and environmental influences.
• This couplet serves as a critique of materialistic and naturalistic views that confine causality to tangible phenomena, overlooking hidden or metaphysical causes.
• Rumi prioritizes the quest for hidden truths over endless philosophical disputes, emphasizing spiritual insight as the path to liberation.