M6:1423 — جاهل ار با تو نماید هم‌دلی / عاقبت زخمت زند از جاهلی

Translation: If an ignorant one shows you camaraderie, In the end, from ignorance, they will wound you. Meaning: Mowlana cautions that even if an ignorant person appears to offer friendship or empathy, their inherent lack of wisdom will ultimately lead to harm.

Mowlana, I believe, conveys a profound insight in this verse about human vulnerability stemming from ignorance, or jahl. Here, the issue is not merely a lack of knowledge, but a deeper absence of insight, character stability, and the very essence that makes true friendship and camaraderie possible.

This beyt teaches us that the empathy and affection shown by an ignorant person (jāhil) are nothing more than a mirage. The jāhil is not only devoid of true knowledge (maʿrifat) but, in a deeper sense, is also unaware of their own true self. Such an individual possesses a "dual nature" (do-ālāti dārad); they lack a singular, stable personality. They are like a "hermaphrodite" (khonsā) or, in modern parlance, a "bisexual" person – someone who can adopt any guise or color. Today, they express devotion to you, and tomorrow they utter different words to another. This chameleon-like quality (buqalamun-sefat) is a prominent feature of the ignorant, who constantly adapt themselves to their environment, rather than acting from an inner authenticity.

The ignorance Mowlana speaks of here might not be born of malicious intent. That is, the jāhil is not necessarily an enemy who wishes you harm. However, their very ignorance and unawareness, like an unconscious blade, will wound you. They do not truly discern right from wrong, good from evil, or benefit from detriment. Therefore, even if they believe they are acting for your good, this action springs from their ignorance, which ultimately yields an unhappy outcome.

I place this verse in the same category as Mowlana's earlier warnings: "If you entrust a lamb to a wolf, do not command the wolf and Joseph to keep company," or elsewhere, "If a wolf acts like a fox with you, do not believe that good will come from it." The jāhil in the guise of empathy is that same wolf, having donned a fox's mask. One cannot expect genuine goodness from such a being, because "good cannot come from them," and whatever they do is a product of their "dual nature" or two-facedness, which, without doubt, "the actions of both will become manifest." Their behavior is unstable and unreliable, and this very instability is the source of harm.

Undoubtedly, Sa'di shares this perspective, calling such characterless and fickle individuals "nobodies" (hich-kas), as he says: Whoever every morning is with one person, Every evening has a different desire in their head. This description precisely captures the state of Mowlana's jāhil, who takes on the color of the environment and lacks authenticity and substance. Mowlana teaches us to look at the depth of character and the epistemic roots of individuals in our relationships, rather than at their fleeting appearance of empathy. This is a warning for the wise and discerning to beware of the jāhil, for their "sweet-tongued" friendship is like an "old poison" that brings ruin in the long run. The outcome of such a friendship will be "nothing but sorrow and regret."

Key takeaways

• The empathy of the ignorant is a mirage and ultimately harmful.
• The ignorant lack a singular, stable character; they possess a "dual nature" and are inconsistent.
• Harm from the ignorant stems not necessarily from malice, but from their inherent ignorance and lack of insight.
• The sweet-tongued, empathetic facade of the ignorant is a mask for inner hollowness, acting like an "old poison."
• It is crucial to judge individuals based on their depth of knowledge and stability of character, not merely on fleeting expressions of sentiment.