M6:1588 — چشمها را چار کن در اعتبار / یار کن با چشم خود دو چشم یار

Translation: Make your eyes four in weighing and judging, And make your own two eyes a companion to the two eyes of your friend. Meaning: This verse urges utmost vigilance and careful consideration in all evaluations, and crucially, advises blending one's own perspective and insight with that of friends and advisors.

I hold that in this remarkably concise and profound couplet, Mawlana points to one of the most fundamental principles of spiritual journeying (sulūk) and even social existence: the necessity of empathy, collaborative thought, and the avoidance of self-sufficiency. He says, "Make your eyes four in weighing and judging," meaning that in every assessment and evaluation, you should multiply your inner sight, exercising the utmost precision and meticulousness. This is an invitation to deep contemplation, not superficiality. But he immediately presents an antidote to the danger of self-opinionatedness: "And make your own two eyes a companion to the two eyes of your friend." This 'making four eyes' means adding the eyes of your companion to your own. You must take into account the perspective of your intimate friend and advisor, blending it with your own vision. This signifies humility before truth and an openness to the other.

Mawlana himself further emphasizes this point, linking it to Quranic teachings: "Read 'their affairs are by consultation' in the scriptures." This recalls the noble verse "وَ أَمْرُهُمْ شُورَىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ" (Surat ash-Shura, 42:38), which considers consultation and deliberation to be the backbone of an elevated society. Here, consultation is not merely a managerial tool; it is an existential virtue. And the perennial danger is falling into the trap of 'nāz' – the illusion of self-sufficiency: "Be with your friend and do not, out of haughtiness, say 'uff' to them." Do not dismiss anyone out of arrogance or a sense of superiority, do not utter 'uff,' for this is a sign of conceit and narcissism. This illusion of self-sufficiency (istighna) is the primary obstacle to growth and the attainment of truth.

For the companion is not merely a guide, but the path itself. As Mawlana states elsewhere: "Choose a Master and know him to be the very way." This echoes the Gospel, where Christ says: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." The Master, or in the words of this verse, the 'yār' (companion), is not merely on the straight path, but is the 'very straight path.' In essence, the path of sulūk is embodied in the person of the companion one chooses. He is the protector and refuge of the path, and if you look closely, he is the path itself.

This perspective stands in contrast to the 'multitude of souls' (izdiḥām-i nufūs) to which Mawlana himself alludes. He states elsewhere that many human gatherings are not 'assemblies of intellects' (ijtimaʿ-i ʿuqūl) but 'multitudes of souls' (izdiḥām-i nufūs) – souls that are overcome by whims and desires, looking to their own impulses rather than to truth. However, in the realm of true consultation and sulūk, it is intellects that gather, intellects freed from pride and self-sufficiency, ready to mingle the light of their eyes with one another. From this mingling, a 'four-eyed,' and consequently, deeper and more comprehensive insight emerges. This verse is a call to a collective journey, a shared wisdom in which individuality is not dissolved in unity but reaches its perfection.

Key takeaways

• In every assessment and judgment, one must exercise utmost precision and multiply one's insight.
• Humility before truth and openness to others, facilitated by consulting with companions, is essential.
• The illusion of self-sufficiency (istighna) and the arrogant rejection of others' views are major impediments to growth and truth.
• A true companion and spiritual guide is not merely a guide; they are the straight path itself, embodying the journey of sulūk.
• Consultation and the blending of perspectives reduce the 'multitude of souls' and lead to an 'assembly of intellects,' which is vital for comprehensive insight.