M6:1593 — رختها را سوی خاموشی کشان / چون نشان جویی مکن خود را نشان

Translation: Draw your garments towards silence; When you seek a sign, do not make yourself the sign.

Meaning: This verse counsels the seeker to abandon self-display and embrace silence. Mawlana suggests that for one to truly find the signs of truth and the path to ultimate reality, one must not become a focal point of attention; instead, through profound humility and silence, the seeker prepares to receive divine guidance.

Here, Mawlana offers a profoundly intricate guidance to seekers regarding 'silence' (khāmoshī), which stands as a pillar of spiritual discipline. In his view, if one genuinely seeks a 'sign' (nishān) from the realm of meaning, one must not become a 'sign' oneself—that is, one must refrain from self-display or being the center of attention. This instruction transcends simple moral advice; it is an epistemological strategy for attaining truth. For the path to open before the seeker, one must 'not make oneself a sign,' but rather sit in a state of utter soundlessness and signlessness, so that the signs may reveal themselves.

I contend that Mawlana here points to a psychological and spiritual truth: the human mind, amidst the clamor of speech and the pursuit of attention, can never attain the depths of reality. Mawlana himself explicitly states, 'Speech is a disturbance of perception; do not speak' (noṭq tashvīsh-e naẓar bāshad, magū). Naẓar here refers to thought and contemplation. Excessive speech agitates thought and disperses it. The prerequisite for being contemplative and reaching the profundity of truths is silence. Verbosity is not only a sign of shallow thinking; it can even impede the act of thinking itself. It is as if, by constantly expelling words, no space remains for thoughts to accumulate and deepen.

One might argue that their words are always sincere and truthful, and thus, verbosity poses no issue. However, Mawlana, with keen insight, warns even against this: 'Even if you utter two words of truth, O so-and-so, the uttered word will flow murky in disposition' (gar do ḥarf-e ṣedq gūī, ey falān / gofteh tīreh dar ṭabʿ gardad ravān). Even if speech begins with sincerity, the 'motor' of words begins to move, and this movement, unconsciously, leads one astray. As narrated in traditions: 'Whoever speaks much, his errors also increase' (man kathura kalāmuhu kathura khaṭaʾuhu). Speech begets speech, and amidst this torrent of words, moments arrive when one, without the full presence of reason, utters nonsense and inappropriate remarks. Therefore, silence and the avoidance of self-display are essential not merely for etiquette, but for the preservation of the seeker's intellectual and spiritual integrity.

Key takeaways

• Discovering divine signs is contingent upon silence and abstaining from self-display.
• Making oneself a 'sign' obstructs the reception of hidden 'signs' of guidance.
• Excessive speech, even if initiated with sincerity, can disturb thought and pave the way for error.
• Profound reflection and the comprehension of truth depend on silence and mental tranquility.