M6:2362 — این مثل اندر زمانه جانی است / جان نادانان به رنج ارزانی است

Translation: This parable in our time is a matter of life (jānī); The soul of the ignorant is cheapened by suffering (ranj arzānī ast). Meaning: Rumi asserts that this particular story or spiritual wisdom is vitally important for our age, but those who fail to grasp it unwittingly condemn their souls to hardship and toil.

This is a rare instance where Rumi, with striking decisiveness, explicitly points to the timely and vital importance of the message he is conveying. He rarely speaks with such direct assertiveness, but here he states that his words, this parable, this story he has presented, is “jānī” — meaning life-giving, essential, and critically important for our age. It is as if Rumi sensed that philosophers and theologians had overwhelmed the Islamic world, leaving little of the simplicity of the prophetic call intact. People, he felt, were seeking their faith from those who “sold counterfeit goods,” when true spiritual reality was not to be found in their shops. Thus, Rumi unequivocally declares that remembering this story is of paramount importance in his time, and deviating from it leads to perdition.

However, in the second hemistich, Rumi expresses a profound sorrow for listeners who either do not hear or do not comprehend this invitation. He says: “The soul of the ignorant is cheapened by suffering.” This implies that the ignorant actively seek hardship and toil. They surrender their souls to pain, strain their intellects, yet achieve no meaningful result. Meanwhile, Rumi, from this side, calls out and invites, saying, “The path is near, it does not require all this suffering and strenuous effort; here you will reach the goal with ease.” But, it seems, this message does not resonate with some. This parable refers to the story of the dervish seeking treasure, who, the stronger his bow and the further he shot his arrow, the further he strayed from the treasure. Rumi suggests that the convoluted arguments of philosophers only complicate matters and distance God; the true path is direct and unpretentious.

Whence this ignorance? Rumi explains in the following couplet: “For the ignorant is ashamed of a master / Hence he went and opened a new shop.” The ignorant, instead of humbly admitting, “We do not know, O Master, teach us,” are ashamed of being pupils. They consider it beneath their dignity to show deference to anyone. So instead, they open their own “shop,” establish their own “school,” and claim mastery. This “boasting of shaykh-hood,” “equating oneself with the prophets,” and “considering oneself an Awliyā” (saint) is precisely the path of ignorance that leads to suffering. Rumi likens this to “Whoever takes up a craft without a master / Becomes a laughingstock in town and village,” reminding us that only God can exist without a master; all others are in need of a guide and teacher. The prophets are the teachers of piety, and one should not open a new shop beside them and falsely claim prophethood, even if they do not use the word “prophet” but effectively play that role. This path is one of suffering and cheapens the souls of the ignorant; the path of simplicity and humility, however, is the path to union and certainty.

Key takeaways

• Rumi considers his words to be "jānī" (life-giving) and vital for his era, meaning their comprehension is crucial for spiritual survival.
• This couplet critiques philosophers and theologians who, with complex arguments, complicate the simple and unpretentious path of the prophets, thereby obscuring truth.
• "The soul of the ignorant is cheapened by suffering" reveals that the ignorant, unwittingly, choose hardship for themselves, turning away from the easy path to truth.
• The root of this ignorance is "shame of a master" and ego, which prevents one from accepting instruction and leads to opening a "new shop" (making unfounded claims of mastery).
• Rumi emphasizes that, save for God, all beings are in need of a master and guide; acknowledging this need is the gateway to wisdom.