M6:500 — گرگ اغلب آنگهی گیرا بود / کز رمه شیشک به خود تنها رود

Translation: The wolf usually finds its prey When a six-month lamb strays from the flock alone.

Meaning: This verse warns against the perils of solitude and separation from the community of the righteous in the spiritual journey. Rumi suggests that isolation leaves the seeker vulnerable to temptations and harms, just as a lone lamb becomes easy prey for a wolf.

I find in this verse a crucial point for any spiritual wayfarer. This section of the Mathnawi emerges from a tale where a hunter speaks to a bird about the conditions for Jihad (struggle against evil). The bird responds that true strength lies in sincerity of heart and finding like-minded companions. Following this dialogue, Rumi alludes to a significant principle in spiritual wayfaring that many mystics and moral philosophers have emphasized: the danger of solitude and isolation from the community of the righteous.

Here, Rumi sees the wolf as a symbol of the devil and both internal and external temptations. The 'demon' is the very wolf lurking in ambush to find its prey. The shishak, a six-month-old lamb, symbolizes the seeker or human being who has not yet reached full maturity and has strayed from the flock, meaning the company of good people and truth-seekers. This separation from the community not only leaves one defenseless but can also lead to arrogance and self-delusion, an illusion of having achieved spiritual purity and no longer needing the company of others. Yet, as Imam Ali (a.s.) warned in Nahj al-Balagha, "shādh min al-ghanam" (one who is separated from the flock of sheep) becomes food for wolves. This is an undeniable reality in the world of ethics and mysticism.

This verse is a direct warning against a form of seclusion that leads to isolation from the religious and mystical community. The message is that "the Sunnah is the path, and the community is like a companion." A path without a companion leads one into "straits" (mazīq). On this journey, one must be part of a group to benefit from "cooperation of hearts" (taʿāwun-i qulūb) and "gathering of resolves" (ijtimāʿ-i himam). Empathy and companionship foster mutual encouragement and increase self-confidence on the difficult path of spiritual striving. The lone seeker is constantly exposed to doubt and may falter. But within a group, seeing the steadfastness and efforts of others, their heart finds peace and their motivation grows.

However, Rumi, later in the same discussion, emphasizes that not every companion is a suitable fellow traveler. He says: "Do not consider every misguided one a companion / Do not consider slumbering heedless ones as awake." The choice of companions is of paramount importance. One must choose friends who are "like-hearted, like-suffering, proclaiming the One"; those whose goal is your growth and perfection, not those who "seek an opportunity to snatch your cup" or, out of their "camel-heartedness" (cowardice), dissuade you from continuing the journey. Cowardly and conservative individuals are themselves bandits, who, by preaching and lecturing, turn the seeker away from the perilous and winding road of truth-seeking. The path of religion is a "path full of شور و شر" (agitation and evil), and not every "effeminate-natured" (mukhannath-gowhar) or "glass-souled" (shīsheh-jān) person can step onto it.

These fears and hardships are themselves "tests of souls" (imtihān-i nufūs); a sieve to distinguish those who are ready for this path from those who are not. Just as a sieve separates bran from grain, difficulties separate brave and prepared souls from cowards. The path of truth is a path "marked by many footprints" (par-nishān-i pāy-hā), a path that has been traversed and has had pioneers. Going alone, separated from the community, greatly increases the likelihood of falling prey to wolves.

Key takeaways

• The 'wolf' (symbolizing evil) preys most effectively on those who isolate themselves from the community of the righteous.
• Separation from good company leaves the seeker vulnerable and can lead to arrogance and self-delusion regarding one's spiritual state.
• Companionship with like-minded individuals provides courage, mutual encouragement, and certainty on the arduous spiritual path.
• The choice of companions is vital; one must avoid the misguided, the heedless, and the cowardly, as they can hinder progress.
• Difficulties and fears on the path of religion act as a sieve, distinguishing courageous and ready souls from the weak-willed.