M6:498 — یار شو تا یار بینی بی‌عدد / زانک بی‌یاران بمانی بی‌مدد

Translation: Become a friend, so you see countless friends; For without companions, you shall remain without aid.

Meaning: The verse exhorts the seeker to align themselves with the Divine Friend and seek companionship in the path, promising boundless aid; otherwise, isolation will lead to helplessness.

This verse, uttered by a bird who seemingly embodies inner wisdom, comes in response to a hunter's complaint of weakness and lack of allies in the struggle against evil and unrest. The hunter argues that without strength, abstinence is better, and one should flee from what is beyond one's capacity. Yet, the bird offers a profounder insight: the problem is not a scarcity of companions, but a lack of 'sincerity of heart' (sidq-i dil). If one is sincere in one's endeavor, true companions will never be wanting.

Mowlana here touches upon a vital point: "Become a friend, so you see countless friends." This 'becoming a friend' (yār shodan) has two dimensions. One is befriending the Truth, meaning forming a covenant of friendship with God and the Absolute Reality, and stepping onto His path. When one becomes a friend of Truth and attains sincerity of heart, then unseen aids and countless companions (or manifestations of divine aid) flock to them. The other dimension is becoming a friend to the companions of the path; that is, joining the assembly of sincere believers and wayfarers. A solitary human, much like a lamb separated from its flock, becomes prey to wolves (Satan, the commanding self, delusions). Mowlana himself says elsewhere: "The wolf usually catches / when a six-month-old lamb goes alone from the flock." This echoes the warning of Imam Ali (AS) in Nahj al-Balaghah: Do not separate from the community, for one who is isolated from the flock of sheep becomes food for wolves.

Thus, this verse is not merely a moral admonition, but an ontological and epistemic principle. If one renders oneself worthy of divine friendship and walks the path of sincerity, then true and countless companions (both human and divine) will appear. The 'countless' nature of these friends signifies the boundlessness of divine succor and assistance, as well as the shared empathy and understanding among those united on the path of truth. This convergence of resolve and mutual support fortifies one on the religious path and frees them from doubt and hesitation. Mowlana explicitly states that "the path is tradition, the community is a friend / without path and without friend, you fall into distress." The path is tradition, and the friend is the community.

However, this 'becoming a friend' is not with just anyone. The bird wisely warns that one must be careful in choosing companions: "Do not deem every misguided one a companion / Do not deem the sleeping heedless ones aware." And particularly, it cautions against associating with 'ashter-dil' (cowardly, literally 'camel-hearted') individuals, for these are themselves brigands of the path, who, by instilling fear, deter the seeker from continuing their journey. This verse is, in essence, an invitation to live within a faithful community, and through that, to receive boundless divine grace.

Key takeaways

• Sincerity of heart (sidq-i dil) is the foundation for receiving all spiritual and true aid; without it, support is withheld.
• Befriend the Divine (Yār Shō) to attract countless allies, both divine assistance and sincere fellow travelers.
• Spiritual solitude renders one vulnerable; true strength lies in community and companionship with the righteous.
• Cowardly and ill-hearted companions are brigands of the path; one must avoid them as they undermine faith.
• Righteous companionship acts as a shield, protecting the seeker from falling prey to 'wolves' (egoic illusions and satanic whispers).