M6:2371 — زیرکی ضد شکستست و نیاز / زیرکی بگذار و با گولی‌بساز

Translation: Cleverness is the antithesis of brokenness and need; / Abandon cleverness and embrace holy foolishness. Meaning: This verse urges us to forsake worldly cunning and intelligence focused on material gain, and instead adopt spiritual simplicity and purity of heart, as worldly cleverness impedes surrender and the attainment of truth.

In this crucial couplet, Rumi, through Dr. Soroush's interpretation, addresses the fundamental opposition between zīrakī (cleverness) and gūlī (holy foolishness). Zīrakī here does not denote mere intellectual acumen, but rather a calculating, cunning intelligence, primarily oriented towards self-interest, ambition, and worldly acquisition. Rumi terms it the "trap of gain, greed, and property (kāz)"—a snare laid for superficial victories, avarice, and the accumulation of possessions. Such worldly cleverness stands in profound opposition to shekast (brokenness) and niyāz (need/humility). Shekast refers to the humility of the self, a yielding and surrender of the heart to truth, while niyāz signifies existential poverty and a sense of absolute dependence on the Eternal Beloved. Worldly cleverness, being inherently proud, prevents us from acknowledging our own need and vulnerability, as it constantly strives for formal perfections and control over the material world.

Rumi then advises us: "Abandon cleverness and embrace holy foolishness (gūlī)." This gūlī is by no means to be mistaken for literal stupidity or irrationality. Rather, it is the "blessed foolishness" that fills the heart with sincerity and the soul with purity. This simplicity is a form of profound purity and existential intimacy that frees the seeker from egoistic attachments, pride, and the calculations of worldly reason. It is akin to stripping oneself of "superfluous knowledge and idle questions (faḍl o fuḍūl)" so that divine mercy may continuously descend.

Rumi draws a clarifying distinction between the zīrakān (the clever ones) and the ablahān (the simple-hearted, here referring to sincere mystics). The zīrakān are "content with creation (ṣanʿ)"; that is, worldly intelligences become engrossed in the artifacts and phenomena of the world. They become absorbed in analyzing and exploring the details of creation, failing to transcend from the "creation (ṣanʿ)" to the "Creator (ṣāniʿ)." Rumi's analogy is illustrative: it's like someone, instead of contemplating the engineer of a complex machine, becomes preoccupied solely with the intricate workings of the machine itself, oblivious to the fundamental question of its maker. Or, like someone who, meeting a matchmaker sent to introduce a beloved, becomes so absorbed with the matchmaker that they forget the true purpose of the encounter.

Conversely, the ablahān (the simple-hearted) "pass from creation to the Creator." These are Rumi's sincere and unpretentious mystics, who cast aside veils and intermediaries, moving directly towards the ultimate goal. As Rumi puts it elsewhere, "We do not reach the fire through smoke; we went and sat in the midst of the fire." This is a profound invitation to set aside instrumental reason and turn towards the seeing heart and mystical simplicity, which paves the way to truth and guides the individual to direct, unmediated presence before the Creator.

Key takeaways

• Worldly cleverness hinders the attainment of humility and heartfelt spiritual need.
• Renouncing cunning and shrewdness is the gateway to mystical simplicity and purity of heart.
• "Holy foolishness" (gūlī) signifies sincerity and unpretentiousness in seeking truth, not a lack of intellect.
• The clever get stuck in creations and intermediaries, while the simple-hearted reach the Creator directly.
• Letting go of intellectual pretense and superfluous inquiries opens the path for divine grace.