M6:4113 — هر ضریری کز مسیحی سر کشد / او جهودانه بماند از رشد

Translation: Any blind person who turns away from a Christ-like guide, Will, like a Jew, remain deprived of growth.

Meaning: This verse underscores the critical importance of accepting spiritual guidance. It warns that anyone who rejects a Christ-like master or healer will remain spiritually blind and incapable of inner growth, much like the Jews who rejected Jesus's miraculous healing.

I say with certainty that Rumi, in this verse and indeed in a sequence of surrounding verses, insists on the absolute necessity of following a spiritual guide. In this journey, humanity is 'blind,' lacking inner sight, and the path cannot be traversed without the 'permission and guidance of a Pīr.' Here, Rumi offers a potent example from the story of Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Jews, who in his era symbolized the rejection of truth and the turning away from spiritual vision.

"Any blind person who turns away from a Christ-like guide" The term ḍarīr signifies a blind person, one lacking sight. Rumi, however, does not confine this blindness to physical eyes; rather, he refers to the inner sight and spiritual discernment. The Masīḥī (Christ-like figure) serves as a metaphor for the perfect Pīr or master, one endowed with miraculous and healing powers, just as Jesus healed the congenitally blind. This Masīḥī is a manifestation of divine power, capable of lifting the veil from our souls' eyes and leading us to dhow (sight, illumination).

The crucial point lies in "turning away" (sar kašad), which means rejecting, pulling back, or refusing guidance. The term jahūdāne (like a Jew) is a historical and cultural reference to the Jews who, despite witnessing Jesus's miracles, refused to accept him and his message. Rumi argues that this defiance not only prevented them from perceiving outward truths but also deprived them of spiritual growth and elevation. Just as the Jews called Jesus an 'imposter' and ultimately crucified him, thereby remaining spiritually stunted, so too will a seeker who defies their guide suffer the same fate. The potential for sight was present ("qābil-i dhow būd" – capable of sight), but due to this rejection, the individual remained in blindness and obscurity.

Rumi elaborates that Jesus would tell them: "Come, put your hands on me, O blind one; I possess a precious kohl." (Arm az man ar kūrī biyābī rawšanī – Seek from me, if blind, you shall find light). This kohl is the kohl of miracle and insight, capable of opening the eyes of the soul, just as Joseph's shirt restored Jacob's sight and smell. Thus, the spiritual guide possesses this healing power; however, the prerequisite for benefiting from it is taslīm (surrender), not obstinacy or defiance.

In essence, this verse conveys a vital mystical principle: refusing the helping hand of a perfect guide, whose touch brings healing and miracle, equates to remaining in the veil of ignorance and being deprived of the blessing of divine growth and insight. Rumi reiterates this point elsewhere: "A blind man with a guide is better than solitary certainty / For the latter is a hundredfold more shameful than the former." Self-reliance and dependence on personal certainties, which are often mere illusions, are, in Rumi's view, a hundred times more ignominious than surrendering to a wise master of the path.

Key takeaways

• The absolute necessity for a seeker to accept a spiritual guide.
• Disregarding divine guidance leads to spiritual blindness and stunted growth.
• The metaphor of Christ (the healer) and the Jews (the rejecters) illustrates the importance of acceptance and surrender.
• The potential for 'sight' and 'growth' always exists, but it is contingent upon surrendering to guidance.
• Darīr refers to inner blindness, and roshd (growth) signifies spiritual insight.