M6:1351 — سرنگون افتادگان را زین منار / می‌نگر تو صد هزار اندر هزار

Translation: Behold the hundreds of thousands, indeed thousands upon thousands, who have fallen headfirst from beneath this minaret. Meaning: The verse warns against focusing on rare instances of miraculous survival, urging instead to observe the vast multitude who have perished on perilous paths.

I have always emphasized that the Mathnawi, beyond its outward appearance, is a book for life, for awakening, and for moving along the straight path. This specific verse is a warning, a decisive and frank admonition. Here, Rumi calls us to reflect on the consequences of undue bravado and blind imitation. He speaks of those who, by virtue of extraordinary fortune or luck, have escaped peril; those who perhaps fell from a tall minaret, and the wind caught their garment, saving them. These are the "saʿīd" (lucky ones), the fortunate. But Rumi immediately cautions: "Since good fortune is not your lot / Why do you cast yourself to ruin?" (M6:1350). In other words, since you lack that good luck, why would you put yourself in harm's way? What we see in this verse is the unveiling of a grim reality: "Behold the hundreds of thousands, indeed thousands upon thousands, who have fallen headfirst from beneath this minaret." These "hundreds of thousands, indeed thousands upon thousands" refer to the countless multitude who, in the mistaken belief of imitating that one lucky person, have cast themselves into perdition. These are the ones who have recklessly embarked on dangerous paths without possessing the necessary skill or divine support. This is an extremely important counsel in spiritual journeying, and even in daily life. I have said before that some believe courage means fearlessly throwing oneself into danger, whereas often, undue recklessness is pure folly. Rumi states: "You certainly do not know rope-walking / Give thanks for your feet and walk on the ground" (M6:1352). If you do not know how to walk the tightrope, if you have not tasted this dance on the precipice and lack skill in it, then be grateful that you have sound feet and walk firmly on the ground. This humility and self-awareness are the first conditions for safety on any path. Throughout history, many, in the name of mysticism and spiritual seeking, have undertaken actions that not only did not bring them closer to the Truth but led them to error and destruction. This verse is precisely against that kind of baseless "courage" which, under the illusion of flight, casts an individual from heights. Mysticism, in its true sense, is neither blind recklessness nor cowardly fear; rather, it is the discernment of perilous paths from safe ones, and the knowledge of one's own limitations. This guide directs us to sit upon the island of the Mathnawi amidst the tumultuous sea of knowledge, to learn the language of the ocean, rather than recklessly surrendering ourselves to its depths.

Key takeaways

• Do not focus on rare exceptions; learn from the multitude who have failed.
• Undue bravado in spiritual seeking or life is often sheer folly.
• Self-knowledge and discerning one's limits are primary conditions for safety on any path.
• Blind imitation of the fortunate is a sure path to perdition.
• Gratitude for existing blessings (like sound feet) takes precedence over unfounded daring.