M6:2612 — این خردها چون مصابیح انورست / بیست مصباح از یکی روشن‌ترست

Translation: These intellects are like bright, luminous lamps; Twenty lamps are undoubtedly brighter than one. Meaning: This verse emphasizes the power of collective wisdom and consultation, asserting that the combined insight of many minds yields greater clarity and understanding than a single intellect.

This verse from the Masnavi is an unequivocal and resolute invitation to collective rationality and consultation. Here, Mowlana likens the human intellect to a miṣbāḥ, a radiant lamp. He states that if you place twenty lamps together, their combined illumination will, without doubt, far exceed that of a single lamp. This simile carries a profound meaning: individual intellect, while valuable in its own right, can never equal the power of collective wisdom and the synergy of multiple minds.

This teaching is rooted in the Quranic command “shāwirhum fī al-amr” (consult them in the matter), which enjoined the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to consult with his companions. The point I insist upon is that this command is not merely a moral recommendation; it is an intellectual and epistemological necessity. Even a prophet, who is connected to divine revelation, is commanded to consult, because in our world, the perfection of knowledge depends on exchange and collaboration.

Mowlana, in the subsequent verse (M6:2613), which completes this meaning, says: “Bo ke miṣbāḥī ftad andar miyān / Mushta'il gashte ze nūr-e āsmān” (Perchance a lamp might emerge amongst them / Ignited by the light of the heavens). This implies that among these twenty lamps gathered together, there is hope and a strong probability that one of these intellects might be prophetic, an intellect “ignited by the light of the heavens”—meaning it has attained a divine and extraordinary insight. This individual, not by official rank but by the depth of their experience and divine grace, can show the way forward. Consultation is an opportunity for such pure intellects, blessed by divine favor, to reveal themselves and untangle complex problems.

It is precisely here that Mowlana speaks of “Divine Jealousy” (ghayrat-e ḥaq): “Ghayrat-e ḥaq pardeh'ī angīkhte ast / Suflī o ‘ulwī be ham āmīkhte ast” (Divine Jealousy has drawn a veil; the lower and the higher are mixed together, M6:2614). Our world is a realm of mixtures; the “lower” and “higher” intellects, meaning petty thoughts and lofty insights, are interwoven, making their distinction difficult from outward appearances. Consultation and collaboration are tools to part these veils, allowing those “higher” intellects, imbued with “light from the heavens,” to emerge from the multitude of “lower” minds. Thus, consultation is not merely for utilizing existing knowledge but for “discovering” hidden potentials and “finding” that “heavenly lamp” that might be among us, unknown to us. This is why journeying and “traveling through the world” is recommended, not just for seeing lands, but for “seeking” and “testing one’s fortune” in finding such wise and insightful individuals.

Key takeaways

• Collective wisdom possesses an exponentially brighter light than individual intellect; "Twenty lamps are brighter than one."
• Mowlana likens human intellects to luminous lamps, whose combined light amplifies understanding.
• Consultation is a Quranic and rational imperative, extending even to prophets connected to divine revelation.
• Through consultation, there is a possibility for a "prophetic intellect" or divine insight to emerge among the collective minds.
• The world is a mixture of "higher" and "lower" intellects, and consultation serves as a means to uncover pure wisdom.
• Seeking out wise and insightful individuals through travel and exploration aligns with the spirit of this verse.