In Book Four, Section 48 of the Masnavi, Rumi introduces a key epistemological and ethical principle: the necessity of consulting another intellect (aql). He explains that no matter how capable an individual's intellect is, they must partner and seek counsel with another. By uniting two intellects, a person gains the collective foresight and wisdom required to escape worldly and spiritual pitfalls, enabling them to elevate their consciousness and rise above calamities. This collaborative reasoning serves as the ultimate safeguard against deceptive forces that rely on single-minded delusion or superficial imitation.

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ورچه عقلت هست با عقل دگر 
یار باش و مشورت کن ای پدر
با دو عقل از بس بلاها وا رهی 
پای خود بر اوج گردونها نهی
دیو گر خود را سلیمان نام کرد 
ملک برد و مملکت را رام کرد
صورت کار سلیمان دیده بود 
صورت اندر سر دیوی می‌نمود
خلق گفتند این سلیمان بی‌صفاست 
از سلیمان تا سلیمان فرقهاست
او چو بیداریست این هم‌چون وسن 
هم‌چنانک آن حسن با این حسن
دیو می‌گفتی که حق بر شکل من 
صورتی کردست خوش بر اهرمن
دیو را حق صورت من داده است 
تا نیندازد شما را او بشست
گر پدید آید به دعوی زینهار 
صورت او را مدارید اعتبار
دیوشان از مکر این می‌گفت لیک 
می‌نمود این عکس در دلهای نیک
نیست بازی با ممیز خاصه او 
که بود تمییز و عقلش غیب‌گو
هیچ سحر و هیچ تلبیس و دغل 
می‌نبندد پرده بر اهل دول
پس همی گفتند با خود در جواب 
بازگونه می‌روی ای کژ خطاب
بازگونه رفت خواهی همچنین 
سوی دوزخ اسفل اندر سافلین
او اگر معزول گشتست و فقیر 
هست در پیشانیش بدر منیر
تو اگر انگشتری را برده‌ای 
دوزخی چون زمهریر افسرده‌ای
ما ببوش و عارض و طاق و طرنب 
سر کجا که خود همی ننهیم سنب
ور به غفلت ما نهیم او را جبین 
پنجهٔ مانع برآید از زمین
که منه آن سر مرین سر زیر را 
هین مکن سجده مرین ادبار را
کردمی من شرح این بس جان‌فزا 
گر نبودی غیرت و رشک خدا
هم قناعت کن تو بپذیر این قدر 
تا بگویم شرح این وقتی دگر
نام خود کرده سلیمان نبی 
روی‌پوشی می‌کند بر هر صبی
در گذر از صورت و از نام خیز 
از لقب وز نام در معنی گریز
پس بپرس از حد او وز فعل او 
در میان حد و فعل او را بجو

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## English translation
Even though you have intellect, with another's intellect
be a companion and take counsel, O father.

With two intellects you are freed from so many calamities;
you set your foot upon the heights of the celestial spheres.

If the demon named himself Solomon,
he seized the kingdom and tamed the realm.

He had seen the outward form of Solomon's deeds;
that form he was displaying in his demonic mind.

The people said: "This Solomon is without purity —
from Solomon to Solomon there are vast differences."

The former is like wakefulness, this one like slumber,
just as that Ḥasan compared to this ḥasan.

The demon would say: "God, upon the form of Ahriman,
has fashioned a fair image in my likeness.

God has given my form to the demon
so that he may not cast you down by his trickery.

If he appears making claims, beware —
do not give credence to his appearance."

The demon was saying this to them out of cunning,
yet this reflection showed in the good-hearted.

There is no trifling with the discerning one, especially him
whose discernment and intellect speak of the unseen.

No sorcery, no deception, no fraud
can draw a veil over the people of fortune.

So they were saying to themselves in reply:
"You go backwards, O you of crooked address!

You will go backwards in this way
toward the lowest hell, among the lowest of the low.

Even if he has been deposed and made poor,
on his forehead shines a radiant full moon.

If you have stolen the ring,
you are a hell frozen like bitter cold.

As for us — by show and cheek and arch and fanfare —
where would we bow a head that we ourselves would not place our hoof?

And if in heedlessness we were to press our forehead to him,
the restraining hand would rise up from the earth,

saying: 'Do not place that head before this low head;
beware, do not prostrate before this ill-fated one.'"

I would have expounded this most soul-nourishing matter
were it not for God's jealousy and divine possessiveness.

Be content — accept this much for now;
I will tell the explanation another time.

Having named himself Solomon the Prophet,
he draws a veil over every young one.

Pass beyond the outward form and rise above the name;
flee from title and name into meaning.

Then ask about his qualities and his deeds;
seek him in the midst of qualities and deeds.

دفتر چهارم - بخش ۴۸ - نشستن دیو بر مقام سلیمان علیه‌السلام و تشبه کردن او به کارهای سلیمان علیه‌السلام و فرق ظاهر میان هر دو سلیمان و دیو خویشتن را سلیمان بن داود نام کردن / Book Four - Section 48 - The Demon Sitting in the Place of Solomon, Peace Be Upon Him, and His Imitating the Actions of Solomon, Peace Be Upon Him, and the Outward Difference Between Both Solomons, and the Demon Calling Himself Solomon the Son of David

In Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, within the fable of the lion and the beasts, the prey animals urge the hare to disclose his secret plan to defeat the lion. Acknowledging the hare's cunning, the beasts emphasize the practical and spiritual necessity of consultation (*mashwarat*). They assert that seeking counsel sharpens perception and alertness, as "intellects give aid to intellect." To underscore their point, the animals quote the advice of the Prophet Muhammad: "Consult, O one who deliberates, for the one consulted is entrusted." Through this passage, Rumi articulates the Islamic principle of mutual consultation, suggesting that true wisdom is collaborative. Even in matters of survival, individuals are encouraged to pool their intellectual resources rather than relying exclusively on their isolated understanding.

The Importance of Consultation (Mashwarat) in the Masnavi

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Ganjoor

In Book 4 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the poet explores the crucial distinction between outward appearance and inner spiritual reality through the allegory of a demon who usurps Prophet Solomon's throne. By stealing Solomon's ring, the demon assumes control of the kingdom and mimics the prophet's outward actions. However, Rumi emphasizes that despite this flawless physical imitation, the demon lacks Solomon's pure inner essence. Discerning observers—those endowed with spiritual intellect and insight—immediately recognize the imposter, noting that there are vast differences between the true Solomon and the false one. The demon attempts to deceive the people with cunning arguments, but true spiritual sight cannot be blinded by sorcery or superficial claims. Through this narrative, Rumi warns seekers to pass beyond mere titles and outward forms, highlighting that authentic spiritual authority is rooted in divine purity rather than external symbols of worldly power.

The Metaphor of the Demon Impersonating Solomon in the Masnavi

The Concept of Consulting Another Intellect to Avoid Calamities in the Masnavi

In Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, responding to the other beasts' demand for open consultation (*mashwarat*), the hare refuses to reveal his plan to defeat the lion, emphasizing the critical importance of concealing secrets. The hare articulates a profound warning against careless disclosure, advising that one should speak very little regarding three personal matters: one's departure (journey), one's wealth (gold), and one's religious doctrine (beliefs). He warns that a secret shared beyond two people inevitably becomes public knowledge, comparing shared secrets to birds bound together that are rendered unable to fly. However, the hare does not reject consultation entirely. Instead, he cites the example of the Prophet Muhammad, who practiced veiled consultation by presenting his inquiries as allegories or hypothetical examples. This method allowed the Prophet to gather necessary counsel without exposing his true intentions to his enemies. Through the hare's speech, Rumi balances the Islamic emphasis on mutual consultation with the practical and spiritual necessity of discretion, demonstrating how wisdom can be sought without compromising vulnerable truths.

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