In Book Two of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the narrative of the Bedouin and the philosopher illustrates Rumi's critique of purely worldly, rational intellect. A philosopher gives a Bedouin perfectly logical advice on how to balance his camel's load by replacing useless sand with half of his wheat. The Bedouin is initially amazed by this brilliant deduction. However, upon discovering that the philosopher is impoverished, barefoot, and hungry despite his vast intelligence, the Bedouin rejects the advice entirely, preferring his 'ignorance' over an intellect that yields no practical or spiritual sustenance. Through this allegory, Rumi argues that sterile rationalism and philosophy, when devoid of divine guidance or practical fruit, are ultimately worthless and inferior to simple, grounded faith.

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## Original content
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یک عرابی بار کرده اشتری 
دو جوال زفت از دانه پری
او نشسته بر سر هر دو جوال 
یک حدیث‌انداز کرد او را سال
از وطن پرسید و آوردش بگفت 
واندر آن پرسش بسی درها بسفت
بعد از آن گفتش که این هر دو جوال 
چیست آکنده بگو مصدوق حال
گفت اندر یک جوالم گندمست 
در دگر ریگی نه قوت مردمست
گفت تو چون بار کردی این رمال 
گفت تا تنها نماند آن جوال
گفت نیم گندم آن تنگ را 
در دگر ریز از پی فرهنگ را
تا سبک گردد جوال و هم شتر 
گفت شاباش ای حکیم اهل و حر
این چنین فکر دقیق و رای خوب 
تو چنین عریان پیاده در لغوب
رحمش آمد بر حکیم و عزم کرد 
کش بر اشتر بر نشاند نیک‌مرد
باز گفتش ای حکیم خوش‌سخن 
شمه‌ای از حال خود هم شرح کن
این چنین عقل و کفایت که تراست 
تو وزیری یا شهی بر گوی راست
گفت این هر دو نیم از عامه‌ام 
بنگر اندر حال و اندر جامه‌ام
گفت اشتر چند داری چند گاو 
گفت نه این و نه آن ما را مکاو
گفت رختت چیست باری در دکان 
گفت ما را کودکان و کو مکان
گفت پس از نقد پرسم نقد چند 
که توی تنهارو و محبوب‌پند
کیمیای مس عالم با توست 
عقل و دانش را گوهر تو بر توست
گفت والله نیست یا وجه العرب 
در همه ملکم وجوه قوت شب
پا برهنه تن برهنه می‌دوم 
هر که نانی می‌دهد آنجا روم
مر مرا زین حکمت و فضل و هنر 
نیست حاصل جز خیال و درد سر
پس عرب گفتش که رو دور از برم 
تا نبارد شومی تو بر سرم
دور بر آن حکمت شومت ز من 
نطق تو شومست بر اهل زمن
یا تو آن سو رو من این سو می‌دوم 
ور ترا ره پیش من وا پس روم
یک جوالم گندم و دیگر ز ریگ 
به بود زین حیله‌های مردریگ
احمقی‌ام پس مبارک احمقیست 
که دلم با برگ و جانم متقیست
گر تو خواهی کت شقاوت کم شود 
جهد کن تا از تو حکمت کم شود
حکمتی کز طبع زاید وز خیال 
حکمتی نی فیض نور ذوالجلال
حکمت دنیا فزاید ظن و شک 
حکمت دینی برد فوق فلک
زوبعان زیرک آخر زمان 
بر فزوده خویش بر پیشینیان
حیله‌آموزان جگرها سوخته 
فعلها و مکرها آموخته
صبر و ایثار و سخای نفس و جود 
باد داده کان بود اکسیر سود
فکر آن باشد که بگشاید رهی 
راه آن باشد که پیش آید شهی
شاه آن باشد که پیش شه رود 
نه بمخزنها و لشکر شه شود
تا بماند شاهی او سرمدی 
همچو عز ملک دین احمدی

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## English translation
A Bedouin had loaded a camel with two heavy sacks full of grain. He sat upon the two sacks, and a tale-telling questioner asked him a question. He asked about his homeland, and the Bedouin told him; in that questioning he strung many pearls of speech. After that he said to him, “Tell me truthfully what these two sacks are filled with.” He said, “In one sack I have wheat; in the other, sand, which is not food for people.” He said, “Why did you load this sand?” He said, “So that the one sack would not be left alone.” He said, “Pour half the wheat from that full sack into the other, for the sake of good sense, so that the sacks and the camel may become lighter.” The Bedouin said, “Bravo, O wise, capable, free man. With such subtle thought and good judgment, why are you so naked, on foot, and exhausted?” He took pity on the wise man and, being a good man, resolved to seat him on the camel. Then he said, “O sweet-spoken wise man, explain a little of your own condition too. With such intellect and competence as you have, are you a minister or a king? Tell the truth.” He said, “I am neither; I am one of the common people. Look at my condition and my clothes.” He said, “How many camels do you have, how many cows?” He said, “Neither this nor that; do not investigate me.” He said, “At least what goods do you have in a shop?” He said, “What children have we, and where is a dwelling?” He said, “Then I ask about cash: how much money do you have, you solitary traveler and beloved counselor? The alchemy for the world’s copper is with you; the substance of intellect and knowledge is yours.” He said, “By God, O face/chief of the Arabs, in all my dominion I do not have the means for one night’s food. I run barefoot and bare-bodied; wherever someone gives bread, there I go. From this wisdom, excellence, and skill I have gained nothing but fantasy and headache.” Then the Arab said to him, “Go far away from me, so that your ill omen may not rain down on my head. Keep your ill-omened wisdom far from me; your speech is ill-omened for the people of my time. Either you go that way and I will run this way, or if your road lies ahead of me, I will go back. One sack of mine is wheat and the other sand: that is better than the tricks of a worthless sand-man. My foolishness, then, is blessed foolishness, for my heart has provision and my soul is pious. If you want your wretchedness to lessen, strive until the wisdom in you lessens: wisdom that is born from nature and imagination, not wisdom that is the outpouring of the light of the Lord of Majesty. Worldly wisdom increases conjecture and doubt; religious wisdom carries one above the sphere of heaven. The clever whirlwinds of the latter age have increased themselves beyond the ancients: teachers of cunning with burnt livers, who have learned actions and deceptions, and have cast patience, self-sacrifice, generosity of soul, and giving to the wind, though those are the elixir of profit. Thought is that which opens a road; the road is that on which a king comes forward. A king is one who goes before the King; he does not become king by treasuries and armies, so that his kingship may remain eternal, like the glory of the kingdom of Ahmad’s religion.”

دفتر دوم - بخش ۹۲ - قصهٔ اعرابی و ریگ در جوال کردن و ملامت کردن آن فیلسوف او را / Book Two - Section 92 - The Tale of the Bedouin and Putting Sand in the Sack, and That Philosopher Blaming Him

In the *Masnavi*, Jalaluddin Rumi draws a crucial distinction between innate intellect ($$aql-e\ matbu'$$ or $$aql-e\ fitri$$) and acquired intellect ($$aql-e\ kasbi$$ or $$aql-e\ masmu'$$). Innate intellect is a divine gift inherent in human nature (*fitra*), allowing even a young child to grasp profound spiritual truths that bypass an experienced elder. In contrast, acquired intellect is accumulated through worldly learning, education, and trial and error. Rumi asserts that innate, God-given intellect is vastly superior to acquired intellect, which he compares to a limping horse requiring constant effort, whereas innate intellect is a flowing fountain springing directly from the soul.

The Distinction Between Innate and Acquired Intellect in the Masnavi

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The Critique of Worldly Intellect in the Tale of the Bedouin and the Philosopher

In Book 3 of the Masnavi, Jalaluddin Rumi addresses the theological and philosophical debate surrounding human intellect. He explicitly refutes the Mu'tazilite doctrine, which argues that all human beings are born with an equal intellectual capacity and that any differences in intellect arise purely from education and the acquisition of knowledge. Conversely, Rumi asserts that individuals are endowed with inherently different intellectual capacities within their innate nature (fitra), creating fundamental differences in comprehension and spiritual vulnerability that cannot be entirely overcome by worldly learning alone.

Rumi's Refutation of the Mu'tazila View on Human Intellect

In Book Two of the Masnavi, Rumi recounts the story of a logician and philosopher who overhears a Quran reciter chanting the verse, 'If your water should become sunken, who could bring you flowing water?' The philosopher arrogantly claims that he could extract the water himself using a pickaxe and an axe, relying purely on human intellect and physical tools rather than acknowledging divine grace. That night, he dreams of a powerful spiritual figure (a 'lion-man') who strikes him blind, challenging him to use his pickaxe to restore the light to his eyes if his tools are truly sufficient. The philosopher wakes up physically blind, realizing the absolute futility of human intellect and materialism when divorced from divine power. This tale serves as an allegory for the limitations of worldly philosophy and logic, emphasizing the necessity of recognizing God as the true source of all light, life, and understanding.

The Folly of the Arrogant Philosopher (Masnavi)

In Book Four of the *Masnavi*, Rumi explores the concept of true maturity through the Prophet's justification for appointing a young Hudhayli man as a military commander over older, more experienced veterans. Rumi argues that true seniority and leadership capability are derived from spiritual intellect (عقل) and inner purity rather than chronological age or physical signs like white hair. He famously declares that 'an elder is an elder in intellect, O son, not by the whiteness of hair in beard and head.' This highlights the Sufi perspective that a spiritually enlightened youth, free from ego and worldly delusions, is vastly superior to an old man who remains spiritually immature or hardened.

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