In Book Six of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, a brief parable illustrates the profound distinction between superficial worldly recognition and true spiritual self-awareness. When a superficial critic mocks a dervish by pointing out that no one in the town knows him, the dervish remains completely unfazed. He responds that while the common people may be ignorant of his identity, he is fully aware of his own true self and spiritual worth. The dervish notes that the real tragedy would be the reverse: if the world recognized him, but he remained blind to his own soul. Through this encounter, Rumi emphasizes that inward certainty and self-knowledge are vastly superior to outward fame and the validation of society.