Corporate Wisdom: The Tale of the Four Men and Their Interrupted Prayers

In Rumi's Masnavi, there is a story of four men from India who were performing their prayers together. They agreed to remain silent during the prayer, as speaking would invalidate it. However, as soon as they began, the first man noticed an issue with the mosque’s lamp and couldn’t hold back, saying, “Someone should fix that lamp.” The second man, shocked that the first spoke, said, “Why are you talking? You’ve ruined your prayer!” The third man, eager to scold the other two, said, “You fools, why are you both talking during the prayer?” Finally, the fourth man, feeling superior to the others, smugly said, “Thank God, I didn’t say a word!”

In the end, all four men broke their silence and invalidated their prayers, each distracted by the faults of the others.

The Lesson for Professionals

1. Focusing on Others' Faults While Ignoring Our Own

One of the key takeaways from this story is how easy it is to become absorbed in criticizing others without reflecting on our own actions. Each of the men in the story is so focused on the mistakes of the others that they fail to notice they are making the exact same mistake. This tendency is common in professional settings too—people often point out the shortcomings of colleagues while overlooking similar faults in themselves. Whether it's calling someone out for missing a deadline while we are guilty of the same, or criticizing someone’s performance while neglecting our own, this tale reminds us to reflect inwardly before focusing on others.

2. The Hypocrisy of Not Fixing Ourselves First

Rumi’s parable teaches a valuable lesson about hypocrisy. The fourth man was particularly guilty of this—he believed he was better than the others because he thought he had not spoken. Yet in doing so, he had also invalidated his prayer. In professional life, this hypocrisy manifests when we judge others without first addressing our own flaws. It’s easy to criticize, but harder to take accountability for our own actions. To foster a more constructive and honest workplace, we must be mindful of fixing our own shortcomings before we point fingers at others. This promotes a culture of self-improvement rather than judgment.

3. Shunning Office Politics for Our Own Benefit

Office politics often stem from focusing on what others are doing wrong, and this tale serves as a reminder that engaging in such behavior can ultimately work to our own detriment. Much like how all four men lost their prayer by being distracted by each other, participating in office politics diverts attention from our actual responsibilities. It creates unnecessary divisions, damages relationships, and often comes back to harm us. To be truly successful in a corporate environment, it’s essential to rise above gossip, backstabbing, and the blame game, and instead focus on productive collaboration.

4. Focusing on Duties Instead of Distractions

Lastly, this story illustrates the importance of staying focused on our duties. Each man’s distraction from the task at hand—prayer—resulted in failure. In the workplace, distractions come in many forms, whether it’s minor issues, unnecessary interruptions, or focusing on someone else's mistakes. If something important needs to be addressed, there is always a right moment to bring it up, but we must be careful not to let such matters interfere with our primary responsibilities. Professionals must learn to focus on their own work, prioritize their duties, and wait for the appropriate time to raise concerns. This level of discipline leads to more efficient and effective work.

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