Jalal al-Din Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn
Husain al-Rumi was born in 604 A.H. (1207/8 A.D.) at Balkh (now
Afghanistan). His father Baha al-Din was a renowned religious
scholar. Under his patronage, Rumi received his early education
from Syed Burhan-al-Din. When his age was about 18 years, the
family (after several migrations) finally settled at Konya and at the
age of 25, Rumi was sent to Aleppo for advanced education and later
to Damascus. Rumi continued with his education till he was 40
years old, although on his father's death Rumi succeeded him as a
professor in the famous Madrasah at Konya at the age of about
24 years. He received his mystical training first at the hands of
Syed Burhan al-Din and later he was trained by Shams al-Din Tabriz.
He became famous for his mystical insight, his religious knowledge
and as a Persian poet. He used to teach a large number of pupils
at his Madrasah and also founded the famous Maulvi Order in
Tasawwuf. He died in 672 A.H. (1273 A.D.) at Konya, which
subsequently became a sacred place for dancing derveshes of the
Maulvi Order.
A Commemorative Turkish Bank Note. Image courtesy of
Bruno's Paper Money Collection
His major contribution lies in Islamic philosophy and
Tasawwuf. This was embodied largely in poetry, especially through
his famous Mathnawi. This book, the largest mystical exposition in
verse, discusses and offers solutions to many complicated problems
in metaphysics, religion, ethics, mysticism, etc. Fundamentally,
the Mathnawi highlights the various hidden aspects of Sufism and
their relationship with the worldly life. For this, Rumi draws on a
variety of subjects and derives numerous examples from everyday life. His main subject is the relationship between man and God
on the one hand, and between man and man, on the other. He
apparently believed in Pantheism and portrayed the various stages of man's evolution in his journey towards the Ultimate.
Apart from the Mathnaui, he also wrote his Diwan (collection
of poems) and Fihi-Ma-Fih (a collection of mystical sayings). However, it is the Mathnawi itself that has largely transmitted Rumi's
message. Soon after its completion, other scholars started writing
detailed commentaries on it, in order to interpret its rich propositions
on Tasawwuf, Metaphysics and Ethics. Several commentaries in
different languages have been written since then.
His impact on philosophy, literature, mysticism and culture,
has been so deep throughout Central Asia and most Islamic countries
that almost all religious scholars, mystics, philosophers, sociologists
and others have referred to his verses during all these centuries since
his death. Most difficult problems in these areas seem to get simplified in the light of his references. His message seems to have inspired
most of the intellectuals in Central Asia and adjoining areas since
his time, and scholars like Iqbal have further developed Rumi's
concepts. The Mathnawi became known as the interpretation of the
Qur'an in the Pahlavi language. He is one of the few intellectuals and
mystics whose views have so profoundly affected the world-view
in its higher perspective in large parts of the Islamic World.
This page last updated 10/11/2009 12:39 p.m.
