Rumi Biography and Message

A selection of passages from Rumi’s works explains his core philosophy in his own words

Written by an expert on both languages spoken by Rumi, Turkish and Persian, this is an authoritative but accessible introduction to this important 13th-century historian and mystic poet. Concentrating on the social and cultural environment in which Rumi lived and produced his influential works, the book describes the war-torn lives of the people in Asia Minor at the time and makes the point that few figures in history have made an appeal for peace so enlightened that it traveled down the centuries.

Table of Content

CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
CHAPTER 1
A Life of Love and Wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
The Main Sources about Rumi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
His Early Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
After Meeting Shams of Tabriz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
The Mevlevi Order and the Sama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
CHAPTER 2
His Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
The Masnawi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Divani Kabir and others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Praises for Rumi and the Masnawi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
CHAPTER 3
Understanding Rumi in Parables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133