Rumi: A Star from the Sky of Mysticism and Wisdom
In a world that is increasingly inclined towards the complexities and bustle of modern life, the voice of an ancient philosopher and mystic still rings loud in our ears. Rumi Jalaluddin Muhammad Balkhi, or simply Rumi, is the name of one of the greatest mystics and poets in the history of humanity, who, with his poetry and thought, crossed the boundaries of time and space and continues to search for meaning and truth in the hearts of humans.
Rumi’s Life and Intellectual Developments
Murani was born in the city of Balkh in 604 AH (equivalent to 1207 AD). He was the son of **Bahauddin Vold**, a famous scholar and ascetic, and was influenced by his father’s scientific and spiritual upbringing from childhood. After the family moved to **Konya** (a city in present-day Turkey), Rumi grew up in a rich religious and cultural environment and gradually became one of the most prominent scholars of his time.
But Rumi’s life was not limited to science and teaching. His acquaintance with **Salh al-Din Zardasht**, his teacher and spiritual guide, and then his encounter with Shams Tabrizi, a unique mystic and Sufi, completely changed his life and thought. Shams Tabrizi, despite his short stature, played a profound role in transforming Rumi into a mystic and poet. After Shams’s departure, Rumi turned to the world of poetry and mysticism and wrote poems that are recognized as the most important literary and spiritual works in history.
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Rumani’s Works: A Semantic and Mystical Manifestation
Rumani’s works include two main parts: **”Matnavi”** and **”Diwan of Shams Tabrizi”**.
1. Matnavi*
Matnavi, known as the “Persian Quran”, is a book of poetry that explores philosophical, mystical, and social topics using stories, examples, and similes. This work, in simple and beautiful language, seeks to answer deep human questions and seeks to find ways to reach truth and divine love.
2. Divan of Shams Tabrizi:
Divan of Shams is a collection of romantic and spiritual ghazals that encompass love, separation, becoming one with truth, and transcending universal limitations. With poems that continue to resonate and bring peace to human hearts, this divan has become one of the greatest sources of inspiration for poets and philosophers in the world.
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Philosophy and Mysticism of Rumi
Murti’s philosophy seeks to combine the two dimensions of love and reason. He believed that love is the key to reaching truth and that man must overcome all his inherent limitations in order to reach oneness with God. Rumi describes love as the force that moves everything:
> **”From love, the heart turns to pleasure and lamentation,
> From love, the heart turns to one and two.”**
He seeks to create a balance between love and reason and believes that man should use both divine love and knowledge and intelligence to reach a deeper understanding of life.
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Rumani’s influence on the world
Rumani has had a profound impact on world literature and philosophy. His poems have been translated into different languages and have reached millions of hearts around the world. This impact shows that the hearts and spiritual searches of humans are the same in all times and places.
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Rumani’s translated books
1. Rumi’s Matnavi
– Translated by Dr. Mehdi Bakhshande
– Published by Amir Kabir
– This translation is one of the most famous Matnavi translations in Persian due to its accuracy and clarity.
2. Divan Shams Tabrizi
– Translated by: Colin Wilson
– Published by: Penguin Classics
– This English translation is written in simple and beautiful language with an in-depth look at Rumi’s poems.
3. Poems of Rumi
– Translated by: Nikola D. Baba
– Published by: Threshold Books
– This translation contains a selection of Rumi’s ghazals beautifully presented in English.
4. Mathnavi Rumi
– Translated by: Reza Ibtihaj
– Published by: Ferdows
– This translation is written in Persian with a literary and spiritual perspective.
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References
1. **Matnavi Rumi** – Translated by Dr. Mehdi Bakhshandeh
2. **Divan Shams Tabrizi** – Translated by Colin Wilson
3. **Poems of Rumi** – Translated by Nikola D. Baba
4. **Reference Books on Rumi** – Written by Dr. Mahmoud Keshavarz
Murani, with his poetry and thought, reminds us that life is more than appearance and materiality, and that deep within every human being, there is a search for meaning that must be found. This search is made possible by following the path of love and truth.
