Life Story of Rumi | The Mystic Sufi writer biography
First Name: Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Born On: September 30, 1207
Born In: Balkh, Afghanistan, now
Died On: December 17, 1273, Konya, Turkey, now
As Commonly Known As: Mawlana, Our Master, Mevlana (Turkish name), Rumi (Roman name from the area of the Empire of Rum)
Acknowledgment: A Sufi mystic, renowned Persian poet, and Islamic scholar-theologian
Early Life History:
He was born at Balkh within the Persian Empire that occurred in Khorasan region. His father, Baha al-Din Walad, was a renowned theologian and mystic who greatly influenced the intellectual and spiritual life of Rumi. Because of political instability and Mongol invasions, Rumi's family had to migrate from Balkh when he was still a child and roamed all over the Middle East, city to city, till they reached Nishapur where he met the great poet Attar, who prophesied that one day Rumi would be the greatest.
He came to settle under the care of the Seljuk Sultanate in Konya, Turkey. The early education of the young man was in Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and literature with his father, then with Burhan al-Din.
But thence forward, his life took a rather drastic turn and absoluteness because from 1244, Rumi met this dervish Shams al-Din Tabrizi-a nomadic spiritualist-from such deep involvement in the divine contact, produced in Rumi drastic metamorphosis from very strong absorption, where he turned the well-conditioned religious scholastic person, to frenetic pursuits within divinity itself into love with that and ultimate illumination, or light, whereby upon the complete disappearance of mystic Shams left Rumi dejected due to such loss.
It is to this loss that Rumi attributes his poetic outpouring. His love for Shams could be seen in the light of the soul that yearns for union with God and then his verses traversed the gulf of all cultures and creeds to resonate with the most universal themes- love, loss, and communion.
Literary Contributions:
His poetical work, mainly preserved, forms two gigantic ones:
1. Masnavi-ye Ma'nawi, which can easily be quoted by the layman as the "Persian Quran"; this is the six-volume poetry on the love theme, morality, and divine.
2. Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi; these are his ghazals written in honor of his master Shams.
The poetry of Rumi is full of metaphorical expressions with a very rich imagery. His work was able to overcome religious and cultural boundaries because his main emphasis has been on the path of love to enlightenment.
Legacy:
Rumi is a poet whose teachings and writings inspire and guide people by generations. Originally Persian, yet his works still sought translations of many languages making him one among the most read poems in the world. Philosophies of love and tolerance with that of interdependence of human existence made him create a place above all others in two worlds, at least - world of literature and also of spirituality guides.
He was followed by his group of followers and they later established the Mevlevi Order, or Whirling Dervishes, to propagate his teachings. Death Anniversary: Thousands of devotees visit Konya every year to pay respects to his life and work at Seb-i Arus, an annual event held annually on his death anniversary-the Night of Union.
It is through the infinite wisdom of Rumi that the world remembers the transforming powers of love. He encourages his people toward harmony within and with the divine. His words, full of boundless compassion, still are a beacon of hope and guidance for the spiritual seeker.
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