1. MawlānāJalāl ad-DīnRūmī The poet and Sufi mystic

2. Who is Rumi? Born,1207, in Balkh; Died, 17 Dec. 1273, in Konya Roots in Khorasanregion Father a well-known scholar Westward migration Hajj and Damascus Meeting with scholars Marriage to GevherHatun Settling in Karaman Dwelling in Konya upon invitation The descriptive name “Rumi”

3. Rumias a Master, friend and a poet Earlier reads books and lectures students everyday Meeting with Shams Tabrizi Shams disappears; reunites and then disappears again forever (60)(63)(65) Rumi in pain and as a poet Rumi and a Christian priest (101) 1,000 days of training Mawlawiderwishes spread

4. Major Works of Rumi MathnawiManawi 25,618 couplets Divan-eKabir 35,000 couplets; 2,000 quatrains; 90 Ghazals; … Fihi ma fih 71 lectures Majales-e Seba 7 sermons Makatib Letters to students and family

5. The Mathnawi Main Theme: Tawhid; union w/ Beloved; love of God and his messenger Forms: Fables Quranic stories Symbolism Poetry, music, Sama Lyric style: “Aruz” rythmic forms Rhyme style: aa/bb/…

6. Samples from Mathnavi 18 couplets from the Prologue of Mathnawi Stories inside stories Two fables The Rabbit and the Lion The Merchant and the Parrot Rumi’s Universality

7. Rumi’s Universality I searched for God among the Christians and on the Cross and therein I found Him not.I went into the ancient temples of idolatry; no trace of Him was there. I entered the mountain cave of Hira and then went as far as Qandhar but God I found not.With set purpose I fared to the summit of Mount Caucasus and found there only 'anqa's habitation. Then I directed my search to the Kaaba, the resort of old and young; God was not there even.Turning to philosophy I inquired about him from ibnSinabut found Him not within his range.… Finally, I looked into my own heart and there I saw Him; He was nowhere else…

8. One foot in his own faith tradition while the other roams freely to the faiths of others What is to be done, O Moslems? for I don’t recognize myself.I am neither Christian, nor Jew, nor Parsi, nor Moslem. I am not of the East, nor of the West, nor of the land, nor of the sea; I am not of Nature's mint, nor of the circling' heaven. I am not of earth, nor of water, nor of air, nor of fire; I am not of the spheres, nor of the dust, nor of existence, nor of entity. I am not of India, nor of China, nor of Bulgaria, nor of Arabia I am not of the this world, nor of the next, nor of Paradise, nor of Hell I am not of Adam, nor of Eve, nor of Eden and Rizwan. My place is the Placeless, my trace is the Traceless ; 'Tis neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved.

9. Legacy of Rumi today Very widely read in the States. The state of the Mawlawiorder ShabiArus celebrations 2007 UNESCO Rumi Year

10. Nice readingshttp://www.dar-al-masnavi.org

11. More readings

12. Advanced readings