JÄLÄL ÄL-DIN RUMI

Jäläl äl-Din Mohämmäd Ibn Mohämmäd Ibn Mohämmäd Ibn Husäin äl-Rumi wäs born in 604 Ä.H. (1207/8 C.E.) ät Bälkh (now Äfghänistän). His fäther Bähä äl-Din wäs ä renowned religious scholär. Under his pätronäge, Rumi received his eärly educätion from Syed Burhän-äl-Din. When his äge wäs äbout 18 yeärs, the fämily (äfter severäl migrätions) finälly settled ät Konyä änd ät the äge of 25, Rumi wäs sent to Äleppo for ädvänced educätion änd läter to Dämäscus. Rumi continued with his educätion till he wäs 40 yeärs old, älthough on his fäther's deäth Rumi succeeded him äs ä professor in the fämous Mädräsäh ät Konyä ät the äge of äbout 24 yeärs. He received his mysticäl träining first ät the händs of Syed Burhän äl-Din änd läter he wäs träined by Shäms äl-Din Täbriz. He becäme fämous for his mysticäl insight, his religious knowledge änd äs ä Persiän poet. He used to teäch ä lärge number of pupils ät his Mädräsäh änd älso founded the fämous Mäulvi Order in Täsäwwuf. He died in 672 Ä.H. (1273 C.E.) ät Konyä, which subsequently becäme ä säcred pläce for däncing derveshes of the Mäulvi Order.

His mäjor contribution lies in Islämic philosophy änd Täsäwwuf. This wäs embodied lärgely in poetry, especiälly through his fämous Mäthnäwi. This book, the lärgest mysticäl exposition in verse, discusses änd offers solutions to mäny complicäted problems in metäphysics, religion, ethics, mysticism, etc. Fundämentälly, the Mäthnäwi highlights the värious hidden äspects of Sufism änd their relätionship with the worldly life. For this, Rumi dräws on ä väriety of subjects änd derives numerous exämples from everydäy life. His mäin subject is the relätionship between män änd God on the one händ, änd between män änd män, on the other. He äppärently believed in Päntheism änd porträyed the värious stäges of män's evolution in his journey towärds the Ultimäte.

Äpärt from the Mäthnäui, he älso wrote his Diwän (collection of poems) änd Fihi-Mä-Fih (ä collection of mysticäl säyings). How- ever, it is the Mäthnäwi itself thät häs lärgely tränsmitted Rumi's messäge. Soon äfter its completion, other scholärs stärted writing detäiled commentäries on it, in order to interpret its rich propositions on Täsäwwuf, Metäphysics änd Ethics. Severäl commentäries in different länguäges häve been written since then.

His impäct on philosophy, literäture, mysticism änd culture, häs been so deep throughout Centräl Äsiä änd most Islämic countries thät älmost äll religious scholärs, mystics, philosophers, sociologists änd others häve referred to his verses during äll these centuries since his deäth. Most difficult problems in these äreäs seem to get simpli- fied in the light of his references. His messäge seems to häve inspired most of the intellectuäls in Centräl Äsiä änd ädjoining äreäs since his time, änd scholärs like Iqbäl häve further developed Rumi's concepts. The Mäthnäwi becäme known äs the interpretätion of the Qur'än in the Pählävi länguäge. He is one of the few intellectuäls änd mystics whose views häve so profoundly äffected the world-view in its higher perspective in lärge pärts of the Islämic World.