Download Islamic mysticism, social responsibility and Rumi

Islamic mysticism, social responsibility
and Rumi
Presented to the conference of
Evangelische Akademie Loccum
November 2007
By:
Prof. Dr. Homayoun Hemmati(Ph.D)
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Islamic mysticism, social responsibility
And Rumi
Prof.Dr.Hommayon Hemmati,(Ph.D)
Tehran University
Definition of Sufism
This paper deals with islamic mysticism and the responsibilities of the
real mystics before society, therefore, it is necessary to represent first
the definition of mysticism and after that follow the related issues.
Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam based on the esoteric, or
“inner-meaning” of its scripture, namely the Qur'an. Sufism's central
doctrine is based on many verses of the Qur'an; in which for example,
God says, "I created man and breathed My spirit into him." This
"Divine spark" placed into every individual, says the Sufi, must be
nurtured and cherished. Furthermore, each individual "spark" or
"spirit" separated from the Universal Spirit, desires to return and
reunite with the Universal spirit. This is confirmed by another verse in
the Qur'an, which says "from God we came, and to God shall we
return." This "returning" is vital and central to the Sufi doctrine. Now,
the Sufi embarks on a spiritual journey known as the Sufi Path; a path
of devotion and love; which leads to none other than God Himself. I
shall have more to say [about this] later on.
Origin and Background
The word "Sufi is derived from the Arabic word "suf," meaning
"wool," Garments woven from wool were generally worn by early
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mystics, who came to be known as "Sufis," There are other
explanations and meanings of the word 'Sufi' but the one I have just
given is generally accepted by most Sufis and Sufi scholars. Sufism is
known in Arabic as 'Tassawuf or Islamic Mysticism. A SufI is a
mystic, if by "mystic" we mean a person who strives towards intimate
knowledge or communion with God; through contemplation,
meditation and or "inner-vision."
The origin of Sufism goes back to the Prophet Muhammad, the
Prophet of Islam, who received the Divine Revelation known as the
'Qur'an,' over a period of 23 years. As all Muslims know; the Holy
Qur'an is a "multi-layered revelation," whose verses can be interpreted
literally, metaphorically, philosophically, and mystically.
The Prophet used to explain and clarify the meaning of each chapter
and verse of the Qur'an to his immediate friends and companions. To a
select few of his Companions he explained the mystical interpretation
of the verses; thus starting a "chain of transmission" of the esoteric
meaning of the Qur'an. This was conveyed first by "word of mouth"
from master to pupil or disciple. This oral tradition has continued from
generation to generation to the present day. It is interesting to note that
the "Sufi pledge" between a Sufi-master and his disciple is still an oral
one. It was much later that Sufi teachings and practices were formally
[laid) down in writing for future generations.
Formative Years
The formative years of Sufism were between 620 to 1100 AD. It was
during this time the Sufi masters, known in Arabic as "Shaikhs,"
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started to form the first Sufi fraternities. These early fraternities, and
indeed some individual Sufis, met with great' hostility and resistance
from certain sections of the Muslim community; on points of
interpretation of Islamic Theology and Law. Some early Sufis were
even persecuted on account of their mystical utterances and beliefs.
The most famous Sufi-martyr was AL HALLAJ of Basra in Iraq. And
this shows their commitment to truth and sense of responsibility.
Nevertheless, individual Sufis achieved great eminence because of
their piety and practices. The wellknown among them are RABIA
BASRI (a (female) Sufi Teacher), JUNAID, IBRAHIM ADHEM, and
HASAN BASRI.
Perhaps the most notable one was the great theologian and
philosopher AL GAZALLI who lived in Syria around 1100 AD. His
famous treatises, called the "Reconstruction of Religious Sciences,"
the "Alchemy of Happiness," and other works; set off to convince the
Islamic world that Sufism and its teachings originated from the Qur'an
and were compatible with mainstream Islamic thought and theology. It
was AL-GAZALLI who bridged the gap between traditional and
mystical Islam. It was around 1000 AD that the early Sufi literature, in
the form of manuals, treatises, discourses, and poetry, became the
source of Sufi thinking and meditations. About mawlana Rumi and his
eminent place in Islamic mysticism I will discuss later in this paper.
The Emergence of Sufi orders
Around 1200 AD Sufism was institutionalized into Sufi orders.
Generally, the political atmosphere from North Africa to India was
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"ripe" for the formation of Sufi orders. Under the patronage of kings
and sultans, prominent Sufi masters received financial grants to build
lodges and hospices to house the master; his disciples, students,
novices and even travellers. The lodges soon became schools of Sufi
learning and scholarship. Attached to the lodges were other places of
learning, such as colleges and universities; where students could learn
Islamic law and theology, philosophy, and natural sciences.
The most prominent Sufi master of the day became the "founder" of a
particular Sufi order. One of the well-known orders is the "Qadiryya"
founded by the great Sufi-master ABDUL QADIR GILANI in Iraq.
Others were founded in different parts of the Islamic world by Sufimasters
such
as
JALALUDDIN
RUMI
in
Iran
(Balkh),
SUHARVARDY in Asia minor, and many spiritual masters and sufi
orders in India. Although each order had a regional flavour, their basic
teachings and practices remained fundamentally the same.Because of
this, a mutual respect and admiration exists between various orders.
Hence, a Sufi may belong to more than one order.
It was between 1200 - 1500 AD that Sufis and Sufism enjoyed a
period of intense Sufic activity in various part of the Islamic world.
Hence this period is considered as the "Classical Period" or the
"Golden Age"'of Sufism. Retreats and hospices soon became not only
places to house Sufi students and novices but also places for "spiritual
retreat" for practising Sufis and other mystics.
Some of the original orders, which I mentioned before, along with
new ones are to be found in the Middle and Far East, India, Africa and
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various parts of Europe and North America. It is estimated, that
presently, there are some 40 Sufi Orders in the world.
Rituals and Practices of Sufis
Now, I should like to talk about the Sufi rituals and practices. It is
rather difficult to summarize all the practices and rituals associated
with the various orders. However, there are certain practices
common to all the orders. They are:
I Ritual prayer and fasting according to Islamic injunctions.
2. Remembrance of the “spiritual lineage” of each order.
3. The practice of “dhikr,” an Arabic word for remembrance of God,
by invocation.
4. Meditative and contemplative practices, including intensive
spiritual training, in “spiritual retreats” from time to time.
5. Listening to musical concerts, to enhance mystical awareness.
The ritual of “initiation” into the order is ordained by the Sufi master
of that particular order.
Aspiring novices had to undergo a period of intense training in selfdiscipline, learning to control ones instincts and desires, guided by the
Sufi-master. It was the master who would eventually decide if the
novice was ready to be initiated into the order. The “initiation” was
and still is a “solemn pledge” by the novice to obey the master
implicitly in all matters, spiritual and moral. The master in turn
pledges to instruct, teach and guide the “new initiate” along the Sufi
path. The initiation really symbolizes that the initiate or disciple is
now ready to understand the “inner truth” of spiritual realities.
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Realities which can only be experienced and understood by “intuitive
knowledge,” Knowledge which stems from the “heart,” rather that the
“mind.”
The practice of “dhikr’ is the central feature in all Sufi orders. “Dhikr”
is the Arabic word for the devotional practice of the “remembrance of
God,” It is performed by the repeated invocation of the “Names and
Attributes of God”. It is based on the Qur’anic verse in which God
says “Remember Me and I will remember you,” The practice of
“dhikr” may vary in different orders; but its ultimate object is to create
spiritual awareness and love for God. It can be practiced individually,
or collectively. Some orders perform it silently and some loudly; all
under the direction of the Sufi master.
It should be noted that “dhikr” is not exclusive to the Sufis [for] it is
practiced by all Muslims as part of Islamic prayer and devotion.
Another important practice in Sufism is what is called “Sema,” or
“Sama’“which literally means “listening,” These auditions may be a
recitation from the Holy Qur’an, or devotional poetry. Throughout the
centuries, Sufi poets have written mystical poetry for devotional
purposes and some have even been set to music. Listening to musical
concerts, as part of Sufi devotion, is permitted and practiced by certain
Sufi orders.
A Sufi Order known as the ‘Mevlevi Order” founded in the name of
the Sufi master Jalaluddin Rumi, who lived in Turkey around 1200
AD, permits a “mystical dance” known in the west as the dance of the
Whirling Dervishes. To appreciate the significance of this dance,it is
necessary to be aware of its symbolic interpretation and meaning.
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Veneration of Sufi Saints is a common practice amongst Sufis. Devout
Sufi masters who led highly devotional and spiritual lives were
elevated to sainthood. The Sufis believe that a Sufi saint (although
dead for hundreds of years) can still make his “spiritual presence” felt
to his disciples Hence, it is common practice among Sufis to visit [the]
tombs of Sufi saints to pay homage, recite Sura Fateha and/or other
Quranic passages, pray to God for isa-e-thawab (i.e. praying to God
that the rewards of such recitations be bestowed on the dead), and ask
for the deceased saint’s blessings. There is no formal procedure, or
official appointment, or proclamation, similar to the practices of other
religions used for the canonisation of saints.
Other practices, include ritual prayer, fasting, and meditation, as
directed by the master. Finally a Sufi may, under the strict guidance of
his master, enter into a “spiritual retreat,” for a fixed period (usually
between 3 to 40 days, or for 24 hours) for intensive prayer and
meditation, and daytime fasting. It is best to remember here that all
these practices are to prepare the Sufi for the “spiritual journey” along
the Sufi path; a path which leads towards God through love and
devotion.
The Path - Its Teachings and Tenets
I shall now try to outline briefly some of the principal teachings and
tenets of Sufism. The Sufi firmly Sufism teaches that the Sufi who
seeks God, must advance by slow “stages” along the Path. The
“stages” relate to repentance, followed by abstinence, renunciation,
‘poverty’, patience and trust in God. These stages constitutes the
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ethical and ascetic disciplines of Sufism. Total commitment at each
stage is vital towards the spiritual progress of the Sufi.
The individual soul is called “nafs” in Arabic. Sufism teaches that the
soul initially is a “demanding soul,” which can be and should be
disciplined into a “contented soul,” and subsequently into a “soul at
peace.” These characteristics of the soul are described at length in the
Quran and commented upon by Sufi teachers and scholars.
Sufism’s primary teaching is based on the Unity of God called
“tawheed’ in Arabic. Its emphasis is on the “Oneness” and
“Uniqueness” of God. This concept of Unity leads to the realization of
Unity which embraces multiplicity in the Universe. This may sound
paradoxical, but Sufi writers and theologians (both classical and
modern) have written volumes on this subject, with particular
emphasis on explaining various aspects, or grades of manifestation, in
terms of immanence and transcendence.
Sufis believe that God’s earliest creation was the human “intellect.”
Giving humans the knowledge to discern, and to choose between right
and wrong, good and evil. This knowledge in Sufism is raised to a
higher level, which arises from the “heart” rather than the “mind.” It is
this intuitive knowledge that distinguishes a mystic from a
philosopher. It is through the practice of intuitive knowledge that a
Sufi experiences mystical phenomena and visions.
The central doctrine of Sufism, however is love, divine love. The
Qur’an teaches that “God’s mercy is greater than His wrath” and that
“God’s love is His supreme attribute.” The Sufi does NOT reject, but
instead believes in the doctrine and the concepts of the ‘Fear of God’
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and ‘God’s wrath of the Day of Judgement.” The Sufi maintains that
obedience to God’s commands should ensue NOT out of the fear of
punishment of Hellfire or for the desire of the pleasures and bounties
of Paradise as a reward, but rather with the sincere motive and
intention of attaining proximity to God - purely for the sake of, and
solely for the pleasure of God. To the Sufi, Paradise (as a reward) and
Hell (as a punishment) are but graphic terms to make us understand a
state of things which is beyond all our notions of life in this world.
The Sufi longs for what is beyond Paradise, the vision of God Himself
- the ultimate reward after entering Paradise. And nothing would be
lovelier than gazing upon the Lord when He removes his ‘veil’ (His
‘garb of grandeur’). The Sufi attests that God has created man with a
mind, free-will, and love. Therefore the mainspring of Sufism is love.
Based on this, the Sufi path becomes a ‘Path of Love,’ where the Sufi
becomes the ‘lover’ and God the ‘beloved.’ This love affair ends only
with the ultimate union with the Beloved. This love relationship is
depicted in most volumes of Sufi literature and poetry.
Social Aspect of Islamic Mysticism
So far, we have tried to describe clearly that Islamic Mysticism or
tasawwuf is the realization of man’s potentialities the realization of
inner reality. As we have told before the word mysticism has been
variously defined in academic works. By way of a simple definition, it
means to penetrate one’s inner soul and to enable it, by developing it,
to establish contact with God, the Greater Soul.
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This process purifies the human personality, and the soul comes to
realize itself. The latent natural potential of the soul is ultimately
awakened; in the words of the Quran, it becomes the serene (89:27) or
pure soul (87:14).
It is but natural that the personality developed by the mystic (or the
Aarif) in this way does not remain enclosed within a boundary. His
inner state also having its external manifestation, his personality finds
expression in his social relations.
One who has realized himself will, at the same time, places a higher
spiritual value on other human beings too. One whose heart is filled
with God’s love, will necessarily be filled with the love of human
beings — the creatures of God. One who respects the Higher Reality
will surely respect other human beings. It is this aspect of mysticism
which I have called its social aspect and social responsibility.
A Persian mystic poet has expressed the mystic code of behavior in
these most beautiful words:
“The stories of kings like Alexander and Dara hold no interest for us.
Ask us only about love and faithfulness.”
Another mystic poet has this to say:
‫از ﻣﺎ ﺑﺠﺰ ﺣﻜﺎﻳﺖ ﻣﻬﺮ و وﻓﺎ ﻣﭙﺮس‬
‫ﻣﺎ ﻗﺼﺔ ﺳﻜﻨﺪر و دارا ﻧﺨﻮاﻧﺪه اﻳﻢ‬
«‫»ﺣﺎﻓﻆ‬
“The comforts of both the worlds are hidden in these two things:
Being kind to friends and according better treatment to foes.”
‫ت ﺑﺎ دﺷﻤﻨﺎن ﻣﺪارا‬‫ﺑﺎ دوﺳﺘﺎن ﻣﺮو‬
‫آﺳﺎﻳﺶ دو ﮔﻴﺘﻲ ﺗﻔﺴﻴﺮ اﻳﻦ دو ﺣﺮف اﺳﺖ‬
«‫»ﺳﻌﺪي‬
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When a Sufi or mystic is engrossed in the love of God, he rises above
the mundane world and discovers the higher realities. He becomes
such a human being as has no ill-feelings for anyone. In fact, he
cannot afford hatred, as hatred would nullify his very spirituality. He
cannot divest himself of feelings of love as this would amount to
divesting himself of all delicate feelings.
Islam is the answer to the demands of nature. It is in fact a counterpart
of human nature. This is why Islam has been called a religion of
nature in the Qur’an and Hadith.
A man once came to the Prophet Muhammad and asked him what he
should do in a certain matter. The Prophet replied, ‘Consult your
conscience (heart) about it. ‘By the conscience the Prophet meant his
finer feelings. That is, what one’s conscience tells one would likewise
be what Islam would demand of one as a matter of common sense.
What does human nature desire more than anything? It desires, above
all, peace and love. Every human being wants to live in peace and to
receive love from the people around him. Peace and love are the
religion of human nature as well as what Islam demands of us. The
Qur’an tells us, “..and God calls you to the home of peace”(1O:25).
One of the teachings of Islam is that when two or more people meet,
they must greet one another with the words, Assalamu-’Alaikum
(Peace be upon you). Similarly, Salat, or prayer, said five times daily
is the highest form of worship in Islam. At the close of each prayer all
worshippers have to turn their faces to either side and utter the words
Assalamu-’Alaikum wa rahmatulah (May peace and God’s blessing be
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upon you). This is like a pledge given to people: ‘O people, you are
safe from me. Your life, your property, your honor is secure with me.’
This sums up the spirit of true religion, the goal of which is spiritual
uplift. It is the ultimate state of this spiritual uplift which is referred to
in the Qur’an as the “serene soul” (89:27).
Thus a true and perfect man, from the Islamic point of view, is one
who has reached that level of spiritual development where peace and
peace alone prevails. When a person has attained that peaceful state,
others will receive from him nothing less than peace. He may be
likened to a flower which can send out only its fragrance to man, it
being impossible for it to emit an unpleasant smell.
An incident relating to a Muslim saint very aptly illustrates the spirit
of the mystic individual. The story goes that once a Muslim Sufi was
travelling along with his disciples. During the journey he encamped
near a large grove of trees upon which doves used to perch.
During this halt one of the Sufi’s disciples aimed at one of the doves,
killed it, cooked it, then ate it. Afterwards something strange
happened. A flock of doves came to the tree under which the Sufi was
resting and began hovering over it and making a noise.
The Muslim Sufi, communicating with the leader of the birds, asked
them what was the matter with them and why they were protesting.
The leader replied, ‘We have a complaint to make against you, that is,
one of your disciples has killed one of us.’ Then the Muslim Sufi
called the disciple in question and asked him about it. He said that he
had not done anything wrong, as the birds were their foodstuff. He
was hungry, so he killed one for food. He thought that in so doing he
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had riot done anything wrong. The Sufi then conveyed this reply to
the leader of the doves.
The leader replied: “Perhaps you have failed to understand our point.
Actually what we are complaining about is that all of you came here in
the garb of Sufis, yet acted as hunters. Had you come here in hunter’s
garb, we would certainly have remained on the alert. When we saw
you in the guise of Suf is, we thought that we were safe with you and
remained perched on the top of the tree without being properly
vigilant.”
This anecdote very aptly illustrates the reality of a true mystic or
spiritual person. One who has reached an advanced stage of spiritual
uplift, having found the true essence of religion, no longer has the will
or the capacity to do harm. He gives life not death, to others. He
benefits others, doing injury to no one. In short, he lives among the
people like flowers and not like thorns. He has nothing but love in his
heart to bestow upon others. The job of a mystic Is to unite people,
and not to separate them, to bring security to them and develop
friendship with them and among them.
Islamic mysticism elevates people. It makes them think spiritually
rather than materially. This spiritual elevation generates tolerance.
People feel good about forgiving others. They eschew taking revenge.
They return love for hatred. This kind of temperament is bound to
establish peace and mutual respect.
In this way, Islamic mysticism, in the practical sense, is the key to a
good and peaceful society.
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Now I should like to say a few words about prayer and meditation. Let
me begin with a quotation from the Qur’an:
“When My servants question you about me, tell them that lam near. I
answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls to me,’ therefore, let
them answer My call and put their trust in Me, that they may be
rightly guided (2:186).
This verse of the Qur’an tells us that, in Islam, there is no need for any
intermediary to establish contact between God and man. At any time
and place man can contact God directly. The only condition is that
man should turn to God with sincere devotion.
Islam believes in a personal God. God is an alive being, fully aware of
His servants. He hears and sees. That being so, man must call upon
God in all personal matters. Whenever he calls upon God with a
sincere heart, he will find Him close by.
Meditation in Islam aims at bringing man closer to God. When man
worships God, when he remembers Him, when his heart is turned
towards Him with full concentration, when he makes a request or a
plea, then he establishes a rapport with his Maker, In the words of the
Hadith, at that particular moment he comes to whisper with his Lord.
He has the tangible feeling that he is pouring his heart out to God and
that God in turn is answering his call.
When this communion is established between God and man, man can
feel himself becoming imbued with a special kind of peace. His eyes
are moist with tears. He starts receiving inspiration from God. It is in
moments such as these that man can rest assured of his prayers being
granted by God.
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According to a hadith the Prophet Muhammad said the highest form
of worship is to pray as if you were seeing God. We learn from this
hadith the true sign of a superior form of worship. The true sign is for
man to sense the presence of God during worship, and feel that he has
come close to God. That is when he can experience the refreshing,
cooling effect of God’s love and blessings for man. It is this feeling of
closeness to God which is the highest form of spiritual experience.
So, the final goal of a real Sufi is achieving unity, Peace, Justice and love in
society and among human beings, and this is the real responsibility of Muslim
Sufis.
The Life of Rumi
Rumi is a very good example for a real sufi and his social role.
Jalaluddin Rumi (may God sanctify his holy spirit) was one of the
greatest Muslim saints and mystics. He has also been hailed by
Western scholars as the greatest mystical poet of all time. And
popularized versions of his poetry have made him the bestselling poet
in America in recent years2 -- after a period of over 700 years, during
which his fame has endured in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the
Indian subcontinent.
The popularity of his poetry has spread in the West because of its
heart-felt themes of lover-beloved mysticism. and its spiritual joy
which seems to emanate even from the most distorted versions in
English. However, the popularization of his poetry has also been
attained by a number of sacrifices: (I) a lack of accuracy of the
meanings of his words and teachings: and (2), a deliberate
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minimization and evasion of verses in his poetry that reveal that he
was a pious Muslim all his life, and a very devoted follower of the
prayerful daily life exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad.
He was born in Balkh in Khorasan what is now the nation of
Tajikistan (the country north of Afghanistan) in town of Wakhsh,
where his father worked as a Muslim preacher and scholar. Wahksh
was part of the cultural area of the ancient city of Balkh in Iran (in
present-day Afghanistan). which had been a major center of Islamic
learning for five hundred years before Rumi was born. His father, also
a great mystic, or sufi master, was from Balkh. He named his son
Muhammad, but later called him by the additional name, Jalâlu ‘ddeen (‘the Glory of the Faith”). His full name was Jalâlu ‘d-deen
Muhammad bin ( son of) Husayn al-Balkhi. Later, when he moved to
Anatolia (presentday Turkey) with his family, he became known as
Jalálu ‘ddeen Muhammad al-Roomee. This is because Anatolia had
been called for centuries “Rüm” (a form of “Rome”) which meant “the
land of the Greeks” (who had long ruled the area from Constantinople,
the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and later the Byzantine
Empire). In the East. he has always been known as Mawlânâ
(pronounced ‘Mowlánâ” in Iran, India, and Pakistan; pronounced
“Mevlana” in Turkey). This means “our Master” in Arabic, and was
traditionally a title given to Muslim scholars. However. due to his
great fame, the respectful title “Mawlâná” quickly came to refer
primarily to Jalaluddin Rumi. Only in the West has he been called
“Rumi.”
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Rumi must have memorized much or all of the Holy Qur’an when he
was young, because the Mathnawi and his other poetry are filled with
direct quotes in Arabic, Persian paraphrases, and references to
Qur’anic verses. He belonged to the Hanafi school of Islamic law, one
of the four orthodox legal traditions of the Sunni branch of Islam. This
means that his daily religious behavior was faithful to the many details
of the Hanafi tradition of how to follow the example of the Prophet
Muhammad.
Rumi’s first sufi master, Sayyid Burhânu ‘d-din Termezi, was his
father’s leading sufi disciple who came to Anatolia after hearing of the
death of Rumi’s father. Rumi was his sufi disciple for ten years,
during part of which he was sent to Syria to obtain a traditional
Islamic education. Sayyid Burhanuddin was also a profound mystic
who instilled in Rumi a love of Persian sufi poetry and ordered him to
do a number of lengthy solitary prayer retreats.
Rumi was about 38 years of age when he met his second sufi master,
Shamsu ‘d-deen Muhammad al-Tabreezee (from Tabriz), traditionally
believed to have been about 60 years old. It is now known that Shams
was not an illiterate and “wild” dervish as previously thought by
Western scholars, but had a solid Islamic education and was literate
and fluent in Arabic as well as Persian.
And Shams himself belonged to another major orthodox school of
Sunni Islamic law, called Shâfi In the “Discourses of Shams,”4 a
collection of notes recorded by his disciples (among whom was
Rumi’s son. Sultan Walad), Shams reveals himself not only to be a
profound mystic, but very knowledgeable about traditional and
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mystical interpretations of verses from the Qur’an and sayings of the
Prophet Muhammad. And he criticized at least one famous sufi master
for not following the daily religious behavior of the Prophet. In a
biography of Rumi, written by a disciple of Rumi’s grandson, Aflâki,
along with many miracle stories, are many accounts of how Rumi
prayed the five daily ritual Islamic prayers, fasted during the month of
Ramadan, and did many extended voluntary fasts. And there are many
accounts in which he voiced traditional Islamic beliefs on many
topics.
But it is in the masterpiece of his later life, the Mathnawi-ye Ma’nawi
(literally, “Rhymed Couplets of Deep Spiritual Meaning”) that he
reveals himself as both a profound mystic and an extremely devout
Muslim. And a study of his stories and sayings of the Prophet
Muhammad reveals his veneration and love for the Holy Prophet and
the Revelation that was sent to him from God Most High.
Mawlânã JalâluddIn Muhammad al-Balkhi al-Rumi died in 1273 and
was buried next to his father’s tomb in Konya, Turkey.
The anniversary of his death was commemorated for centuries
according to the Islamic lunar calendar, but has been celebrated in
Turkey for the past 50 years according to the Western solar calendar
on December 17. On the night of this date, Mevlevis all over the
world whirl in remembrance and glorification of God, and many kinds
of groups read Rumi’s poetry in their own languages.
The central theme of mystical worldview of Rumi is Love, Nonviolence, service to God’s creatures, friendship, Justice and peace.
Rumi very clearly expresses in his famous book ‘Masnavi’ that to
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reach the degree of perfection one should leave prejudice, oppression,
exploiting others, war and murder, Hatred, revenge. He encourages
optimism, friendly relations, Loyalty, morality, dignity of man,
peaceful co-existence, Global peace and justice and cooperation
among human societies. Responsibility towards man and society has
played a very important role in the thought of Rumi. His message is
the message of love, Peace and friendship, and we know to day’s
world how much needs to these sublime values.
Similarly, the core and very essence of Islamic mysticism or Irfan is to
establish friendly relations among nations and peoples and prevent
them from brutality and violence and this is the secret of why Islamic
mysticism is living today and will continue living for ever and will
remain always new, fresh and attractive.
Notes
1- the greatest mystical poet of all time: See “Discourses of Rumi”
translated by A. J. Arberrv. London: John Murray. 1961, p. 9.
2- the best-selling poet in America in recent years: according to article
in the “Christian Science Monitor,” 11/25/97.
3- Sháfi’i: see “Rumi-- Past and Present, East and West: The Life.
Teachings and Poetry of Jalâl al-Din Rumi” by Franklin. Lewis.
United Kingdom: Oneworld, 2000. p. 142.
4- ”Discourses of Shams”: “Maqâlât-i Shams-i Tabrizi.” See Lewis.
pp. 135-37.
5- not following the daily religious behavior of the Prophet: refers (in
Shams’“Discourses”) to “Shaykh Muhammad,” believed by
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scholars to be the famous sufi genius, Ibn al-’ Arabi, whom Shams
both admired and criticized because he “did not follow”
[mutâba’ati (the Prophet). See Lewis, p. 150.
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