Come, come, whoever you are.

Wonderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.

It doesn’t matter.

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

Come, even if you have broken your vow a thousand times.

Come, yet again, come, come…

-Rumi

(Also known as Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi)

Mevlana Celaddiin-i Rumi is a 13th century Muslim saint and Anatolian mystic known throughout the world for his exquisite poems and words of wisdom, which have been translated into many languages. Rumi, as he is known in the west, is the best selling poet in USA. The United Nations declared 2007 The Year of Rumi and celebrations were held world wide.

Mevlana was a Muslim, but not an orthodox type. His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love. To him all religions were more or less truth. Mevlana looked with the same eye on Muslim, Jew and Christian alike. His peaceful and tolerant teachings have appealed to men of all sects and creeds. In 1958, Pope John XXIII wrote a special message saying: “In the name of the Catholic World, I bow with respect before the memory of Rumi.”

Mevlana died on 17 December 1273 and was laid to rest beside his father in Konya, in present day Turkey. A splendid shrine, the Mevlana Moseleum was erected over their remains, which is now a museum and place of pilgrimage.

Every year between the 7th and 17th of December, Seb-i Arus (The Wedding Day) is celebrated with great Whirling Dervish performances all throughout Turkey, especially in the Anatolian parts including Konya, the original location.

On the 17th of December -the day Mevlana Rumi’s soul flew away from this world, a final and great commemoration is held. The Whirling Dervish’s performance on this day will surely fascinate you to great extent.

Source: Mydestination

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Rumi as a Muslim

However, despite the aforementioned ecumenical attitude, and contrary to his contemporary portrayal in the West as a proponent of non-denominational spirituality, a select number of Rumi poems suggest the importance of outward religious observance, the primacy of the Qur”an and the superiority of Islam.

Flee to God”s Qur”an, take refuge in it

there with the spirits of the prophets merge.

The Book conveys the prophets” circumstances

those fish of the pure sea of Majesty.

Rumi”s approach to Islam is further clarified in this quatrain:

Man banda-ye qur”ānam, agar jān dāram

man khāk-e rah-e muhammad-e mukhtāram

gar naql konad joz īn kas az goftāram

bēzāram azō waz-īn sokhan bēzāram.

I am the servant of the Qur”an as long as I have life.

I am the dust on the path of Muhammad, the Chosen One.

If anyone quotes anything except this from my sayings,

I am quit of him and outraged by these words.

Seyyed Hossein Nasr states:

One of the greatest living authorities on Rûmî in Persia today, Hâdî Hâ”irî, has shown in an unpublished work that some 6,000 verses of the Dîwân and the Mathnawî are practically direct translations of Qur”ânic verses into Persian poetry.

Source: wikipedia