International Mevlana Symposiuın...
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International Mevlana Papers ,.
Transcript of International Mevlana Symposiuın...
International Mevlana Symposiuın Papers
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Birleşmiş Minetler 2007 Eğitim, Bilim ve Kültür MevlAnA CelAleddin ROmi
Kurumu 800. ~um Yıl Oönümü
United Nations Educaöonal, Scientific and aoo:ı Anniversary of
Cu/tura! Organlzatlon the Birth of Rumi
Symposium organization commitlee Prof. Dr. Mahmut Erol Kılıç (President) Celil Güngör Ekrem Işın Nuri Şimşekler Tugrul İnançer
Bu kitap, 8-12 Mayıs 2007 tarihinde Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlıgı himayesinde ve Başbakanlık Tamtma Fonu'nun katkılanyla İstanbul ve Konya'da düzerılenen Uluslararası Mevhiııfı Sempozyumu bildirilerini içermektedir.
The autlıors are responsible for tlıe content of tlıe essays ..
Volume 3
Motto Project Publication
Istanbul, June 20 ı O
ISBN 978-605-61104-0-5
Editors Mahmut Erol Kılıç Celil Güngör Mustafa Çiçekler
Katkıda bulunanlar Bülent Katkak Muttalip Görgülü Berrin Öztürk Nazan Özer Ayla İlker Mustafa İsmet Saraç Asude Alkaylı Turgut Nadir Aksu Gülay Öztürk Kipmen YusufKat Furkan Katkak Berat Yıldız Yücel Daglı
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Publishing Motto Project, 2007 Mtt İletişim ve Reklam Hizmetleri Şehit Muhtar Cad. Tan Apt. No: 13 1 13 Taksim 1 İstanbul Tel: (212) 250 12 02 Fax: (212) 250 12 64 www.mottoproject.com yayirı[email protected]
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A personal interpretation of Rumi's teachings and the philosophy of rotation
Mohammed Said Mawlawi 1 Syria
THE unique poet Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, one of the greatest poets,
who took care of education and depiction of conscience emotions and who ded
icated their poetıy to introduce their ideas and take atlıers to wherever they wish.
Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi has won his fame in the thought and culture world
via a triad, namely:
A. Poetıy.
B. Multilateral intellectual education.
C. Practical education.
W e can not comprehend discussion of bilateral education unless we have
perceived Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi's career However, we will not expand this aspect
but in terrus of its correlation with education according to Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi.
It is quite known that Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi had three stages in his life:
The first: the stage of attainment and teaching it is when Jalal ad-Din ar
Rumi grew up and attained his sciences and lessons from his father Bahaud Deen
Muhammad bin al-Hussein, a scientist and a Shari'a scholar, by whom greatest
sixth century recounted were apprenticed. He alsa attained science from sundry
scientists in Aleppo, where he has stayed for a while then moved to Damascus,
to stay at the Muqaddamiyah madrasah (school) four years, attaining science. At
last, he returned to Konya and worked in teachiiıg and advisory opinion and
people rallied araund him and he gained a great fame till his disciples became
about four hundred.
The second: it is the serious stage in the life of Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, for
the meeting, came to pass between Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi and Shams of Tabriz,
had influenced greatly Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, juxtaposing his life, changing his
1336 method, way and poetry, and converting him a teacher scholar in Quran, Hadith,
Shari'a scholarship and the aspects of reasonable and into a Sufi, looking for
ward to sublimation, ascension, and perfection, based on spiritual nostalgia,
divine yearning and musical effect.
\
Shams Tabriz had a great influence on ar-Rumi to convert from the utmost
science circle into the utmost Education circle, where became the Sufi poet, guiding
his adherents, the practical trainer in ethlcal and spiritual sublimation, emotions and
conscience motivator a missioner to psychological rise and perception of the cor
relation between Man and the universe, Man and Man and Man and Allah.
This world is thy spirits prison, thus be alarmed and go to that side, where
thy wider land exists, for this world is limited and that is limitless, but material
istic phenomena and images stand an obstacle in between thee you and thy
imagining that meaning".
The third: it is the stage after the decease of Shams Tabriz and in the wake
of ar-Rumi' s contact with Shams of Tabriz, he left the stage of Shari'a scholar
ship, teaching and advisory opinion and turned to the stage of love, passion,
attraction and deeply attached to conscience poetry and music. Shams of Tabriz
disappeared, leaving to Damascus, consequently, ar-Rumi had an emotional agi
tation to his Shaikh, squirting his conscience poetry, highlighted in the Shams of
Tabriz Divan, where he complains about separation pains, ecstasy heat and
yeaming intensity.
Sultan Walad then went to Damascus, reconciled with Shams of Tabriz and
accompanied him back to Konya, ar-Rumi anew returned to his deeply attached to
Shams ofTabriz, thus the disciples of ar-Rumi had intense rancor on Shams ofTabriz.
After a w hile Shams of Tabriz was missed and when searching for him, he
was found killed and thrown in a water well, thus, ar-Rumi extracted, bathed,
enshrouded and interred him.
The decease of Shams of Tabriz influenced greatly ar-Rumi's personality,
for here ar-Rumi had lost the teacher, guide, instructor and beloved for good
with no retum. The yearning flames intensified and his volcano erupted. ar-Rumi
had a chance to express the interred pain and the over whelming yeaming, his
disciple, Russam Jalabi, was introduced to one of them, thus it was the gem of
Persian poetry, al Mathnawi Divan and the of her is hearing, rotation and the
Mawlawiyah school, in other words, multilateral education, including the theo
retical and practical aspects, under the light of the radiations of al Mathnawi
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal interpretatioıı of Rumi"s teaclziııgs and tlıe plıilosoplıy of rotation
Divan, full of instruction, advice, guidance, thought, philosophy, moaning,
yeaming, and spiritual nostalgia, where he says: "love, based on homogeny is
not succeeded by repentance in this world and the other"
O nce we ask ourselves: "w hat are the appearances, and characteristics of
education according to ar-Rumi in his three stages?", we could find that the
researcher easily discovers that the first stage of ar-Rumi's life has characterized
education according to him by science, thought and Shari'a scholarship. thus, ar
Rumi, being a worshipper Shari'a scholar paved the way to taking care of teach
ing his students and adherents Islam provisions and concepts, represented in the
Glorious Quran, honourable Hadith and Shari'a scholarship, in addition to a call
to ascetic, transfigured in refusing to adlıerence to this world. ar-Rumi's aim in
this period was to create the perfect Muslim, believing in Allah and his
Messenger. And adapting the Quran and the Sunnah as a route and a method.
Meanwhile, the political life, with its tribulations, wars, wrangles and the
discordant social life, due to the prevailing contradictory ethics, was of the most
important reasons, motivating ar-Rumi to explain the Islam ideas and provisions
to reform society.
We will find in this stage care to the scientific and intellectual education,
spiritual education and social education within the circle of commitment to the
Quran and the Sunnah.
Once we move to the second stage, we will see that Shams of Tabriz has
been the lighting sun in ar-Rumi's life, thought and behaviour. And, all differ
ent annals of the meetings of ar-Rumi with Shams of Tabriz flow into one
stream, namely, that Shams of Tabriz had convinced ar-Rumi that what he is in
is not a saviour route, that he needs to releam a new, and that he had imbal
anced his trust in what he was; this is an important tuming point in ar-Rumi's
life, perhaps some researchers had neglected, for he who has spent thirty-four
years of his life as a leamer, a scientist, a Shari'a adviser, a Shari'a scholar, an
instructor and an educator, then we see him within a period and an not exceed
six months has quit his way and method, adoptiİıg a novel method, where he
deem save, is but a Man, who was hit by a dangerous juxtaposition in his life,
that might not happen to others ...
Easily, for it is quite known that viewers, thinkers and philosophers do not
abandan their ideas all together but rarely and that they defend their ideas and
perhaps I do not exaggerate ifi presumed and thought that Shams of Tabriz mer-
1338 ited a strong effective personality impressed the characteristics of ar-Rumi's per
souality or most of it.
\
Nevertheless, we find the traces of what ar-Rumi has acquired in the first
stage of his Islamic culture, appearing in his quotations from the Glorious Quran
and Honourable Hadith, for the man has left a method but not the basics ofbelief
and Islam. And, this phenomenon on lasted and protruded in the third stage,
meriting an obvious appearance. Thus, we find that ar-Rumi has quoted in al
Mathnawi- according to the scientist Fairuz- /528/ Glorious Quranic verses and
/745/ honourable Hadiths, for the second stage, in fact, was a new one, consti-
tuting a continuation of the first stage without interruption.
ar-Rumi has converted in this stage from teaching to Sufism.
This canversion must have taken some time while the past images remained
twinkling in the present sky.
What is important alıout this canversion is two items, namely: the great
invaluable wealth ofpoetry, stood out in the two divans, Shams of Tabriz and al
Mathnawi the on one hand and the educational method and its appearances on
the other, transfigured in the ar-Rumi's instructions and the Mawlawiyyah order.
Before entrance into education arena according to ar-Rumi, it is quite wor
thy to summarize the characteristics of the two divans, namely: Shams of Tabriz
and al-Mathnawi, for these features radiate in all his poetry.
Thus, in the divan of Shams of Tabriz, we find additional concepts alıout
the soul, different from most people used to think, namely: the soul is that divine
secret, infiltrated into the body, which ends life when leaving the body. Most
people do not try to research alıout the connotations, sufficing themselves by his
haughty saying: "the would ask thee alıout the soul, say that the soul is my
Lord's affair and thee hath not been granted of scientists enter but little.".
However, some other scientists enter in the current of enter in the current of
understanding the "soul" word, seeking help in the Glorious Quran, in other mean
ings, such as depicting Jesus - Peace be upon him as soul from Allah-i. e. an order
from Him, and naming Gabriel - Peace be upon him, as the Holy Spirit ... ete.
ar-Rumi has introduced discourse alıout the soul philosophy, the universe
and Man, in what we can see hereby.
ar-Rumi's poetry in the divan of Shams of Tabriz is distinguished by essen
tial thought profundity alıout Man, Existence and their interrelation, for it is
musical donation just like courtship, whose appearances and aspects varied; the
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal interpretatioıı of Rımıi's teaclıings and tlıe plıilosoplıy of rotation
scientist professor Muhammad lameel Qalandar has deseribed it as a large ency
clopedia, harbouring, within its folds, Sufi, spiritual, scientific, humane and
social concepts and ideas.
Where as ar-Rumi's poetry in the divan of al-Mathnawi resulted form his
disciple Russam Jalabi's advice. This disciple has imbued ar-Rumi's love and
ecstasy, was addressed to Shams ofTabriz, for we see ar-Rumi's deeply attached
to his disciple Russam was too great to motivate him to make him his successor
instead of his son and he ma de him his sitter, poetry reciter and d erk. Moreover,
when Russam Jalabi's wife was deceased, ar-Rumi ceased to organize poetry two
years to resume that in 662 AH.
ar-Rumi used to author poetry 8: his disciple, Russam write down then read
what he has written down his Shaikh a piece of advice, an amendment or
thought in the wake of authoring al-Mathnawi.
The looker into al Mathnawi Divan sees that passion has benefited from
the Arabic Poetry Music, observing the Kamel meter and making each couplet
in one rhyme,.
Thus the meter united but the rhyme was different.
Many researchers state that the poetry of al-Attar in Birds utterances, al
Firdawssi in aslı-Shalınamalı (the Bo ok of Kings) and Truth Garden of Sna'i have
quite an influence on al Mathnawi Divan.
Once we try to fathom, though briefly, some features of al Mathnawi Divan,
we might say that it a book of philosophy, authored in that this divan is one,
which made squirting reputation and introduced him as an example, parallel to
his precedent poets, such as ·al-Attar and his colleagues.
ar-Rumi' s great ability to fathom the profundity of the human psych, know
its shroud, elements and secrets 8: capability to comprehend the universe, the
existence and Man's correlation with it, in addition to his potential to imagine the
correlation between the creator and the creature from a view point, exclusive to
him, has made him a philosopher teacher headed to teach, educate and instruct
his adherents. he also laid out thought route as well as application route for them,
essaying to introduce his ideas, illustrated by the Glorious Quran, the honourable
Radith, proverbs quotations, myths, reasonable arguments, heart donations, emo
tional eruptions, customs, legends, tales, medicine and astrology, for he did not
leave out a means of help to achieve his aim but to ok it till his al Mathnawi Divan
became a book of philosophy, education, instruction, knowledge, ethics and wis-
1340 dom, where education intermingles with poetıy, wisdom, philosophy, personal
experience a conscience emotions; those distinguished al Mathnawi Divan from
the divan of Shams of Tabriz, was conscience philosophical.
\
ar-Rumi has enriched his al Mathnawi Divan with anabundance ofthemes,
taking the reader from one garden to another, from one exeruplar to a different
one and from one story to another, exploiting the Glorious Quran stories, the
prophets stories and what literature resourced of stories such as the tales of
Kaleelalı and Dimnah, Juha'sjokes, takes ofphilosophers, slaves and laymen and
connected these stories to life via renewing them so that the reader thinks that
they are novel, as if formed and authored by ar-Rumi, for the Lion and the Hare
story, he imbued from the Kaleelalı and Dimnah book and rectified it in a little
different image, he renewed it, in addition to the story of Mu'awiyah and The
devil, took two hundred verses, which is a story, taken from the popular litera
ture and he ascribed it to Mu'awiyah for what he was known of intelligence and
clevemess. also, the stories of the Lion, the Wolf, the Fox are adopted from the
Kaleelalı and Dimnah Book.
After this forward, it is worthy to move on to discuss education according
to ar-Rumi and ask what is the aim of this education? The answer to that in the
case of ar-Rumi, emerges in sundry concepts, the first and most important of
which is perhaps the worship of Great tt Almighty Allah, for ar-Rumi wanted to
create the believer, worshipper, perfect and free Muslim, perceiving the uruverse
, and his attitude to it, setting out from Supreme Allah's saying: "I have not cre
ated dernon and mankind but to worship!", making his concem love of Allah and
His messenger, observing divine orders and sublimation via the divine love rout
towards perfection "Ahmad had broken many totems in this world in order that
nations exclaim in Allah's Name." ...
"And since the purpose of creating human beings has been to worship, thus
Saqar (hell) has become a worship place to disobedient; and Man has a potential
in every matter but the purpose of his creation has been obedience, thus read: "J
have not created jinn and mankind but to worship!" Consequently, there is no
purpose from this world but to worship.
Had it not been for Ahmad's effort, you would have remained worshipping
a totem, just like your grand fathers.
"As long as you save your heart with that power."
In order to transfigure these ideas, ar-Rumi has introduced the messenger
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal iııterpretation of Rumi's teaclıings and tlıe plıilosoplıy of rotation
companions as live exemplars, transfiguring the meaning of belief in Allah and
His messenger and higlılighting love of Allah and his messenger with an emo
tional excitement, setting out from the Islamic rule, namely: a Muslim's belief do
not complete unless Allah and His messenger is more loved than himself. He also,
has exploited the messenger companions and others stories to deepen belief in
what he/she bears of affliction, patience, love, and altruism, virtues indication,
bad and vices denouncement, a call to virtuous etlıics and refusal of vices.
A quotation: "There is no obstade on the way more difficult than envy,
how happy he who did not take it a companion."
A quotation: "we wish to Allah to bestow good luck on us to be polite for
he who is not polite is deprived from the Lord's kindness."
A quotation: "Clouds do not come, if alms was denied and because of adul
tery epidemic befell all si des."
Praised Et Supreme Allah has taken pride in loyalty: "who is more fulfilling
to his pledges than Allah!" He also considered fulfillment a reply to the right ful
fillment and no one precedes the Go d rights."
ar-Rumi has made the next step after belief, connecting between ethics,
instructor and adherents. we have mentioned that ethics had occupied a promi
nent place in ar-Rumi's thought, but he wanted to grant ethics vitality and capa
bility of growth, via orientating the adherents to the sheikh, teaeber and educa
tor, for he is the example and the exemplar, which must be imitated, for in ar
Rumi's view, ethics, once reformed, the Individual is reformed. This individual
meriting virtuous etlıics will have a great influence because he becomes an
exeruplar among people; and also the Shaikh is an exeruplar to his adherents.
ar-Rumi has been careful to higlılight generous etlıics, being a part of
belief, which is a basic end according to him. He discussed honesty, sincerity,
loyalty and generosity .... ete.
ar-Rumi has bestowed the heart a great importance in education for the
heart is the most important member in man, it is mind and belief home and if
the heart is reformed the whole body is reformed "Oh! In the body, tlıere is an
embryo if it is refonned, the who le body is refonned." Ar-Rumi has invited his
disciples to returo to their hearts and call to account themselves for they know
that Allah is fathaming them.
He also deems that conscience grows via calling to account and insisting
on honesty and he sought help in the story of the slave Luke and his master,
1342 where Luke was accused of eating fruit but denounced that and was honest and
he insisted on his honesty while his master insisted on accusing him, then Luke
suggested a way, from the honesty spring, to prove his honest to his master and
his honesty was established.
\ To reach ethlcal reform, psychological sublimation and spiritual purity, ar-
Rumi deems that one's presence with companions meriting ethics and good is a
reinforcement and strengthening of the will, Supreme Allah has said: "Let thy
self be patient with those who pray to their Lord at dawn and in the evening,
seeking His face and Let thy eyes not es ca pe them." NO matter w hat, Man had to
be exposed to examination, for when he overcomes an obstacle or passes an
examination feels that he is greater than materialistic obstacles; and that rooti
vates him to over come what he will encounter of other obstacles so he resorts
to the normal method, making him a support and a guide.
That will not but by referring to the Glorious Quran and the honourable
Sunnah. And Islam is a religion, balaneing between the body and psychological
needs andisknow for medianism. "And so we have made thee amedian nation."
From this out set ar-Rumi deems that he who walks in the balance way, will not
feel deprived in terms of his body and spiritual requirements.
And, since Islam urges to marry and beget, ar-Rumi deemed that marriage
is anather Sunnah, adherents should follow; and he permitted his adherents who
want to join the Mawlawiyyah school to go to work, home, and earn his family
. living, thus they would achieve psychological happiness, for their behaviour
canform with their nature, Allah has created Man on, where, there is no contra
diction between intellect, behaviour and desire and psyche is assured for it trav
els via the correct way and do not commit a mistakes. Thus, psychological and
spiritual ascension is greater and Man's adlıerence to the universe and its appear
ances augments. ar-Rumi, in the second part of al-Mathnawi, talks about our
master David, saying what as translated like this: "for subsistence is obtained via
earning, crowdedness and fatigue, and Supreme Allah has granted each one a
trade and seeking, because of which subsistence appears to him.
Seek subsistence in their causes and enter homelands from their doors.
All that makes Man know that this universe is subjugated to him this psy
che is pleased and spirit is blessed and harmony is established between the two
aspects, the materialistic and spiritual. That might not be done but by Man fath
oming his natural instincts and ways of fulfilling them via the rectified route,
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal interpretation of Rumi 's teaclzings and the plzilosoplzy of rotation
satis:tying soul as well as the body for Man's control of his desires from devia
tian make him a normal Man, enjoying his life hope of a better other life, as a
result of Great Et Almighty Allah's satisfaction; and feeling enjoyment make Man
more adherent to the universe and tasting to its beauty. This adlıerence and tast
ing the universal beauty, subject to tasting, discovery and enjoyment.
This wonderful aesthetic view, introduced by ar-Rumi is quit an advanced
step in aesthetics, unveiling a gift profundity of thinking and well view.
ar-Rumi continues the of enjoying and discovering the universe beauty and
etaborates on the contradiction philosophy in dari:tying matters to see that right
is not distinguished but by untruth, as well as day is fathomed by night and
health by illness, discovery characteristic enables Man of knowing w hat he was
created on of instincts and how to enjoy them with what satisfY Allah.
Quotation: I know that untruth is not distinguished but by right. Had not the
true monetary been spread in the world, would issuing false monetary be possible!
And, had not honest been in existence, would lies exist. The falsehood
receives light from honesty to be unveiled."
A quotation "Had smoke touched a new pot, its trace will remain on this
pot no matter how little it is, for a thing is distinguished by its opposite; thus
that blackness intercession appears on whiteness, for once the pot became black,
who will notice after that the smoke effect on it, at a glance.
We see ar-Rumi elaborating much on the Shaikh and his relation with his
adherents, a relationship about an aspect of which we have talked, in terms of
guidance, collateralization and behaviour reform. However, we find a centrast
between w hat ar-Rumi has called to and w hat he applied to himself with Shams
ofTabriz, for he called the adherent to depend on his determination, patience and
strength in standing up to life's obstades and mistakes and to benefit from atlı
ers minds and pieces of advice, saying: "A mind, once united with another,
increases lig ht and consequently the right route became quite clear." Eternal peo
ple are Jıappy witlı the eternal."
Introducing the idea of the adherent's dependence on his deterrnination and
patience, ar-Rumi meant that the adherent personality be independent and pre
serving its characteristics, for it is that personality that is assigned and this is an
important point. Thus, they are two matters, might agree and be different, name
ly; the two personalities of the adherent and the Shaikh. Consequently, if the
Shaikh was good, conscientious, manger Et well instructing and the adherent was
1344 reasonable and detemıined to reform, ascension and accepts the Shaikb's instruc
tion, the resulting personality would be positive and developed towards ascension
and perfection. And, on the contrary, the corruption one of the two ends with
non-harmony results in etemal darunation and go ing astray of the adberent.
The balance in both cases must be the Shari'a
As for passian relationship to unique sui generis, it seerus to me a distinguished
one, focusing on surrender, succumbing and application of the Sufis statement
"the adherent intra his Shaiklıs hands is just like a dead man intra his bather's
hands." or else what does passion's canversion from a Shaiklı with a great num
ber of disciples, instructing them via the Glorious Quran and the bonouralıle
Sunnab and teach the Shari'a scholarship in Shari'a provisions to a man aban
doning thirty-four years of his life and convert to a new method, making him
self a receiver and a learner to emerge to us in a very short period in the image
of enchanted passionate lover, and excuses himself for that saying:
"Look to see that there is no craft whatsoever that our minds might learn
without a master, no matter how one can split a bair via one's intelligence, how
ever, one might not have one profession without a master."
We might think that there is contradiction in ar-Rumi's two stands, but
.what I deem is that ar-Rumi instruct in the first stand squirting in the beginning
of their career, while ar-Rumi, out of his self-trust he was convinced of Shams
of Tabriz's method, no but he has engraved it in his heart and deemed that sur
render to this Sbaikb is the escape way. He saysin the divan of Shams ofTabriz:
Ignorance and blindness is via insight running out, has now become wis
dom and kindness superceding Christ and leaving him behind.
We would say perhaps that would be.
All that have been so that souls grow, and maybe last in this state, for your
wonder glow visioning:
And we would say perhaps that would be.
I hope that I do not exaggerate if I said that the decease of Sbams ofTabriz was
good to the poetry world, for it produced al Mathnawi Divan, a rare educationallit
erary work:, and restored ar-Rumi to the circle of instruction, guidance, advice, edu
cation and made him fatbom education aspects more widely, novelty and novelty.
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal iııterpretatioıı of Rumi's teaclziııgs and the plzilosoplzy of rotation
There is in ar-Rurni's poetry, whether in al Mathnawi Divan or in the divan of
Shams of Tabriz, an interlacing in educational concepts, for he might discuss
philosophers arguments about Man being the minor would and reply to them, the
matter which I will explain in a minute, then he moves to the story of our lord
Salomon, Balqees and fetching the thrown, talks about lady Haleemah, the
Messenger, MGPH, nurse, the story of the poet, the king and the minister and reach
es in his discussion to the mind, to which he bestow a great importance, ascribing
mastership in Man to the mind, making it a primate to all members, for it is the
adjuster of its works and members and it distinguishes Man from other animals.
Moreover, the mind is the resmetion of the psyche and emotions and
behaviour eruption. ar-Rumi divides Man into three parts in terms of correlation
to the mind, and the psyches, making the fust part an angel in the form of a
human being, the second, characterized by mind, as if a decorative gem: this
mind stands up to desire and it is liberated from its chains, for its light adds more
perfection and preparedness to Man, where as desire increases Man's ignorance
and impudence, had not Allah said:
"As for those whose hearts harbom illness, it Et increased their squalor". As
for the third part on which concupiscence has prevailed, thus it is an animal in
the from of a human being. Once agreement between mind and psyche came to
pass, Man walks in the ascension way. However, conflict is perpetual between
psyche and min d, pulling psyche upwards and it drags the mind downwards, just
like the conflict of Qayss, Layla's lunatic with his she-camel, for he wants to
returu home to her young:
"My she camel love is .behind and in front of me love, and it and me are
different."
ar-Rumi invites the psyche to succurnb to the mind in a beautiful image of
conflict between Qayss and the she-camel, where he says: "O' slıe-camel, eaclı
one of us is a lover, I love Layla and you love your young offspring; and ıve are
tıvo types and Supreme Allalı has made you a transportation means so that I
ıvould ride on you and cross the routes to reach to the moral beloved and you
demand to retunı to your desirable." Then ar-Rumi deem that the solution is in
separation and quit of companionship, for the psyche, being a strong obstacle
impeding reaching to Allah consequently, you have to resort to the soul and the
min d, quitting desirable and strive the psyche by as many obediences of breach
es as possible.
1346 Here the task of the Shaikh and educator emerges in instructing the saul
\
and min d of adherent to control his psyche and that is the straight path, for there
is no opposition between sound mind and Shari's and the happy human being is
he whose members and senses enjoy the mind control.
With ar-Rumi's attention to the mind, its value and concupiscence control,
he couples the mind and conscience, meriting a moral characteristic aiming to
make Man adhering the virtues quitting the vices with an emotional excitement
spirit with sawing seeds of lore and sincerity so that the individual reform be
via oneself, for the mind is convinced of the necessity of reform and the heart
rushes by the excitement of the emotion and lo o king for the reform ed way. Here
ar-Rumi sought to highlight the pure clear companions image, granting an
example of live virtuous ethics embodiment, he sets an exemplar for us in the
story of our master Ali may Allah glorizy his face, when he had a duel with an
enemy and he brought him down and sat on his chest to stay him, thus the man
spit in the face of Ali and consequently Ali let him go. The man found that quite
strange and asked Ali why did he let him go after he had overcome him. Ali
answered: I wanted to kill you for the sake of Allah and in Obedience, but when
you spit in my face I raged with anger and was afraid of killing you to relieve
my self. The man was stunned from Ali's ethics and action and he announced
hi canversion to Islam. After he has told same positive stories, ar-Rumi does not
miss to mention stories, bearing images of contradictory ethics, showing the
.value of conscience, for the issue is not via appearances but via essence He tells
the story of the Sufis, who sold their companion's donkey and bought with the
price food, they eat while their companian does know, then they began to pray.
He alsa tells the story of the townee and the villager the villager used to visit
the townee and be welcomed generously, but when the townee visited the vii
lager pretended of not knowing him and refused to welcome him or be gener
ous with him after imploring and insistence he permitted him to sleep in the
animals shed. At night, the villager's donkey moved and the townee thought it
a beast and killed and threw it away the villager came very angry protesting the
kill of his don key However when the townee asked the villager how did he
knew it was his donkey. He answered that he knew it from its smell. The townee
then got up to the villager, beating him and saying: "How many times have be
met in my room and you did not know me, but you knew the jackass at night
from its smelln.
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal iııterpretatioıı of Rumi's teaclıiııgs aııd the plıilosoplıy of rotation
ar-Rumi deems that depending only on the mind and conscience is not suf
ficient to the adherent to reach to perfection unless he merited love, mixed with
emotion. Love must in the beginning be addressed to Allah, for Allah love is the
foundation of the relationship between the creature and the creator; and must
also be addressed to the messenger, May prayer and peace be bestowed upon
him, for he is the one who delivered the message and suffered for it hardships,
tribulations and abuse .... All that was to save humanity.
Allah and the Messenger love will be reflected love for others and care to
all humanity without any discrimination between a race and another, a colour
and another, a religion and another a religion and another, for the adlıerent is
humanity messenger and the love he harhours to others might soften their hearts
and hearts and introduce belief and good to them. "love softens iron and melts
stone and it is the wing, by which Man flies" "love is the right of Allah, who do
not die" "love is what prophets have brought along".
ar-Rumi says in the divan of Shams of Tabriz:
"from a wandering dervish tolerance,
and lovers stubbomness,
We live and are renewed.
And we say perhaps that will be!".
When love prevails among people, there will be no room for injustice, for
injustice depends on hatred and not placing the object in its place, as for justice,
it is the way to place boon in its place.
A quotation "justice is to place boon in its place and not to water every
root, in existence Wlıat is injustice? It is not to place an object in its place. And
that mere tribulation prevention.
Call to love others, with their different races, religions, colours and ar
Rumi's others invitation to attend, listen to and hear from him indicates a
human spirit, and characterize thought and behaviour, whereas we find many
people deal with others witlı fanaticism spirit, we see ar-Rumi introducing his
thought pigmented with tolerance and deem other human beings as ones in
need of help.
ar-Rumi abided by Man and made him his first priority concem, In fact his
plıilosophy, instructions, poetry, advice and discussions, all are about Man,
ascension with himEt highlighting the personality of the perfect human being,
highest rank of humanity, meriting widest vision, well thinking and a large set
1346 Here the task of the Shaikh and educator emerges in instructing the saul
\
and min d of adherent to control his psyche and that is the straight path, for there
is no opposition between sound mind and Shari's and the happy human being is
he whose members and senses enjoy the mind control.
With ar-Rumi's attention to the mind, its value and concupiscence control,
he couples the mind and conscience, meriting a moral characteristic aiming to
make Man adhering the virtues quitting the vices with an emotional excitement
spirit with sawing seeds of lore and sincerity so that the individual reform be
via oneself, for the mind is convinced of the necessity of reform and the heart
rushes by the excitement of the emotion and locking for the reformed way. Here
ar-Rumi sought to highlight the pure clear companions image, granting an
example of live virtuous ethics embodiment, he sets an exemplar for us in the
story of our master Ali may Allah glorify his face, when he had a duel with an
enemy and he brought him down and sat on his chest to stay him, thus the man
spit in the face of Ali and consequently Ali let him go. The man found that quite
strange and asked Ali why did he let him go after he had overcome him. Ali
answered: I wanted to kill you for the sake of Allah and in Obedience, but when
you spit in my face I raged with anger and was afraid of killing you to relieve
my self. The man was stunned from Ali's ethics and action and he announced
hi canversion to Islam. After he has told same positive stories, ar-Rumi does not
miss to mention stories, bearing images of contradictory ethics, showing the
.value of conscience, for the issue is not via appearances but via essence He tells
the story of the Sufis, who sold their companion's donkey and bought with the
price food, they eat while their companian does know, then they began to pray.
He alsa tells the story of the townee and the villager the villager used to visit
the townee and be welcomed generously, but when the townee visited the vii
lager pretended of not knowing him and refused to welcome him or be gener
ous with him after imploring and insistence he permitted him to sleep in the
animals shed. At night, the villager's donkey moved and the townee thought it
a beast and killed and threw it away the villager came very angry protesting the
kill of his don key However when the townee asked the villager how did he
knew it was his donkey. He answered that he knew it from its smell. The townee
then got up to the villager, beating him and saying: "How many times have be
met in my room and you did not know me, but you knew the jackass at night
from its smelln.
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal interpretation of Rumi's teaclıings and the plıilosoplıy of rotation
ar-Rumi deems that depending only on the mind and conscience is not suf
ficient to the adherent to reach to perfection unless he merited love, mixed with
emotion. Love must in the beginning be addressed to Allah, for Allah love is the
foundation of the relationship between the creature and the creator; and must
also be addressed to the messenger, May prayer and peace be bestowed upon
him, for he is the one who delivered the message and suffered for it hardships,
tribulations and abuse .... All that was to save humanity.
Allah and the Messenger love will be reflected love for others and care to
all humanity without any discrimination between a race and another, a colour
and another, a religion and another a religion and another, for the adlıerent is
humanity messenger and the love he harhours to others might soften their hearts
and hearts and introduce belief and good to them. "love softens iron and melts
stone and it is the wing, by which Man flies" "love is the right of Allah, who do
not die" "love is what prophets have brought along".
ar-Rumi says in the divan of Shams of Tabriz:
"from a wandering dervish tolerance,
and lovers stubbomness,
We live and are renewed.
And we say perhaps that will be!".
When love prevails among people, there will be no room for injustice, for
injustice depends on hatred and not placing the object in its place, as for justice,
it is the way to place boon in its place.
A quotation "justice is to place boon in its place and not to water every
root, in existence What is injustice? It is not to place an object in its place. And
that mere tribulation prevention.
Call to love others, with their different races, religions, colours and ar
Rumi's others invitation to attend, listen to and hear from him indicates a
human spirit, and characterize thought and behaviour, whereas we find many
people deal with others with fanaticism spirit, we see ar-Rumi introducing his
thought pigmented with tolerance and deem other human beings as ones in
need of help.
ar-Rumi abided by Man and made him his first priority concem, In fact his
philosophy, instructions, poetry, advice and discussions, all are about Man,
ascension with himEt higlılighting the personality of the perfect human being,
highest rank of humanity, meriting widest vision, well thinking and a large set
1348 of internal merits and noble traits, with a highly delicate sense, a penetrative
thought and knowledge of matters sequels.
\
All those characteristics in the human being personality do not integrate
unless this human being merits a wide insight, via which perceiving what sur
rounds him, and which is a means of mental deduction and to instruct his
adherents to seek to well insight and authors poetry about that, say what is
translated as follows: "Supreme Allah's Mercy offsprings traces are apparent
traces are apparent from His Mercy tree in the presence of his subjects, name-
ly: convenience and boon et al., the reasonable scientist, looking via Supreme
Allah's light, but those else him when will know will know what these traces
really aren.
"no one ever knows what his perfection characteristics are but via traces
and exemplar, for prophets and reasonable scientist, looking via Supreme Allah's
light of their nations, knows via Allah's teaching him through traces and exem
plar". Proverbs.
ar-Rumi, however, in his discussion of well insight, uses ambiguous words,
like witnessing and bat in uncovering, but the idea features has not been clari
fied, for "witnessing" word bears more than one connotation, like witnessing
unity and witnessing itself these strange terms, mentioned by so me Sufis, with
out clarification of their connotations, have lead so me people astray and to eter
nal damnation, where The devil has camouflaged their religion and illusioned
, them that these utterances have more than one connotation: and had we
returned to the age of the messenger MGPH and his honourable companions we
would not find any mention or care of tem.
ar-Rumi continues his discussion of well insight and deems that it draws
from its strength from the past and its experiments, where Man takes lesson, les
sons and experience and from the present, insight fathom the circumstances,
lives out by oneself and which he needs to treat AB for hope, it lurks to the
insight in the future, a and a difficult and tiring way, but the required might be
achieved, if there is determination, for Man is exposed to the conflict of desires,
serting exeruplar of Qaig disciples, Layla's lunatic conflict with his she-camel, for
Layla's lunatic wants to reach to Layla whereas the she-camel wants to return to
her young off spring. In the desires conflicts Man ascends, for the soul is ambi
tious to ascend to the thrown whereas the body: drags the soul to Earth. The soul
is Layla's lunatic and the body is the she-camel.
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal iııterpretation of Rumi 's teaclıiııgs and the plıilosoplıy of rotation
Tlıere might be no saving/escape but by their separation, ar-Rumi express
es that saying: "the lunatic dropped himself from the she-camel and shouted I
have become burned because of grief ... till when?"
ar-Rumi deems that the Sufi, when able to fathom the past, the present and
the future, it exceeds to the no-place and is converted from time son to time
father and from a Sufi to a pure being.
I think that ar-Rumi here imagine Man, extracted from the lower world and
ascended towards the thrown; and this is in our opinion assigning the Sufi what
can be unbearable, for Man do not stay on one status.
Once he ascends and another descends and Man can not be extracted from
time and status because they are his related ambient and his body laws are sub
ject to time and place and he cannot rid of them.
In orderthat personality integrates, according to ar-Rumi, it needs to return
to the inside of the psyche, he thus he fathom himself minutely, profoundly, a
consequently he knows its good traits and refined advantages and perceives its
deficiencies and defects, growing the good and weakening the bad, or else his
status will raise criticism and laughter, for he might mingle bad with good,
thinking that it is of the same kind.
When one perceives one's characteristics and one self, he would depend on
the good characteristics in with standing obstacles where his thinking power is
transfigured by his personality strength, consequently he perceives the obstacle
and takes the convenient stand canceming this obstacle. ar-Rumi tells in this
domain the story of the man, whose children died but he did not weep and did
not panic. And, when his wife objected and said: "if eye tears were evidence of
mercy why do I see your eyes void of tears?" He answered her: "As long as I see
them in front of me, there is no need to hit and scratch my fa ce. They are, though
outside time rota tion, around me, playing, for people see them in me."
As for those who were afflicted by disobediences and were incapable of
emancipation from them, ar-Rumi deems that their fall in disobedience is the way
to purgation and ascension, for the afflicted human being resorts to Allah, sup
plicating with complain. This connotation is taken from the honourable Hadith:
"Allah, if He loved a subject afflict to hear his supplication. ar-Rumi says
in this concern: "the subject impeccable with complain to Allah, from pain; and
Allalı says. Tiredness and pain have made you supplicating, complain alıout our
boon to you.
1350 Thus ar-Rumi elaborates on discussing the qualifications, adherent must
be characterized with in order to reach the required end, namely following the
great exemplar, the messenger, May prayer and peace be bestowed on him.
However, prophethood's revelation has been interrupted due to his decease,
MGPH and the adherent needs someone to encourage, instruct, apply Shari'a
and instruct him towards truth, namely the pole or the Saint, 885 the truth and
show the school.
This pole is in no need to others wlıile others are in need of him, for he
rotates round himself and the orbit rotate round him:
"the pole weakness is ascribed to the body and not to the spirit, weakness
is in the ark and in Noalı.
The pole is him who rotates round himself and the orbit rotate round him."
Tlıough we will discuss the pole concept in our next elaboration on the
practical education. However we find ourselves obliged to pause at the pole con
cept to perceive what is meant by it. It is quit known that the Sufis confirm the
existence of poles and finances. The pole here according to Jalal ad-Din, as one
might understand his statement:
Rotates round himself that he is the human being who needs no one else,
he is in no need to any instruction nor any guidance, but in fact, there is no one,
who does not need instruction save the messenger May prayer and peace be
bestowed upon him and the rest of people all, between positively and negativi-
, ty, instructed and is instructed. I think most that ar-Rumi had missed the mes
senger MPPH saying: "All of you are mistake-committers and the best of my
nation are those who err and beg for mercy". I think also that ar-Rumi had been
influenced by the Slıiite thought, deeming the existence of the impeccable Imam
and age Imam .... ete.
However, referring to what ar-Rumi has stated, namely: the messenger
MPPH is the model no about him there is no difference One problematic remains
unsolved, how can the messenger be the exeruplar and also the pole, an exeru
plar and model. ar-Rumi caught up with the matter, stating that he (i.e. the pole)
is not a prophet and he receives no revelation of Shari'a, a prophet and he
receives no revelation on of Shari'a, but he merits mirades like prophets merit
revelation ... However, ar-Rumi exaggerated incredibly and unacceptably, when
he says that what is for prophets is a right to Saints and the Saints souls are not
like those of human beings.
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal iııterpretatioıı of Rımıi's teaclıiııgs aııd tlıe plıilosoplıy of rotation
The matter reaches risk level, when ar-Rumi claims that the holy spirit talks
to the Saint or pole without prophet means: "Another thing is left, but it is
ascribed to the Holy spirit, talk to you of without the means of a prophet".
ar-Rumi feels that he is about to get involved in refused exaggerations, thus
he caught up with stating that the Saint is not a prophet, has not come out with a
Shari'a and not sent with a message, however, he quotes from the light of prophet
hood and seeks for perfection. ar-Rumi explains the Saint's rise by being a gift
from Allah, for He knows what in his conscience, for his heart has no work but
Allah passian I have cleaned heart home, with all its contents of good and evil,
consequently my heart became full of the unique sui generis passion".We find our
selves once more, pause at ar-Rumi's saying: "And, all that I can see except Allah
is not mine but a retleetion of the interrogator's conscience. Is what is meant by
the phrase "except Allah" but Allah's capacity or else the speech is about truth in
anather Sufi connotation: is what is meant witnessing unity or existence unity? In
case it is the latter, the matter is quite problematic and serious.
As long as we are discussing problematic matters, let us pause at the
"divine passion» phrase, foundation of ar-Rumi's philosophy and thought.
Passian in education concept according to ar-Rumi depend on attraction,
for he deems that part is attracted to the whole due to the unity of existence
characteristics between them; tand the separated off theirs longs and is attract
ed to his origin; similar things are attracted to each others, His argument in that
is the messenger MPPH saying: "the souls are recruited soldiers, of which what
fatham each other, coalesce and what is distracted became different".
"Attraction" is the noun of "to attract", one of the instructions, with which
Shams of Tabriz filled ar-Rumi's heart. This "attraction" became a foundation of
his soul, thought and behaviour, for he deems that Man is a creature of Great a Almighty Allah's; and he is weak before the strong, thus, Man will head to Him
and send towards Him Here, the attraction increases, the more ascension and
height up till the human being reaches the unification, stage ar-Rumi sets many
exemplars about the attraction, saying: "one hand can not dap" must have the
other hand; the thirsty long to and is attracted to water and water is attracted to
the thirsty, for both of the lover and the beloved need each other And, people's
souls long to Allah, just like yearning to potable water and Allah is longing to
us, on grounds of the holy Hadith: "righteous people's eagemess to meet Me has
been elongated and I am more eager to meet them". ar-Rumi deems that Praised
1352 and Majestic Allah's wisdom in determinism made us both in the souls and sense
worlds passionate, i. e. each one of them is a passionate lover of the other, each
divine appearance it is not quite void of i ts love to an appearance; and that loved
appearance demand i ts passionate lover. The who le world is ma de of couples and
pairs, Each one is a passionate lover to his spouse, for each part in the word \
require a part, suitable to its preparedness, for heaven says: "Hello" to earth,
expressing its status, "we are in exeruplar like iron and magnet, an created
attraction strength in earth and heaven is a dome made of a magnet, attracting
earth; man attracts a woman and a woman attracts a man Day and night are
apparently two opposites, but internally and in fact each of them rotates raund
one truth, namely completion of their work. S ince the body parts, each of them
require restaration to its origin and because of death, they are decided to sepa
rate. Look and understand how will a strange saul be in separation, for if it has
not gain acknowledgement with its origin, namely, the thrown light, and does
not remain in the body, consequently it stays oscillating between souls and
forrus two worlds, tortured in the purgatory by separation fire that is clarifica
tion of saul attraction to souls word, in addition to seeking and inciination to its
destination and running out of the body parts, chains to the leg of the souls
hawk, that collects souls.
The saul is initiated from the lig ht of the tlıroıvn lord.
And Earth is the soil of this body and corps.
The saul is estranged and the body is in homeland,
Have mercy on a dismal lıomeless person.
According to ar-Rumi, from attraction generates passion; which is
addressed to Praised and Majestic. the "passion" word has been used by a num
ber of Sufis and started from looking forward to Allah and ended in terms,
between for and against arguments, acceptance and denial The "passion" word
has been devolved and encountered changes in connotations and explanation:
and it has become of sundry concepts, imaginations, especially when Shari'a,
Speech and philosophy scientists handled it, then definitions got troubled and
different and became between for and against, despite that Praised and Majestic
has granted people the alternative world, preventing conflict and trouble, name
Iy "love". He said: "Say if you were loving Allah and His messenger, then fallaw
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A persoııal iııterpretatioıı of Rımıi 's teaclıiııgs aııd tlıe plıilosoplıy of rotatioıı
me and Allah would love you." And, the messenger MPPH says: "None of you
believes unless he loves me mo re than his sp o use, children and self." However
some Sufis have left the Shari'a word "love" and used the word "passion". The
philologist, Ahmad bin Thaalab has stated that the word "love" is greater and
better than the word "passion" for "passion" means psychological and somatic
love whereas "love" exclusively means spiritual "love". Moreover, it is quite
known that differences have caused some walkers via Sufism route trouble in
thought, decree and behaviour and though we have to discuss "passion", accord
ing to ar-Rumi, being one of the most important elements of spiritual and psy
chological, according him and the backbone of his divan of Shams of Tabriz and
al Mathnawi, for ar-Rumi has confirmed that it is the way, instrumental to per
ceive the divine truth.
"passion" explanations according to Sufi poets have been different, for each
has his private concept; thus Fareed ad-deen Alattar deems that divine truth pas
sion, being knowledge, and endeavour in the knowledge, road is the ascension
and perfection road; whereas ar-Rumi deems that divine passian is harboured in
fathaming divine beauty, for divine beauty is the source of every beauty in the
universe, for Allah is beautiful and loves beauty; he also, is the one who creates
beauty. Consequently, he who perceives this universal beauty, whether material
ly or morally, has perceived one of the ends (purposes) of the divine creation.
What needs to be examined is the statement that "passion" is perceiving the
divine truth, a will, of divine truth in terms of Man, perceiving that Allah exists
and that His existence is true is quite required an no human being belief com
pletes but with this thought.
However, in case what is meant is perception of Allah's truth and His
essence via one's returu to his inner self and building on data, he bears, then this
matter needs research, but out of question hereby.
ar-Rumi discusses the correlation between "passion" and "attraction" say
ing: "the mind is bewildered in passian and beloved trade saying: "That is aston
ishing, drawing to him in this now, means that this beloved attracts that pas
sionate !over to himself or attraction from that aspect has reached this one, that
passionate !over is inclined to himself and the more correct is that attraction is
first from the part of the beloved, quoting from Him Supreme saying: "He loves
them and they love Him." and reasonably, that electricity draws hay and hay
necessarily is drawn by electricity.
1354 And so, ar-Rumi deems that passian depend originally on attraction
\
between the lover and the be loved and the beloved that the universe elements
attract one the And, passian is not only an attraction between the ereatar and
the creature but also a divine gift and it might not be acquired by learning and
some times it is hard to express in letters, therefore ar-Rumi has depended on
music and rota tion, in addition to w hat he has authored of poetry. The mo re the
attraction between the lover and the beloved i. e. between the ereatar and the
beloved i. e. between the ereatar and the creature, the more is the passian and
the lover travels towards perfection and harmony and here emerges a poem of
the greatest he has authored in symbolic conscience poetry, named, the reed pipe
poem, in which ar-Rumi represents himself in his yearning and nostalgia to
Allah, in addition to his maaning from that yearning and increasing ascending
grief by that reed, cut from a large reed and made in to a reed pipe it is still yearn
ing and attracted to its origin and groaning:
"I hear the reed pipe expressing his complains, after he has become far
away from"
"Since I have been cut from ... forest and people, men and women weep for
my weeping. Saying in his complains to the sub-sects. After my companions I
have not tasted sleep I am reciting chest tom by separation till I explain why has
separation pains occurred ....
The beloved is the whole
As for the lover he is a partition and the beloved is the live, but as for the
lover, he is dead, How can I have a mind to perceive what I behold
In front of and behind me, when there is no light.
My beloved is in front of and behind me.
Passian dietates that we reveal this.
Saying or else how will the mirror be, If it has not reflect visible pictures".
ar-Rumi has a wonderful philosophy, unveiling a profound thought, pro-
longed look into the universe, life and death and Man correlation with heaven,
for ar-Rumi deems that all in the universe are either eaters or eaten and that
Allah has originally created the universe on that and nothing escapes being eaten
but Man for solids of dust water are plants nutrition, plants are nutrition for ani
ınals and Man and animals are Man nutrition.
And, since creatures has been created from above and descended to earth,
they are always yearning to their origin and the above Man, when dies, his body
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal interpretatioız of Rımzi's teaclzings and the plzilosoplzy of rotation
perishes but his saul is immortal and sublimate to above, for Man has eaten all that
has descended from above, thus he sublimate towards the thrown, consequently
death becomes a transfer from the state of body destruction and perishability, a
way to remain, for it is a returu to the origin, and so death is a way of rise.
ar-Rumi goes on, imbuing trust in a listening or reading psyche to remind
him that almighty almajestic Allah has made him a successor on earth and
imbued him with the saul that do not perish. he alsa establishes that the more
Man ascends with his saul the move he heads towards the messenger MPPH.
Since Man is Allah's successor according to ar-Rumi, thus Man according
to ar-Rumi is the great world, where all secrets gather, and not the sınaller world
as philosophers say.
One of the important concepts, ar-Rumi has believed in and in which contra
dicted many Su:fis, who believe that Man's behaviour is compulsoıy, for ar-Rumi
deems that Allah has assigned Man with "Do" and "Don't'' and had it been compul
soıy, there would have been no "Do" and "Do not" and there would have be no need
to calling to account. this opinion was transfigured in ar-Rumi's calling his adherents
and order members to work and earn. The Mawlawyyiah dervishes have adhered to
this call, thus they not only used to cook, farm, haıvest, seli and get married, but alsa
it exceeded that to involve in wars and defend their countries. My Iate parent, May
Allah have mercy on him, has told me that in World War One, arrived in Damascus
dty many soliliers of al Mawlawiyyah dervishes and stayed at al Mawlawiyyah hos
pice garden, then traveled to Suez canal and partidpated in the war there.
I will not miss hereby to praise ar-Rumi's attitude in this aspect, a call to
and an adlıerence to life and enjoying life pursuant to the approach of the Quran
and the Sunnah.
After discussion of various education aspects according to ar-Rumi, it is
quite worthy to summarize this education, meriting the following:
ı. Comprehensiveness: it has contained different life aspects, whether spiritual,
intellectual or practical.
2. ar-Rumi has introduced thejurisprudence thought, depending on thought pro
fundity and life perception with its illnesses and introduction of solutions.
3. ar-Rumi has not been convinced of mind only, but alsa included conscience,
consequently it was mental emotional education.
4. ar-Rumi has introduced philosophy in his poetry about existence, universe
and saul. There are two poems are of the greatest poetry authored, namely: reed
1356 pipe Maaning and the devil and Mu'awiyah, in which he handles a set of pro
found philosophical issues, that need special study.
\
5. Education according to ar-Rumi is counted an encydopedic one, dealt with
the soul, the body, Man, science, work and society.
6. Adoption of different means, whether symbol, darification, indication and
ambiguity, in addition to story, poetry, exemplar and wisdom.
7. Education and a way, however, the Sufi method has been a b are necessity to
stand up to the materialism then. Rotation philosophy in the Mawlawiyah order.
Had Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi acquired fame via his poetry, the other element
of his fame is that he established the Mawlawiyah order. It has been possible to
cansumma te discussion of this order and the subject is rare, had it not been for
our obligation to commit to the research title. W e will discuss the dothes of the
members of the Mawlawiyah order. The Mawlawiyah is derived from the word
"Mawla" in Arabic, one of the opposites words, has two opposite connotations,
namely: "Master" and "Subject".
Moreover, Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi has been known by the title "Mawlana" i.e.
our master. And, when his followers were ascribed to him the coord "Mawlawi"
emerged. The "Mawlawiyah" order have special dothes, whose interpretation and
what are the symbols connotations differed. However w hat I will take about of my
argument might differ from what some researchers have mentioned, but I deem it
to a certain extent right, for I have lived in the "Mawlawiyah" order for more than
, twenty years. Anyway, it is a interpretative judgment and not out of truth.
1- "as-Sikkah" or al-Kalah, a Persian word that means 912 and similar to tar
bousk, but a higher. Its colour is light brown or white, made of camel hairs and
felt. The (al-Kalah) usually is wom and cover the front and reach eyebrows.
It is in its coarseness symbolizes life hardship and straits, wear the human
being till it is about to cover his eyes. It is the dervishes dothes. As for the
Shaikhs, they wrap a green 915, symbolizes the green turhan of Abi Bakr as sid
diq. This wrap is called "ad Distar".
Ad Damer: it is a short doak without any buttons.
It is an expressian of the shortness of the dothes of this lower world.
Ad Dazdakour: it is a broad belt wrapped on the waist, adjusting the skirt
in the middle. It is a likening to what poor Muslims used to do of wrapping
stones on their abdomens in state of humanger.
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal iııterpretatioıı of Rumi 's teaclıiııgs and the plıilosoplıy of rotation
The skirt (at Tannourah): it isa tight dothes at shoulders till the waist, then
it widens to be like a fımnel. It is an expressian of the idea that this lower world
dothes are loose. It is usually white and means 9/6.
Al-Masst: it is a light pair of sandals, worn by the dervish when rotating.
Al-Jubbah: It is a tight long black doak, worn by the dervish over his
dothes to cover privacy.
Its blackness symbolizes abstention from this lower world pleasures.
al-Khirqah or al-Khirqayah: a wide sleeved loose doak, symbolizes the
evanescence of the lower world doak and its fast taking off.
It is usually worn by the Shaikhs, ad-Dadawat and the dervishes, before
hearing and rotation.
Al-Arqiyah: it is a short hood capouche worn by the dervish, when work
ing in Mawlawiyah or when at Tabadhul (i.e. wearing ordinary dothes).
The Mawlawiyah order has daily ritual prayer (dhikr) councils, trans
fıgured in the fıve prayers, the after dhikr, Quran recitation and worship
and advice hearing, weekly councils, repeated on Mondays and Thursday
after al Ashaa prayer, deal in dhikr, sections and recitations from al
Mathnawi and seas on council in the Shaaban median night, Night journey
anniversary, each week in Ramadan and al Qadr night, where dhikr mixes
with hearing with.
What concerns us here is to discuss rotation, the Mawlawiyah call hearing.
The hearing party begirts with the entrance of the Mawlawiyah dervishes,
the Shaikh and the "Midanji" (fıelder) it the hearing hall and each one of them
has put on his special dothes.
All of them kowtow, thanking Praised and M<Uestic, the sit Glorious Quran
the Shaikh delivers a serınon of Glorious Quran verses and honourable Hadith
and explains some poetry of al-Mathnawi, recited by "at Tareeqji" (way respon
sible) then all get up to perform the hearing - i.e. rotation. Hearing begins with
three turns round the circumference of the "dhikr" hall called Sultan Walad turn,
to the tamtourine and reed pipe.
This turn is not by ar-Rumi but it was laid out by his son Sultan Walad.
After the Sultan Walad turn, the turning begins, where the dervishes take off al
Khirqa and each of them proceeds to the sheikh and great him by a little bow,
then begins to turn ... in the following I elaborate the following my personal view
in this turning:
1358 Everything in the universe rotates, for the moon rotates raund the Earth;
and the Earth tums raund itself and the sun. Muslims alsa, tum raund Kaabah,
tuming begins from left to right and when the dervish starts tuming, his hands
on his chest reaching his shoulders and his finger are open. Gradually, the hands
withdrew. That symbolizes that the dervish is cleaving to the lower world, but
his hands slide gradually and the lower world go es out from his chest and han ds.
Then the dervish extends his han ds in the same extension of the shoulders and
raises his right hand and opens his hand, symbolizing asking Allah forgiveness.
He places his hands a little lower and his palm downwards, symbolizing absten
tion from the lower word. As for his face, it is in the directian of his left hand,
observing insistence to dearing to the lower world. The dervish's left foot is fixed
to the graund just like his fixation to the right, while the right foot pushes to
continue tuming, where the dervish is absorbed in self fathaming and fumble the
ways of discipline it.
W e have mentioned that the dervish tums raund himself but do not suffice
himself with that, he alsa tums raund the Shaikh as he tums ro und the organiz
er of the tuming, called al Midanji (fielder). We would like here to emphasize
same points:
1. When tuming, the dervish is in harmony with the universe, where every things
ratates. And, he is trying, when tuming, to returo to himself and fatham his psy
çhe. If he weak.ened in same thing of that, his tuming raund the Shaikh or the
al Midanji (fielder) symbolizes drawing and knowledge from both of them, in
addition to psyche purgation.
2. When starting to tum, the dervish moves raund the circumference of a circle,
at the centre of w hi ch the Shaikh resides, but this circle soo n tums into an ellipse,
because of the presence of the two arches, the up per and the lower or the ascend
ing and the descending, thus the dervish is attracted to his colleague, tuming near
him, for the dervish moves in his tuming and keeps the distance, while tuming,
between him and his colleague. Consequently, he is attracted by his observance
and balance with his colleague in order that they both avoid collision.
3. The Shaikh in the beginning tums at the centre of the ring, but he moves to
the right or the left in his tuming, to avoid stepping on the medialline, symbol-
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal iııterpretation of Rımıi's teaclıings and the plıilosoplıy of rotation
izes the equator in the globe and the straight path. Gradually, the Shaikh, turn
ing, becomes at one of the ellipse two centers and sametimes reaches the al
Midanji (fielder) to the ellipse centre, while circumambulating between the two
circles to avoid collision with each other, taking over the place of the Shaikh
while mavement of the dervishes accelerates near the Shaikh. Thus circumam
bulating becomes as follows:
a. The dervish tums raund himself.
b. The dervish is attracted to the Shaikh and to his colleague.
c. The dervish tums round the Shaikh or the al Midanji (fielder), occupying one
centre of the ellipse's two centres.
d. The dervishes mavement accelerates round the Shaikh.
Now what does that mea?
We find that in the two AD. centuries, namely: the fifteenth and the sev
enteenth, two world scientists, namely: Copemicus and Johannes Kepler stating
that the sun is the centre of the universe and that the earth go es ro und the sun
and it is not the centre of the universe. And the planetary orbits are elliptical and
the sun is at one centre of the ellipse.
That there is accord between the tuming system according to the
Mawlawiyah and the theories of Copemicus and Kepler, who took from whom
do you think?
It is quite known that Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi was deceased in 1273 AD.,
Copemicus in 1473 AD. and Kepler in 1630 AD. out of time precedence, it is evi
denced that ar-Rumi has anteceded both scientists, World Copemicus and Kepler
in utilizing precedent astronomical true laws.
Perhaps sameone would say: "Copemicus has plagiarized his theory from
Ibn aslı ShaTer (714 AH.- 1304 AD.), the Damascene al Allsari Ali bin Ibraheem,
from his books " Great lbn aslı SlıaTer Eplıemeris" and "Little lbn aslı SlıaTer
Eplıemeris" and that is true and the documented study has proved that he has
plagiarized from the books of Ibn aslı ShaTer and ascribes to himself. However,
Ibn aslı ShaTer was succedent to Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, deceased in 674 AH., i.e.
32 years before Ibn aslı ShaTer's birth. W e do not want to overstate praise, there
fare we will not say that Ibn aslı ShaTer has plagiarized from ar-Rumi and that
Copemicus has plagiarized from Ibn aslı ShaTer, though the discoveries have
proved that. Alsa, the sciences historian, David Kipling, has confirmed that in his
book, "Dictionary of Scientific Personalities". However, we would say that Jalal
1360 ad-Din ar-Rumi has anteceded other astrologers in accreditation of the solar sys
tem and that suffices him to pride of.
At last, we would say: Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi is a genius man, offered
humanity a set of wonderful poetry, enrich thought, soul and body, distinguished
by transparent soul and human tendency, transfigured in a unique educational
method, coupled between theory and application and depended on music in both
its branches, poetry and instruments. Those who have followed him of
Mawlawiyah has enriched music with tunes and many ramifications, all confirm.
Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi remains a human being who might err and be right. We
call to take of his correctness and reform what he has erred in.
Mohammed Said Mawlawi A personal interpretation of Rumi 's teaclzings and tlıe plıilosoplıy of rotation
