In this collection of Rumi poetry, Rumi gives answers to spiritual questions that have been asked for centuries. So many readers and scholars represent Rumi as a mystical poet who can help us understand this world, help us worship God, become better humans, attain human happiness. They confuse Rumi's emphasis on Love with earthly love, and they miss his emphasis on annihilation of self. This is the reason for the title of this book: Unknown Rumi. It is a collection of 100 of Rumi's rubais (four-line poems), with commentary on each rubai by Nevit Ergin, reflecting various stages of Rumi's spiritual journey from human perception to Absence, Advaita, Nothingness. Ergin has translated all 2,217 rubais from Rumi. They are spread throughout the second half of Rumi's Divan-i Kebir. The earliest known manuscript copy of the Persian original, which was completed between 1367 CE and 1368 CE, is housed at the site of Rumi's tomb in Konya, Turkey. Photographs were taken of each page of that manuscript and reproduced for this volume, thus making it truly unique. In addition to the original Persian, each rubai is presented in its English and Turkish translations, A book for spiritual aspirants and lovers of Rumi alike.

A Girl Called Rumi, Ari Honarvar’s debut novel, weaves a captivating tale of survival, redemption, and the power of storytelling. Kimia, a successful spiritual advisor whose Iranian childhood continues to haunt her, collides with a mysterious giant bird in her mother’s California garage. She begins reliving her experience as a nine-year-old girl in war-torn Iran, including her friendship with a mystical storyteller who led her through the mythic Seven Valleys of Love. Grappling with her unresolved past, Kimia agrees to accompany her ailing mother back to Iran, only to arrive in the midst of the Green Uprising in the streets. Against the backdrop of the election protests, Kimia begins to unravel the secrets of the night that broke her mother and produced a dangerous enemy. As past and present collide, she must choose between running away again or completing her unfinished journey through the Valley of Death to save her brother.

The definitive study of the world's bestselling poet Drawing on a vast array of sources, from writings of the poet himself to the latest scholarly literature, this new anniversary edition of the award-winning work examines the background, the legacy, and the continuing significance of Jalâl al-Din Rumi, today’s bestselling poet in the United States. With new translations of over fifty of Rumi’s poems and including never before seen prose, this landmark study celebrates the astounding appeal of Rumi, still as strong as ever, 800 years after his birth.

At long last, an accessible little book that focuses on the teachings of Rumi's teacher and inspiration, Shams of Tabriz. Included in this slim, charming volume is a biographical sketch of the great Sufi teacher and mystic and a new translation of 500 of his core teachings that bring into fresh focus the meaning and mysteries of life and love. There are many books on Rumi and many translations of his works and yet most readers are unaware of how Rumi became a mystic. Shams, an Arabic word that means the sun, was the catalyst that converted the rather resolute and ascetic Rumi, the cleric and teacher, into Rumi, the passionate disciple of the religion of love. He was the agent of the propulsive mystical energy that transformed Rumi the reticent into Rumi the ecstatic poet. Rumi lovers, spiritual seekers, and devotees of the mystical path will meet this little book of wisdom and mystical secrets with enthusiasm. I shall not place you in my heart For you may get hurt by its wounds. I won't keep you in my eyes For I may belittle you and expose you to the ridicule of common men. I will hide you inside my soul, not in my heart or in my eyes, so that you may become one with my breath.

From the premier interpreter of Rumi comes the first definitive one-volume collection of the enduringly popular spiritual poetry by the extraordinary thirteenth-century Sufi mystic.

Introduction - Rumi's Timeless Legacy Welcome to a journey through the life and legacy of a remarkable soul whose words have traversed time and touched hearts across the globe. In the following chapters, we will delve into the captivating tale of Rumi, a name that resonates with wisdom, love, and mysticism. Rumi, whose full name is “Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī”, was not just a poet or a scholar; he was a beacon of light in the realm of human understanding. His story, spanning the 13th century, stretches far beyond the borders of his birthplace, leaving a trail of inspiration that remains as vibrant today as it was centuries ago. Born on September 30, 1207, in Balkh, a city in what is now Afghanistan, Rumi's journey began in a land rich with cultural heritage and spiritual traditions. His early years were marked by a thirst for knowledge and a heart open to the mysteries of existence. Little did he know that his path would lead him to become one of the most celebrated poets and thinkers in history. As we embark on this voyage, imagine the vibrant tapestry of the Middle Ages, a time of intellectual exploration, where the scent of knowledge wafted through the air, and hearts beat in rhythm with the pulse of discovery. Rumi's world was one of shifting empires, diverse cultures, and a profound search for meaning. Our journey will take us through dusty libraries where Rumi's young mind absorbed the teachings of scholars, through bustling bazaars where merchants exchanged not only goods but also ideas, and to the quiet corners of Konya, Turkey, where a fateful encounter would forever alter the course of Rumi's life. At the heart of Rumi's story is his deep and transformative friendship with Shams al-Din Tabrizi, a wandering mystic who ignited a flame within Rumi's soul. Their bond was not just one of teacher and student; it was a connection that bridged the earthly and the divine, sparking revelations that would find their way into Rumi's immortal verses. Picture, if you will, the sun-drenched courtyards of Konya, where Rumi and Shams engaged in conversations that delved into the very essence of existence. These dialogues, often filled with laughter, contemplation, and soul-stirring insights, formed the crucible from which Rumi's poetry emerged like pure gold. In the chapters to come, we will explore the intoxicating power of divine love that Rumi so eloquently described in his works. We will witness the birth of the whirling dervishes, a mystical order that sought union with the divine through dance and devotion. We will unravel the verses of Rumi's masterpiece, the "Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi," and embark on a journey of enlightenment, where every couplet is a stepping stone toward the truth.

75 poems translated from the original Persian by architect Nader Khalili. come/ let's fall/ in love/ again. let's turn/ all the dirt/ in this world/ to shiny gold. Rumi's message transcends the limitations of language & the boundaries of time. Human beings were born for unlimited freedom & infinite bliss, & their birthright is within their grasp. But in order to reach it, they must surrender to love. What makes Rumi's expression of this message different from other expressions is his extraordinary directness & uncanny ability to employ images drawn from everyday life. Nader Khalili has been able to bring out the fact that Rumi's message has practical & concrete relevance to our everyday world. Nader has been performing a major human service by bringing beauty into architectural forms. In this volume he illustrates his versatility by bringing it into linguistic forms as well.--PROFESSOR WILLIAM C. CHITTICK, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, STONY BROOK. Other books by Khalili: 1) RACING ALONE, 2) CERAMIC HOUSES & EARTH ARCHITECTURE, 3) SIDEWALKS ON THE MOON. Second printing; 143 pages, $11.95, Cal-Earth press, 10225 Baldy Lane, Hesperia, CA 92345. Tel. 619-244-0614, FAX: 619-244-2201, E-mail: [email protected].