Rumi's great book of wisdom-infused poetry contain myriad lessons on the importance of faith, with the culture and lessons of spiritual, Biblical and Islamic teachings featuring strongly.
In authoring his masterwork, Rumi quoted the Qu'ran, the Bible and several spiritual forebears. Wishing to align his poetry in order to tell tales of man and man's place in the world, Rumi drew upon a variety of religious and spiritual sources to create a poetic compendium of supreme profundity and depth. The Masnavi was praised as one of the finest works of mystical literature ever seen, and it is today emblematic of the Islamic Golden Age.
It is in the Masnavi that Persia's place between the spiritual cultures of Asia and the Middle East is evidenced. Rumi himself, while undoubtedly an Islamic scholar of great ability, did not feel confined to the faith; he saw spiritual value in a range of disciplines, and asserted that the light of Mohammed's prophecy does not leave faithful Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians or other denominations behind.
The six books contain lines of poetry interspersed with short tales. Many are Biblical, alluding to figures such as Moses or Pharaoh, while others concern Arabic or Sufi culture. Many of the stories contain a spiritual moral, or profess Rumi's central belief of tawhid (unity with God as Beloved) - a common characteristic is Rumi's unique reflections, and his eloquence at reworking existing folk tales.
Maulana Jalalu-'d-din Muhammad Rumi was born in the early 13th century in what is today Iran. Demonstrating a gift for words and language from his early years, his childhood was marked by the disruption of the Mongol invasion of Iran. This process which led Rumi and many others to relocate to Baghdad for their own safety. The sudden arrival of Persian scholars to Islam precipitated a blending of culture that would result in great accomplishments of art and philosophy.
Today, both Rumi and the Masnavi are celebrated in Iran and the wider world. His teachings are present in many schools across Asia, with many children taught to memorize his most valuable and poignant verses. As his writings are not confined along sectarian grounds, Rumi's works are widely read all around the world, receiving praise for their wholehearted spiritual message. This edition contains the English translation by E. H. Whinfield, a scholar of Persian literature distinguished in his field.
