(An imprint of Sophia Perennis)

Announces the Publication of

The Quatrains of Rumi

(Beginning of Marketing Campaign: May 20, 2009):

Rubâ‘iyât-é

Jalâluddîn Muhammad Balkhî-Rumî

ISBN 978-1-59731-450-3; $25.95, £19.50

Translated by

Ibrâhîm W. Gamard

and

A. G. Rawân Farhâdî

COMPLETE TRANSLATION WITH PERSIAN TEXT,

ISLAMIC MYSTICAL COMMENTARY,

MANUAL OF TERMS, AND CONCORDANCE

The first complete English translation of the Quatrains — over 700 pages — based on the Persian of the original, complete, and uncorrupt Forûzânfar edition –

translated with close attention to Rumi’s idiomatic usage,

with the collaboration of scholar from Afghanistan,

whose native Persian remains close to Rumi’s own

The “version-makers” of the poetry of Jalâluddîn Rumî have helped to make him perhaps today’s most popular poet in the English language.

But they have not served his intended meaning with equal zeal,

often portraying him as a “universal” mystic who had somehow “transcended” Islam, even though his celebrated Mathnavi has been called “the Qur’an in the Persian tongue.” Ibrâhîm W. Gamard

and A. G. Rawân Farhâdi have labored to set the record straight,

and to demonstrate that Mawlana’s universality is inseparable

from his Islam — from the depth of his Islam.

For more information, contact Sufi-Dari Books/ Sophia Perennis at:

jameswetmore@mac.com

or info@sophiaperennis.com

Rumi (K.S)’s poem is very nice indeed. As Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said in his hadith:
“Some poetry contains wisdom.” [Sahih Al Bukhari , Volume 8, Book 73, Number 166]

Rumi (K.S) is not understood by the world properly.

Some people in the west would like to strip his muslim identity off and accept him as a poet inspiring their hearts. The reason that they would like to do this is that they have islamaphobia or they are so called freethinkers who would like to follow their own mind and reach their own understanding of God without following any laws of God or he is just a poet speaking nice words to them.

However Rumi (K.S) is stating clearly and setting his boundaries in his famous saying:
“I am the servant of the Qur’an
While I am still alive.
I am the dust on the path of Muhammad,
the Chosen One.”

Some other group of people goes in to extreems by exalting(ifrat) him so much without even understanding what he is saying in his works. As well as that, some of them doesn’t follow islamic shariah either. Islam prohibits ifrat and tafrid which are two opposite extreems.

Qur’an [Al-Maida 5/77]:
Say: “O People of the Book! exceed not in your religion the bounds (of what is proper), trespassing beyond the truth, nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by- who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the even Way.

Al-Maida [5/87]:
O ye who believe! make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, but commit no excess: for Allah loveth not those given to excess.

Did these people know that Rumi(K.S) had instructed his son Sultan Valad (K.S) to learn ilm(knowledge of islam) and not to be a ignorant person.

Do they know that Rumi(K.S) had been found in front of his house in a cold winter day. He was in a state that he had done tahajjud prayer during the night and cried so much that his tears got frozen on his beard and his beard was stuck on the floor.

Rumi(K.S) had spent his entire life on the path of islam being devoted to ALLAH and HIS RASUL. He is a blessed muslim auliyah.

ALLAH and HIS RASUL set limits, and HUDUDULLAH must not be exceeded. Allah says this in various verses in the Qur’an.

There are people who love Rumi(K.S)’s work and give it it’s right while reading. Those will know what Rumi(K.S) is saying and will analyse and reflect upon his sayings while they are following the path of Allah by trying to be the true believers(Mumeen). They know their limits (adab) and they learn the morality of Allah by following Qur’an and Sunnatullah.

The people who keep repeating the poems of divine love but not following the path of Allah are gone astray.

Many people in the internet keep talking about “Love poems” of Rumi (K.S) or “Rubais” of Omar Khayyam(K.S).

Their sayings can not be known very easily as they speak about the batini(inner) meanings of things. They watch the inner(Batin) from the outer(Zahir) and say their sayings in a spiritually drunk state. That is why , the person reading their poems will not understand much from what they are saying. They only themselves will know better what they are looking at that moment. But their poems sound nice to our nafs, heart and spirit and fill us with courage and love of Allah and His Rasul. So they can motivate us to walk through this desert by inspiring us.

Verily the best speech is the speech of Allah and His Rasul comes after Him. So Qur’an and sahih hadiths are our main resource to feed from.

Most difficult tests come to those who claim that they LOVE!..That claim pulls hardship on someone who is demanding the Love of GOD. If one is not observant for these tests and constantly doing lip service to the term,” LOVE”, is considered to be the liar.

Because his heart and the activities he does will deny it. LOVE is the state of enlightenment of the mind. The one who enjoys the hardships and passes through the tests on the path of God are coloured with the names of GOD and finds enlightenment. They are the ones who understands what Love is.

Qur’an [Al-Bakara 2/138]:(We take our) colour from Allah, and who is better than Allah at colouring. We are His worshippers.

That sort of person does not sell his knowledge for money, does not open therapy classes-courses for money, does not write and sell spiritual books for money, does not show off to people with his knowledge in the media, does not advertise himself.

He becomes a truly servant to his Rabb and lives by the laws of God and the example of the prophet. With his actions and words , he stays behind the prophet of time. This has happened like this through the aeons. Without disciplining the body, cleaning the soul(nafs), emptying the evil quualities within heart, and polishing the glass of the spirit(Ruh), the one will not be able to see the qualities of God within his heart…

This subject is very broad, Sakina. What a beatiful name mashaallah. May Allah give us all hayr and make us all join in the heart of Rasulullah SAW, protect us from going in to extreems and transgressing the boundaries of Allah, bestow his Rahmat upon us, and allow us to join our shahadats to the shahadat of Rasulullah SAW. May Allah accept our prayers in the union of Rasulullah’s dua and accept our repentence in the union of Rasulullah’s tawba. Amin…
Allahumma Salli Wa Sallim Wa Barik Ala Sayidina Muhammadin Abdika ve Rasulika wa Nabiyyika wa Nabiyul Ummii Wa Ala Alihi Ahli Baytihi Wa Sahbihi Wa Ummatihi.
Amin Ya Latif Ya Kareem, Ya Raheem, Ya Waduud.
Amin Amin.

Rumi, though a great poet, shouldn’t be considered anything but a human. Just like our Prophet (pbuh). I see in some places on the web where he is almost worshiped.