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800th anniversary of the birth of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Belhi-Rumi (Maulānā Jalāl-ud-Dīn Balkhī Rūmī), poet and philosopher (1207-1273) is being celebrated all over the world. Eminent philosopher and mystical poet of Islam, Rumi advocated tolerance, reason and access to knowledge through love. His mystical relationship with Islam produced masterpieces that have marked Islamic culture and religious beliefs, well beyond the borders of Turkey. His work and thought remain universally relevant today.
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Mevlâna
Jalâluddîn Rumi
One of the most beautiful verses
of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi,
"the renowned Turkish philosopher
and father of Mysticism" is the following:
"Come, come again, whoever, whatever you may be, come. Heathen, fire worshipper, sinner of idolatry, come. Come if you have broken your vows a hundred times. Ours is not the portal of despair or misery, come."
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In the last decades of the Twentieth Century the spiritual influence of Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi is being strongly felt by people of diverse beliefs throughout the Western world. He is being recognized here in the West, as he has been for seven centuries in the Middle East and Western Asia, as one of the greatest literary and spiritual figures of all time. Different qualities of Rumi have been brought forth by a variety of new translations that have appeared during the nineteen-eighties. He has been presented as both refined and sensual, sober and ecstatic, deeply serious and extremely funny, rarefied and accessible. It is a sign of his profound universality that he has been so many things to so many people.
Mevlana was born in the city of Belh of the Horasan country which falls within the boundaries of current Afghanistan, on September 30, 1207. Mevlana's father was Bahaeddin Veled, the son of Hüseyin Hatibi, who, besides being one of the notables of city, was also known in his life time as the"Sultan of the Scholars". His mother was Mümine Hatun, the daughter of Rükneddin, who was the Emir of Behl. Sultanü'l - Ulema Bahaeddin Veled, because of certain political incidents and the approaching Mongolian invasion could no longer stay in the city. Thus, in the year 1212 or 1213 Sultanü'l - Ulema left Behl with the members of his family and close friends. His first stop was Nişabur where he met the well known Sufi Feridüddin Attar. There, despite his young age Mevlana was noticed by Feridüddin Attar who showed his appreciation and approval of the young man. Sultanü'l - Ulema moved from Nişabur to Baghdat and later took off for Kaaba through Küfe. On his way back from the priglimage he stopped at Damascus and from Damascus he reached Larende (Karaman) passing through Malatya, Erzincan, Sivas, Kayseri and Niğde. They settled in the theological school (medrese) built by Subaşı Emir Musa. Sultanü'l - Ulema and his family who arrived at Karaman in 1222, stayed there for 7 years. There, Mevlana married Gevher Hatun who was the daughter of Şerefeddin Lala. The marriage gave Mevlana two sons named Sultan Veled and Alaeddin Çelebi. Years later, with Gevher Hatun dead, Mevlana married for a second time with Kerra Hatun, who was a widow with a child. Second marriage also gave him two sons, Muzaferreddin and Emir Alim Çelebi, and a daughter called Melike Hatun. During those years the greater part of Anatolia was under the reign of the Seljuk State and Konya was the capital. Hence Konya was bestowed with works of art and artists, and scholars were abundant in the city. In short, Seljuk State headed by Alaeddin Keykubad, was enjoying its most spectacular days. Alaeddin Keykubad invited Sultanü'l - Ulema Bahaeddin Veled from Karaman and asked him to settle in Konya. Bahaeddin Veled accepted the invitation of the Sultan and arrived in Konya on May 3, 1228 with his family and friends. Sultan Alaeddin met them with great ceremony and allocated the Altunapa (İplikçi) Medrese (theological school) to their use. Sultanü'l - Ulema died in Konya on January 12, 1231. The rose garden of the Seljuk palace was chosen for his grave and he was buried at the same spot the grave stands today at the Mevlevi lodge which is now used as a museum. When Sultanü'l - Ulema passed away, his students and followers gathered around Mevlana, regarding him as the sole heir of his father. In fact Mevlana had become a great scientific and religous scholar and was sermoning at the İplikçi Medrese. His sermons were drawing large crowds. Mevlana met Şems-i Tebrizi on November 15, 1244. Mevlana found in his character "the existance of absolute maturity" and saw in his face "the spiritual lights of God". However their companionship did not las long as Şems suddenly died. After this death, Mevlana went into long years of seclusion. In later years, Selahaddin Zerkubi and Hüsameddin Çelebi tried to compansate the loss of Şems-i Tebrizi Mevlana, who summarized his life with the words, "I was raw, cooked and then burned" died on Sunday, December 17,1273. He had willed his burial prayers to be led by Sadrettin Konevi. However, Sadrettin Konevi was completely shattered with the death of Mevlana whom he loved greatly, and fainted at the ceremony. The prayer was then led by Kadı Sıraceddin.
Mevlana believed the day of death to be a day of rebirth. Death would take him to his beloved; that is, the God. With this believe he was referring to the day of death as "Şeb-i Arus" which means wedding day or the bridal night and willed his friends not to cry and wail after him.
"When we are dead, do not turn your eyes to the ground, seeking my grave! My grave will be in the hearts of the wise" Hz. Mevlana
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DERVISHHOOD : A dervish is an apprentice, one who is learning the professionthat will provide eternal livelihood. This profession is still taught in certain schools of higher learning. While there are many skills that can be self-taught or learned alone, the skills of dervishood are learned by being in relationship to a shaikh, or guide, and within a spiritual family, a Sufi circle. There will always be much to learn on one's own, through one's own efforts, and within one's own understanding. The final responsibility, of course, lies with ourselves, and in reality there is no intermediary between us and our God. And yet one can no more become a dervish alone than one can become a lover alone.
Mevlana's Mausoleum / source: mevlana.net
People will dedicate the whole of their lives to becoming a accomplished musician or a professional athlete. In doing so they will have to organize the whole of their lives around this one master desire. A dervish is one who has made Truth his or her master desire and is willing to submit all other desires and aims before this aim. It is possible to make Sufism a pastime, one interest among others, but that does not make one a dervish. It is fine to read widely and become acquainted with various traditions, but to be a Sufi is much more than to have a preference for reading Sufi books or listening to Sufi music.
The price of dervishood is one's whole life, a total commitment of one's life energies. Fortunately, in our tradition it does not mean the abandonment of a productive and socially useful livelihood, nor the renunciation of marriage and family, but it does mean that everything we are involved with will be understood and arranged from the perspective of our essential spiritual intention. Certain lifestyles may not be consistent with our intention; certain forms of livelihood may not be appropriate in light of the more stringent requirements of remembering God with each breath. We may find that we are not asked to sacrifice everything, that the Way does not contradict our essential humanity.
MESNEVI : Mesnevi is the name given to a certain poetry style in the classical eastern literature. It's dictionary meaning is "two by two" or "doubleness". In literature the verses which have the same measure and where each couplet is in rhyme seperately within itself are called Mesnevi. As each couplet rhymes within itself even though all have the same measure, there is great ease in writing the Mesnevi. Hence for themes which are likely to be long, or for stories to be told in verse form, Mesnevi style was chosen for its easy rhyme mould.
Even though Mesnevi is a verse style of the classical eastern poetry, the word "Mesnevi" always brings to mind the "Mesnevi of Mevlana"
Mevlana wrote his mesnevi upon the request of Çelebi Hüsameddin. According to his secretary Hüsameddin Çelebi, Mevlana would come up with the couplets when relaxing at Meram, while sitting, walking and even during the Samah; and the Çelebi Hüsameedin would note them down. The language of Mesnevi is Persian. According to the oldest copy available which is dated 1278, and displayed at the Mevlana Museum the number of couplets is 25618 Measure of the Mesnevi is : Fa i la tün - Fa i la tün - Fa i lün
Important Links :
Goturkey
Mevlana Museum Video
Works of Mevlana
Mevlana.net (Mevlana's Own Family)
Rumi2007 (Whirling Dervishes)
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