By Robert Siegel, *Religion 101: Who is Rumi in Islamic mysticism?* - Examiner.com - Baltimore, MD, USA
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The best-known mystic of Islam is Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273), a famous poet who lived in what is present-day Turkey. Rumi wrote numerous poems, many about "the Religion of Love." He founded or enhanced the esctatic dancing of the Mevlevi Sufi order, known in the West as the Whirling Dervishes.
Showing love to other people was paramount for Rumi. He wrote, "My religion is to live through Love – life through this spirit and body is my shame." He also wrote, "The intellect does not know and is bewildered by the Religion of Love – even if it should be aware of all religions." He further wrote, " If Love’s pulse does not beat within a man, let him be Plato, he is but an ass. If a head is not full of love, that head is behind the tail."
In other words, knowledge alone is not enough in life. A person must also put his knowledge – especially about religion – into practice by demonstrating care for other people.
Rumi's mystical poetry also uses the language of love to describe a person’s relationship with the Almighty. God is called the Beloved and the seeker is designated as the Lover.
"The joy and heartache of the lovers is He,
the wages and salary for their service He.
Were aught to be contemplated other than the Everlasting Beloved,
how would that be Love? That would be infatuation.
Love is that flame which, when it blazes up,
burns away everything except the Beloved.
It drives home the sword of no god in order to slay other than god.
Consider carefully, after no god what remains?"
In other words, the reward for having a relationship with God is the "joy and heartache" of being in love.
The most important thing that should fill the attention of a seeker is their relationship with the "Everlasting Beloved," Who is God. Everything that is not of Him is not important – or less so. Anything not of Him will not remain, but He endures forever.
The significance of Islamic mysticism, as expressed by Rumi, is that living a life that demonstrates love and care is more important that espousing religious dogma. He understood the value of intellect in worshiping God, but also knew that living from the heart is equally vital.
Rumi’s labeling of his faith as being "the Religion of Love" is noteworthy because he is not talking about Islam. Instead, he is describing a Higher Principle that supercedes religious labels and denominations.
It is an other-worldly, mystical way to relate to God and Humankind. It is a love-relationship with the Almighty that is expressed by demonstrating care to other people.
For more info: The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi by William C. Chittick (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1983).
Sunday, July 26, 2009
What Remains?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The best-known mystic of Islam is Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273), a famous poet who lived in what is present-day Turkey. Rumi wrote numerous poems, many about "the Religion of Love." He founded or enhanced the esctatic dancing of the Mevlevi Sufi order, known in the West as the Whirling Dervishes.
Showing love to other people was paramount for Rumi. He wrote, "My religion is to live through Love – life through this spirit and body is my shame." He also wrote, "The intellect does not know and is bewildered by the Religion of Love – even if it should be aware of all religions." He further wrote, " If Love’s pulse does not beat within a man, let him be Plato, he is but an ass. If a head is not full of love, that head is behind the tail."
In other words, knowledge alone is not enough in life. A person must also put his knowledge – especially about religion – into practice by demonstrating care for other people.
Rumi's mystical poetry also uses the language of love to describe a person’s relationship with the Almighty. God is called the Beloved and the seeker is designated as the Lover.
"The joy and heartache of the lovers is He,
the wages and salary for their service He.
Were aught to be contemplated other than the Everlasting Beloved,
how would that be Love? That would be infatuation.
Love is that flame which, when it blazes up,
burns away everything except the Beloved.
It drives home the sword of no god in order to slay other than god.
Consider carefully, after no god what remains?"
In other words, the reward for having a relationship with God is the "joy and heartache" of being in love.
The most important thing that should fill the attention of a seeker is their relationship with the "Everlasting Beloved," Who is God. Everything that is not of Him is not important – or less so. Anything not of Him will not remain, but He endures forever.
The significance of Islamic mysticism, as expressed by Rumi, is that living a life that demonstrates love and care is more important that espousing religious dogma. He understood the value of intellect in worshiping God, but also knew that living from the heart is equally vital.
Rumi’s labeling of his faith as being "the Religion of Love" is noteworthy because he is not talking about Islam. Instead, he is describing a Higher Principle that supercedes religious labels and denominations.
It is an other-worldly, mystical way to relate to God and Humankind. It is a love-relationship with the Almighty that is expressed by demonstrating care to other people.
For more info: The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi by William C. Chittick (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1983).
Labels:
poetry
By Robert Siegel, *Religion 101: Who is Rumi in Islamic mysticism?* - Examiner.com - Baltimore, MD, USAWednesday, July 15, 2009
The best-known mystic of Islam is Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273), a famous poet who lived in what is present-day Turkey. Rumi wrote numerous poems, many about "the Religion of Love." He founded or enhanced the esctatic dancing of the Mevlevi Sufi order, known in the West as the Whirling Dervishes.
Showing love to other people was paramount for Rumi. He wrote, "My religion is to live through Love – life through this spirit and body is my shame." He also wrote, "The intellect does not know and is bewildered by the Religion of Love – even if it should be aware of all religions." He further wrote, " If Love’s pulse does not beat within a man, let him be Plato, he is but an ass. If a head is not full of love, that head is behind the tail."
In other words, knowledge alone is not enough in life. A person must also put his knowledge – especially about religion – into practice by demonstrating care for other people.
Rumi's mystical poetry also uses the language of love to describe a person’s relationship with the Almighty. God is called the Beloved and the seeker is designated as the Lover.
"The joy and heartache of the lovers is He,
the wages and salary for their service He.
Were aught to be contemplated other than the Everlasting Beloved,
how would that be Love? That would be infatuation.
Love is that flame which, when it blazes up,
burns away everything except the Beloved.
It drives home the sword of no god in order to slay other than god.
Consider carefully, after no god what remains?"
In other words, the reward for having a relationship with God is the "joy and heartache" of being in love.
The most important thing that should fill the attention of a seeker is their relationship with the "Everlasting Beloved," Who is God. Everything that is not of Him is not important – or less so. Anything not of Him will not remain, but He endures forever.
The significance of Islamic mysticism, as expressed by Rumi, is that living a life that demonstrates love and care is more important that espousing religious dogma. He understood the value of intellect in worshiping God, but also knew that living from the heart is equally vital.
Rumi’s labeling of his faith as being "the Religion of Love" is noteworthy because he is not talking about Islam. Instead, he is describing a Higher Principle that supercedes religious labels and denominations.
It is an other-worldly, mystical way to relate to God and Humankind. It is a love-relationship with the Almighty that is expressed by demonstrating care to other people.
For more info: The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi by William C. Chittick (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1983).
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