Voices from the International Congress

TT Culture Desk - Tehran Times - Tehran, Iran
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Speaking at the International Congress held to commemorate the 800th birth anniversary of Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi at the IRIB International Conference Hall on Sunday, Mohammad H. Faghfoory, professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University, talked about how the poetry of Rumi is popular in the West.

And this, despite the fact that translations often inadequately convey the great spiritual treasure which lies buried in the original verses.

He remarked, “In the United States the works of Rumi are reviewed from three points of view -- academic studies are performed by poets and literary figures, research is undertaken by certain groups which support the mystical heritage of Rumi and there also exists a commercial approach towards his works”.

“The academic circles of Western society have been familiar with Rumi’s poetry for the past century. However, the various translations that exist are totally different from each other,” he explained.

He went on to say that the depth of mystical meaning in Rumi’s poems renders translation of their concepts extremely difficult which results in the spiritual ideas contained in the original works being inadequately conveyed.

“In addition, most of the translators were either unfamiliar with the Persian language or made use of other translations together with the help of Persian-speaking assistants,” Faghfoory remarked.

He named the works of Coleman Barks to be the best translations of Rumi’s poetry currently existing. Barks has translated a large quantity of Rumi’s work and has been a student of Sufism since 1977.

Rumi believed holism achieves true wisdom
Scholar Professor of Philosophy from the University of Isfahan Mehdi Dehbashi made a speech on the second day of the Rumi congress.

Speaking during the “Wisdom and Philosophy” session, he discussed the theory of the unity of contradictions in Rumi’s ontology.

He remarked that in the thinking of Rumi, true wisdom is obtained through holism. He noted also that Rumi believed pluralism to be essential for unity.

American expert discusses satire in Rumi’s works
American Rumi expert Walter Stone, participating in the Rumi congress, discussed satire in the works of Rumi.

He noted that satire is the major technique used by Rumi in his poetry.

Rumi was highly interested in music
Iranian scholar Professor of the University of Tehran Tofiq Sobhani made a speech on poetry and music in sama performances.

He said that Rumi was extremely interested in music, adding “Rumi’s interest in music led to the filling of the entire city of Konya with melodies, the pleasing sound of which reverberated everywhere.”

Man finds true image in Rumi’s works
Tajik expert Tajik expert on Rumi Mirza Mirahmad made a speech about the perfect man in Rumi’s Masnavi Manavi.

He said that even if the perfect man is mentioned in the poetry of other masters, man can only find his true image in the works of Rumi.

He explained that the major theme of Rumi’s masterpiece, the Masnavi Manavi, is the relationship between man and God.

Rumi’s unfavorable view towards philosophy
“Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi had a limited knowledge of philosophy,” Nasrollah Purjavadi, philosophy professor at the University of Tehran said during the session on wisdom and philosophy held on the sidelines of the congress.

Studies reveal that Sufis, including Rumi, harbored a chronic dislike for philosophy since the 11th century AD, when a division arose between Greek philosophy and the wisdom of the Quran.

Although Rumi alludes to some philosophical notions in his works, he condemned philosophy in “Fihi Ma Fih” he concluded.

Resemblance between the thoughts of Rumi and those of Eckhart
Shiraz University’s philosophy professor Qasem Kakaii made a speech on the similarity between Rumi’s ideas and the thoughts of Meister Eckhart (1260– 1328), the German theologian, philosopher and mystic.

He remarked that the Nothingness Theory is highlighted in their thoughts and ideology. He went on to say that some scholars consider this theory to be a play on words.

Kakaii mentioned that others believe that the Nothingness Theory originated from the philosophy of Parmenides and led to the contemporary philosophy of Existentialism and Nihilism.

Rumi is a proficient spiritual advisor
German professor Irmgard Payne professor of sociology at RWTN Aachen University made a speech elaborating on the fondness of non-Muslim Germans for Islamic mysticism.

Payne mentioned that Rumi opposed political dogmatism and advocated that love and spirituality should have dominion over all countries and therefore he is a proficient spiritual advisor for all countries in the modern world.

The professor also highlighted the necessity of dialogue between civilizations, particularly between the West and Islam.

Art embodied in the poetry of Rumi Rumi’s works are intimately linked with art
The secretary of the Iranian Academy of Arts Bahman Namvar-Motlaq said in a speech during the second day of the congress on Monday.

“Rumi has utilized artistic emblems and symbols in his poetry in order to convey his ideas. Thus it can be observed that he had a close relationship with art,” he explained.

“To comprehend this affiliation, it’s sufficient to know that his most important work, the Masnavi, begins and ends with art i.e. it commences with ‘The Song of the Reed’ and comes to an end with a poem about a painting,” he noted.

Resurgence of Rumi and Hegelian philosophy
Ali-Asghar Mosleh professor at Tehran’s Allameh Tabatabai University, participating in the congress, delivered a lecture on the theme “The Resurgence of Rumi and the End of Hegelian History”.

“According to Hegel, humans have experienced all cultural and ideological developments and events in the course of European civilization and elements belonging to premodernist cultures are no longer perceptible. Consequently, the world will never again witness the revival of traditions and elements observable in the premodernist eras” he said.

Mosleh rejected Hegel’s ideas by referring to the rise of global interest in the thoughts of Rumi and the abundance of commemoration ceremonies which are now underway in the world for this Persian poet and Muslim mystic.

Exquisite Rumi and Shams Artworks Unveiled in Tehran

TT Art Desk - Tehran Times - Tehran, Iran
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A collection of exquisite illustrations of Rumi’s poems from the Divan of Shams and also portraits on the themes of Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi and Shams of Tabriz was unveiled at Tehran’s Palestine Museum of Contemporary Arts on October 28.

Held to run concurrently with Tehran’s International Congress on Rumi, the exhibit includes 50 illustrations and 16 portraits, Curator of Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art Habibollah Sadeqi told IRNA.

The majority of Iran’s renowned painters and illustrators have contributed to the display.
Many of the works depict Rumi’s poetry, he added.

Sadeqi, pointing out Mahmud Farshchian’s latest miniature work “Shams and Rumi”, which has been showcased for the display, referred to it as a unique work of art.

Artworks by Aidin Aghdashlu, Kurosh Shishegaran, Kazem Chalipa, Sedaqat Ejbari, Zahra Rahnavard, Habibollah Sadeqi and Morteza Heidari are amongst the collection.

The 50 illustrations are compiled in a book entitled “Shams of Iran’s Academy of Art” by Mehdi Hosseini; the book was also unveiled during the inauguration ceremony.

This illustration project was initiated two years ago by the secretary of the academy Bahman Namvar-Motlaq, who invited artists to participate in the task; Sedaqat Jabbari undertook the calligraphy.

The book contains a combination of modern paintings with traditional calligraphy; previously such works had only been compiled using traditional methods.

The exhibit will run until late November at the venue which is located on Mozaffar St., Taleqani Ave near Palestine Square, Tehran.

Molana is Always Alive

IRNA Islamic Republic News Agency - Iran
Sunday, October 28, 2007

Tehran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Sunday that the renowned Iranian mystic poet, Molana, does not belong to a specific time, place or ethnic group.

Addressing the International Congress on the 800th birth anniversary of Molana Jalaleddin Molavi Balkhi, he said, "Today and every day, the human community is in need of thought and exalted spirit of Molana more than before".

"Molana is always alive because he is connected to Allah and the reality of existence. He belongs to the entire humanity."

The Iranian president added that particularly in the today's world when material and corrupted cultures and thoughts have targeted human values and principles, the human beings are in dire need of Molana's thought.

He further referred to Molana as one of the most lasting poets of the world.

Philosophy, mysticism and religion, Molana and contemporary world, understanding among cultures and religions in Molana's thoughts, art and aesthetics, story writing, and language and literature are among subjects of the congress.

Also, to commemorate Molana, a stamp has been designed by Maestro Mahmoud Farshchian who has drawn 16 precious miniatures on Molana.

Playing national Iranian music will be among other programs of the Congress which is being held at the Organization of Islamic Conference's auditorium in northern Tehran.

[Picture: Shams and Molana. Miniature by Maestro Mahmoud Farshchian].

Iran-Rumi Anniversary

IRNA Islamic Republic News Agency - Iran
Saturday, October 27, 2007

Tehran: International Conference to commemorate the 800th birthday anniversary of Persian renowned Poet Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi kicks off here Sunday.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi will deliver speeches in the inauguration ceremony.

After the opening ceremony, the 2-day meeting will start its work in seven specialized sessions.

The participants will continue their work in Tabriz, capital of Eastern Azerbaijan province, for another 2 days and on the final day, the attendants will move to Khoy city, 165 kilometers west of Tabriz, for groundbreaking ceremony of the construction of a building on the grave of Shams-e-Tabrizi, mentor of Rumi.

Majlis Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel is the Secretary General of the International Conference.

450 articles from 29 countries have reached the Conference secretariat.

Bells in all schools around the country will toll on Sunday to commemorate Rumi.

[Picture: Sun Path diagram of the city of Khoy. Image from http://www.gaisma.com/en/].

They Could Be Produced in Our Country as well, but...

By Ekrem Aytas - Today's Zaman - Istanbul, Turkey
Thursday, October 25, 2007

Chinese revel in Mevlana product profits

Konya: The Chinese have managed to turn the Year of Mevlana, declared by UNESCO to honor the 800th anniversary of Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi’s birth, into an economic windfall by manufacturing several souvenir items bearing images of Mevlana and whirling dervishes.

The statuettes, tableaus, plates, prayer beads and T-shirts of whirling dervishes produced by Chinese manufacturers are among the best-selling souvenirs in Konya.

China, which has recently received negative press related to the production of toys containing lead, has found a new economic avenue in the production of toys and souvenirs commemorating Mevlana -- the great humanist, philosopher and mystic of Islam.

China faced an economic deadlock when its trade partners raised questions about the safety and quality of its products; however, the country has moved on and re-entered the competitive world market with brand new low-priced items bearing the images of Mevlana and the whirling dervishes.

Yet the enthusiasm for Chinese-made souvenir items has turned into an issue of debate among merchants and domestic producers in the central province of Konya.

Merchants and shopkeepers in the province have expressed their satisfaction with a significant rise in their sales figures.

“We are happy to sell visitors all manner of souvenir items with images of whirling dervishes. There has been a great increase in sales; the tourists visiting the Konya Mevlana Museum flock to the souvenir shops and ask for items bearing images of whirling dervishes,” said shopkeepers.

Domestic producers, on the other hand, indicate that the companies importing cheap Chinese products into the country are a threat to domestic manufacturers.

“Such souvenir items could be produced in our country as well. But we cannot compete with cheap Chinese standards, and we will be faced with big challenges if necessary measures are not taken,” stated one producer.

A New 25 Million Dollar Film on Rumi Emerges from 'The Business Street' of Rome

AKI ADN Kronos International - Rome, Italy
Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Rumi, the famous 13th century Islamic poet and mystic, will be featured in a new 25 million dollar film production to be produced in a joint venture between Italy and the United Arab Emirates.

It's one of the major deals to have emerged in 'The Business Street', the space set aside for international film producers and others at this year's Rome Film Festival.

In the last few years, several proposals have been considered for a movie about the life of the much beloved Sufi poet, who is well known in Europe and the US.

More than 800 years after his death, his Persian poetry remains popular from Turkey to India. Now a new Italian company, Istar Production, has reached an agreement with Dubai's D-Seven Motion Pictures to make the film.

The choice of the Dubai company is part of a strategy which aims to make the Emirates a hot new location for movie production in the Persian Gulf, offering capital and infrastructure for international filmmakers.

D-Seven Motion Pictures is headed by Nayla al Khaja, UAE's first independent female film director and producer.

Muzaffar Ali, a famous Indian filmmaker will direct the film. Igor Uboldi from Istar said the choice of an Indian director was appropriate because it was one of the countries where the 'cult' of Rumi survived. It also coincided with the Rome Film Festival's focus on Indian movies this year.

The film project appears to be connected with UNESCO's Rumi Year, declared to commemorate the poet's 800th birthday.

The film has been presented to Turkish institutions with a view to shooting in Turkey and has received formal support from UNESCO.

"It will be an international production to tell the story of a poet that after 8 centuries still inspires us," said Uboldi.

And he adds: "At a time when Islam is at the centre of turmoil and misconceptions, Rumi opens the doors of a world where Islam always means love, never hatred".

Crescent Live Internet TV

Crescent Network - U.K.
Thursday, October 25, 2007

New Muslim TV Station Designed for Internet

In a sitting room in Rochdale, two friends were lamenting over the plight of Muslims around the world and in their home country, the UK.

There seemed to be a vast amount of misunderstanding about Muslims and a fear from Extremism.

They were already operating various forms of media to help dispel the stereotypes and misinformation being propagated about Muslims.

Wanting to accurately portray the colourful, positive, productive and diverse spectrum of Muslims to a wider audience they envisaged a bigger medium.

Following two years of planning, research, interviews and brainstorming sessions into the early hours they formed a company called Crescent Network and from that two initiatives emerged: Crescent Life, a Lifestyle magazine [http://www.crescentlife.co.uk/] and Crescent Live.

Crescent Live (Net TV) is a revolutionary new channel that is specifically designed for the Internet. It is the first to focus on Lifestyle issues from a Muslim Perspective that can be enjoyed by all – Muslim and Non Muslim.

Crescent Live will revolutionise Internet TV for Muslims and non-Muslims, bringing to its viewers a wide area of programming, including culture, arts, debate, food, travel, films, comedy, cartoons and history, from a Muslim cultural perspective.

Also Crescent Live will act as a key player in helping to rebuild bridges of tolerance, understanding, acceptance, and promote harmony between people of different faiths, at a time that it is needed most.

The key aims of Crescent Live are :

To help people to live as Practicing Muslims, whilst at the same time live as positive contributing members of society in the Muslim/ non Muslim countries that they have decided to live in.

Portray the true Islamic values to non Muslims and the rest of the world

Tackle day to day issues that are facing communities

Rebuild bridges of tolerance, acceptance and understanding between communities, through respect for each others points of view.

Do this via enjoyable methods by providing knowledge, instruction, guidance, education and moral support to all people through the most actively used media

We will also encourage positive debate and provide guidance to all communities (social and organisational) that are affected by extremism, through the promotion of tolerance and understanding of the community differences.

To visit Crescent Life TV Net and/or to log on, click the title of this article or the following link: http://www.crescentlive.tv/

...As Quoted in *The Sufi Path of Love*

By Maswood Alam Khan - The New Nation - Bangladesh
Thursday, October 25, 2007

Doris Lessing has shown to the world the convenience of searching the truth concealed in nature by her gifted education instead of wasting time digesting texts in schools.

Energy and time she invested of her own free will since her young life in comprehending tomes of Dickens, Scott, Stevenson or Kipling could have earned her many certificates that she could nicely laminate to treasure in a showcase if she instead did invest under compulsion the same in schools and universities, but would have missed her bijou moments to write "The Grass Is Singing" or "The Golden Note Book" or dozens of other volumes that has crowned her with this year's Nobel Prize in literature.

God does not endow anybody or every graduate with a gift of power to converse with nature and then weave the dialogues in the literary or scientific equivalence of a garland. A handful of gifted geniuses---Bengali Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore is one of them---stepped on this earth to leave behind their immense contributions in the fields of science, art and literature.

Gifted students ironically are often frustrated with the 'education as usual' systems, which, while it may suit the majority of students, do not suit their needs. Doris is one of those talented prodigies who found committing passages of textbooks to memory shelves and vomiting those words in exam halls a caricature of an idiot storing his/her mind with a million facts and still remaining entirely uneducated.

(...)

A prolific writer Lessing once described writing as a kind of 'wool-gathering'---a slow, tedious and difficult process. Still she could manage to raise a child alone, be so involved with politics and still find time to write.

Her involvement though with politics was perfunctory. She attended not more than 10 meetings as a member of the communist party writers' group in Rhodesia. Lessing believes that she was freer than most people because she became a writer.

Readers of Lessing became her followers largely because of her odysseys in inner space of human mind and outer space of the cosmos and her commitment to major issues, such as communism, feminism and Sufism.

In her struggle to prove or disprove existentialism she continued writing one fiction after another constructing characters acquiescent with ephemeral matters, pleasures and pains of life as if she were tirelessly climbing a tall flight of stairs with books considered her steppingstones in quest of a truth fleeting and missing for ages before her arrival at the theatre of this planet.

Not before reflecting her interests on Sufi mysticism could she climb high enough to tryst with the truth of spirituality.

Her science fiction in series probing higher planes of existence (Canopus in Argos: Archives, 1979-1983) was greatly influenced by the Muslim scholar Idries Shah whose writings on mysticism stress the evolution of consciousness and the belief that individual liberation comes about only if people understand the link between their own fates and the fate of the society.

Sufism's universality in source, scope and relevance persuaded Doris Lessing to ornament her writings with sequins of Sufism.

Lessing viewed her space-fiction series of Canopus as a platform where she extrapolated fates of the living from the fate of cosmic evolution---raising humankind to a higher plane of existence-which is a basic tenet of Sufi philosophy, the latest of three major influences on her thinking.

The first was communism that lasted from 1944 till 1956, the second was feminism that began in 1950s and lasted through the 1960s when she turned to Sufism.

Most readers, however, felt dismayed at the sudden veering of the writer from her steadfast position as an archeologist of human relations to the smog of mystification. She was dubbed an African writer, a Communist writer, a feminist writer, a psychological writer, a science-fiction writer and lastly a mystic writer.

Her pilgrimage progressed from Communism to Sufism covering three continents and a world war.

(...)

According to the statutes of Nobel Foundation framed in strict compliance of what was mentioned in the will Alfred Nobel wrote in 1895, the Swedish Academy had chosen Doris Lessing from among hundreds of candidates nominated by thousands of registered nominators all over the world---nominators like members of academics, university professors, writers and poets from numerous countries, previous Nobel Laureates, members of parliamentary assemblies and others.

Anybody from anywhere in the world did cast votes---through SMS or Emails---to make Nolak the best (or the most popular) 2006 singer in Bangladesh through Close-up One competition sponsored by NTV and also did put weights of votes on Time magazine's Editorial Board to choose their 'Person' of the yester century.

But Tom, Dick or Harry like you and me cannot voice to the Swedish Academy our supports or recommendations for a writer who touched our souls by his/her writings composed in our own mother tongue and styled in our own lore and tradition.

Had Alfred Nobel had the slightest inkling on the possibility of a global referendum through instant messaging he would perhaps added a clause in his will to take into account a percentile weight for global opinion of the masses in addition to votes from think tanks of the world to decide for the best of the year and in that scenario we could perhaps find among the Nobel Laureates many other new faces from China or Bangladesh whose labor pains in giving birth to literary flowers and fruits were more excruciating than those withstood by Doris Lessing.

Nevertheless, we are looking forward to a Monday on 10 December of this year when Doris Lessing attired in her best evening gown will be receiving the Nobel Prize Medal, Diploma and Pay Order for US$ 1.54 million from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and shaking hands with Her Majesty Queen Silvia reciprocating measured bows and smiles in regal style. We are also eager what message she would convey to us in her Nobel Lecture Lessing will have to deliver as a Nobel Laureate a day or two before the Award ceremony.

In the most coveted banquet following the Award ceremony, a rare partying arranged in the most splendid settings adorned with the best thinkable culinary protocols from flower arrangements to food, wine, dessert and divertissement---everything minutely orchestrated to make the banquet unforgettable---as Doris Lessing would be sipping soup or picking dessert her mind would be traveling back to a variety of panoramas that molded her pen to spill inks in composing parables of life and living that has earned her a space in the glittering world of the noblest.

Maybe at one poignant moment, during her exchanging pleasantries with a few known faces amid the murmuring of 1300 VIP guests who would be gathering in the banquet at the Blue Hall of the Stockholm City Hall, Doris will overhear a ventriloquial whisper reminding her a mystical advice: "Everyone sees the unseen in proportion to the clarity of his heart, and that depends upon how much s/he has polished it", as quoted in 'The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi' by William C. Chittick.

[The portrait of Doris Lessing comes from Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore, her Italian Publishing House http://www.feltrinellieditore.it/SchedaAutore?id_autore=233301].

Developing Dialogue

By Hina Farooq - The Daily Times - Lahore, Pakistan
Friday, October 26, 2007

A Pakistani troupe has gone to India from the Wagah Border to celebrate the fourth Saanjh Festival, a Lahore-Amritsar Festival organised by Rafi Peer Theatre in collaboration with the Spring Will Education Society in India.

The troupe consists of 27 people, including musicians Surayya Khanum, Arif Lahori, Akmal Qadri and Waris Ali Ballo.

The festival aims at bridging the gap between the Pakistani and Indian Punjabs by providing a platform for artists from both sides to interact and is committed to the development of Punjabi language and literature.

The annual Saanjh Festival, which started in 2004, takes place in two phases, the first in Lahore and the second one in Amritsar. It showcases a diverse range of Punjabi performing arts including Sufi, folk and classical music.

Indian artists will present theatre plays and dances whereas Pakistani artists will present classical and folk music.

The Pakistani troupe is led by Usman Peerzada, Sohrab Khan, Riaz Khan Jillani, Usman Fazal and Anum Peerzada.

Team manager Sohrab Khan told Daily Times that the purpose of the festival was to promote harmony and solidarity by interaction of people through culture and festival.

He said the Punjabis on both sides of the border wanted to know about their shared past. They also wanted to interact with each other.

The festival has aimed to strengthen peaceful relations and dialogue between individuals.

Media coordinator Rizwan Khan said another troupe was performing on Sufism in Canada and would return on November 8.

[Visit Rafi Peer website: http://www.peerfestivals.com/].

A Global Symbol of Altruism

MNA - Mehr News - Tehran, Iran

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The exhibit, “Iran, Spiritual Manifestation in Art” was inaugurated during a ceremony on October 22 at the venue of Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma in Italy.

Iran’s ambassador to the Vatican Mohammad-Javad Faridzadeh, the cultural deputy of the mayor of Shiraz Mohammad Ali Moein, Iran’s cultural attaché in Italy Alireza Esmaeili and other Iranian and Italian officials attended the event.

The works on display have been created over the last two years by 18 artists from Shiraz in a collaborative effort. The collection consists of 73 artworks including calligraphy-painting, illumination, miniatures and calligraphy on the theme of Rumi, Moin mentioned during the ceremony.

Esmaeili went on to say that Rumi has become a global symbol of altruism, honesty and spiritualism. The cultural attaché’s office is holding this exhibit in Italy during Iran’s cultural week in honor of the 800th birth anniversary of Rumi.

Four artists from Shiraz will be holding workshops on Iranian miniatures, calligraphy and contemporary art on the sidelines of the event.

[Picture from: http://www.exibart.com/profilo/eventiV2.asp/idelemento/46815].

Translating the Letters of Rumi

The Hindu - Chennai, India

Monday, October 22, 2007

Nevit O.Ergin plans to get the entire 22 volumes of the Sufi mystic published in India and make it inexpensive

Hyderabad: Literature lovers in the country are in for a feast if the plans of Nevit O. Ergin, translator of works of the 13th century Sufi mystic, scholar and poet Mevlana Jalal al-Din Rumi, materialise.

Dr. Ergin, who won laurels for translating over 44,000 verses of Rumi’s works popularly known as Divan, is planning to get the entire 22 volumes published in India and ‘make it very inexpensive.’

Dr. Ergin is convinced that Rumi’s philosophy is much closer to the tradition in India than any other religion.

On the verge of completing the translation of 1736 verses of Rumi’s Rubaiyat, he said Rumi’s works were probably better than those of Omar Khayyam in that the latter’s works don’t have glamour.

“There is a unity in the whole form of Rumi’s Rubaiyat while every verse of others’ work is independent of each other,” he said.

After Divan and Rubaiyat, the 81-year-old author is now gearing up translate the 150-odd letters of Rumi that are “very valuable” to understand him, his environment and family.

Iran's Rumi Week Begins with School Bells

Mehr News - Tehran, Iran
Monday, October 22/23/24, 2007

Iranian school bells will be rung in honor of Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi on October 28 marking the inauguration of the international Rumi convention.

Iran’s Rumi week will be held from October 26 to November 2 to commemorate his 800th birth anniversary. The international Rumi convention will also be hosted in Tehran, Khoy, and Tabriz.

***

Eighty Rumi scholars from 29 countries will present academic papers at the upcoming international Rumi convention.

The convention will be held in Tabriz, Khoy, and Tehran during Iran’s Rumi Week.

***

The United Nations and the Niavaran Cultural Center are to hold a ceremony named “A Night with Molana Rumi” on October 27.

Representatives of the United Nations and UNESCO will also pay tribute to Ahmad Jalali, Iran’s former UNESCO ambassador in Paris. Jalali recently received the Rumi Medal for the effort he has made to introduce the world to the thoughts and beliefs of Rumi.

Literary figures Jalaleddin Kazzazi, Gholamreza A’vani, and Hossein Elahi Qomsheii will give talks on Rumi’s philosophy of peace as depicted in his poetry.

***

The son of Pakistani poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal Lahori, Javid Iqbal, is to participate in an international congress commemorating the 800th birth anniversary of Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi which will take place in Tehran, Tabriz and Khoy from October 28 to November 1.

Javid Iqbal, eminent scholar, former Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court and a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, will be speaking on the first day of the congress.

***

A two-day international conference on Rumi’s storytelling will open on October 28 at IRIB’s International Conference Hall in Tehran.

The place of Rumi in Persian storytelling, the structure of stories in Rumi’s works, and the concepts of Rumi’s stories will be discussed at the conference.

The best submitted theses will be awarded.

"Hafez"

[From the Italian language press]:
Il tempo è indefinito, il luogo l'Iran centrale, il film, una coproduzione della Repubblica Islamica dell'Iran con il Giappone, il regista, Abolfazl Jalili.

Zabriskie Point - Italia - di Teresa D'Anna - lunedì 22 ottobre 2007

The time is indefinite, the place is Central Iran, the movie, a co-production of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Japan, the director, Abolfazl Salili.

In competition at the Rome Film Fest II (October 18 - 27) "Hafez" has collected many applauses.

A story about the quest for the divine, the love for the Creator and for the creature; with the Word of God intertwined with the words of the 14th century Sufi poet.

And two contemporary men whose name is also Hafez, in love with Nabat (Japanese actress Kumiko Aso).

Beautiful. Those familiar with Sufi symbols and the meaning of the mirror will appreciate this movie even more.

Exploring the Human Condition

By Stacy Vanek Smith - The Christian Science Monitor - Boston, MA, U.S.A.
Monday, October 22, 2007

Doris Lessing is a difficult author to define – and she likes it that way.

Ms. Lessing writes with the political passion of Karl Marx and the unflinching eye of Henry James. She chronicles the woman's experience the way Virginia Woolf did and has even explored other planets and dimensions, à la Ray Bradbury.

The recent Nobel Laureate has published roughly a book a year for more than half a century.

And as she celebrates her 88th birthday, Lessing is at work on a new novel. Her best-known work, "The Golden Notebook," published in 1962, is considered a watershed text for the women's movement.

But Lessing, who has always bridled at being categorized as a feminist or anything else, has called "The Golden Notebook" her albatross because it labeled her as a feminist writer. Even "Nobel Prize winner" seems uncomfortable for her. Her response on learning of the award: "I couldn't care less."

Lessing's refusal to remain a known quantity has taken something of a toll, both critically and with readers. Many of Lessing's biggest fans from the 1960s and '70s stopped reading her as she began to transition from traditional fiction to sci-fi.

"Lessing's probably the most politically incorrect of all writers," says Margaret Moan Rowe, a professor of English at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., who has written extensively on Lessing. "She's offended almost every group, including feminists. Something's high art, something's pulp…. These are categories she just rejects."

If Lessing's work is difficult to pigeon-hole, her life is even more so. She spent much of her childhood on a farm in what is now Zimbabwe, where she witnessed the brutal realities of apartheid. She dropped out of school at age 14 and became impressively self-educated, reading everything from D.H. Lawrence to Dostoevsky.

She eventually moved to England, married twice, joined and dropped out of the Communist Party, and embraced Sufism.

Sandra Singer, who teaches Lessing at the University of Guelph in Ontario, says the writer's life is an essential part of her ­oeuvre. "Because she has such a range built into her own biography, it's brought a tremendous complexity to her writing."

But whatever she writes about, says Singer, "There are constant sources of insight about the color bar, male-female relationships, settler-servant relationships. Those are always there."

Rowe says, in part, it was a desire to really explore these issues that led Lessing to science fiction. "She fantasizes about the perfect city where different races live together in harmony," says Rowe. "She looks at all of these political issues…. Sci-fi gives her a chance to really stretch all of that."

In "The Golden Notebook," Lessing writes about the many sides of protagonist Anna Wulf. Many said the book exposed the contradictions of what it meant to be a woman in the early '60s. Reader Joan Toohey Wesman remembers the impression the book made on her in college.

"At the time, there were not books that really talked about a woman's experience, a woman's body, about sex and relationships," says Wesman. "And it did it in this really unromanticized way." Hers was "a really different voice in the culture."

Lessing has made one concession to the Nobel: She says it might encourage more people to read her books. Although she's remained a prolific writer, many younger readers have never heard of her.
Despite the density of her work, Lessing could win a solid new audience, predicts Rowe. Her work will always resonate, Rowe says, because Lessing explores themes inherent to the human condition.

"Lessing is always challenging dogma, and she has a willingness to look at herself and her own ideas. That's in short supply. Lessing's questioning … I don't just find interesting, I find it heroic."

Gujarat Dargah in Controversy

The Times of India - India
Monday, October 22, 2007

Ahmedabad: The 500-year-old historical dargah of Sufi Saint Pir Sheikh Makhdum Rahmatullah in Mithakhali area of Ahmedabad has become a matter of dispute between two parties and the issue is pending in the courts.

Controversy surrounds this supposed tomb built in 1472 AD on the grave of Sufi Makhdum Sheikh, constructed by the then ruler of Gujarat, Gazi Mehmud Begda.

The petitioner, Gujarati poet Jalan Matri, has claimed before the high court that the disputed dargah is in Navjeevan Kalyan Society in Mithakali area.

Every year, followers of Sufi Rahmatullah gathered at the dargah on his death anniversary. Jalan contended that in 1998, residents of the society reportedly denied the followers access to the shrine.

Navjeevan society in 1998 filed a civil suit against Matri and two others and it was prayed before the court to deny the poet entry into the dargah. Consequently, Matri filed an appeal in the Gujarat High Court in July 1998.

Sanjay Mehta, advocate for Navjeenvan Kalyan society, in a counter-affidavit denied the existence of the shrine saying, "The matter is sub-judice and the court is yet to pronounce its judgment. There is no grave inside the tomb and the structure is the sole property of the society".

"Both, the housing society and the dargah are on the ‘Wakf land’*. This has been proved through various documentary evidences and the same has been mentioned in our letter to the Supreme Court seeking speedy justice," Matri said.

The high court in 1998 had directed the lower court to dispose of the case within three months from the date of court’s order, however, the hearing pertaining to the matter concluded in 2006.

The case has been adjourned for now. Matri came to know about this dargah in 1995 through historical books while he was writing on the forgotten shrines of Ahmedabad.

[For Wakf or Waqf: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waqf].

The Hall of Sufi and Shrines

Associated Press of Pakistan - Pakistan
Sunday, October 21, 2007

Islamabad: Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology, Lok Virsa is attracting a large number of local and foreign visitors, featuring the history and living traditions.

The location of the Heritage Museum enriches the Capital and add to its attractions, said an official of Lok Virsa here Sunday while talking to APP.

Most museums in Pakistan are archeological which are a throwback from colonial times while the Heritage Museum is the first state museum of ethnology that presents the history and living traditions of the people of Pakistan both from the mainstream and the remot regions of the country, he remarked.

“The museum is a treasure house for the nation more valuable than the vault of any bank in the world,” said a foreign visitor.

From Northern Areas to the borders, the museum encourages and sponsors research in the regional languages, cultural history, arts, crafts and all related aspects of folklore including folk romances, folktales, ethnotechnology, ethnomusicology, ethnological data, history of folk literature and oral traditions of the country.

The museum reflects the culture and traditions of Pakistan which would help in preserving and promoting the ancient cultural heritage among the new generation, said Arsilan, a Karachi-based student.

Maryam Javed, a regular visitor said that such places are a source of creating awareness to the youngsters and foreigners about “our rich culture and traditions”.

The hall of “Antiquity and Continuity” is the major attraction which portrays Mehrgarh 8000 BC, Moenjodaro 2500 BC, Harappa 2500 BC, Gandhara 250 BC and the continuity of these ancient civilizations in present times.

The corridor of Musical Heritage includes the best documented display of musical instruments of Pakistan with educational expose of musical traditions while the Hall of Sufi and Shrines depicts the Sufi traditions of contemplations, shrine architecture, sufilore, Urs celebrations, rituals and Sufi practices.

The museum remains open from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm for general public.

[Picture from Lok Virsa Museum' website: http://lokvirsa.net/Index.htm].

A Five-letter Word with Twenty-six Meanings

By Leslie Scrivener - Toronto Star - Toronto, Canada
Sunday, October 21, 2007

For seven years Laleh Bakhtiar laboured over her English translation of the Qur'an, a version that is written from a woman's point of view and is also welcoming to non-Muslim readers.

Of all the 90,000 words she translated, there is just one, in chapter four, verse 34, that led to sharp criticism and controversy. It's from the section on women and describes how to deal with one who is "disobedient."

Most translations of the Qur'an, which Muslims believe to be the word of God revealed to Muhammad, say the woman should first be admonished, then left alone in her bed and then beaten, albeit lightly.

"When I got to chapter four I had to really look at this carefully," says Bakhtiar, a Chicago Islamic scholar who is the featured speaker at the 25th annual conference of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, which opens on Saturday at Toronto's Noor Cultural Centre. "It took a lot of research time to see what it means.

"It's a command in the Qur'an, an imperative and the point is the Prophet never did it, it meant something else to him," continues Bakhtiar, 68, one of seven children of an American nurse and Iranian doctor.

She concluded that the word idrib, which she found could have 26 different meanings, was best translated as "to go away" or "to leave," not some form of "to beat."

"Why choose the word to harm somebody, when that's not what the Prophet did? He was a model for humanity."

This new understanding was particularly important to Bakhtiar, who was trained as an educational psychologist and has worked as a counsellor with young Muslim women who were abused by their families.

A practitioner of Sufism, the mystical stream in Islam, she looked on her interpretation as a "blessing" and welcomes, even encourages, the debate that comes with it.

"I just hope we keep the dialogue going so that one less Muslim woman is beaten in the name of God," she says. "That's my prayer, to get more women aware that there is an alternative. This has not been sanctioned by God; it's a criminal act."

Born in Tehran and raised in Washington, D.C., Bakhtiar returned to Iran with her husband, an Iranian architect, where she ran a publishing company and learned classical Arabic. (Raised a Christian, she converted to Islam in 1964.)

A mother of three, she returned to the U.S. in 1988 and earned a doctorate at the University of New Mexico. She has since written 20 books on Islam and translated 25 books about the faith.

Besides giving the text a female perspective, another strong motivator was her desire to offer a new English translation for non-Muslims and new Muslims. Instead of Allah, she uses God; instead of Isa, she uses the more familiar Jesus.

Non-Muslims are not infidels or disbelievers, words she says are "loaded," but instead are those who are "ungrateful to God for his blessings."

"I tried to develop an inclusive translation so people from other faiths may read it and feel like it speaks to them as well, as a sacred text."

Some of her critics have cited her lack of fluency in modern Arabic as a shortcoming, a criticism that has not been applied to other translators who also are not native speakers, she maintains.

"It's not a valid criticism, because the Qur'an is written in classical Arabic ... If you go through all the criticisms, when it comes down to it, the only difference is because I'm a woman. Obviously."
Some who study the Qur'an, including Nevin Reda, a University of Toronto doctoral student, have welcomed Bakhtiar's translation for the consistency of her language.

Bakhtiar translated each Arabic word into an English equivalent and then stuck with that translation throughout the text as long as it worked in context. "That's something new and for me, it's really outstanding," said Reda.

Meanwhile, the head of one of Canada's leading Muslim organizations said he would not permit Bahktiar's book, The Sublime Quran, to be sold in the bookstore of the Islamic Society of North America (Canada).

"Our bookstore would not allow this kind of translation," says Mohammad Ashraf, ISNA's secretary general. "I will consider banning it."

His objection is not that Bakhtiar is a female scholar, but that she was not trained at an academic institution accredited in the Muslim world – he cites the University of Medina in Saudi Arabia as such a place.

"This woman-friendly translation will be out of line and will not fly too far," he says. "Women have been given a very good place in Islam."

Walid Saleh, an associate professor of religion at the University of Toronto, notes that Bakhtiar's work is not unique, but is one of many attempts on the part of Muslims living in a changing world to come to terms with a text they still hold dear.

"She belongs to a long line of Muslim feminists, since the late 19th century, who have been attempting to make the Qur'an and Islam far more, in a sense, gender-equal than people think it is."

Critics of her work may say she has a "feminist" outlook, says Saleh. "But who doesn't have an outlook?"

Bakhtiar makes clear that this book is a translation, not a commentary, and has not addressed other potentially divisive issues such as women's dress and modesty, male dominance and polygamy.

[Read also (click on the link and scroll down): http://sufinews.blogspot.com/search?q=idrib]

[Buy Dr. Bakhtiar's translation of the Holy Qur'an at The Sufi Bookstore http://astore.amazon.com/wilderwri-20].

Joint Investigation

By Govind Chouhan - Meri News - New Delhi, India
Sunday, October 21, 2007

The Ajmer Police is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir in the next two days in connection with the blast at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Mohiuddin Chisti on 11 October.

Police has also asked the Jammu police for joint investigation in the bomb blast case.

Sources said that after the interrogation of a Rajouri based youth, Ajmer police got many clues about the incident.

The police contacted senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and told them that they were likely to visit their state in two days time. On the directions of Ajmer police, Jammu police has also collected records of some people, who are working with the arrested person.

(...)

Here it is to be mentioned that the Harkat-u-Ul-Jehadi Islamic militant outfit was suspected to be behind the blast at the shrine.

The militants used a mixture of Tri- Nitro Toluene (TNT) as the explosive material, in which two pilgrims died on the spot and many others got serious injuries.

Let the Beauty We Love Be What We Do

By Valerie Payton - Honolulu Star - Honolulu, HI, U.S.A.
Saturday, October 20, 2007

The Mevlevi Order of America will produce a celebration of the Year of Rumi with the traditional Whirling Ceremony Dec. 7 on Oahu and Dec. 10 on Maui.

Famed Turkish musicians are coming to lend their talents along with whirlers and musicians from Turkey, the United States, Mexico and Palestine.

Jelaluddin Loras, who lives on Maui and in Turkey and is founder of the Mevlevi Order of America, has spent the last quarter-century bringing the teachings of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi to the West.

When asked to distill the modern relevance of Sufism, the Islamic mystical tradition into which Rumi was born, Loras said, "Whatever religion you belong to, whatever color you are, whether man or woman, young or old, rich or poor, you are the most precious diamond of God."

Honolulu Rumi fans quietly celebrated Rumi's birthday Sept. 30 in small gatherings or alone savoring lines like these: "Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground."

Rumi shows us the "inner secret" of Islam, an experience of Divine Presence that is transcendent, all-pervading and also imminent.

Public celebrations are traditionally held in December, the month of Rumi's death, to celebrate the anniversary of his return to the "Divine Beloved" -- God.

Rumi's poetry has already found a home on our bookshelves, speaking to us in images of love with freshness and immediacy. The Year of Rumi's Whirling Ceremonies in Hawaii, with authentic music and sacred dance, may bring true flavor and aroma to our Western understanding of Rumi.

Valerie Noor Karima Payton is a board member of The All Believers Network, a Honolulu-based interfaith organization. She leads Dances of Universal Peace (also known as Sufi dancing) and with her husband acts as center leader for Honolulu's chapter of the Mevlevi Order of America.

[Picture: Sunset in Hawaii. Photo from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii].

Celebrations Planned for Nasreddin Hodja in 2008

Today's Zaman - Istanbul, Turkey
Saturday, October 20, 2007

2008 will mark the 800th anniversary of the birth of Nasreddin Hodja, the patriarch of Turkish humorists.

But he was not just a joker. He was a wise man who had an answer to every question and was up to every trick.

Taner Serin, the president of the Nasreddin Hodja and Tourism Association, said that this figure, whose tomb is in the Akşehir district of Konya, is one of the most important Turkish-Islamic personalities of the 13th century and one of Turkey’s most famous cultural figures, like Mevlana Muhammed Jelaluddin Rumi, Yunus Emre and Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli.

This significant anniversary of his birth will come one year after the “Year of Mevlana,” as 2007 has been declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Serin said, “We are preparing to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the birth of Nasreddin Hodja, who was born in 1208, a year after Mevlana’s birth.”

Pointing out that the life, message and works of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi have been celebrated around the world with comprehensive publicity campaigns corresponding to UNESCO’s 2007 designation, Serin added, “We would like similar campaigns to be held for Nasreddin Hodja.”

Serin explained that Mevlana and Nasreddin Hodja lived in the same time period, in the same city in Konya, and also took lessons from the same teacher, Seyyit Mahmut Hayrani, another famous Islamic scholar of the time.

“Although Nasreddin Hodja is not as famous as Mevlana, he is another essential part of our culture about whom there are many scholars studying. On the other hand, in our country everybody knows at least one of Nasreddin Hodja’s funny stories.

He was a good observer; he could analyze events with wisdom. He got across his messages in unconventional yet effective methods with profound simplicity. He wanted people to draw a lesson from his funny stories. Every year we organize international festivals to remember him,” he said.

Serin concluded: “Nowadays, we are sending messages from Konya for peace and brotherhood. Next year we will once again send messages of peace and self-criticism with Nasreddin Hodja’s funny stories to a world that has been scarred by war and pain.”

[Books about Nasreddin (or Nasrudin) stories available at
The Sufi Bookstore http://astore.amazon.com/wilderwri-20].

On Lovers and Wine

TT Culture Desk - Tehran Times - Tehran, Iran

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Chinese scholar Mu-hong Yan is slated to deliver lectures at a congress to be hosted jointly by Tehran and Tabriz from October 28 until 30 to commemorate Rumi’s 800th birth anniversary.

A Persian language graduate from the University of Peking, Mu-hong, 41, works for the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

This prominent Chinese scholar has translated a number of chapters of Rumi’s Masnavi and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam into Chinese and has also authored over 30 articles on Persian classical literature.

One of Mu-hong’s articles examines the concepts of “lover” and “wine” in Persian poetry.

Modern Persian literary works including Sadeq Hedayat’s “Blind Owl” and Hushang Golshiri’s “Prince Ehtejab” have also been rendered into Chinese by this prolific translator.

[Picture: The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) http://bic.cass.cn/English/InfoShow/Arcitle_Show_Cass.asp?BigClassID=1&Title=CASS ].

CD release: The Passion of Rumi

By Richard Marcus - Blogcritics Magazine - Aurora, OH, U.S.A.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Sharam and Hafez Nazeri are father and son who have followed in the footsteps of generations of Persian and Iranian musicians in attempting to interpret the work of Sufi mystics through music.

But it was Shahram, 35 years ago, who first set the words of Rumi to music and has gained a huge international following because of his amazing voice and the passion he brings to his work.

Hafez began his musical education at the age of three and hasn't stopped since then. In an attempt to broaden his horizons, he left Iran to study musical composition in the West. In the year 2000, he assembled a group of young musicians to perform his father's compositions based on the poetry of Rumi.

The Rumi Ensemble toured 20 cities in Iran. Their concerts in Tehran alone drew 140,000 people setting attendance records for the Middle East. In 2005, he put together a new Rumi Ensemble for a highly successful tour of the United States.

The music from the first concert series has now released as the CD, The Passion Of Rumi. The CD features the vocal harmonies and melodies written by Shahram that made him famous, and music composed by Hafez that compliments and honors those songs.

Hafez refers to the program of music as a duet between instruments and voice.

Although some versions of the ensemble have seen the inclusion of Western instruments like cello and violin, this version taken from the tapes of the original Iranian tour utilizes only the Mid Eastern stringed instruments; Keammanche alto, Barbat, and Setar with percussion accompaniment supplied by Daf, Tombak, and Damams.

While this set up might appear skimpy to our eyes used to far more instruments from a group referred to as an ensemble, once you begin listening to the music you won't be aware of any deficiency in sound.

Various reviewers have tried to describe Shahram Nazeri's voice and I'll now join the ranks of those who fail miserably to do him justice.

How do you describe something that manages to transcend being merely physically present and that manages to communicate on a spiritual level? I could tell you technical details about how amazing his control and range are; that he can sing in a near whisper that will carry for miles, each individual note is so crisp and clean.

Or that he can sing notes of such depth that they cause your sternum to vibrate and then takes his voice to places that are almost beyond our capacity to hear they are so clean and high.

Would it make more sense if I said that when he sang he reached down inside himself and opened his heart the better to reach out to every single person living.

How about, that it feels like when he sings the secrets of the universe can be heard and the wonders of creation are no longer a mystery. A passion for life that is tangible suffuses each phrase and sends ripples through his voice in the form of tremolos that sends a shiver through your spirit.

Lyrics become immaterial, and at times he is vocalizing sounds in the same manner as a Jazz musician improvising. It's when he releases his hold on lyrics and sets out on these vocal runs with the music swirling around him like leafs cycling in an autumn wind, that you remember that not only was Rumi a Sufi but also the inspiration for the Dervish sects as well.

However, instead of just a select few dancers immersing in the words and splendor of Rumi, all who listen to Nazeri are given the opportunity to travel the road of musical meditation.

I don't know if anyone but Hafez Nazeri could have composed music that was appropriate for his father's songs. Not only did it require a thorough understanding of the music, but an awareness of the connection his father had to the songs in order to create the perfect balance between the needs of the overall piece and the vocalist's extraordinary abilities.

The Rich Diversity of Devotional Expressions in Islam

The South Asian Post - Richmond, B.C., Canada
Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Over sixty artists from different parts of the Muslim world did take audiences on an inspirational and unforgettable journey, A Mystical Journey, through various musical pieces, rock songs, and performances of whirling Sufi dancers in Canada.

The performances did feature music, dance, and poetry performed by world-renowned artists from North Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia, expressing the rich diversity of devotional expressions in Islam, across different geographies, languages, and traditions.

Though different in form, these musical acts of devotion are common in their peaceful search for the divine.

Two shows, one a matinee, were held on Oct 14 at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts. The performers did then move to Edmonton (Oct 17), Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

“The event is a demonstration of musical pluralism--and an example of the benefits that can be produced when diverse individuals bring their talents and distinctions together to build a superior product,” says Ismaili community spokesman Farid Damji. “It’s the essence of pluralism itself.”

The Ismaili Muslims are a community of ethnically and culturally diverse people living in over 25 countries around the world, united in their allegiance to the Aga Khan as the 49th hereditary Imam and direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

This event is being held as part of the international Golden Jubilee commemoration of His Highness the Aga Khan’s enthronement as spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.

[The performance A Mystical Journey held in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) on 17 October 2007 was attended by H. H. Prince Hussain Aga Khan and his wife, Princess Khaliya. Read more on the Ismaili official website: http://www.theismaili.org/ne1.htm]

[Picture from A Mystical Journey:
"The Sufi and other esoteric traditions of Islam manifest their beliefs through diverse forms of devotion ranging from ecstatic movements in dance to meditative exercises in quiet solitude.

These acts of devotion seek the promise of enlightenment which offers a divinely-graced vision, moral clarity and all encompassing love.

Enlightenment in these esoteric traditions speaks of a dissolution of the very self in a union with the divine that words cannot easily convey and thus music, poetry and dance become critical forms of expression". http://www.theismaili.org/he2.htm].

Like an Infinite Large Umbrella

By Ishita Yadav - Delhi Newsline - Delhi, India
Thursday, October 18, 2007

To commemorate the 800th birth anniversary of Sufi saint Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, Rumi Foundation of India launched today [Oct. 18th] the second issue of its journal, Hu The Sufi Way.

The first issue, launched six months ago, was dedicated to another great Sufi saint and poet, Amir Khusro.

The event, which was held at Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s official residence, was presided over by Dr. Karan Singh, president of the Rumi Foundation. Renowned filmmaker and painter Muzaffar Ali, himself a keen Rumi enthusiast, also graced the occasion.

“In a world that is torn apart by hatred and violence, Rumi provides peace and harmony that runs through all the religions of the world,” said Dr. Singh. “We’re in danger of either rejecting religion altogether or becoming fundamental or fanatical — both of which are disastrous”.

“The journal of Rumi should be propagated throughout the country to spread the message of peace and harmony,” he added.

Muzaffar Ali, who is the editor-in-chief of the journal, said:
“If I have to render my service to Rumi, I must touch people all over the world and they must touch me. If you go to Konya in Turkey you see the reflection of Rumi on every face. I want to show that expression of peace and happiness”.

He said Rumi was an illustrious milestone in his long journey as a filmmaker.

Ali’s paintings were on display at the event and he was very excited about his movie project. “I have nothing more to do than to share its fruits when they are ready to be shared. The process is long, yet the journey is deeply enjoyable and engrossing,” he said.

“Rumi was born in Afghanistan but his works prevail all over the world. He is like an infinite large umbrella that covers the entire world,” said Nevit O Ergin, world-renowned Rumi scholar and translator.

Ergin read out a few Rumi verses to the audience which was followed by ghazals by Malini Awasthi and a qawwali.

[Muzaffar Ali about painting: http://www.muzaffarali.com/html/paintings.htm].

A Unique Collection of Its Kind

TT Art Desk - Tehran Times - Tehran, Iran
Thursday, October 18, 2007

Iranian artists illustrate Rumi’s Divan of Shams

The Iranian Academy of Arts is to publish a version of Rumi’s Divan of Shams illustrated by Iranian artists.

The book contains 50 illustrations by contemporary artists compiled by Mehdi Hosseini and will be published to commemorate the 800th birth anniversary of Rumi.

According to Hosseini, the project was initiated two years ago by the secretary of the Academy, Bahman Namvar-Motlaq, who invited artists to participate in the task.

On the process of the work, he said, “We provided the artists a copy of literature professor Mohammadreza Shafiei Kadkani’s version of the Divan of Shams, and each artist began the illustration work based on personal preference.”

Hosseini went on to say that the book will be a unique collection of its kind, adding, “This is the first time that the Divan of Shams is being both calligraphed and illustrated. This was only done for other great poets of the past”.

“The book contains a combination of modern painting with traditional calligraphy. Illustration and calligraphy works in the past were only created using traditional methods,” he explained.

Sedaqat Jabbari will do the calligraphy for the book, which will also feature English and French translations.

A Sense of Protection, Under His Wings

By Hanns-Peter Schmidt - Press TV - Tehran, Iran
Thursday, October 18, 2007

Simorgh is a mythical Persian bird, which can be seen in numerous Persian literary works from Pahlavi texts to contemporary stories.

The name is derived from the Avestan bird 'Saêna', which was originally a raptor, either an eagle or a falcon.

Just like the deity of victory wraps worshippers in fortune by giving them wealth in the form of cattle, the selfless Simorgh showers rain from watery clouds, bringing prosperity to farmers. (Avesta, the Zoroastrian holy book).

Avesta also refers to the Simorgh's tree as being an all-healing medicine, which holds the seeds of all plants.

In Pahlavi stories, the Simorgh makes his/her nest in the forest at the time of resurrection when the earth becomes flat and waters stand still and finally retires from the task of distributing plant seeds.

Simorgh has an evil bird counterpart named Kamak, which acts in the exact opposite manner of Simorgh.

Kamak spreads his wings over the world so that all the rain in the world falls on his wings. Then he abandons the living and goes back to the sea, leaving springs, rivers and wells dry. Kamak devours men and animals as a bird pecks grain.

Simorgh also has its presence in folktales, mystical literature and post-Sassanid epics like Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, in which Simorgh is the savior, tutor and guardian of Zal, the son of Sam.

After Zal was born as an albino, his father exposed him in the Alborz Mountains because he believed his son had a demonic origin.

The albino boy was found by the female bird Simorgh when she was searching for food for her young. The bird developed a feeling of love for the boy and took him to her nest to rear him with her own young.

When Zal grew up, Simorgh returned the young man to his father and gave him one of her feathers to burn whenever he needed help.

Simorgh is similar to the deity of victory as it conveys a sense of protection by helping those who are in need. There are similar Kurdish and Armenian Simorgh myths, which have their roots in Iranian Simorgh stories.

The mythical bird has also been mentioned in classical and modern Persian literature, especially in Sufi mysticism, standing as a metaphor for God.

The Sufi Simorgh is believed to be male. The most famous Sufi literary work is Mantiq al-Tayr, translated by Peter Avery as 'the Speech of the Birds'. The masterpiece of Farid al-Din Attar recounts the story of thirty birds (si morgh) that survive a hard and perilous journey to reach their king, Simorgh.

According to Attar, Simorgh lives in an inaccessible dwelling behind Qaf mountains, and gives light to the earth with its Sun-like radiance.

When the thirty birds of the outer world reach their king and face his majesty, the birds realize they are actually one with the Simorgh of the inner world.

Although the Simorgh portrayed by Ferdowsi, Attar and other Islamic authors may be a myth, this unique bird remains to be a source of inspiration in Persian literature.

[Pictures: Simorgh, a mythical Phoenix-like bird; Ferdowsi, Iran's great epic poet; Iran's mystic poet Attar; Simorgh printed on a silk Sassanid textile.]

Whirling Pittsburgh

By William Loeffler - Pittsburgh Tribune - Pittsburg, PA, U.S.A.
Thursday, October 18, 2007

Before there were raves, there were the whirling dervishes, Sufi Muslims who lived lives of monkish poverty in the ancient Middle East and spun themselves into a trance in a ritualistic homage to Allah.

Pittsburghers will get a rare opportunity to see a live performance by the Whirling Dervishes Rumi, who perform Tuesday [October 23rd] at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland.

They'll perform the traditional sema, a dance inspired by the mystical poetry of Rumi, a 13th-century Sufi poet who lived and taught in modern-day Turkey.

The society was founded in 1990 under the Ministry of Culture in Turkey for the purpose of performing, exploring and introducing Turkish Sufi Music.

The concert is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Dialogue Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue and to encourage cultural exchange through social, art and educational events.

Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $65.
Details: 412-394-3353 or www.proartstickets.org.

Sufismo - an Italian Quarterly

Sufi News review - October 2007

The Italian branch of the Sufi Halveti Jerrahi Brotherhood has published its second issue, totally devoted to the great master Jalâl âlDin Rûmi.

Rich in articles and beautifully illustrated, this quarterly is a feast for the darvish.

Italian cultural figures collaborated on the collection and translation of the articles which include Mistic poetry by Laleh Bakhtiar; Letter of greetings by Tahir Akyurek (Mayor of Konya); Rumi, the universal master by Halil Cin (Dean of Konya State University) and many others.

The issue includes illustrations by Prof. Gabriele Mandel Khan and Antonella Procopio's paintings.

We highly recommend it to every Italian-speaking reader.

Sufismo - Rivista trimestrale di cultura e spiritualità
Anno 1 n° 2 - settembre 2007 - Euro 6,00

Inquiries at Rivista Sufismo

December Celebrations to Crown Year of Mevlana

Today's Zaman - Istanbul, Turkey
Wednesday, October 17, 2007

The growing interest in Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi, the Sufi saint who advocated tolerance, reason and access to knowledge through love, continues to bring thousands together.

More than 80,000 people will attend the Remembrance of Mevlana Program on Dec.1-17, where for the first time 33 sema (whirling ceremonies) will take place.

Yaşar Sarıcan, acting director of the Konya City Culture and Tourism Directorship, speaking with the Anatolia news agency, said: “So many programs were organized as part of year-round festivities for 2007 Year of Mevlana, declared by UNESCO.

The most attractive of these was the program arranged on Sept. 10 for the 800th anniversary of the birth of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi at the Konya City Stadium. It was the greatest organized celebration ever held for Mevlana.”

He highlighted that they have also been working to hold another event marking the 734th anniversary of Mevlana’s death, which is considered in Sufism to be his reunion with God.

Sarıcan added: “As this year was declared the year of Mevlana, activities planned for this year have been of more importance. During the preparation process, we sent many pamphlets to various destinations abroad written in 17 different languages; Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese, Persian, Italian and Urdu to name a few.

Turkish society has also been informed via many advertisements. All of this has yielded good results. More than 80,000 people will attend the sema ceremonies this year.”

Sarıcan said that the Remembrance of Mevlana Activities was first organized on Dec. 1-17 last year, where 23 sema were performed and almost 60,000 people were in attendance.

“Last year sema took place only on the weekends. However, this year shows will be performed every day between Dec. 1 and 17. Only the Dec. 17 sema will be take place in the evening, because Dec. 17 is Şeb-i Arus (the day of reunion with God).

We have been accepting reservations since January 2007. The number of reservations has surpassed 100,000, so we will have to reject thousands.”

He added: “Although the Mevlana Culture Center has a 2,500-person capacity, the demand has surpassed 6,000 for Şeb-i Arus. This intensive interest is a joyful event for our country’s tourism.”

Keeping the Sufi Faith

By Firoz Bakht Ahmed - DNA Daily News and Analysis - Mumbai, India
Tuesday, October 16, 2007

No adequate history of Islam can be written until the activity and influence of the Sufi saints, studied with scholarly integrity, is recorded. Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti Rehmatullah Alaih is the most revered Sufi saint on the globe.

His khanqah has long been a place of pilgrimage for millions of people of all castes and creeds. In his day, teeming crowds flocked to him to find spiritual solace. A calm atmosphere pervaded his dwelling, and the tormented found the refreshing breeze of a world altogether different.

He inspired whoever came in contact with him. It is a great tragedy that even this shrine hasn’t been spared by terrorists.

Sufism or tasawwuf (as the mystic consciousness is known in Persian), advocates peaceful coexistence of all faiths and has been variously defined. Some call it the purification of thought, while others take it to be a way to accept truth by renouncing everything other than God.

But the ambition and effort to aim at the communion of the self with the eternal reality remains common in all its definitions.

It is quite difficult to pinpoint the exact historical background of Sufism, but sufficeth to say — in spite of the protestations of the Orientalists to the contrary — that in the lives of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) and his companions, there was clear evidence of Sufism and many believe that he started the tradition.

Sufism, one of the most important cultural links between Iran and India and the true form of Islam, is a synthesis of Islam, Vedanta and Buddhist thought and our great Sufis and saints have created unity out of diversity through pantheism.

For the first three centuries after its rise in Islam, Sufism was practised individually or in small groups. It had no congregational features. In India, the very existence of Sufis was a revolt against unequal distribution of wealth and unjust actions of tyrants.

The true essence of Sufism can be found in the words of the Sufi woman saint Rabiah-al-Adawiyah from Basra in Iraq:

“O my Lord, if I worship Thee from fear of hell, burn me in hell
and if I worship Thee in hope of Paradise, exclude me thence,
But if I worship Thee for Thine own sake,
then withhold not from me Thine eternal beauty!”

The first great Sufi to visit India was Sheikh Ali-bin-Usmani, popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh who died in 1081 AD. It was after him that the Chishtiya chain of Sufis began, with Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer.

It is said of him that he fasted through the day and kept vigil at night all his life and his daily meal at the iftar (breaking of fast) did not exceed 1.5 tolas. He was liberal like the ocean, kind like the sun and humble like a river.

He showed opulence in poverty, satisfaction in hunger, joy in sorrow and loved his enemies — all characteristics he believed were of paramount importance to be a Sufi.

At his shrine, the flowers come from the Hindu flower dealers of Pushkar and most of the chadars to be placed at the shrine are made by non-Muslim artisans. Besides, care is taken by the authorities that the food prepared for the pilgrims is vegetarian, as many Hindus also visit.

Phillip K. Hitti in his Islam: A Way of Life makes a special mention of the Sufi thought in India and considers the country most gifted in all walks of spiritual life, be it Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism or Buddhism.

Phillip writes that Sufi mysticism came to India in the 12th century. His research showed that most of the concepts of Sufism had already been enunciated in the Upanishads. Sufism also follows the concept of Atma and Paramatma.

The early Sufis were ascetics who openly denounced the display of pomp and pursuit of pleasure of the feudal aristocracy of the Khiljis and Tughlaqs. They never bothered about the decrees of the Sultans of the day.

With their humility, selfless devotion and identification with the poor and, much more so, with their stress on the brotherhood of man, the oneness of God and the all pervading love of God, they brought more to the fold of Islam than the sultans.

Urdu poet Salim Siddiqui’s words make it clear:

“Un mominon se mera kufr-e-ishq achha,
Jin mominon ne apney imaan bech daley!”

(I am far better than those hypocrite preachers who have sold their souls for material gains).

[From the column "Opinion"]

The writer is a commentator on social issues

Terrorists Don’t Have a Religion

By Antara Dev Sen - Sify News - Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Tuesday, October 16, 2007

The celebrations for Navaratri and Eid were on. This was the festive season, a time for dressing up and celebrating life, a time for fasting and feasting for both Hindus and Muslims.

But terrorists excel in destroying the festive spirit. On October 14, the evening of Eid and a Sunday, a bomb killed seven and injured 32 in a Ludhiana film theatre.

Just a couple of days earlier, on October 8, a bomb had ripped through Ajmer Sharif, the dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chisti, just as tired and hungry devotees had sat down for their iftaar, to break their ramzaan fast. Three died and about 30 were injured, many of them maimed for life.

The spirit of Eid and Navaratri was broken. And for the first time in almost 800 years, the drums that had hailed the festive Eid moon at the historic Sufi shrine remained silent.

Terrorism is not new for us in India. We are used to hidden bombs, lobbed grenades, ambushes, kidnappings, even direct attacks by gunmen.

We don’t travel in buses without checking under the seat, we raise a hue and cry if we see a bag without a clear and present owner at railway stations, we submit to meticulous security measures and checks at airports, culminating in the clamour to identify our checked-in baggage right before boarding the plane.

We routinely walk through metal detectors in shopping centres, offices, movie halls, theatres, weddings and even book releases. We are used to being frisked at every step.

Yes, we are used to terrorism and senseless killing. We have faced the terrorism of Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, Maoists and even tribal warriors. But we haven’t yet got used to the idea of murder during worship.

So when bombs rip through a mosque or a temple, we are unnerved. In real terms, bombing devotees praying at a temple or mosque is not that different from killing innocents by planting a bomb in any crowded place. But it has a psychological edge – the violation of sacred space.

It is not just targeting faceless, nameless masses in a train compartment or marketplace, it is targeting a community, a religious belief, it is attacking our gods. Or it seems that way.

Which is why we are so eager to jump to conclusions about the attackers. If it’s a mosque that has been attacked, it must be a Hindu terrorist. If it’s a temple, it must be a Muslim terrorist. But in our incredibly complex matrix of fanaticism and hate spanning across South Asia, the obvious is not always true.

We must guard against being manipulated. All too often we are whipped into a frenzy by vested interests and pounce upon each other in murderous assaults. Playing right into the hands of those depraved individuals who launch these despicable attacks.

Terrorists don’t have a religion. They just try to appropriate one. Look around you. On October 12, the day after the Ajmer Sharif blast and the holy Friday before Eid, a bomb exploded near a mosque in Helmand, Afghanistan. At least two people were killed and several injured.

Also last week, gunmen opened fire in a mosque near Kabul, killing and wounding several. Muslim terrorists – mostly Al-Qaeda and the Taliban – regularly attack mosques in Afghanistan, killing devotees at prayer.

And the bloodshed in Pakistan’s Lal Masjid in July, including the suicide bombing, was also perpetrated by Muslims on Muslims.

But we cannot call these killers true believers of any faith. Because the religious – whatever their faith – cannot plot to kill devotees at prayer. And most of the attacks on our temples and mosques are planned for maximum damage, aiming at the most crowded congregations. Take a look at the recent attacks on religious places.

All these bombings happened around the time of the main prayers on a particularly holy day. Ajmer Sharif was attacked during iftaar, when hundreds had gathered to break their fast.

The attack on Hyderabad’s Mecca Mosque in May this year was launched during the special Friday prayers, leaving 16 devotees dead and scores wounded.

Last year’s serial bombing in Malegaon, Maharashtra, included a blast during the Friday prayers in the local mosque and graveyard during the special shab-e-barat service for the dead. The three bombs killed 38 and injured more than 100.

The bomb blasts in Delhi’s Jama Masjid last year also took place at the time of the Friday prayers, injuring several.

(...)

Besides, terrorist attacks especially on Ajmer Sharif cannot destroy the all-enveloping love that the dargah signifies. As the shrine of Sufi Saint Moinuddin Chisti – originally built by Humayun and developed in stages by Akbar, Jehangir and Shahjahan – it blesses not just Muslims, but anyone who prays there.

We have nurtured Chisti’s faith in the unity of humanity – cutting across religion, gender, nationality and caste – for eight centuries. It has helped make India this vibrant land of pluralism and diversity, which cannot be fractured by faithless terrorists.

Even then, in this season of goodwill and worship, let us call upon whatever we hold sacred, and pray for peace.

Antara Dev Sen is the editor of The Little Magazine, an independent publication devoted to essays, fiction and criticism on themes that are ignored by the mainstream media. Sen also writes for the Open Democracy Movement and is an advisor for Words Without Borders [http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/]. She can be contacted at sen@littlemag.com