Rumi’s Legacy in the Modern World: The Timeless Resonance of a 13th-Century Poet
By Sabat Khan, New Age
Islam
30 July
2024
Rumi's Teachings Promote Introspection and
Inclusivity, Making His Poetry A Vital Resource For Spiritual Seekers And
Practices Today
Main Points:
1.
Rumi's encounter with Shams of
Tabriz shifted his focus from academic scholarship to a passionate exploration
of Sufism and divine love.
2.
Rumi's writings explore love,
longing, and the connection to the divine, resonating with readers from diverse
cultural and spiritual backgrounds.
3.
Rumi emphasizes that personal
suffering can lead to spiritual enlightenment, suggesting that challenges are
growth opportunities.
4.
Rumi’s profound insights continue to
inspire contemporary poets and writers, enriching the field of spiritual poetry
and modern literature.
------
Rumi's Journey to Divine Love: A Path of
Devotion
“A candle
is made to become entirely flame, in that annihilating moment it has no
shadow.”
According
to legend, the renowned scholar, Jalaluddin Muhammad Rumi, was giving a lecture
when an older, dishevelled man approached and asked him the meaning of his
academic books. Unbeknownst to Rumi at the time, this person and this question
would alter the course of his life. Rumi angrily yelled, "They are
something that you don't understand," in response to the interruption. The
books suddenly caught fire, and the man turned to face the shocked Rumi,
saying, "You couldn't possibly understand."
Shams of
Tabriz, the enchanting Sufi mystic who would alter Rumi's prospects, becomes
mysterious. Rumi, one of history's most famous poets and mystical philosophers,
was greatly influenced by Shams' teachings and went on to have a long cultural
influence on Turkey and the Persian-speaking world.
Rumi was
born in 1207 near the Afghan city of Balkh, and as a child emigrated to
Anatolia, where his father, a preacher and mystic, hoped to secure a more
prestigious position. By the time of Sham’s arrival, in Konya, Rumi was a
highly regarded scholar in Islamic law. He had been introduced to Sufism, the
Islamic mystical system that centres on feeling God's love but had not
exhibited much interest in it until he met Shams in his late thirties. Rumi had
moved away from the studies of law and religion in academia. Instead, he
perceived them as lights illuminating the path to his ultimate objective. The
feeling of divine love leads to his soul's reunion with God.
He wrote of
this tension in his native Persian,
“Love resides not in learning, not in knowledge, not in pages and books.
Wherever the debates of men may lead, that is not the lover’s path”.
Although
Sufism had been a part of Islamic worship for generations, traditional
religious authorities despised the rituals of some Sufis, such as their
ecstatic dancing and poetry writing. Many of Rumi's previous supporters
disliked him as he brought more and more Sufism into his life under the
influence of Shams. When Shams suddenly disappeared, suspicion arose that he
had been murdered.
Rumi
expressed his devastation through poetry:
“He bathed
us like a candle in his light; in thin air vanished, left us”.
Rumi did
not leave Sufism; instead, he grew even more committed to it, taking part in
ritualized dancing and spreading the religion of love via lectures, poetry, and
prose. Rumi continued to spread his teachings despite Shams’ untimely demise,
viewing himself as the moon reflecting Shams' sun. He wrote the "Divan-i-Shams," a large collection
of lyrical poetry that contained many of the proverbs for which he is now
renowned, while in his mystical states. The piece conveys a deep sense of love
and longing for the heavenly creator as well as for his mentor who has since
disappeared. The poetry of Rumi developed with time. He viewed himself as a
lighthouse of his own, no longer a reflection of Shams.
Rumi wrote "Masnavi" in his early fifties, which alternates between
euphoric declarations of divine love and poetry that helps others find it on
their own. The poems are multi-layered and intricate, drawing inspiration from
earlier Sufi poetry and writing as well as concepts, tales, and quotations from
Arabic and Persian literature, as well as Islamic sacred scriptures. For Rumi
experiencing love meant opening his heart to all of God’s creation - looking at
everything and everyone like Majnun gazing upon Layla. In this way, he saw
romantic love as an expression- on a smaller scale- of divine love. Following
Rumi’s death, the Mevlevi Sufi order was established around his teachings and
still exists in Turkey today. Before Persian poetry was brought to the West in
the 19th century, his poems and other writings were copied and distributed
throughout the Islamic world. His writings have been read aloud, translated,
and reinterpreted for decades, winning followers from all over the world.
The Universal appeal of Rumi’s Poetry
In an
environment where noise becomes chaotic, one is unable to find solace, in that
situation, Rumi’s poetry becomes the beacon of their lives. Rumi's poetry
illustrates the universal human experience. His writings on love, longing, and
the pursuit of heavenly connection speak to readers of many faiths and
cultures. The central theme of Rumi's writings is a careful analysis of the
human soul and its relationship to the divine. His poetry encourages reflection
and a greater knowledge of one's inner self by taking readers on a spiritual
journey.
Some lines
of his poetry express the power of pain and through enduring the pain one can
achieve their desired path: “The wound is the place where the Light enters
you.”
This line
suggests that our greatest challenges and pains often become the points of our
greatest growth and enlightenment. It's through our struggles and suffering
that we gain insight and strength. Moreover, oftentimes Rumi creates a place
where people can think of themselves by understanding their worth and hold
their optimist selves.
By saying this,
Rumi expresses the hope within each of us:
“Don’t
grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form.”
However,
this line speaks to the transformative nature of loss. Even the things we lose
usually come back to us in a new, perhaps even better, shape. Many seek solace
and meaning in Rumi's timeless wisdom in today’s technologically advanced,
fast-paced world. His poetry, which is widely shared on social media, serves as
a daily reminder of the enduring power of love and the interconnectedness of
all living things, which encourages and inspires us. Rumi is one of the
best-selling poets in the US, Europe and other countries thanks to his ability
to transcend cultural divides and foster a feeling of humanity.
Rumi’s Influence on Modern Literature
The works
of many modern poets and writers, who find inspiration in Rumi's profound
insights and lyrical beauty, demonstrate Rumi's effect on modern writing. His
examination of love, grief, and the divine among other topics encourages poets
to explore the human condition in greater detail. Many modern authors have
adopted Rumi's technique of fusing the sacred and the profane to produce works
that appeal to the heart and the soul. His influence can be observed in the
expanding field of spiritual poetry, as contemporary poets attempt to express
the same inner serenity and transcendence that Rumi did in his poetry.
Elif
Shafak’s novel “The Forty Rules of Love”
is based on Rumi and Shams Tabrizi. Elif has beautifully woven the story that
highlights the two parallel stories and life journeys. However, Elif Shafak is
a Turkish author; her books captured themes like Feminism, Identity, and
Multiculturalism.
Rumi’s Spiritual Impact
Rumi's
influence on modern spirituality is arguably the most important part of his
legacy in the modern world. Rumi's accepting and compassionate attitude to
spirituality is a welcome change of pace in a time when conventional religious
rituals are frequently called into question. Rumi's teachings place a strong
emphasis on the value of introspection, self-awareness, and the quest for a
close relationship with God. Those who are looking for a more inclusive and
compassionate spiritual path find great resonance in his idea of love as a
transformative power. This has resulted in a renewed interest in the
contemplative and mystical practices of many different spiritual traditions, as
well as in Sufism, the mystical division of Islam to which Rumi belonged.
Rumi's poetry is frequently used by spiritual instructors and practitioners to
highlight the transformational power of love and the path to spiritual
enlightenment. Rumi's poetry is often featured in meditation groups, yoga
courses, and mindfulness retreats, providing a space for people to connect with
his timeless wisdom and find serenity amid contemporary turbulence.
-------
Sabat Khan is a media professional with a Bachelor's degree in Mass
Media Hindi and a Master's degree in Media Governance from Jamia Millia
Islamia, Delhi.