Product Description
The spiritual masterpiece of the Persian Sufi tradition-in a brilliant new translation

The longest single -authored "mystical" poem ever written, the Masnavi-ye Ma'navi, or "spiritual couplets," is the masterpiece of the Persian Sufi tradition. Its author, Jalaloddin Rumi, was a poet and mystic of the highest attainment, but he was first and foremost a spiritual teacher, and his Masnavi is a ladder to the spiritual world, leading the reader to the ultimate goal of the Sufi path-union with God. Alan Williams's translation into blank verse beautifully conveys the poetry of the original Persian couplets, while his introduction discusses how the modern reader might approach Rumi's writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

absolutely superb
At last, a translation of Rumi's Masnavi which, without ever being pedantic or obscure, is both faithful to the original Persian and to Rumi's teaching. I highly recommend it. This is only the first book of the Masnavi, though (the title is incomplete and misleading) and I am looking forward to the translations of the next five books. A brilliant and moving piece of work. ... Read more

Product Description
The most influential Sufi poem ever written, the six books of the Masnavi are often called "the Qur'an in Persian". Book Two is concerned with the challenges facing the seeker of Sufi enlightenment. In particular it focuses on the struggle against the self, and how to choose the right companions in order to progress along the mystical path. By interweaving amusing stories and profound homilies, Rumi instructs his readers in a style that still speaks directly to them.
Here, Jawid Mojaddedi has translated the text into accessible rhyming couplets, as he did for Oxford's award-winning edition of Book One. This edition--the first ever verse translation of Book Two, and the first translation of any kind for over eighty years--is the closest English speakers can come to understanding the true beauty of this classic work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Font Way, Way too Small on this Edition
As much as I was looking forward to reading this edition of the Masnavi: Book II, the publisher did neither themselves nor the reader any favors by publishing it with font that is way too small to read.
I know that you are theoretically supposed to be able to adjust the size of the font to make it more readable, however even at a size 6, which is the largest size, the font is still way, way too small to be able to comfortably read this text.I suggest they re-set it for the Kindle, so that it might enjoy the widest possible readership possible.

Rhyming couplets be damned
The best translation is still the Reynold N. Nicholson. Maybe one day they'll reprint it.

The Masnavi
That is the best translation of the Masnavi I have ever seen. It consists both the original idea and the rhyme. ... Read more

Product Description
Over 100 of Rumi’s finest lyrics, including "The Marriage of True Minds," "The Children of Light," "The Man Who Looked Back on His Way to Hell," "The Ascending Soul," "The Pear-Tree of Illusion," "The Riddles of God," and many more. "In some of these poems," says A. J. Arberry in the Introduction, "the mystic’s passion is so exuberant, his imagination so overflowing, that we catch glimpses of the very madness of Divine experience." Translated by R. A. Nicholson.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

So much for so little
I've recently discovered this poet. This collection brings together short, quick poems that provide volumes of contemplation!

This inexpensive book contains endless value... so much for so little!
Enjoy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

hard to follow, but good
i found this style of writing a little difficult to followand read it a couple times, but overall i really enjoyed it and it had a lot of really beautiful, insightful things to say.

Spectacular interpretations, wholly faithful to the spirit of the originals
The fact that Barks cannot read the original Persian and must work with literal translations of others only adds to the significance of his achievement: it does not lessen it. I cannot begin to fathom how he managed to extract the spirit of Rumi's work from cryptic and often nonsensical earlier translations. Yet Barks remains faithful to what Rumi uttered 700 years ago and reaffirms that the poet's message is indeed universal, beyond language and time. Barks never set out to preserve the musicality of the original Persian. Here he's been wise to avoid an effort whose futility is evident in the works of Arberry and Nicholson. As someone who can read Rumi in both languages, I am delighted and amazed by the way Barks releases these poems from the cage of literal translations. Enjoy!

An interpretation of Rumi's poetry by a fine interpreter
Before judging the quality of Like This note that Barks titles them "versions by Coleman Barks."Barks does not read Rumi in theoriginal but rather produces secondary translations through working withscholars who can read the original.If you are looking for a translationwhich carries the flavor of the original language, these translations arenot for you.If, however, you are interested in reading poetry that triesto maintain original images and make them understandable to the Westernmind, then you will find that Barks achieves his goal very well.

LikeThis contains 43 odes originally translated by John Moyne, a linguist atCUNY; Coleman Barks has then used in skill in English poetry to makeversion of these poems.What is most evident in his versions is that hehas spent many years with the material and has developed a "sense ofit" without mistaking that "sense of it" with being a SufiMaster.

If you have an interest in Sufi or religious ectastic poetry,this volume is well worth your time.If you are a 12th-13th centuryPersian scholar they are not.An example: "There's a tradition thatGod can be seen / in the color red.In the lights / that come from redhair!" - interesting thought which arouses in me, at least, a healthycuriousity regarding the tradition.

amazing...
Amazing that Coleman Barks credits himself as translator of Rumi, despite apparently never having even read Rumi's writing in the original Persian.R. Nicholson, whose translations from the original Farsi Barks cribs (sorry- "rephrases") in several books, himself admits:"I donot, of course, pretend to have understood everything..." No suchhumility encumbers Barks, however.Apparently, his unique spiritualinsights into Rumi make reference to the original writings unnecessary.Atworst, this is the channeling approach to translation. At best, it ispostmodernist orientalism. The scholar Nicholson writes that"no writer can fairly be judged by fragments, however fine..."Barks seems to agree, writing that his poems are"buckets liftedfrom a whole, whose connectedness runs its vast and intimatecourse..." To get a glimpse of that course, take a look at thetranslation Nicholson recommends, Whinfield's Masnavi, still in printthrough Octagon Books, under the title "Teachings of Rumi".The New York Times equates Barks's Rumi success with Kahlil Gibran'spopularity in the sixties.That's good for Barks, at least financially. Whether he accurately conveys the teaching of the poet whom evencontemporary Sufis refer to as "Our Master," or even approachesthe literary value of that original,is another matter.

incredible, wonderful, delicious
must rea ... Read more

Product Description
The first of three volumes of the English translation of Rumi's great poem on Muslim mysticism. ... Read more

Product Description
An exquisite evocation of a young woman’s spiritual awakening, told with the storytelling skill that made Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist a worldwide best-seller.

Rumi was one of the great mystical poets of all time, a vibrant figure whose unorthodox views on love still resonate today. Although little is known about his life, we do know that he lived in Anatolia, had an extraordinary spiritual friendship with a man named Shams, and brought an adopted girl, Kimya, into his family. This stirring novel is Kimya’s story—of how she finds herself drawn to the mysterious Shams, and how, by marrying him, her soul begins its true journey into fire. Set against the decline of the Byzantine Empire and the Mongol invasions, this tale of a tempestuous love affair combines all the timeless themes and passions of Rumi’s own verse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Kimya, a Forgotten Mystic
This review was originally printed in Sufi, 69, Spring 2006. It is reprinted here with permission from Alireza Nurbakhsh, editor of Sufi.

Rumi's Daughter is both a delightful and informative novel. It comes to us from Muriel Maufroy, French-born author and ex-journalist for the BBC World Service who currently lives in London. Partly imagined and partly factual, it recounts the life of Kimya, the adopted daughter of Maulana Jalalud-Din Rumi (1207-1273) who is known today both for his mystical love poetry written to his beloved God and the Sufi Order of the Whirling Dervishes founded after his death. Nothing is really known about Kimya's origins, and we know very little about her life in Rumi's household. Yet through her enchanting depiction, Maufroy lovingly evokes the spirit of a vivacious and ingenuous young girl. She brings to life this child of seven in all her innocence and simplicity as the girl awakens to a world of wonder and embraces the life of a mystic, even before she meets Rumi and Shams. This book is especially unique, in that it offers a glimpse into Rumi's life from the women's point of view, something which had not been done before.

It seems plausible that Kimya was born in an Anatolian village near Konya, that as a child she went into trances when she would black out and enter another dimension losing all track of time, and that her love for God was all-consuming, shaping what she became. As a young child Kimya frequently wonders, "Why am I alive? Where was I before I was born?"She appears to have been where Rumi and Shams are long before she meets them. Following one of her reveries she tells her mother sobbing, "I was somewhere where I was so happy ... Then it was all over."Maufroy writes, "And for a second it seemed the child had been touched by a beam of light."In turn, Kimya's Greek Christian mother Evdokia wonders how Kimya happens to be her child, and her Turkish Muslim father Farokh jokes whether perhaps she might be a witch. Both parents feel she does not "belong" to them.

Through this cross-cultural family, Maufroy gives us a flavor of the times in Anatolia when the Seljuk Turks ruled (1077-1308) the land, gently weaving historical facts in between her delightfully inspired fiction. She infuses the pages of her book with images that instruct: Farokh talks of nearby cities, Konya and Laranda, where his cousins used to visit and would return to tell stories about houses carved out of stone and "people speaking strange languages and wearing even stranger dresses."Kimya's father tells his inquisitive daughter of his nomadic childhood herding goats and sheep, bartering and selling milk, cheese, wool, and rugs, while living in tents made of felt, looking up to shamans for spiritual guidance, worshipping idols, and making offerings to the gods. In contrast, they now live in a stone house, work the land, and attend the mosque. Thus we learn about the landscape, inhabitants, and living conditions in the Taurus Mountains in the thirteenth century. Incidentally, Maufroy has traveled to Turkey on numerous occasions and even lived in a Turkish village in the area.

We also discover Konya and its many preachers: "Not only the Christian monks who tried to stem the rise of Islam, or the Franks on their way to Palestine, but all those beggars in disguise who came from the East and made their living from swallowing swords, spitting fire, or pretending to read the future."Indeed, thirteenth-century Anatolia was a place where many faiths were intertwined: Hellenic, Gnostic, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian, and Pagan. And the region was layered in many cultures: Greek, Roman, Persian, Turkish, and Arab. One could hear Venetian, Saxon, or Frank, Greek or Persian, Turkish or Arabic spoken in the streets. We meet characters like Ahmed, a Persian youth from Konya, his friend Theophanes, a young Greek boy, or Father Chrisostom, a Christian priest and a friend of Kimya's family. Young Kimya wisely comments on this miscellany of peoples saying, "Perhaps one day everybody will speak the same language."

As already indicated, Maufroy cleverly embeds her sensitively inspired tale within much historical fact. For example, through the ruminations of Father Chrisostom we learn that in the villages"Islam and the language of the Turkomans were slowly supplanting Christianity and the Greek language. How unsettling it was at times to live in this land of Anatolia and the Taurus, pulled between the Byzantine and Persian empires!"We also become aware of the tumultuous times in which Kimya lived, when the Mongol hordes were invading the country: "It was not only the individual who was threatened, but whole ways of life with their unique forms and richness. One heard of libraries disappearing in blazes, of illuminated manuscripts torn to pieces, of works of art reduced to rubble."

But what the author really wants and succeeds to impress on us is her belief that, in the eyes of God, religious and gender differences are of little importance. We learn about Jalalud-Din Rumi as a preacher who accepts people of all faiths, and "even women," as his disciples, which leads to much gossip about the propriety of his tolerance and his unorthodox views. In fact, Rumi's second wife Kerra, whom we meet in this novel, was Christian. In the story Rumi is revered as Maulana, Our Master. Most importantly, we hear his own words, expressing the heart of his teaching: "Love for the Creator is latent in all men."The Greek priest Chrisostom also voices sentiments similar to Rumi's: "People have their faiths and God hears each one of them. Who are we to tell them how to talk to Him?"Thus, real-life characters and fictional ones blend together.

Kimya's story begins in 1239 when she is seven. Rumi would have been thirty-two years old that year, a young scholar and spiritual figure gaining recognition and gathering a following. Their lives converge when Kimya's parents, after much heart-wrenching contemplation, take the precocious young girl to Konya, where she can be taught by nuns in a convent. Instead, it is Kimya's fate to cross paths with Rumi, who invites her to live in his home with his wife and children. By that point, Kimya has already learned about Rumi and his teaching from Ahmed, who teaches her the precious Persian word, doost, meaning "the Friend"--"the one I Love", "the One I Long For."

It is with the sensitivity and compassion of a true believer that Maufroy evokes the exchange that might have transpired between Rumi and Kimya when they meet physically for the first time: "We have already walked a long way together," remarks Rumi to Kimya. And through Kimya, who is not even ten yet, we see Rumi: "From his whole being emanated a feeling of warmth and kindness, though his eyes looked sharp and alert."What follows in the rest of the novel after that point is both intense and a delight, as the author shows us through the young girl's eyes what Rumi the man might have been like, what might have transpired in his household day to day, and how he might have talked and behaved in everyday life.

It is thus that we meet Rumi's second wife Kerra, his grown sons Sultan Walad and Alaud-Din, his six-month-old son Alim, his friends Sadruddin Qonavi, Namj al Razi, Salah ud din Zarkob, and finally, his doost Shams of Tabriz, "the confidant of [his] soul."Approximately the last two thirds of the book follows Kimya as she matures beyond her years both psychologically and spiritually in a very short time. This part of Kimya's tale is grounded in more familiar territory for readers who already know the historical facts of Shams and Rumi's relationship, Shams's wondrous entry into Rumi's life in 1244, the jealousy that ensued among Rumi's followers, and Shams's heartbreaking disappearance forever only four years later. Kimya is barely fifteen when she enters into a marriage with Shams, her senior by at least three decades, who evokes emotions that are both exhilarating and devastating for anyone, let alone a child her age. Shams neglects her most of the time, instead spending his time with Rumi, locked in a room, without even food, for days and nights on end, lost in mystical conversation.

The historical Kimya was much pitied for having been neglected and for dying of loneliness and despair. This is not how Maufroy sees it, though. And this is another important aspect of this curiously powerful book. All along, the author indicates that too often our perceptions distort what really happens. We do not see reality; we interpret it according to our conditioning. This is particularly noticeable in Kimya's relationship with Shams, which to Maufroy, is much more than an arranged marriage or one of convenience. The relationship is also one of teacher and disciple. We witness Kimya's burning and her mystical transformation, as Shams allows her "almost at will to enter the place where her heart [is] content."The discrepancy between perception and reality is equally demonstrated in the parallel relationship between Rumi and Shams, which clearly remains incomprehensible to the onlookers. But the main theme in the novel is first of all the Sufi theme of love and separation. Early in the book one of the characters proclaims: "Love's task is to take us beyond the realm of separation. It has nothing to do with happiness here"--a statement which actually foretells Kimya's, and later on Rumi's story itself, as well as the very foundation of his teaching.

As a whole, this is an insightful novel that does not only interweave historical facts with a creative account of a young girl's experiences growing up in Rumi's household, but is imbued with Sufi thought and knowledge: "God's knowledge is as free as a bird and so is your soul.""There is a knowledge the mind knows nothing of". Such statements subtly draw the reader into the Sufi mystic's world and its language. "When Kimya left," Maufroy writes, "the sky was softening into a rose-tinted gold, as tender as God's whisper". It is this whisper from God that this novel manages to make us hear.

Müge N. Galin, Ph.D., from the Department of English at The Ohio State University, has written Between East and West: Sufism in the Novels of Doris Lessing (State University of New York Press, 1997), Turkish Sampler (Indiana University, 1989), and Fatma Aliye Hanim (Isis Press).

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL
This book is not in the least horrible! What a beautiful little book! The journey of Kimya into her spiritual awakenings is just so real and touching. Reading something that takes you back to Rumi's household is a dream come true! This book is one you can return to many times. Just like The Alchemist's simple English, this book speaks directly to your soul. Simplicity is what the soul sometimes needs.
I can't wait for Muriel's next book! ... Read more

Product Description
A two volume set comprising the critical notes and commentary provided by Nicholson to his edition and translation of Rumi's great poem on Islamic mysticism. (Gibb Memorial Trust) ... Read more

Product Description
This Rumi collection features selections from one of the world's great spiritual masterpieces, theMathnawi. TheMathnawi consists of six volumes of poetry in rhyme—over fifty-one thousand verses—inspired by folklore, the Qur'an, stories of saints and teachers, and sayings of Muhammed. Rendered by Rumi's premier English translators, these excerpts from theMathnawi are presented in American free-verse style. ... Read more

Product Description
Rumi at the age of thirty-seven meets Shams Tabrizi (the sun of Tabriz) "a weird figure wrapped in coarse black felt, who flits across the stage for a moment and disappears tragically enough." Shams has variously been described as: "being extremely ugly"; "a most disgusting cynic;" and having an "exceedingly aggressive and domineering manner." Jalaluddin, who until then had no interest or liking for poetry "found in the stranger that perfect image of the Divine Beloved which he had long been seeking. He took him away to his house, and for a year or two they remained inseparable. Â… RumiÂ’s pupils resented their teacherÂ’s preoccupation with the eccentric stranger, and vilified and intrigued against him until Shams fled to Damascus. Rumi sent his son to bring him back; but the tongues of his jealous traducers soon wagged again, and Â… in 1247, the man of mystery vanished without leaving a trace behind."

Introduction to and selections from Rumi translated into English by well-known scholar Nicholson along with the original Persian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

I Found My Translator
Nicholson has great appeal for me as I find in his translations connections to Rumi that the more poetical versions lack. It seems that after 10 years of searching for what truly reverberates in me, and feeds my soul, the very literal is the most appealing. There is no manipulation of words and meanings here, no exclamations of "I have preserved the essence of Rumi's poetry in my translations," from those who who do not know any language other than english.
Nicholson is amazing - his notes on each of the Ghazels are truly revealing of The Poet's intent and style. I only wish all of the Divan could have been translated by Nicholson. We have his complete Mathnawi which is simply a gift to be forever frequently opened and pondered.
This book is a gem.

Great job, the best translation so far
Great job, I ordered 6 copy for friends and relatives.
By far, this is the best collection and translation that I have ever seen.
For example consider Coleman Barks work.I think that Coleman has done a great Job introducing Rumi to the west.However, Coleman work is drawing only very loosely on Rumi's work. Coleman's work is rather a stretch to call it a translation! If one were cynical, one might think the large number of books from Coleman indicates merely a money-making exercise.

Outstanding translation of a Master's work by a master
Though Nicholson's translations of Rumi's works are not as well known today as other translators' (some of whom can't be called translators as they don't even know Persian), Nicholson's translations are among the highest (the highest?) fidelity translations of Rumi we have.He knew Rumi's works (having translated the entire Masnawi), the philosophy and had mastery of the necessary languages and thus this annotated translation is a gem.Read the footnotes for an indepth understanding of these translations of select poems from Rumi's magnificent Divan of Shams Tabriz.

A welcome reprint of an excellent work
IBEX has done the reading public a great service by reprinting this 1898 edition of a bilingual collection of Rumi's poems. The table of contents shows the wealth of material covered by this compact volume:

Preface
Introduction (includes biography of Rumi, Persian poetry, Sufism)
Addenda and Corrigenda
Selected Poems
Notes (over 100 pages)
Additional notes
Appendices
--I. Illustrative passages from the Divan with a list of the historical and autobiographical allusions
--II. Translations in verse
--III. Table showing where the Selected Poems occur in other editions of the Divan
--IV. Comparative table of passages quoted from the Masnavi
Indices
--I. Persian and Arabic
--II. English

The format with English translation facing Persian text is very helpful. The Persian text is partially vocalized, to a degree well suited to those who have an intermediate, but not advanced, knowledge of the language. Among other things, ezafes are shown, along with the vocalization of otherwise ambiguous forms such as "bovad" (a poetic form of 'to be') which has the same consonants as the much more common "bud" (simple past tense of 'to be'). Each poem begins with the name of the meter in Persian followed by a schematic representation of the meter using macrons and breves.

If you want to introduce yourself to some of the finest of Persian poetry in its original language, this is an excellent book to use.

Brilliant, eloquent translation of Rumi's mystical poems
Rumi's poetry, as brought to us by the brilliant and moving translationsof Nicholson, represents one of the highest forms of mystical romanticoutpourings. Like Fitzgerald/Khayyam, one is judging the poetic expressionof Rumi through the translation of Nicholson. The end result is one of themost remarkable collection of poems, full of emotional impact, weighty withphilosophical import. This book is not easy to find, so is a must-have foranyone interested in this subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Rumi's vast body of poetry includes a lengthy epic of religious mysticism, the Hathnavi, and more than three thousand lyrics and odes, many of which came to him while he was in a state of trance.A. J. Arberry, who selected four hundred of the lyrics for translation and annotated them, calls Rumi "one of the world's greatest poets.In profundity of thought, inventiveness of image, and triumphant mastery of language, he stands out as the supreme genius of Islamic mysticism."

A. J. Arberry (1905-73) was professor of Arabic at Cambridge University. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Superior Translation
Compared to translators such as Harvey and Barks, Arberry is the superior translator. Perhaps it takes a certain amount and kind of understanding to do a good translating, or perhaps it takes knowledge and literary-language skill, or perhaps it takes all of these. There have always been vast problems choosing with translation to get in Middle Eastern and Far Eastern studies; my experience with Far Eastern studies/translations is that the translator really has to be humble and present with the original poet. In this case, the translator must let Rumi speak, and Arberry does that better than many other common translators. ... Read more

Product Description
Seventeen poems of Rumi, a 13th-century Persian mystic, in English versions by Robert Bly and Coleman Barks.These poems express a longing for the "Mystical Friend," a spiritual guide, or brother."When Things are Heard" from the collection is featured on Keith Jarrett's double album,Invocations and The Moth and the Flame on ECM Records. ... Read more

Product Description
Timeless and eternal, the poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi is loved the world over and he is a best-selling poet from America to Afghanistan. Commemorating the 800th anniversary of Rumi's birth, this beautiful volume draws from the breadth of Rumi's work, spanning his entire career. Franklin Lewis's evocative translation will prove inspirational to both keen followers of Rumi and readers discovering the great poet for the first time. ... Read more

Product Description
For the many lovers of the blissful poetry of Rumi, Leslie Wines presents a concise introduction to the man and his times. The life of Rumi, a thirteenth century Sufi mystic whose poetry has seen resurgence in recent years with the publication of Coleman Barks' beautiful translation, remains largely unknown to the general public. Leslie Wines' account shows the impact Rumi's poetry, beliefs, spirituality, and politics had in his own day. Most importantly, this biography gives the great mystic flesh and blood.Wines, begins with Rumi's birth in Balkh, Afghanistan. She recounts the dramatic flight of Rumi and his family to Ard rum in today's Turkey. Perhaps most interestingly of all, she depicts the full story of Rumi's meeting with the Sufi shaman, Sams tabriz, which spurred his religious conversion and caused him much tribulation. Leslie Wines has written a truly engaging biography of a great spiritual man-a man for all faiths and ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Masterpiece by Ms. Wines
Ms.Wines writes this book in such a way that makes it so enjoyable. She seems to be a writer that any group can grasp her point. What a splendid book.

Illuminating and entertaining
Rumi: A Spiritual Biography is that rare thing, a thoughtful, richly textured short biography that can appeal to a very broad audience. A delightful look at one of the world's greatest poets and humanists--Wines provides us with an insightful and precise portrait of a riveting historical figure. Her writing is intelligent, readable, and thought-provoking. I can't think of a more stimulating book about Rumi; the book is both informative and a wonderful read that not only sheds light on the nature of Rumi's spirituality and mystical endeavors and creativity, as well as his dramatic literary achievments but also elucidates the modern reader's strong appeal to and identification with Rumi.

Rumi comes to life
As the critic Edwin Muir noted in 1926 of Lytton Strachey, Strachey (whose works became the touchstones for modern biography) did 2 things for biography: he humanized it by irony, he gave it form. He went out in search not of great figures and noble character, but of human nature, and he always found. So too does author Leslie Wines in Rumi: A Spiritual Biography.

Wines's biography of Rumi is rich with good storytelling and marvelous irony and, like Strachey, with just a little touch of sardonic wit. How else to approach the incredible legends and hagiographers of Rumi? But her approach is never disrespectful or irreverent. While critical of the hagiographic trend of Rumi's contemporaries, as well as most future historians, Wines does not simply and tediously recount these legends but, while wading through such ushers in a fresh and bold imagining of this great poet with a critical contemporary eye. Ultimately Rumi comes to life on the pages of this short literary biography like he never has before.

Wines humanizes Rumi. In short, Wines shows how Rumi's work responds to an increasing need many of us have for an instinctive and mystical response to life, and for a more joyful daily exiistence. She shows us how Rumi's very broad appeal--even to those who are not particularly interested in spiritual writings or even poetry--derives from his very genuine cosmopolitan nature and character. Like Rumi's own work there is little sentimentality for its own sake in the author's examination of her subject, which very convincinly sheds light on Rumi's contemporary relevance and dazzling creative appeal and our mystic identification with this great humanist. And she shows us how Rumi's meditations on love and the chaotic nature of poetry and life, along with the extraordinary social, cutural and politically tumultuous times (not unlike our own)of his life resonate with the modern reader and transcend medieval times to our own present day.

Mad for Rumi
One of the author's chapter's titles is "Mad for Music", another "The Most Digressive Story Ever Told" (this second one is a concentration on his literary work)and is reflective of the author's touch of "sly whimsy" as one other reviewer said. The writing is very good and I like what amounts to the combination of a somewhat of a journalistic style with great storytelling. The author was obviously enchanted with her subject,b ut unlike many other writers on Rumi, does not take herself or Rumi for that matter TOO seriously. What do I mean by that? It would seem to me that she approaches Rumi in just the way he himself would want to be appraoched, in fact asked to be, and would have approached his own self.

Leslie Wines captures Rumi with a vibrancy and immediacey I've yet to see. I am a great admirer of the Penguin Lives series. A large part of the tremendous success of Penguin Lives is its nack for hitching up just the right author and subject; absolute compatibility, simpatico between subject and writer. So too with this series with Leslie Wines and Rumi.

Enjoy a great read and get to know Rumi
I have to wonder whether I read the same book as this first reviewer. While I am not a book-making expert I found this a beautifully designed book and as an English composition instructor of CUNY I found the book very well written and an immensely enjoyable read. I've been reading Rumi's poetry for years and looking at many different translations but I've never run across a biography of Rumi and was thrilled to see this one.

Rumi: a Spiritual Biography places Rumi within the social, political and cultural context of his time. Ms. Wins is not an Islamist or for that matter a Rumi scholar and this is perhaps her most enduring value to the general reader. Her approach to Rumi is vigorous, occasionally with a sly sense of whimsey, always intelligent and makes both Rumi's life and his work very accessible to the general reader.

From this short and energetic literary biography, I have for the first time a good vision of Rumi as a universal human being. His appeal and relevance to the modern reader becomes abunduntly clear--as a poet as well as an ecstatic spiritual being. Ms. WIns clearly demonstrates how Rumi calls to us from beyond the concerns of conventional religiosity and limiting beliefs. Her probing curiosity and very lively interest rather than another hagiographic interpretation or pious reverence is highly refreshing. Of particular value is her discussions and examination how in Rumi the divine and human realms intermingle and how our spiritual dimension and human nature find fullfilment in being united. ... Read more

Product Description
New to Penguin Classics-a transcendent selection of poetry from the early Islamic era.

Poetry has been the most powerful vehicle for conveying Sufism-the mystical dimension of Islam-from the early flowering of mystical Islam in Baghdad to the later heights it reached through Jalaluddin Rumi (d. 1273) and Jami (d. 1492). Starting with the writings of eighth-century mystics, this anthology moves through the twelfth century with Ibn Arabi in Spain and Ibn Farid of Cairo, then onto the Maghrib prayer of Abul Ala Al Maari, Aynul quddat Hamddhani of Persia, Yunus Emre of Turkey in the fourteenth century, and many others, culminating in the early twentieth century. The result is a soaring collection of verse from across the Islamic world and over centuries of inspiration.

... Read more

Product Description
A three volume set of Nicholson's translation of Rumi's famous poem on Islamic mysticism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Best buy on Amazon!
You can find more about life from this book than any other on the planet. Hard to read -- worth the effort. Take a look at Coleman Bark's translations if you need an on ramp

The best from Rumi
I am the formless form
I operate on myself in this way so that I am continuously arriving
And I am the knower of this field of Description.

As you start reading, your heart will wrap itself about the book not letting go while your brain boils away in a fit of rage.

This is the translation you need to buy.
Forget all the 'new translations' 'new interpretations' blah blah blah they are nothing of the kind, they are all just re-writes of this classic.Save yourself the money and the time reading books by people making money off the backs of scholars who given years to produce this masterpiece and buy this.

Nicholson based this translation on manuscripts in Konya at the Mevlevihane during the early part of the last century.It must have been particularly hard during those troubled years in Turkey.He studied the commentary of the great Mevlevi Sheikh Ankarawi and the 2 volume notes and commentary (sold separately) are actually translations of that Sheikhs works.

Modern day Sheikhs have said openly that this is one of the best interpretations of Rumis works around today.Sefik Can one of the last great scholars of the Mathnawi who continued the commentary Tahir ul Mevlevi the Turkish commentary on the Mathnawi praised Nicholsons translation so that should give you some idea of the quality of this book.

You may wish to also look for the Discourses of Rumi also by Nicholson and the works of his student A J Arberry. Of modern scholars only Schimmel has come close with her excellent work 'I am wind and you are fire' and Chitticks translation of chapters of the Mathnawi (Chittick is a scholar in Persian, Schimmel is multi lingual) Save yourself the time and money, avoid the thousands of other books on Rumi and buy this one.

This is the Rumi work u may want to read
This is the Most definitive translation of Rumis's Grandest and most Important work. So literal a very few times that it may loose accuracy. Yet surprisingly loyal for being the work of a western scholar.

If you want to drink Rumi with a glass of wine on a slow afternoon then this work is NOT for you.

This is because in this work his mysticism interweaves deep Islamic thought you cannot conviniently delete or distort.

Yes
Potiential readers should be aware that this is the diffinative English translation of this spiritual classic.It is sometimes referenced by native Farsi speakers because of it's accuracy.However, it is difficultto read.Know that the work required to read this translation will be wellrewarded for anyone with a heart. ... Read more

Product Description
Rumi is now the most read poet in America!Vibrant and fresh, his words are as appealing today as when first written centuries ago.Uniquely blending romantic passion with Sufi mysticism, Rumi's inspirational words span culture and time, touching the hearts of millions.

A Rumi Anthology gathers Rumi's most beloved and beautiful poems, lovingly translated by Reynold Nicholson.Perfect for browsing through, the anthology reflects Rumi's works on mysticism, love, ethics, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

good introduction, translations are shaky
to me, they seem a bit contrived because he insists on having an english rhyme scheme and meter which makes me think he probably gave away something in translation.
The introduction is a good basic introduction to the biographical data and accuracy available about the poet, some of his influences, and subject matter.
I usually shy away from rhyming translations, but this is pretty good, and there are some excellent poems and stories in here... ... Read more

Product Description
Drawing on a vast array of sources, from writings of the poet himself to the latest scholarly literature, this new anniversary edition of the award-winning work examines the background, the legacy, and the continuing significance of Jalâl al-Din Rumi, today's bestselling poet in the United States. With new translations of over fifty of Rumi's poems and including never before seen prose, this landmark study celebrates the astounding appeal of Rumi, still as strong as ever, 800 years after his birth.Amazon.com Review
Who is the bestselling poet in the United States? Allen Ginsburg? Robert Frost? Walt Whitman? How about Jalal al-Din Rumi? Rumi-mania has struck hard, inspiring rock bands, high fashion, modern dance, and opera. All this from the son of an Islamic preacher born in the foothills of the Pamir Mountains in 1207. If you'd like to separate the hype from the facts, look no further than Franklin Lewis's pièce de résistance, Rumi: Past and Present, East and West, the last word in Rumi scholarship. The first half is a biography of sorts, in which Lewis examines the available information about Rumi's father, his mentors, their teachings, and Rumi's own activities. In the second half, he takes up Rumi, himself, his writings, his message, and the Mevlevi order that grew up around him. He summarizes Western scholarship on Rumi, and perhaps most interesting for the poetry lover, he evaluates translations of Rumi, going back as far as the early 19th century and right up to Coleman Barks and Deepak Chopra. For an academic, Lewis writes with a refreshing swiftness, aplomb, and wit--characteristics Rumi would appreciate. --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

An Encyclopaedic Work on Rumi
Rumi -- Past and Present, East and West, The Life, Teaching and Poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi by Franklin D. Lewis is an encyclopaedic work on the greatest Sufi poet the world of Islam has ever produced. Mawlana Jalal al-Din Mohammad Balkhi, known as Mawlavi in his home land and as Rumi in the West, has been introduced to the Western world by scholars such as Nicholson, Arberry, Schimmel, Chittick and Nasr. Since then, scholarly critical works and translations of Rumi's works, Masnavi and Divan-e Shams, have appeared in different languages. Recently-published English translations by Bly and Barks are among the best sellers in America. What has made Rumi so popular in world cultures is his humanistic message of tolerance and respect for the other. Lewis has given Rumi full justice by writing this comprehensive book. Like Rumi himself, Lewis goes beyond any boundary to discuss Rumi's life, poetry, philosophy and different aspects of his message in high and popular cultures around the world with detailed scholarly notes that are immensely valuable for all researchers interested in the Islamic culture and civilization. Besides, Lewis's inspiring book provides the reader with many e-resources on Rumi and Mevlevi Order already unknown to both experts and general readers. These e-resources and internet links prove to open up new horizons for further research on Rumi in the 21th century. Scholars interested in interdisciplinary studies will find Lewis's book indispensable as well. Once again, Lewis's illuminating book shows that there is no end to research on one of the greatest philosopher-poets of the world.
Alireza Anushiravani, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Overdone
It is hard to review this book.Althought it is supremely scholarly,it ironically enough falls within the classic trap it discusses:too much scholarliness, not enough spirituality.The author never met a fact he didn't like and put into this book.Whole chapters discuss the second cousins and third generation disciples and whatnot.The book is nearly 700 pages long, telling you everything you ever wanted to know about everything remotely connected to Rumi (though we never do get his shoe size, dang!) but there are only two chapters that really are of interest -- one chapter of poetry translations, and one on his teachings.That's about 50 pages.There is a huge amount of repetition -- no editor seems to have been in touch with this book -- and long lists that could easily have been in footnotes.The only redeeming quality of the other 650 pages is that the author quite sardonically eviscerates the various pseudo-translations,tells us which scholars did what and has a lot to say about the weird folk who have adopted Sufism.So a couple of stars.But if you want this author at his best, go straight to his volume of translations -- Swallowed by the Sun.

Great Scholarship, but Light on the Poetry
I agree with the other reviewers that the scholarship that went into creating this biography of Rumi and his historical era was exceptional.The level of detail present in this book would be hard to come by in a biography of a more recent historical figure.

My one issue with this book is the general lack of Rumi's poems.I would estimate that there were about 30 or so full poems translated in this book.Clearly, the writer's focus was on Rumi's life, but why title it "...The Life, Teachings and Poetry..." if only to include a brief sampling of the poet's works.Rumi was a mystical poet who translated his life and religious understanding into his work.Without a greater breadth of his work, it is hard to understand who he is.I was all the more disappointed by this because the translations in the book were excellent.He wisely decided to translate the content into a lyrical form suitable to English rather than trying to imitate the original Persian poetic forms that Rumi used.

I feel like this book could have been more complete with more poems.Don't buy this book expecting to read much of his work.Buy this book if you want detailed scholarship on Rumi, his teachers, and his times.

Superlative job!
If I could give this book TEN STARS, I would. Prof. Franklin Lewis has done a superlative job in bringing out different facets of Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi and his father Baha al-Din, his mentor Borhan al-Din, his charismatic awakener Shams al-Din, along the way clearing up various myths and baseless rumors about these men. Not only does Prof. Lewis paint a full picture of the context for Rumi's development, he gives us a long, in-depth analysis of various phases of Mawlana's life, then provides a shorter "recap" synopsis of his career; presents us with exciting, authentic translations of 50 Rumi poems; gives us a candid assessment of various translators old and new of Rumi's works; outlines the interesting history of the manuscripts of his works; traces the history of the Mevlevi Order; and much more (among other things, I was grateful for his mention of the excellent but relatively unknown Rumi translator Ibrahim Gamard, whose website on Rumi is a goldmine of excellent scholarly translations of many sections of the Masnavi, the Divan, etc. And while your at it, also see Iranian-American poet Zara Houshmand's excellent rhyming translations of Rumi's quatrains at www.iranian.com)

Anyone at all interested in Mawlana in more than a passing fashion simply MUST have Prof. Lewis' Rumi book on their shelves. What a treasure trove!

Now, here's hoping that Prof. Lewis will turn his considerable talents to expand his doctoral dissertation on Hakim Sana'i (d.1131) into a lengthy book on that great Persian Sufi poet-sage (who was such an inspiration to Rumi). And, maybe further down the road, he'll bring us books on Farid al-Din Attar and the later Persian poet Hafiz?? Here's hoping...

Just this one fine book on Rumi is a lifetime achievement.

Rumi:the man behind the mystic poet.
"Light a fire of love within your soul," Rumi tells us, "burn up these thoughts and words from head to toe" (p. 400).In his impressive, 686-page scholarly study of Jalal al-Din Rumi, Persian scholar Franklin Lewis illuminates the man behind the thirteenth century mystic poet and preacher.Through his meticulous research, Lewis, a professor at Emory University in Atlanta, offers us "a glimpse" into Rumi's life, as well as new insights into Rumi's teachings, widely-popular poetry, and modern influence.

"Three short phrases tell the story of my life," Rumi said, "I was raw, I got cooked, I burned" (p. 404).Many of the biographical details of Rumi's life remain unknown.""Most of what we know about Rumi," Lewis writes, "comes to us clouded by a heavy mist of myth and legend" (p. 272).We follow Rumi from his birth to an Islamic preacher in September, 1207 (p. 272) to his death on December 17, 1273 (p. 276).Along the way, Lewis reveals that his subject married at a young age, about seventeen (p. 320), fathered two children, pursued legal and religious studies in Aleppo and Damascus (p. 273), became a lawyer or professor of law (pp. 123, 274), married again (after his first wife died) and fathered at least two more children (p. 320) before his death.Lewis also examines Rumi's relationship with Shams al-Din Tabrizi, the encounter that transformed Rumi's spirituality;"he became more ecstatic in his worship, expressing his love for God not only in a careful attitude of self-renunciation and control, but also through the joy of poetry, music and meditative dance" (p. 274).Rumi and Shams became "Sufi Bohemians," tasting life for themselves.Their path involved "disciplining and training one's soul, watching over one's heart and concentrating the mind on God" (p. 34).Rumi tells us that "the law of religion is like a candle that shows us the way;without that candle we cannot even set foot on the spiritual path.Once the way is lit with the light of the law, the wayfarer begins his spiritual quest" (p. 37). When Shams disappeared mysteriously, we witness Rumi's "frenetic quest to recover the vision of this spiritual guide turned inward" to the point where Rumi discovers Shams "within himself" (p. 275).Inspired by this remarkable relationship, Rumi composed more than 60,000 lines of verse (p. 314).Lewis includes a sampling of fifty Rumi poems in his book.

Lewis tells us that his book should be considered a starting point, at best, for understanding Rumi.Although it should not be considered "the final and definitive biography of Rumi," Lewis writes, it is "intended, then, as a kind of Rumi bible, a manual for anyone interested in the life, poetry, teachings and influence of Jalal al-Din Rumi, who has been called the greatest poet of mankind.The whirling dervishes plant one foot on the floor with their toes fixed around a wooden peg and turn in Rumi's memory.In like manner, I hope this book will help ground all lovers of Rumi as they circle, moth-like, around the flame of his works" (pp. 8-9).

G. Merritt ... Read more

Product Description
Rumi's short poems have many tones and effects: some of them are quick, joyful, and whimsical; some are finely faceted abstract statements; some probe the inward space of patience and longing. Moyne and Barks translated these poems using a free-verse style, connecting these poems with great American spiritual poets such as Walt Whitman and Gary Snyder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Let Rumi expand your mind.
Rumi led me to world history, comparative religions, and haiku.

"The hand is veiled, yet the pen writes as bidden."

What can you say about RumiI?
If you love word images and haven't yet discovered Rumi, you are about to experience a real treat. It amazes me how Rumi, who lived hundreds of years ago and in a culture totally different from the modern American world, can share thoughts and insights so relevant to today, to any tme. This little book is a collection of little jewels that totally transcend time and culture. In today's world, with the Middle East such a concern, Rumi also demonstrates that we all are not so different as we might think. Consider him not just a poet, but a trans-generational, trans-cultural missionary who can teach us some understanding and appreciation for each other.

Quatrains About Poetry and Love - ARedundancy.
How beautiful the translations:

Night comes so people can sleep like fish
in black water. Then day.

How beautiful the poetry:

I have no name
for what circles
so perfectly.

Keep this book close to you for those thin, lonely hours so that you can understand -

We are the night ocean filled
with glints of light...

The Most Beautiful Poetry on the Planet
If I were stuck on that proverbial desert island with just one book, this would be it. I've read these graceful four line poems over and over, and every time gain fresh insight. The genius of this work is that it can beread on so many different levels--give it to a couple newly in love andthey can read it to each other as a book of love poems. Give it to aserious seeker of God and they will understand the love and beloved of thepoems to be the relationship between Rumi and God, and the ecstasy of realcommunion with God...either way, this poems are beautiful and infinite. Ibrought this book to Afghanistan (where Rumi was born) and found the loveof this poet (who they know as Bahlki) to be a bond, and we translated manypoems back and forth...there are many more. BUY this book! And buy fivecopies to give to friends. Even people who think they don't like or readpoetry end up loving this book, especially if they are on the path to God.

exceptional insight into the Guru-disciple Relationship
For the mystically inclined, Moyne and Barks translation of thiscollection of Rumi quatrains, is an "evocative" excursion intothat "realm"..the realm of the "mystical". Truly, asource of contemplation and deep wisdom, the book also "tests""traditional" concepts and notions related to...the"boundaries" of love. But, Rumi was a truly"enlightened" being, and, therefore although...a being whosewords will "stretch" our mind...he will never be talking aboutanything but..the "divine" in essence. This particular collectionby Moyne and Barks...speaks a little more "specifically" to theaspect of "longing" in the "spiritual search". ... Read more

Product Description
Rumi is perhaps the only example in world literature of a devoted prose writer who suddenly burst forth into poetry during middle age to become a truly great mystical poet for all time. This book, a long-overdue reckoning of his life and work, begins with a description and examination of the living conditions in 13th-century Persia. Building on this context, Afzal Iqbal proceeds to fully analyze the formative period of Rumi's life leading up to 1261--when he began the monumental work of writing the Mathnawi. Toward the end of the book, Iqbal more generally investigates Rumi's thought and includes translations of those portions of the Mathnawi that have been hitherto unavailable in English. Combining an unparalleled familiarity with the source material, a total and critical understanding of the subject, and a powerful and readable prose style, this is an extraordinary study of a truly remarkable poet and mystic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Compulsory reading for those seriously interested in Rumi.
There has been a glut of books on Rumi in the past few years, many of them of dubious authenticity or quality; this assessment applies especially to the "free" translations of his poetry which have been such a big hit in the West! I think those poetical translations are not doing justice to the message of Rumi since they are so far removed from many of the original Persian poems.

This book then is a welcome change. It is quite an old book but its republishing is an important event in the world of Rumi studies, in my opinion.

For a start this book, though perfectly accessible to the lay person, is primarily a scholarly endeavour and as such much more concerned about relaying the events of Rumi's life and his message as accurately as possible than in selling copies!

It is unique of all the books I have read on Rumi to date in that it tries to look, in depth, at his early life and how that affected him later when he met Shams Tabrizi and was moved by Divine Love to compose ecstatic poetry.

Thus we have a detailed chapter on the political conditions of the area(Afghanistan) in which he lived; then we have an exposition about his father (who himself was a very famous Muslim scholar and jurisprudent as well as a Sufi) who, as this book shows, had a major influence on Rumi's development and later ideas. We also then are introduced to the other people who influenced Rumi in one way or another, his teachers and his family and friends.

The sections on Rumi's life are detailed too: his life is divided into three sections: his birth, childhood, migration to Konya and early training as an Islamic scholar under his father and other famous teachers; his period following his father's demise as a prominent scholar, and Sufi teacher himself (he was an heir to his father's position); and then the period of his meeting with Shams and afterwards for the remainder of his life. This latter period is also further sub-divided based on his various works and mystical states as evidenced by his poetical output. Most other works on Rumi tend just to concentrate on this last period of his life.

After this the major poetical works of Rumi are discussed in, more or less, chronological order of writing. Thus the Divan-e-Shams-e-Tabrizi, his great collection of ecstatic lyrical poems in praise of Shams is dealt with first followed then by an explanation of his magnus opus, the Masnavi. Then the author discusses Rumi's overall message. The final section looks at sections of the Masnavi which RE Nicholson, in his great translation of the Masnavi, decided to translate into Latin as he believed them (erronously) to be of a pornographic nature. In fact, when one reads the English translations here, one sees that Rumi simply uses examples of human sexual behaviour to underline an important teaching point of Sufism.

For those who are interested in Rumi's message and life in earnest, and not in the suspicious "New-Age" fad which the spurious translations of his works seem to have started (and which he, being a pious Muslim, would no doubt be horrified by!), this book is a must.

Dr. Iqbal needs to be congratulated for trying to bring Rumi's message across as it is! ... Read more

Product Description
Rumi was a Sufi poet and sage. Sufis are concerned with a personal experience of God. This book offers an introduction to this 13th century mystic who is famous for his devotional poetry. It offers a thought for each day, arranged into appropriate chapters by themes. ... Read more