The Masnavi (Mesnevi)

“The scholar follows the black trail of the reed pen;
The Sufi follows only the Master’s footprints.”
original: „Des Schreibrohrs schwarzer Spur folgt der Gelehrte, / Der Sufi folgt allein des Meisters Fährte.“

I will attempt to lead the reader “on the Master’s footprints” toward an understanding of him, and I will, as far as possible, provide an image of the worldview that serves as the foundation of his philosophy in his own words. In this short sketch, I will dispense with literary references. For those, however, who wish to occupy themselves more deeply with the subject, I provide a list at the end of the more recent—that is, published after 1850—noteworthy works that are particularly relevant to Jalal al-Din and his philosophy.

The Mystical Worldview of Jalal al-Din Rumi.

There are three things upon which the mystical teachings of Jalal al-Din are built: the Quran, Greek philosophy, and finally, the wisdom of India. The Quran stands in the first place and to an unrestricted degree. However, it is no longer the holy book exactly as the Arabs of the seventh century heard and received it from the mouth of the Prophet. It is the Quran as it presents itself to a much more refined, non-Arab society under foreign influences through mystical or otherwise allegorical interpretation. The material and the obvious zāhir; the outward or exoteric meaning is perceived as a symbol of something higher and hidden, and this hidden element bātin; the inward or esoteric meaning is the true sense of the divine words. It is not as if the events recounted in the Quran are not viewed or intended to be regarded as historically true: they are indeed true, but these stories, which are often insignificant in themselves, are told only so that the 'Arif The 'Arif is the "Gnostic" or "Knower"—one who possesses intuitive, spiritual knowledge., the initiate, in contrast to the 'Alim The 'Alim is the traditional "Scholar"—one who focuses on formal religious law and dogma., the scribe and dogmatist, may find a deeper...