大象传媒

His epitaph: "When we are dead, seek not our tomb in the earth, but find it in the hearts of men."

Translations of Rumi have sold more than a 250,000 copies in the United States.

The Mevlevi Sufi order was founded in 1273 by Rumi's followers after his death.

The Mathnawi is often called the "Qur'an-e Parsi" (The Persian Qur'an).

The Works of Shams of Tabriz is named in honour of Rumi's great friend and inspiration, the darvish Shams, who was said to have been murdered by Rumi's jealous son.

Molana Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi or Celâladin Mehmet Rumi was born in 1207. His birth place and native tongue point towards a Persian heritage.

When the Mongols invaded Central Asia sometime between 1215 and 1220, Rumi's father moved his family West. It was on this journey that Rumi encountered the famous mystic Persian poet, Attar. When Attar saw Rumi walking behind his father he is believed to have said "Here comes a sea followed by an ocean." He gave Rumi his Asrarnama, a book about the soul mixed up in the material world. This encounter at 18 was a definitive event in Rumi's life and spirituality, and became the inspiration behind much of his work.

Rumi's thinking and teaching centres on the concept of Tawheed, which means unity, and union with his beloved (the primal root) from which/whom he has been severed. Much of his poetry bears witness to this longing to be reunited with perfection.

Rumi spent twelve years writing the six volumes of his master-work, the Mathnawi. This is a composite and intricate work of fables, scenes from everyday life and the Qur'an, and metaphysics. Through his work and teachings, Rumi is considered to in fact have achieved the state he searched for in his poetry, and is considered amongst Sufis as an example of insani kamil - the perfected or completed human being.