Continuation of posts introducing a few scholars of the *Golden age of Islam (8th to 13th century), by giving a short overview and a sample of their work.
Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi was born in Balkh, Afghanistan in 1207 and died in 1273 and is buried in Konya, Turkey. Al Ghazali (1065-1111) had a great influence on Rumi. His father Burhan Uddin was also a known scholar. At the age of 34 Rumi had become a well known scholar and a professor. After meeting Shams, a Sufi ,he embarked on a spiritual search that lasted 13 years. From 1245 to1261, he wrote fifty thousand versess known as Diwan-Shams e Tabrazi. After 1261 in twelve years he wrote 25,700 verses known as Masnave.*
Here is a selection from Masnavi*. Khaliq
"The Prophet said "Trust in God, yet tie the camel's leg.'
'The worker is the friend of God';
Through trust in Providence neglect not to use means.
Go, O fatalists, practise trust with self-exertion,
Exert yourself to attain your objects, bit by bit.
In order to succeed, strive and exert yourselves;
If you strive not for your objects, ye are fools."
*Masnavi translation by Professor R A Nicholson of Cambridge done during 1925 and 1940 in 6 volumes called "Masnavi of Rum". Two other books "Life and times of Jalal Uddin Rumi" by Dr. Afzal Iqbal and "The Triumphal Sun" by Annemarie Schimmel are a good. Video lectures and publications of the work of Professor Omid Safi of North Carolina at Chappelle Hill and Professor Timothy Winters of Cambridge University on Rumi are a must..
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