
04/05/2025
Death and Legacy of Rumi
Rumi died on December 17, 1273, in Konya, which was a part of the Seljuk Empire of the time, in present-day Turkey. To them, his death was not the end of life but simply the process of union with the divine, known as the Urs or the ‘Wedding Night’. Many people came to pay their respects at his funeral, including Muslims, Christians, Jews, and many others, which was in line with his teachings.
Rumi’s Teachings and Influence on Future Generations
Rumi’s message of love for the Divine, unity, and the path to spiritual enlightenment are beyond cultural and religious confines. His poems contain the message about love as the power, the finiteness of reason, and the way of the spirit. It was proposed in these ideas that a framework for Sufism for the future was created, which influenced many poets and mystics like Hafez and Iqbal.
Many contemporary philosophers, writers, and artists also include Rumi’s works in their creations. Some famous philosophers, including Friedrich Nietzsche and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, were inspired by the metaphysical and existential aspects of the art of Rumi. Famous personalities such as Madonna, Deepak Chopra, and modern poet Coleman Barks have also brought his works into the modern mainstream culture.
Reynold Nicholson’s Obsession with Rumi
One of the first orientalists and scholars of Persian language and literature Reynold Alleyne Nicholson was instrumental in introducing Rumi figures to the Western world. Nicholson undertook to translate Rumi’s Masnavi into English in the early twentieth century, and he spent a whole span of his life translating Rumi’s verses with truth and grace. He called Rumi a “mystic of the highest order”, and regarded the Masnavi as a source of mystical allegories and guidance.
Nicholson’s work was groundbreaking, as it was the first time the reader was given a clue to the figures of speech, the spiritual tenets, and the familiar truths that Rumi tackled. Coupled with his devout following of Rumi’s message of divine love as well as his incorporation of spirituality into life, he influenced a generation of Western audiences to embrace Persian mysticism.
Rumi’s Modern Legacy
Today Rumi is probably the best-known and most-read poet of the ancient world. His works are present in many different languages and still enlighten people, both laymen and scholars, artists, and seekers. From poetry readings in New York City to Sama dance ceremonies in Konya, Rumi’s work continues to endure as a unifying force that promotes love between people of diverse backgrounds.
“Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop. In this letting go, we grow closer to the eternal.”
Rumi’s Final Poem: A Song of Surrender
Rumi’s last poem begins with a heartbreaking plea:
“Go, rest your head on a pillow, leave me alone;
leave me ruined, exhausted from the journey of this night,
writhing in a wave of passion till the dawn.
Either stay and be forgiving,
or, if you like, be cruel and leave.”
In this moving verse, the writer seems to have a deep desire to submit herself to the creator. Rumi, being certain that he is alive only to a certain extent in this world, encourages the reader to join the conversation he has with the divine. In this poem, Rumi successfully conveys the essence of disassociation where everything material vanishes and the soul remains desiring the Beloved alone.
This pain present in the lines is primarily due to the separation from the material world; however, it is coupled with immense joy and warmth at finding the divine. Thus, the poem represents all Rumi teachings: to accept the impermanency of life and to remain on an eternal quest. As he declares:
“Stop the words now.
Open the window in the center of your chest,
and let the spirit fly in and out.”
This one is just another example of how Rumi managed to put the greatest truths into the lines of a simple song. Its themes of submission and merging thus give readers a feeling of ascension as if Rumi is calling us to this final level of passion and light.
Conclusion
Rumi’s life and his teachings are truly inspiring, they help to improve the world because love and the search for truth are the best things, that can be done by human beings. His poetry makes people of different cultures, generations, and even schools of thought open a new chapter in understanding who they are and where they are heading. Listening to Rumi’s voice through the ages, we can understand that the only way to get to the divine is the Love and the words are as actual today as they were in the past.
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Molana (Rumi) Poems in Farsi and English
Vis and Ramin’s Story
Mystical Persian Poetry