The Representation of Qur'an in the Sufi Poetry of
Jalaluddin Rumi
Abstract
This research examines how Qur'an affects and is represented in the
poetry of Jalaluddin Muhammad Rumi; one of the best-selling and
influential Muslim poets in the West. Although he is a Persian poet of the
13th century, his spiritual legacy is present and greatly appreciated for the
past seven centuries. His poems are widely known and are translated into
many different languages all over the world. This research generally
examines his Sufi poems and how they succeed to give a commentary on
the deeper meaning of Qur'an. In this sense, the research is consisted of
an introduction, three parts and a conclusion.
The introduction is mainly about the life and works of the Muslim poet
Jalaluddin Muhammad Rumi. The first part concentrates on how some of
the Qur'anic verses or quotes are represented in his poems to the Western
readers. Rumi is one of the most recognizable Muslim poets in the West,
and his way of representing Qura'n reflects the Western conception about
Islam. The second part of the research concentrates on the analysis of one
of the greatest works of Rumi which is "Mathnawiye Ma'nawi" or
(Spiritual Couplets). This poem is regarded by some Sufis as the Persianlanguage Qur'an. The poem is mainly based on the teachings of Qur'an
and Hadith. The third and final part of the research examines Rumi's
effect as a Muslim poet on the writings of modern American poets like
Walt Whitman, Washington Irving, Daniel Abdel-Hayy Moore, Michael
Wolfe. Then, the third part of the research is followed by a conclusion
which sums up the most important points and findings of the research.