"Jalálu'd-Din-Rúmi" is from Wisdom of the East: The Persian Mystics, compiled by F. Hadland Davis from translations by William Hastie, E.H.Whinfield, and R.A. Nicholson.

Better known in the English-speaking world simply as Rúmi, Jalálu'd-Din Muḥammad Balkhi (1207-1273) was a Persian scholar, theologian, and poet. After Omar Khayyam he is probably the most celebrated classical Persian poet and his luminously spiritual verse has been the subject of many notable English translations.

In his introductory article on the life of Rúmi, F. Hadland Davis has written: "Rumi was an indomitable optimist. In his sayings, and still more in his poetry, we find an almost untrammelled ecstasy. The religious dances, known as Riza Kuli, may in some way account for Rúmi's occasional lack of care displayed in his poetry, and also for the outbursts not far removed from insanity. We are informed by Daulat Shah that, 'There was a pillar in the Maulavi's house, and when he was drowned in the ocean of Love he used to take hold of that pillar and set himself turning round it.'"

Contents

1. Introduction

I. Origin of Sufism
II. The Early Sufis
III. The Nature of Sufism
IV. The Influence of Sufism
V. Analysis of the Religion of Love

2. The Life and Work of Jalálu'd-Din-Rúmi

I. Life
II. Shamsi Tabriz
III. The Stories of Al-Aflaki and the Death of Jalalud-Din Rumi
IV. The Nature and Significance of alálu'd-Din-Rúmi’s Poetry

3. Selections from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz

4. Selections from the Masnavi

5. A Note on Persian Poetry