Rumi Past and present, east and west : the life, teaching and poetry of Jalâl al-Din Rumi

Jalƒl al-Din Rumi, the 13th-century Persian Muslim scholar and Sufi mystic, has been a best-selling poet in America in recent years. While his name is commonly associated with images of Whirling Dervishes (practitioners of the Sufi order known as the Mawlawi, which he founded), Rumi was also a professor of several medieval sciences. And he taught tolerance. In fact, when the United Nations declared 1995 "A Year of Tolerance," it cited Rumi's calls for tolerance among people of all persuasions and races. Indeed, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists attended Rumi's funeral. His inspiring mystical odes also transcended boundaries, especially his main work, Mathnawi, which highlights aspects of Sufism and how they relate to the world. In this excellent book, Lewis (Middle Eastern studies, Emory Univ.) presents a comprehensive overview of the Sufi poet-philosopher and his influence, past and present. He includes a wealth of information about Rumi's teachers, followers, writings and teachings, and influence in the Muslim world and in the West, as well as new translations of his poetry and prose. This definitive biography of an already well-documented figure is highly recommended for all collections.--Ali Houissa. Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.