2008 Woodie Awards
Islam's Sufism combines art with theology
Omar Sacirbey/Religion News Service
Issue date: 6/10/07 Section: Divine Intervention
Mohammad Nooraee knew exactly what he needed when Brandeis University students asked him to distill the essence of Sufism, an Islamic mystical tradition, one recent Sunday afternoon.
Nooraee, director of the Nimatullahi Sufi order in Boston, needed "Grapes," a poem by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, the 13th century poet and mystic. The poem describes an argument among four wise men that all want grapes but don't know it because they speak different languages. The lesson: people must understand each other or be lost to bickering.
"Sufism is nothing more but love of God and love of other human beings," said Nooraee. "And Rumi is the greatest teacher of Sufism."
Americans who haven't heard of Rumi probably will soon as the world celebrates his 800th birthday on September 30. UNESCO has declared 2007 the International Year of Rumi. Fans and followers are organizing readings and concerts, while the legendary Whirling Dervishes, inspired by Rumi, are touring throughout the world. Given the tensions between the Islamic and western worlds, many Muslims and non-Muslims alike welcome an occasion to reflect on Rumi's message.
"He's more than a poet," said Akbar Ahmed, chair of the Islamic studies department at American University. "He's a cultural ambassador for Islam."
Rumi was born in present-day Afghanistan into a family of Islamic theologians. He became a respected Islamic scholar, but following a chance meeting with a traveling Sufi dervish, Rumi embraced Islam's mystic tradition. After his death, his followers founded the Mevlevi Sufi order, one of several Sufi orders that hold Rumi in prominent regard.
His best-known work is the Masnavi, five volumes of rhyming couplets in a complex poetic form that incorporate stories, commentaries and prayers. Many consider it the most comprehensive Sufi interpretation of the Quran.
Celebrated for centuries in Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and South Asia, Rumi burst onto the American scene in 1995 after poet Coleman Barks translated a collection of his poems into "The Essential Rumi," which has sold more than 500,000 copies. Several other successful translations followed, including one by Deepak Chopra, while Rosa Parks and Madonna are among those who appear on the "Love Poems of Rumi" CD.
Nooraee, director of the Nimatullahi Sufi order in Boston, needed "Grapes," a poem by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, the 13th century poet and mystic. The poem describes an argument among four wise men that all want grapes but don't know it because they speak different languages. The lesson: people must understand each other or be lost to bickering.
"Sufism is nothing more but love of God and love of other human beings," said Nooraee. "And Rumi is the greatest teacher of Sufism."
Americans who haven't heard of Rumi probably will soon as the world celebrates his 800th birthday on September 30. UNESCO has declared 2007 the International Year of Rumi. Fans and followers are organizing readings and concerts, while the legendary Whirling Dervishes, inspired by Rumi, are touring throughout the world. Given the tensions between the Islamic and western worlds, many Muslims and non-Muslims alike welcome an occasion to reflect on Rumi's message.
"He's more than a poet," said Akbar Ahmed, chair of the Islamic studies department at American University. "He's a cultural ambassador for Islam."
Rumi was born in present-day Afghanistan into a family of Islamic theologians. He became a respected Islamic scholar, but following a chance meeting with a traveling Sufi dervish, Rumi embraced Islam's mystic tradition. After his death, his followers founded the Mevlevi Sufi order, one of several Sufi orders that hold Rumi in prominent regard.
His best-known work is the Masnavi, five volumes of rhyming couplets in a complex poetic form that incorporate stories, commentaries and prayers. Many consider it the most comprehensive Sufi interpretation of the Quran.
Celebrated for centuries in Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and South Asia, Rumi burst onto the American scene in 1995 after poet Coleman Barks translated a collection of his poems into "The Essential Rumi," which has sold more than 500,000 copies. Several other successful translations followed, including one by Deepak Chopra, while Rosa Parks and Madonna are among those who appear on the "Love Poems of Rumi" CD.
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