Poet · 1207 – 1273

Rumi

Little-Known Facts

  • His meeting with the wandering mystic Shams of Tabriz transformed him from scholar to ecstatic poet.
  • The Mevlevi Sufi order he inspired is famous for its meditative whirling dance.

Myths & Misconceptions

Was Rumi writing about romantic love?

His poetry uses the language of love and longing, but its deepest subject is the soul's yearning for union with the divine, in the Sufi mystical tradition.