Product Description
A new book of verses of Rumi by an award-winningtranslator and poet. This selection catches Rumi in a rare mood andthese are some of Rumi's most passionate and heart-felt expressions,each poem resonating with the intensity and fire rarely seen inEnglish language before. Shiva says, "Rumi--I am constantlyreminded--is a miracle. Everything about him is absolute magic. Poetryin perfect rhyme and meter poured out of him as he whirled for hourson end, or as he fell into various states of ecstasy andrapture. There is music, rhythm and breath in most of his poems inPersian language. In my work as a translator I try to bring out someof these nuances. I try to pay a special attention to Rumi as aPersian mystic, and to the origin and the method of the creation ofthese timeless, sublime and always magical words." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Remaining Silent.....
REMAIN SILENT, DON'T SAY A WORD, OPEN YOUR HEART AND YOU WILL KNOW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Lovely translation, deep poetry
I have given this book to at least 10 or 15 people as an introduction toRumi.It has some of his most captivating poems (including most of mypersonal favorites), is very affordable and is high quality for apaperback.Rumi afficionados will like this book because it has a fewpoems I've not found published elsewhere. Rumi's symbolism is deep but thisbook is more accessible for beginners than others I've found, as thetranslation is lovely. A great value for the money since it contains manypoems in a slim volume---makes a terrific and inexpensive gift. ... Read more

Product Description
The influence of Al-Ghazzali upon both the Christian and Islamic thinkers of the Middle Ages and beyond is being more and more widely documented. Known as "The Proof of Islam." Ghazzali finally won acceptance for Sufism in Islam, and his methods of argument and analysis powerfully impressed the schoolmen of the West, who imitated him extensively.

In the East, "Al-Ghazzali has been acclaimed by both Muslim and European scholars as the greatest Muslim after Muhammad" (Professor W. Montgomery Watt). Above all, Ghazzali was a Sufi, and The Alchemy of Happiness is his own abridgement, designed for the ordinary reader, of his colossal masterwork, The Revival of Religious Sciences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

It's Good Enough for a Professor
I bought this book as a birthday gift for a professor who has been nominated for the Pulitzer prize in literature. She liked it so much she is considering putting it on her book list for an upcoming college-level poetry class.

Good Version of Rumi
For quite a few years, this was the most accessible version of Rumi's Masnavi available on the market. The language is dated, almost Victorian, which may put off some readers who are burned out on works in the style of Fitzgerald's "Omar Khayyam." Also, it is an abridgement, and Whinfield will at times collapse large portions of the work into a half page.

On the whole, though, for the general reader the work doesn't suffer much from these two possible shortcomings. Rumi's unique, teasing genius comes through on almost every page, challenging the reader to look at everyday things from a different viewpoint. Whinfield's notes are sufficient without being intrusive.

I read this version several years ago, and as I find that Rumi is best appreciated in small portions, I still like to keep the book handy as bedside reading. Whatever your opinion on Rumi, whether skeptical or reverent, you will enjoy this book.

A Moving Journey of the Soul
This is a abridged translation of Jalaludin Rum's masterpiece "Masnavi i Ma'navi", which was written over a period of 43 years.The Masnavi is not only an important work in the corpus of Persian literature, but more significantly a classic in Sufism and in world religious thought.

As such it is a "must read" for anyone interested in better understanding why we are here and what our purpose in life is.

Rumi (1207-1273 CE) was born in Balkh in modern day Afghanistan.His family fled the Mongol invasion to Konya in Turkey, where he laterfounded the Mevlevi Sufi Order (commonly known in the West as the "whirling dervishes") as an outgrowth of his encounter with a wandering Sufi - Shams.

The Masnavi is collection of stories and poems dealing with the central issue of life.Readers familiar with mystic strands in other religions will find much resonance here - common threads, common themes and common conclusions which reinforce the view that man's different religions are construct of man rather than of the Divine.

EH Whinfield was born in England in 1835 and died in 1922. Educated at Rugby (an English "public" school -- a private school in US terminology), he received an MA from Magdalen College at Oxford (1859).He was also in the Bengali Civil Service (1859(?)-1879(?)) which no doubt gave him the opportunity and perhaps introduction to Rumi.Also a barrister -admitted to Middle Temple 1872.

He also translated several other important Sufi works, Khayyam's 'Rubaiyat', Shabistani's 'Gulshan i Raz', and Jami's 'Lawa'ih'.

It's not clear from this edition when the translation dates from (my guess is 1880's -1890s).The language is a bit dated, but still the power of Rumi's thought comes through.Whinfield has provided explanatory footnotes, including Quranic and Hadith references as well as to his other translations.These are quite valuable in helping the reader place the Masnavi in an Islamic focus.

All commentary I have seen suggests that Whinfield was a pretty faithful translator of Rumi - rather than recasting the work in his own words.

One further note for those who buy the book.A "Gueber" is a Parsee (Zoroastrian) - one of the religions recognized by Islam as Divinely inspired, e.g. "people of the book". ... Read more

Product Description
Jelaluddin Rumi (1207-1273) was a master of ecstatic poetry. His illuminating words have inspired countless people throughout history, and today, thanks to the magical translations of Coleman Barks, Rumi's poetry is more popular than ever. In the Rumi: Heart of the Beloved 2011 Wall Calendar, Mr. Barks's translations are paired with exquisite Persian miniatures. The rich intricacy of the artwork complements Rumi's mystical metaphors, in which the yearning for the divine beloved represents the soul's quest for wholeness.
The interior pages of this calendar are printed on 100% recycled, 50% post-consumer paper, processed chlorine free and printed with soy based inks. ... Read more

Product Description
Although alone, the lover is never lonely,
Forever hidden with the Beloved.

Love is the meaning of our existence, the raw material of transformation, the glorious way of access to Divine intimacy. This teaching infuses the lyric verse of Rumi (1207–1273), the greatest of the Sufi poets. The poems in this collection, taken from among the master's many volumes of work, focus on one of his greatest themes: how love grows and matures for those on the spiritual path. Kabir Helminski and Ahmad Rezwani have crafted a translation that remains faithful to the original Persian while giving eloquent expression to the joy of Rumi's astonishing encounter with the Divine. As our love moves on to ever more refined and exalted objects, Rumi declares, the distinction between lover and Beloved becomes irrelevant—and wonderfully so:

There is no Love greater than Love with no object,
For then you, yourself, have become Love itself. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Love poems
My Daughter loves the book. Thats who I bought it for . Perfect for any one that loves poems and history together ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of nondual spiritual poetry written from the Heart by Nirmala, who is a spiritual teacher in the Advaita tradition. These poems attempt to capture the undying presence of love in all of its forms. Let your soul be deeply touched by the Rumi-like words of a lover drunk with passion for the truth.

Here is a sample poem:

truth is too simple for words
before thought gets tangled up innouns and verbs
there is a wordless sound
a deep breathless sigh
of overwhelming relief
to find the end of fiction
in this ordinary
yet extraordinary moment
when words are recognized
as words
and truth is recognized
as everything else ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Thank You Nirmala
Nirmala has the courage to put his innermost self out there for all to see. By doing so he encourages and inspires all of us to continue our inquiry no matter what we discover about ourselves. He makes it clear that all is grist for the mill and that the recognition of unity is a personal experience often beyond description in words. Yet, at times he transcends this limitation and synthesizes mind and heart with a most gentle... loving kindness. I would highly recommend this work to anyone with a sincere interest in self-realization... as Nermala says, "where all is merged in silent wonder."

Gifts with No Giver: a love affair with truth
If you are looking for a book of poetry to help light your spiritual path, this book will be a good choice.The subtitle of the book, A Love Affair with Truth, describes well the theme of this collection. Nirmala's depth of insight is well represented.

Enlightened Poetry...
I first picked up this gem of a book about a decade ago, around the time I was discovering Nirmala and his teachings in the non-dual tradition. HereNirmala shares his beautiful experiences of Awakening through his own unique heartfelt words. Enlightened poetry not unlike other mystical offerings like the Songs of Kabir or Lao Tzu's sayings. I continue to find fresh inspiration whenever I open these pages, and with an open heart dare to let myself be touched.

End of seeking
Whether you have been seeking Christ Consciousness, self realization, the Tao, or enlightenment for what may seem like forever, or if you are just beginning to pursue these ends, this book is for you.Nirmala invites us to take a look at the space that has been overlooked, to see what is obvious, and to bring the search to a successful conclusion in this lifetime.

Thank you my Most Perfect Teacher
I was stuck in my practice when I first encountered Nirmala.Through his words and Satsangs I have been able to move forward, or rather not move.To sit in the stillness that resides in all of us.His teachings incorporated with the teaching of my other Most Perfect Teachers, have given me entry to a side of existence I thought separate, but was here all along, just waiting patiently for me to discover it. Granting me grace, peace, bliss and the ability to move through life enjoying all of it; the highs and the lows.He taught me to Surrender, and in that surrender find Light, happiness and joy in whatever situation I find myself in.Thank you again, My Most Perect Teacher. ... Read more

Product Description
This set demonstrates the increasing interest among Western people paid to civilisation in the East at the turn of the 19th century. Included are Kishio Satomi's studies on Nichiren and Japanese idealism, which were written from an Eastern viewpoint specifically for a Western audience. Also reprinted here is Chamberlain's translation from classical Japanese poetry which offers one of the first known attempts to interpret the literature of the Japanese to the Western world. ... Read more

Product Description
This Elibron Classics edition is a facsimile reprint of a 1912 edition by John Murray, London. The Wisdom of the East Series. ... Read more

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The second of three volumes of Nicholson's translation of Rumi's great poem on Islamic mysticism. ... Read more

Product Description
The second of three volumes of Nicholson's translation of Rumi's great poem on Islamic mysticism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A bright light of love
Excellent translation of and introduction to the works of Rumi regarding the end of false religion, the experience of the ocean of unity, the wholeness of God and His creation, the source of Life itself, the meaning beyond form.

Or to quote the words of Bohm a physicist:
One of the most impressive theories emerging out of scientific cosmology respecting the ancient truth was set forth by the late physicist, David Bohm in his book, Wholeness and the Implicate Order. Using the language of mathematics, Bohm set out to describe the transcendent reality and its graded energetic hierarchy in four basic states or orders of energy beginning with the physical world, which he called the Explicate Order. "The Explicate Order, weakest of all energy systems, resonates out of and is an expression of an infinitely more powerful order of energy called the Implicate order. It is the precursor of the Explicate, the dream-like vision or the ideal presentation of that which is to become manifest as a physical object. The Implicate order implies within it all physical universes. However, it resonates from an energy field which is yet greater, the realm of pure potential. It is pure potential because nothing is implied within it; implications form in the implicate order and then express themselves in the explicate order. Bohm goes on to postulate a final state of infinity [zero point] energy which he calls the realm of insight intelligence. The creative process springs from this realm. Energy is generated there, gathers its pure potential, and implies within its eventual expression as the explicate order." Will Keepin, Noetic Science Journal

"It is proposed that the widespread and pervasive distinctions between people (race, nation, family, profession, etc., etc.) which are now preventing mankind from working together for the common good, and indeed, even for survival, have one of the key factors of their origin in a kind of thought that treats things as inherently divided, disconnected, and "broken up" into yet smaller constituent parts. Each part is considered to be essentially independent and self-existent." - David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order


Also recommended for Christians who want to compare and understand the words of St. John of the Cross in the light of union of the Spirit, to love the creator more as the created.

Man created in the image of God, to mirror his light.

Pure Spiritual Beauty
This is by far the best book on my favorite spiritual poet. The poetry ofRumi is truly awe inspiring and the examination of his teachings by William C. Chittick is first rate. I can't even begin to guess the amount of time I've walked around with this book in my hand.You will want to read this over and over.It's a true spiritual classic and contains some translations of Rumi's poetry you wont find elsewhere.

A very well written translation
Apart from Nicholsons translation of the Mathnawi and the works of his students Iqbal (Life and works) and Arberry (who transltated the Fihi Ma Fihi as the 'Discorses of Rumi) All other so called 'translations' are pretty much worthless because 1. They are not translations at all but rather re-writes of Nicholson 2. They are just pandering to an ever growing market of supermarket spirituality.Chitticks translation however, is very different.

For a start, Chittick is a scholar in Persian and taught in Iran for several years and had first hand knowledge of not only the Persian Mathnawi but some of the major comentaries in Persian (which may explain why a previous reviewer found many parts of the book similar to Shia text he had read)

Chittick may be covering the same ground as Nicholson here but his translation is well put together not only applying modern English but also a knowledge of the original.

The book may not be of much use to everyone especially if you have already the Nicholson translation but if you are seeking a book that covers the fundamentals of the teachings of Rumi then there is no better place to start than this book.

Eastern Clarifier, Sufism not "dead" and not "phenomena"
The reviewer below shows typical Western arrogance and ignorance. He/she obviously knows nothing about sufism and the political role it's played throughout history. It's always come in as a political tool to fight extremism as it is (slowly) doing today. I wish people who didn't know anything about a tradition that is not their own would refrain from speaking from a position of supposed knowledge. It's the problem with Western political arrogance and what causes bloodshed, both literal and metaphorical. And sufi poetry is not "romantic"; that is simply the interpretation of unrealized minds. Please learn about the things of which you speaking. Otherwise, silence is still a virtue. Om Shanti.

Rumi, a great master
This is a good book on explaining some of the poems of the great mystic Rumi. I somewhat disagree with the authors choice of title.many great sufis refrained calling themselves sufi, after the movement becamepopularized and took a different color. Sufi orders sprung up like mushroomand every group claimed to follow a great mystic figure, like Rumi. oneoften wonders if Rumi and his like would have approved of notions like"Sufi order" which seems like "feudaliztion" of themovement.Many great mystics avoided " orderization" of theirpath. Their "order" was simply Islam and the path to realizationwas sharia itself. To many, becoming a sufi is nothing more than repeatingcertain names of God about a zillion times and whirling around till onegets dizzy or as one of my modern day sufi friend puts it " onebecomes natural high". And that dizziness or " natural high"is interpreted as " self disclosure" of God.It doesn't takemuch to " unveil" God, does it? ... Read more

Product Description
As you are reading this volume, you must understand that you hold the key to unlock the mystery behind every event that has taken place for the past century, not only in your life, but the world at large. I promise you if you just take the steps to UNLOCK the hidden potential of your own emotional muscles, it will strengthen parts of your inner self that will make you more effective and powerful in your external life. For the past 30 years I've dedicated my life to unraveling the secret that separates the most emotionally successful people - from everyone else. This came out of my experience of working with the children and refugees of the gulf wars. And I can tell you that regardless of the circumstances each of us are confronted with on daily basis, there is an emotional process, a formula, and a pattern of thinking that creates massive, lasting emotional success.

Emotional Fitness leads to lasting Emotional Freedom, and it doesn't happen By Accident. ... Read more

Product Description
Passionate & witty, earthy & mystical, the soul-stirring poetry of 13th century Sufi poet Rumi transports us, especially when translated by Coleman Barks & accompanied by the work of artist Matt Manley. ... Read more

Product Description
Beautifully illustrated with rare photographs of dervishes, tells the tale of the Sufi order and poet, mystic Mevlana Jalalu’ddin Rumi. Offers a special section devoted to Mevlevi music, and introductions by Annemarie Schimmel and Seyyed Hossein Nasr. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Interesting, but a little "cool".
All the pictures are in b/w that is good for the human figures, but not for the paints and the miniatures.

Whilrling Dervishes in Turkey
This book presents the ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes in pictures and in words. Beautiful pictures and interesting text.

Title says all
There is no shortage of books on Rumi and his poetry.I highly recommend books written by Prof. Annemarie Schimmel on Rumi and his great mystical poetry which is deeply rooted in Islamic mystical tradition.Friedlander deserves special thanks on making accessible to the reader the day-to-day life of Mevlevi dervishes.Photographs of Whirling dervishes are very appealing and appropriately placed throughout this book.This book also provides a short walk through the historical development of Mevlevi order through centuries.Various practices and forms that the Mevlevi order has taken and described in this book makes Rumi's figure more holistic, real, and accessible for any Western reader.

There is also an implied view in this book for the one who want to "know" and "see" on the diversity and variety of views within Islamic tradition.Sufism is one of the main mystical traditions within Islamic currents.Mevlevi order is one of the threads in Sufism.The universality of Sufis in their practices and communication with other traditions outside Islam is an example of the actuality and essence of Islam (glimpsed in this book) which goes very contrary to what we all hear from media (which, now-a-days is exclusively focused on the negative elements of the world).We need more of these types of books (to fill the gap that exists in the popular media) on all faith based traditions of this world. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the abridged Whinfield translation of the Masnavi, the treasure house of verse of the famous Sufi poet Rumi.--J.B. Hare ... Read more

Product Description
Signs of the Unseen is a collection of Rumi's lectures, discourses, conversations, and comments on various and sundry topics.Even in conversation Rumi expresses his spiritual insights in a style rich in allusion and figurative language, and often illustrated by skillful storytelling.His themes include God's beauty and beneficence as expressed through the good things of the earth; the continuum between form and substance; the here and the hereafter; the melting of individuality in the reality of God's oneness; and the centrality of love in the soul's development. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Man is the Astrolabe of God
In Arabic this book was known as "Fîhî ma Fîhî", which means, unhelpfully, "In It What Is In It". It consists of conversations between the great Sufi and those who came to see him, recorded by his followers. Any subject can and does come up, and the Master's associations of ideas are subtle and far-reaching. Just as he could improvise sublime lyric poetry when the mood struck him, here he creates profound spiritual teachings out of chance remarks and faint suggestions.

If you're familiar with Rumi and want to go beyond occasional delight and inspiration in his poetry, to learn more about him and his teachings, this may be the easiest point of entry. It catches Rumi off-guard, or rather shows he was never off-guard: it's the next best thing to having home movies of him.

I have known and loved the A.J. Arberry translation for years. Arberry was the greatest English Islamic scholar of his generation, I have nearly all his books, and if his grave were within 1000 kilometres I would place anemones on it regularly... BUT... I must confess that when translating from Arabic or Persian, he felt compelled to use an odd old-fashioned English of no time or place, an invention of his own. I got accustomed to phrases like "Mannikin, God exists of a certainty" or "Whatsoever thou soughtest".

I will miss them, to be honest. But for 99% of the population, a translation into idiomatic modern English will be an unmixed blessing. Don't be put off by the way Rumi seems to drift from topic to topic or suddenly leap off in some entirely unexpected direction. This is not a mistake; he was not getting confused in his old age. He was wide awake and he wants to keep you awake.

A Noble Effort
Professor Thackston has done admirably with this translation of "Fihi ma fihi." Especially since, in my opinion, this is the hardest of Rumi's works to translate.

In his poetry, Rumi is sublime, and accordingly difficult to translate, but any translator can only do so much with a poem. If you miss some nuances, it's just the tradeoff that the translator of poetry must make. The "Masnavi", on the other hand, is a lengthy work, but it has a coherence that makes the translator's life relatively easy and compels the reader on.

"Fihi ma fihi", however, very often seems to ramble off in a thousand directions. Indeed, sometimes it's hard to escape the feeling that this book was Rumi's attic, all full of jumbled odds and ends, many of them beautiful, but not necessarily in any coherent order. In fact, however, a second reading can reveal that the book is a great deal more than that. If you have been under the impression that Rumi is a sort of Omar Khayyam for the New Age, this book can convince you that just possibly he belongs in company with Shakespeare, Goethe and Pushkin.

This translation is eminently readable and even prods the reader on. Professor Thackston has certainly succeeded in translating Rumi's infallible knack to make us look at the world through different eyes. The one sacrifice was Rumi's elegant rhetoric, which just can't be translated. For that you'll have to learn Farsi. In the meantime, this book is to be enjoyed.

Rumi - The Greatest Poet of the "intoxicated" Sufi School
It is the translation of Fihi Ma Fihi, which is full of Rumi's discourses. It sort of dispells all notions of "sufism vs islam" rather sufism is Islamic Mysticism in the truest sense and Rumi explains why the outter conformity to the Sharia (Sacred Law)is very important (i.e. the religous dispensations that are given to mankind through the last of the revalatory Porphet, according to Islam; Prophet Muhammed saws). He himself was a Hanafi (one of the four schools of law within the Orthodox Islam).

The book really clarifies his thoughts and ideas behind the poems. Lot of western readers of his poems tend to use his semantics and syntex to project their own meaning to it rather than discover the deep insights and the Reality he is trying to point toward.

"I am the servant of the Qur'an While I am still alive.

I am the dust on the path of Muhammad, the Chosen One."

(Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi) http://www.jerrahi.org/writings_english/invitation.htm

For the Dreamer of God's Logic
Rumi's discourses are really not so different from his poetry.In each he tries to make the listener (because his style is essentially teacher speaking to apprentice) understand that it is LOGICAL to see how much Godloves each person.Because it is more difficult for the rest of us to seewhat is obvious to those so touched with delight by the intimate presenceof God, he uses emotions to convey what to him is the logic.He thus usespoetic language to convey the message, since we find it easier to"understand" an emotive content.Much as Christ spoke in whatmust have seemed to many impossibly hard-to-understand metaphors, Rumi'sdiscourses do often require an extraordinary "letting go" tosense the logic in his argument.An important work for all the ages. ... Read more

Product Description

Rumi, one of the most celebrated mystics of all time, chose poetry to communicate his deep spiritual experiences. His language, that of love in its purest form, speaks to us today as it did seven hundred years ago, surpassing time and bridging cultures.

These poems, most of them translated into English for the first time from the original Persian, were carefully selected from two thousand of Rumi's quatrains. Arranged thematically, they take us on a journey of the soul. Persian calligraphy enhances the beauty of the poems.

Discover the depths of a mystic's soul. Fly with him on his beloved's wings. Fall with him into the despair and fear of losing his beloved forever. Discover the beauty and love contained in this wonderful little book of poetry.

Customer Reviews (3)

A time to reflect
These short snippets of Rumi's great work are just so rich in meaning that sometimes it is the best way to absorb atleast some of the gems of great wisdom.

I love the work of the translators Maryam Malfi & Azima Kolin. They bring a feminine energy to the translations.A lot of the so called translations of Rumi in English have been merely interpretations done by non Farsi speaking writers. This is never as sucsessful as when done by someone proficient in both languages.
Also, to translate Rumi the person really must understand the teachings of Sufism before they even begin.
These translators can do all this and more... The beautiful choice of words touch the heart intimately. Rumi's eternal wisdom comes alive and the Beloved feels ever so close while I read and dream..

Nurjahan in Australia

RUMI

I have always loved Rumi's love poems...simple but yet complex in its own way. Very fluid and unlike any other love poems I have read. Absolutely Beautiful!!!!!

Little book of Love
I was a bit nervouse of the title not knowing what the translators would do with his poems that often talk about love of the beloved.I was quite pleasently suprised at how beautiful and true to form they were.Out of all the Rumi books I have read this one is one of my favorites. ... Read more

Product Description
A three volume set of Nicholson's translation of Rumi's famous poem on Islamic mysticism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Translation, Very Insightful
Having read a lot of "Rumi" (Coleman Barks, actually), I was shocked to actually read Rumi, and learn that I didn't like Rumi, so much as I liked Coleman Barks. Rumi, himself, is quite different. I actually found him offensive. This is a great translation, revealing the true bard. Quite well worth the investment! ... Read more

Product Description
Maulana Jalal al-Din Rumi was one of the greatest poets and mystics of the Islamic world. He was born in Balkh (Korasan) in 1207 AD and died in Konya (Turkey) in 1273 AD. This book is an examination of his spiritual and literary heritage. As Annemarie Schimmel, the recipient of the Eleventh Giorgio Della Vida Award in Islamic Studies, has written, no other mystic and poet from the Islamic world is as well known in the West as Rumi, and she, more than any Western scholar, is his most celebrated and eloquent interpreter. The scholars whom Professor Schimmel has invited to share in her tribute have all added new dimensions to an understanding of Rumi and to his impact on the Islamic world. ... Read more