Masnavi
A Persian mystical poem considered one of the greatest in world literature.
The Masnavi is an extensive Persian masnavi (a poetic form) written by Rumi, and one of the most influential works in the history of Sufism. Sometimes described as being like a 'Quran in Persian', some Muslims regard the Masnavi as one of the most important works of Islamic literature, falling behind only the Quran. It has been viewed by many commentators as the greatest mystical poem in world literature.
- Title
- Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi (The Spiritual Couplets)
- Author
- Rumi (Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī)
- Form
- Masnavi (poetic form)
- Language
- Persian
- Primary theme
- Spiritual text teaching Sufis how to reach being truly in love with God
Lore & Background
The Masnavi was started by Rumi during the final years of his life. The sixth and final book would remain incomplete. It is documented that Rumi began dictating the verses at the request of his favourite disciple, Husam al-Din Chalabi, who observed that many of Rumi's followers dutifully read the works of Sana'i and 'Attar. Thus, Rumi began creating a work in the didactic style of Sana'i and 'Attar to complement his other poetry. These men are said to have met regularly in meetings where Rumi would deliver the verses and Chalabi would write them down and recite them back to him.
Reader's Guide
The Masnavi is a spiritual text that teaches Sufis how to reach their goal of being truly in love with God. It is a poetic collection of anecdotes and stories derived from the Quran, hadith sources, and everyday tales. Stories are told to illustrate a point and each moral is discussed in detail. It incorporates a variety of Islamic wisdom, but primarily focuses on emphasizing inward personal Sufi interpretation. In contrast to Rumi's Divan-i Shams-i Tabrizi, the Masnavi is a relatively 'sober' text. It explains the various dimensions of spiritual life and practice to Sufi disciples and anyone who wishes to ponder the meaning of life. The six books can be divided into three pairs by common theme: Books 1 and 2 concern the lower carnal self; Books 3 and 4 share themes of Reason and Knowledge, personified by the Prophet Moses; Books 5 and 6 join the ideal that man must deny his physical earthly existence to understand God's existence. Rumi uses seven principal voices, including authorial, story-telling, analogical, and dialogue voices. The Masnavi has no framed plot and includes a variety of scenes, from popular stories and local bazaar scenes to fables and tales from Rumi's time.
Did You Know?
- The title Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi means 'The Spiritual Couplets'.
- Rumi began dictating the Masnavi at the request of his favourite disciple, Husam al-Din Chalabi.
- The sixth and final book remained incomplete at Rumi's death.
- Some Muslims regard the Masnavi as one of the most important works of Islamic literature, falling behind only the Quran.
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