Rumi: The Art of Loving

Some first impressions about this new Rumi book. The title of the book reminds us of Erich Fromm's classic work, The Art of Loving (1956). This new volume displays Rumi's life and poetry from the perspective of what love is and how it transforms us on our journey of life and spiritual quest. The book has a variety of contents: essays, poetry, and wisdom stories, all of which revolve around Rumi's basic message of love and compassion and joyful living.The book has three parts. Part One (Understanding Rumi) consists of two essays. The first essay is an informative biography of Rumi (A Messenger from the Sun) based on scholarly sources. The second essay is about Rumi's poetic thought (The Path of Love in the Ocean of Life). These two essays as well as the glossary of terms that come at the end of the book are very helpful materials to readers to better understand Rumi's poetry.Part Two contains 144 short poems (four-lined poems or quatrains) which the translator has categorized under twelve chapters (each chapter having twelve quatrains): On the pain and joy of longing; The search; Who am I?; The beloved's face; Die to yourself; The art of living; Night secrets; Water of life; Fire of love; Unity and union; Peaceful mind; and Rumi on his life, poetry and death.A very important feature of the book is that the translator has also given the Persian reading of these poems in Romanized letters; in this way, the interested reader can also recite the poem in the original rhythm and language. Coming from the pen of a Persian-speaking translator, the book offers more of Rumi's original poetry. In the Sources and Bibliography, the references to the original sources of the translated poems (from Rumi's Divan-i Shams) are recorded. To ensure that the quatrains are really from Rumi (and not the ones that were probably added later to some Rumi manuscripts), the translator has used two authentic sources: First, the scholarly edition of Divan-i Shams by the late Professor Furuzanfar (published in ten volumes by the University of Tehran Press); and the second the printed edition of the Konya manuscript (which is one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Divan-i Shams and is kept at the Mevlana Museum or Rumi's Mausoleum in Turkey).Part Three has twelve short stories from Rumi's life recorded by Ahmad Aflaki in the Manaqeb al-Arefin (a Persian book compiled shortly after Rumi's death). These stories portray Rumi as a sage (he apparently practiced his poetry and vision of love in his daily life).Overall, this small volume is a nice package of research-based essays and scholarly information as well as a collection of delightful short poems from Rumi or Mawlana (Master) as he is known for centuries in his cultural homeland.

Lovers of Rumi will rejoice upon discovering Rasoul Shams' new "Rumi: The Art of Loving". As beautifully rendered as Rumi's teachings have been by Coleman Barks and others, there are depths in them still largely unrevealed to those reading in English. The combination of Rasoul Shams' Persian roots, his scholarly ability, his contemplative practices, and his poetic gift enable him to begin to draw back the veil for us.As Shams relates in the section of the book devoted to stories about Rumi's life, Rumi once recited this line over and over:"In this market-place of drug sellersDo not wander hither and thither like jobless people.Go to a store which has real medicine, and stay there."The quatrains presented in "Rumi: The Art of Loving" are such a store. Having read Rumi for more than three decades now, I'm ecstatic to discover new translations of such merit, and I eagerly await Rasoul Shams' versions of Rumi's longer teaching stories. Until they appear, this book will be one of my closest companions.

For quite a while now I have been thrilled by the works of Rumi. But always wondering...how much of the so-called translations are the works of poets, well-intentioned, but who know nothing of Farsi (let alone ancient Persian!)...a re-imagining if you will. To be able to read these stunning quatrains while at least being able to see the transliterated words below, to get a sense of the patterns and rhythms Rumi intended...well, it's the Real Deal. No serious student of Rumi can afford to be without this volume!

I can't ask for anything more than that! It mailed before and I received it sooner then they said I would! Life doesn't get much better

It is enjoyable to experience stories and ideas through many lenses, and as Rasoul Shams says in this book, every translator has something to give. For Rumi, most of my experience has come through second-generation translation - reading this, though, has been amazing. Dr. Shams translates from the original Persian and his deep reverence of love of the words comes through clearly. His background essays were light but insightful, and he delicately points out the occasional difficulties that arise when the work of biographers and historians is mixed with the admiring amplifications of Rumi's legend. This work provides a grounding for those whose first introduction to Rumi was from his universal appeal, and this also serves as an ideal first introduction. By returning to verified source materials Dr. Shams presents authentic Rumi, and he also explores this poet's universal application and appeal. Upon his death, Rumi was honored by people of many faiths and ethnicities; this new presentation of his work reminds us the poet's words remain universal: "Conflicts among people (Rumi says) come from their attachment to names. When they go into meanings, peace prevails."This book from Rasoul Shams recalls to mind a story recounted by another favorite author, also Persian. In his book 'Islamic Art and Spirituality', Seyyed Hossein Nasr relates that Sufi mystics often told their students humans and birds are the most closely related of all creatures; the biggest difference is that the wings of people are made of spirit. The poetry of Rumi reminds me of my wings. Dr. Shams has made a wonderful translation of this true master's work.

it is refreshing to meet a translator who places his work beside that of the original Persian. Since first reading Rumi's poetry, I have searched for someone who reads Persian, was raised learning about Rumi and though realizing the limitations one faces in translating centuries old verse into modern English has stayed as close to the original creation as possible. Rasoul's sensitivity to metaphor in both Persian and English is what make this book a must read.

A great book indeed. Gives a glimpse on the great Rumi: his life, poetry and philosophy. Wish there were more poems. But the author has done a fantastic job.