World, Region Need Rumi’s Wisdom More Than Ever

“On Rūmī's 812th birthday, our region and the world need his insight and wisdom more than ever before. ~Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, September 30, 1207—December 17, 1273," Zarif tweeted early on Tuesday.

Mowlana (Mowlavi) Jaleleddin Mohammad Balkhi, aka Rumi in certain countries, was a poet, Islamic scholar, theologian and mystic.

He was born in Balkh (once part of Persia and now part of a city in Afghanistan) and passed away in Konya, Turkey, where he was laid to rest. 

Every year, Iranians hold ceremonies in different cities across the country, including the capital, Tehran, to pay homage to the world-famous literary figure.

Similar ceremonies are also held in other countries, including Turkey and Tajikistan.

Mowlavi is better known for his magnum opus, Masnavi, which contains a great number of stories and anecdotes of diverse styles and is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of Persian literature.

His second best-known work is Diwan-i Shams-i Tabriz which is named in honor of his master Shams. The major work is a collection of poems, including couplets, quatrains and sonnets.

Mowlavi’s poems have been widely translated from Persian into many of the world's languages.

In 2007, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named 2007 as the year of Mowlavi in honor of the Persian poet's outstanding achievements.

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