Jalaluddin Rumi

From Wikipedia: Molana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi or Celâladin Mehmet Rumi (September 30, 1207 – December 17, 1273 CE) (also known as Molana, Molavi, Mawlvi, Mawlana, meaning our guide or our master in Arabic and Persian, or Mevlana meaning our guide in Turkish) was a Persian Sufi poet, jurist, theologian and teacher of Sufism who was born in Balkh (then a city of the Greater Khorasan province of Persia, now part of Afghanistan) and died in Konya (in present-day Turkey). His birth place and native tongue point towards a Persian heritage. He also wrote his poetry in Persian and his works are widely read in Iran and Afghanistan where the language is spoken. Yet, he is adored to such a degree that citizens of Turkey, Pakistan, and India sometimes consider him one of their own.When the Mongols invaded Central Asia, his father (Baha'al din Veled, a popular scholar) set out to Konya, Anatolia within the westernmost territories of Seljuk Empire. On the road to Anatolia he met one of the most famous mystic Persian poets Attar in the city of Neishapour, located in the Iranian province of Khorasan, this meeting had a deep impact on Rumi's thoughts, which later on his works became the inspiration of Rumi. Rumi was 18 years old at that time. Rumi was sent to Damascus and Aleppo to obtain religious education. His father became the head of a Madrassa (religious school) and when his father died Rumi succeeded him at the age of 25. He was trained in the religious and mystical doctrines by Syed Burhan al-Din but it was his meeting with the dervish Shams Tabriz that changed his life completely.Rumi spent most of his later life in Anatolia and also completed his masterpiece there. He died on December 17, 1273 in Konya which was a city under the jurisdiction of the Seljuk Turks; Rumi was laid to rest beside his father, and a splendid shrine was erected over his tomb. His tomb is located in Konya, Turkey. He played a big role in the history of converting Orthodox Anatolia (Asia-minor) to Islam.The general theme of his thoughts, like that of the other mystic and Sufi poets of the Persian literature, is essentially about the concept of Tawheed (unity) and union with his beloved (the primal root) from which/whom he has been cut and fallen aloof, and his longing and desire for reunity.Rumi's importance transcends national and ethnic borders. Speakers of the Persian language in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan see him as one of their most significant classical poets and an influence to many poets through history. He has also had a great influence on Turkish literature throughout the centuries. His poetry forms the basis of much classical Iranian and Afghan music. Contemporary classical interpretations of his poetry are made by Muhammad Reza Shajarian (Iran), Shahram Nazeri (Iran), Davood Azad (Iran) and Ustad Mohammad Hashem Cheshti (Afghanistan). To many modern Westerners, his teachings are one of the best introductions to the philosophy and practice of Sufism. Pakistan's National Poet, Muhammad Iqbal (November 9, 1877-April 21, 1938) was also inspired by Rumi's works and considered him to be his spiritual leader and addressed him as Pir Rumi in his poems (pir literally means old, but in sufi/mystic context, it means guide, teacher, master, guru.)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi