Rumi may be the most quoted poet on social media today. Yet many of the lines shared under his name are not found in his works at all, and much of what is shared leaves out who he was: a Muslim scholar, a teacher of law and Qur’an, and a Sufi whose poetry grew from that faith.
This post, part of our Sufism Basics series on the teachings page, introduces the man behind the verses.
Quick answer
Short answer: Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 672/1273) was a Muslim scholar and Sufi of Konya, in today’s Turkey. After meeting the wandering Sufi Shams of Tabriz, he turned to poetry of divine love. His Masnavi, a long poem in six books, is a classic of Sufi teaching. It opens with a reed flute lamenting its separation from the reed bed, a picture of the soul longing for its origin.
Who was Rumi?
Rumi was born around 604/1207 in the eastern lands of the Muslim world, in the region of Balkh. His father, Baha al-Din Walad, was a respected scholar and preacher. The family moved west, and eventually settled in Konya in Anatolia.
There Rumi followed his father as a teacher. He taught the religious sciences and was known as a jurist and preacher before he was known as a poet. Admirers came to call him Mawlana, “our master”, which is why the order linked to him is called the Mawlawi, or Mevlevi.
Key facts
- Name: Jalal al-Din Muhammad, called Mawlana and Rumi (“of Rum”, Anatolia).
- Lived: c. 604/1207 to 672/1273.
- City: Konya, in today’s Turkey.
- Turning point: meeting Shams of Tabriz (642/1244).
- Best-known work: the Masnavi, in six books.
The meeting with Shams
In 642/1244 a wandering dervish, Shams al-Din of Tabriz, arrived in Konya. Some accounts suggest the two may first have met earlier, in Syria. His friendship with Rumi changed the scholar deeply. Accounts of their meeting are many and colourful, and historians treat a lot of them as later legend. What is clear is that, after Shams, Rumi’s love of God poured into poetry, first in the lyric poems later gathered as the Divan-i Shams, then in the Masnavi.
The Masnavi and the song of the reed
The Masnavi is a long poem in Persian, told in stories, parables and teachings. It is steeped in Qur’anic meanings.
It opens with a reed flute. In E. H. Whinfield’s 1898 English version, the first lines read:
“Hearken to the reed-flute, how it discourses When complaining of the pains of separation—” (Rumi, Masnavi, Book I, Prologue, p. 1, tr. E. H. Whinfield, London, 1898; scanned copy)
The reed was cut from its reed bed, and its music is the sound of separation and longing to return. Sufi readers see in it the human soul, far from its Source and yearning for Him.
Longing and return in the Qur’an
That theme of return echoes a verse Muslims say at every loss (Qur’an 2:156).
Qur’an 2:156 (excerpt):
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Meaning: we belong to God, and to Him we are returning.
What Rumi taught
Three threads in Rumi’s teaching
1
Love of God: the heart’s longing for its Lord drives the path.
2
Breaking the ego: many stories in the Masnavi show pride and greed being humbled.
3
Living faith: prayer, the Qur’an and the Prophet ﷺ stay at the centre of his work.
| Popular image | Historical Rumi | |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | A free-floating love poet | A Muslim scholar and Sufi |
| Sources | Short quotes online | The Masnavi and Divan |
| Faith | Often left out | Qur’an and Sunnah throughout |
A word on “Rumi quotes”
Many popular lines shared as Rumi’s cannot be traced to his works, or are loose rewrites. If a quote has no book or section reference, treat it with care. On this site we quote him only from a named, published translation.
The Mevlevi order
After Rumi’s death, his son Sultan Walad and his disciples formed the Mevlevi order, known for its music and its ceremony of remembrance. It later spread widely. Its history is rich, and this post keeps to an outline.
Tip
If Rumi draws you in, start with a reliable translation and an introduction to the wider tradition. Our library lists classical works, and our guide to Sufi terms explains words like shaykh and tariqa.
FAQ
Was Rumi a Muslim?
Yes. He was a Muslim scholar who taught the religious sciences, and his poetry is full of the Qur’an and the Prophet ﷺ.
What language did Rumi write in?
Mostly Persian. Some lines are in Arabic and a few in Turkish and Greek.
Is the Masnavi difficult to read?
It is long, but it is built from stories, so it can be read a little at a time with a good introduction.
Last checked: 24 October 2026 (Asia/Riyadh). Rumi quoted only from Whinfield’s 1898 translation (public domain). Qur’an 2:156, meaning in our own words; Arabic checked by our reviewer. Educational introduction only.