Publisher Description
Rumi's major poetic work, the Matnawiye Ma'nawi (spiritual couplets), is widely considered to be one of the greatest works of mystical poetry and is regarded by some Sufis to be the Persian language Qur'an. The Diwani Shamsi Tabrizi (works of Shams Tabrizi), his other major work, contains more than forty-thousand verses and is one of the greatest works of Persian literature. Though he wrote these sublime lyrics in the thirteenth century, Rumi remains one of the most widely read poets today.
A selection of his timeless poems is read for you here by Shyama Perera, a gifted journalist, broadcaster, and novelist.
Download and start listening now!
About Rumi
Jalal ad–Din ar–Rumi (1207–1273), or simply Rumi, was a thirteenth-century poet, theologian,
and Sufi mystic. He was perhaps the finest Persian poet of all time and a great
influence on Muslim writing and culture. While he led a fairly ordinary life
until the age of thirty-five, after meeting and subsequently losing his great
friend and Sufi teacher Shams, Rumi was moved to emit his soul through poetry.
With Shams influence, he became filled with the love of God.
Rumi is considered today to be a love poet and many translations
of his work have become mere love poems. Though love is an overwhelming part of
Rumi’s work, the love he speaks of is a higher love for God, not for humans.
Nevertheless, the imagery and language he uses has proved to be universal and
enduring and he continues to be one of the best-selling poets in America.
About Shyama Perera
Shyama Perera is an established print journalist and author
of three
well-received novels and a short history of contraception. Her essays and short
stories are published in numerous anthologies. In recent years she has
expressed her love of theater through membership of the Olivier Awards panel,
and is a regular reviewer for the Archant group of newspapers. She runs a well-received
reviews blog,Monkey
Matters Theatre.
Shyama has narrated several audiobooks of South Indian poetry.