The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī
Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s (d. 672/1273) Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī is replete with metaphors of love that function as epistemological and ontological instruments, serving both to impart knowledge and to reflect the structure of reality. This study examines how Rūmī employs the language of love as a means to expres...
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Üsküdar University
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Tasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi |
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| Online Access: | https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4704778 |
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| author | Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya |
| author_facet | Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya |
| author_sort | Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s (d. 672/1273) Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī is replete with metaphors of love that function as epistemological and ontological instruments, serving both to impart knowledge and to reflect the structure of reality. This study examines how Rūmī employs the language of love as a means to express ineffable mystical realities of divine love and union, and to catalyze the transformation of the soul. Rūmī’s poetic metaphors—such as likening love to the astrolabe of God’s mysteries or to a consuming flame, images that
frame love as both a navigational tool to the Divine and a fire that purifies by consuming the self—convey the paradoxical nature of divine love, wherein intense longing and self-annihilation lead to spiritual fulfillment. Through allegorical narratives and symbolic imagery, Rūmī articulates profound insights into the soul’s journey toward the Divine and its inner metamorphosis through love. The analysis highlights the indispensable role of metaphor in expressing what is beyond ordinary language, illustrating that in the Maѕnavī love is not merely a theme but a deliberate pedagogical tool and an existential principle guiding the seeker toward experiential knowledge of divine unity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-26d3efc7bcb246cda5fbfef59984ab49 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2822-3829 2822-4515 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Üsküdar University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi |
| spelling | doaj-art-26d3efc7bcb246cda5fbfef59984ab492025-08-20T02:22:40ZengÜsküdar UniversityTasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi2822-38292822-45152025-05-014110112610.32739/ustad.2025.7.78The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i MaʿnavīArzu Eylül Yalçınkaya0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6834-799XÜsküdar UniversityJalāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s (d. 672/1273) Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī is replete with metaphors of love that function as epistemological and ontological instruments, serving both to impart knowledge and to reflect the structure of reality. This study examines how Rūmī employs the language of love as a means to express ineffable mystical realities of divine love and union, and to catalyze the transformation of the soul. Rūmī’s poetic metaphors—such as likening love to the astrolabe of God’s mysteries or to a consuming flame, images that frame love as both a navigational tool to the Divine and a fire that purifies by consuming the self—convey the paradoxical nature of divine love, wherein intense longing and self-annihilation lead to spiritual fulfillment. Through allegorical narratives and symbolic imagery, Rūmī articulates profound insights into the soul’s journey toward the Divine and its inner metamorphosis through love. The analysis highlights the indispensable role of metaphor in expressing what is beyond ordinary language, illustrating that in the Maѕnavī love is not merely a theme but a deliberate pedagogical tool and an existential principle guiding the seeker toward experiential knowledge of divine unity.https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4704778sufismmetaphor and symbolismʿishq (divine love)metaphorical expressions of lovemasnavī-i maʿnavīallegoryfanāʾ |
| spellingShingle | Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī Tasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi sufism metaphor and symbolism ʿishq (divine love) metaphorical expressions of love masnavī-i maʿnavī allegory fanāʾ |
| title | The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī |
| title_full | The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī |
| title_fullStr | The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī |
| title_short | The Poetics of Divine Love: Metaphorical Expressions of ʿIshq in Rūmī’s Maѕnavī-i Maʿnavī |
| title_sort | poetics of divine love metaphorical expressions of ʿishq in rumi s maѕnavi i maʿnavi |
| topic | sufism metaphor and symbolism ʿishq (divine love) metaphorical expressions of love masnavī-i maʿnavī allegory fanāʾ |
| url | https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4704778 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT arzueylulyalcınkaya thepoeticsofdivinelovemetaphoricalexpressionsofʿishqinrumismaẑnaviimaʿnavi AT arzueylulyalcınkaya poeticsofdivinelovemetaphoricalexpressionsofʿishqinrumismaẑnaviimaʿnavi |