The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of Rūmī
Maulānā Jalāl al-Dīn Balkhī (d. 1273), commonly known as Rūmī, is widely regarded as one of the foremost expositors of Sufi thought throughout Islamic history. One of the most central concepts that encapsulates the essence of Rūmī’s message in his magnum opus Mathnawī is tawḥīd, or Divine unity. In...
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Üsküdar University
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Tasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi |
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| author | Gholamreza Aavani |
| author_facet | Gholamreza Aavani |
| author_sort | Gholamreza Aavani |
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| description | Maulānā Jalāl al-Dīn Balkhī (d. 1273), commonly known as Rūmī, is widely regarded as one of the foremost expositors of Sufi thought throughout Islamic history. One of the most central concepts that encapsulates the essence of Rūmī’s message in his magnum opus Mathnawī is tawḥīd, or Divine unity. In this article, I argue that for Rūmī, the realization of tawḥīd—the oneness of God—is achieved through an experiential form of knowledge attained in the annihilation of the carnal self in God (fanā). I further maintain that this knowledge is not discursive or conceptual but rather a direct and realized understanding, accessible solely through the path of love and the guidance of a spiritual master. I will begin by demonstrating that the triad of the Truth (ḥaqīqah), the spiritual path (ṭarīqah), and Divine law (sharī‘ah) are intricately interconnected, each reflecting a distinct aspect of the unified reality of Divine oneness. This foundation paves the way for
discussing a crucial prerequisite for understanding tawḥīd in Rūmī’s thought: purification. According to Rūmī, purification is an essential step in the path of wayfaring, enabling the self to break free from vices and worldly attachments, thus becoming a vessel for Divine Light. However, this purification process
ultimately culminates in the annihilation of the self, as the carnal ego represents the greatest obstacle and the root of all attachments. Following this point, I will explore the relationship between the declaration of shahādah (lā ilāha illa ’Llāh)
and the understanding of Divine unity, arguing that this knowledge transcends the discursive reasoning of theologians. I will then examine the outcome of this realization of unity, wherein all creation is perceived as a manifestation of the beautiful Divine Names and attributes. Finally, I will turn to the metaphysical principles underlying Rūmī’s vision of tawḥīd, offering a deeper insight into his understanding of Divine oneness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d64729ec7e34141acf94ee24d998ddf |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2822-3829 2822-4515 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Üsküdar University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d64729ec7e34141acf94ee24d998ddf2025-08-20T02:35:19ZengÜsküdar UniversityTasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi2822-38292822-45152024-11-013232310.32739/ustad.2024.6.66The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of RūmīGholamreza Aavani0Shahid Beheshti UniversityMaulānā Jalāl al-Dīn Balkhī (d. 1273), commonly known as Rūmī, is widely regarded as one of the foremost expositors of Sufi thought throughout Islamic history. One of the most central concepts that encapsulates the essence of Rūmī’s message in his magnum opus Mathnawī is tawḥīd, or Divine unity. In this article, I argue that for Rūmī, the realization of tawḥīd—the oneness of God—is achieved through an experiential form of knowledge attained in the annihilation of the carnal self in God (fanā). I further maintain that this knowledge is not discursive or conceptual but rather a direct and realized understanding, accessible solely through the path of love and the guidance of a spiritual master. I will begin by demonstrating that the triad of the Truth (ḥaqīqah), the spiritual path (ṭarīqah), and Divine law (sharī‘ah) are intricately interconnected, each reflecting a distinct aspect of the unified reality of Divine oneness. This foundation paves the way for discussing a crucial prerequisite for understanding tawḥīd in Rūmī’s thought: purification. According to Rūmī, purification is an essential step in the path of wayfaring, enabling the self to break free from vices and worldly attachments, thus becoming a vessel for Divine Light. However, this purification process ultimately culminates in the annihilation of the self, as the carnal ego represents the greatest obstacle and the root of all attachments. Following this point, I will explore the relationship between the declaration of shahādah (lā ilāha illa ’Llāh) and the understanding of Divine unity, arguing that this knowledge transcends the discursive reasoning of theologians. I will then examine the outcome of this realization of unity, wherein all creation is perceived as a manifestation of the beautiful Divine Names and attributes. Finally, I will turn to the metaphysical principles underlying Rūmī’s vision of tawḥīd, offering a deeper insight into his understanding of Divine oneness.https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4460377maulānā jalāl al-dīn balkhīmathnawīdivine unitytawḥīddivine names |
| spellingShingle | Gholamreza Aavani The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of Rūmī Tasavvuf Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi maulānā jalāl al-dīn balkhī mathnawī divine unity tawḥīd divine names |
| title | The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of Rūmī |
| title_full | The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of Rūmī |
| title_fullStr | The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of Rūmī |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of Rūmī |
| title_short | The Reverberations of Divine Unity in the Mathnawī of Rūmī |
| title_sort | reverberations of divine unity in the mathnawi of rumi |
| topic | maulānā jalāl al-dīn balkhī mathnawī divine unity tawḥīd divine names |
| url | https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4460377 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gholamrezaaavani thereverberationsofdivineunityinthemathnawiofrumi AT gholamrezaaavani reverberationsofdivineunityinthemathnawiofrumi |