Rumi

SUBJECT AND OBJECTIVES : Although Jalaluddin Rumi and William Blake hail from different literary and cultural contexts, their poems bear interesting affinities. However, these affinities have not been fully addressed by scholars. This paper will examine the role of reason in the poetry of Rumi and Blake with regard to human endeavor towards pure life which is union with God. In other words, the researchers attempt to find out how it is possible to gain an in-depth understanding of the theme of reason in the poetry of Rumi and Blake through analyzing and interpreting their poems. In addition, the study tries to see what the similarities and differences between the poetry of Rumi and Blake are in a comparative manner, especially with regard to the theme of reason. METHOD AND FINDING : The selected poems will be from Rumi’s “Masnavi” and Blake’s “Book of Urizen” and “Four Zoas”. To compare both poets’ views on reason, Totosy de Zepetnek’s approach of inclusion will be employed. This comparative study is constructed on the doctrine of perennial philosophy led by Aldous Huxley. The discussion will concentrate on two main aspects namely, partial reason and its function as a barrier to the good and pure life (Hayāt Tayyiba) as a desirable human lifestyle and union with God. The second aspect concerns universal reason and its function as a bridge to union with the Absolute Being. CONCLUSION : Even though Rumi and Blake are originally from diverse geographical, political, social, and religious milieu, they have shared common ideas regarding the concepts of reason. Thus, a comparative study of the two literary giants will pave the way for those who are interested in finding the commonalities of Sufism and Romanticism particularly in the poetry of Rumi and Blake.

In Mysticism, traveling and journeys are considered the essentials for self-knowledge, evolution, and theology. This research with a descriptive-analytical method tries to analyze the life, writings, and the legacy of Rumi - as one of the most prominent and influential mystics of history - in order to shed light on the concept, the roots, and the results of the journey from his point of view. In Rumi’s mysticism, the journey can be evaluated from a physical or spiritual aspect, and this term is usually accompanied by the concepts of separation and distance in his poetry. Rumi sometimes considers the journey as the reason behind this separation, while he sometimes considers it as its solution. The concepts of ‘whirling’ and ‘returning to one’s origins’ are among the other themes intermingled with the journey in his mysticism. These concepts can still be observed after hundreds of years in the ‘Sama Dance’ rituals in Konya. In general, Rumi considers movement, journey, and transformation as the basis for evolution and the transcendence of the human soul.

Purpose: Rumi is one of the Islamic thinkers who have presented its educational ideas and implications in a coherent way. Therefore, the purpose of this study was identifying the educational implications of Rumi and critical theorists and to examine their common and distinct aspects. Methodology: This study in terms of purpose was applied and in terms of implementation method was qualitative from type of documentary. The study population was all published sources about educational implications of Rumi and critical theorists in the last 30 years, which from them 20 cases from various sources by purposefully were selected as a sample. For information collection were used from taking notes method from sources and to data analysis were used from data analysis method. Findings: Findings showed that in the educational implications from Rumi's perspective, the most important goals for adolescents and youth was human cognition and for adults was to achieve the status of knowledge of God or nearness to God, the most important principles for adolescents and youth was responsibility during its education and for adults was companionship and the most important methods for adolescents and youth was advised and preached and for adults was to walk the path of wisdom. Also, in the educational implications from critical theorists perspective, the most important goals was educating the global citizen, the most important principles was criticism and the most important methods was using discourse. Other findings showed that the most important common aspects of Rumi and critical theorists in terms of goals was drawing cognitive, emotional and psycho-motor goals and emphasis on individual ethics, in terms of principles was classification of principles at macro, intermediate and micro levels and emphasis on self-evaluation and in terms of methods was the use of encouragement and punishment and emphasis on seminar and exchange. Also, the most important distinct aspects of Rumi and critical theorists in terms of goals was Rumi's emphasis on individual goals both worldly and otherworldly, but the critical theorists' emphasis on individual and social goals only worldly, in terms of principles was Rumi's emphasis on the originality of the soul and the primacy of inward evolution over outward evolution, but the critical theorists' emphasis on the originality of society reform and the primacy of society's transformation over its own evolution and in terms of methods was Rumi's emphasis on self-construction, individual excellence and internalized discourse of self-construction, but the critical theorists' emphasis was on transformation, social change and critical discourse. Conclusion: The results indicated that educational implications in terms of Rumi has more individual aspects based on growth, perfection and nearness to God, but educational implications in terms of critical theorists has more social aspects based on society reform, citizen education and change of current status. The mentioned results can have practical implications for experts of education in order to improve the current situation and help them to provide a suitable perspective for designing educational programs.

Contrary to the traditional disciple-making efforts presented by commentators of mystical works, which aim to consolidate a fanatical attitude towards mysticism and hide any epistemological defects, these works have their own disadvantages, similar to any other knowledge system. One of these disadvantages is the categorization of "women," which, due to the continuation of the patriarchal worldview and the Mithraic origin of Iranian-Islamic mysticism, has been approached with a dogmatic and gender-oriented perspective. Therefore, within the mystical tradition, despite occasional praises given to women in Sufi works, they are generally regarded as symbols of evil passion, and the love for them is seen as figurative and lustful. In these instances, the mystical texts acknowledge their own stance, and, often in contrast to the efforts of their fanatical admirers, provide an opportunity for so-called "destructive" analyses. The present article examines the contradictions within the works of two renowned mystical poets, Attar and Rumi, specifically regarding their portrayal of "woman". By adopting a deconstructive approach, often utilizing textual evidence, it aims to highlight their patriarchal attitude. Consequently, it concludes that while researchers of mystical works have often attempted to absolve the mystic poets of their patriarchal or misogynistic gender-oriented views, the mystics themselves have not done so.