The Ansari Podcast 143: The Life Story of Ar-Rumi - Who Was He? w. Sharghzadeh
Oct 1, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Muhammad Ali Mojaradi, known as Sharghzadeh, a Persian translator and founder of Persian Poetics, delves into the life and teachings of Rumi, the revered Sufi poet. He explains Rumi's journey from Khorasan to Konya, influenced by his transformative relationship with Shams. They explore the difference between Sufism and legal schools, Rumi's unique approach to love and spirituality, and how his poetry resonates with both Muslims and non-Muslims today. Sharghzadeh also reflects on his own journey in promoting Rumi's profound messages.
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Rumi's Formative Migration
- Rumi was born in 1207 in Khorasan and grew up amid the Mongol-era upheaval that forced his family westward.
- His family were Hanafi scholars and their migrations shaped Rumi's early education and worldview.
Attar's Bird Parable
- Attar's The Conference of the Birds influenced Rumi and uses birds as human metaphors on the spiritual path.
- Sharghzadeh recommends the Davis translation and says the book can be read in an afternoon.
Konya: Rumi's Western Frontier
- Anatolia was known as Rum and was a culturally Greek, recently Islamized frontier where Rumi eventually settled.
- Being in this western borderland influenced Rumi's role as a teacher to non-Muslim and newly Muslim communities.
