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“Wahdat al-Wujud” in the book “The Wisdom of Rumi”: A reading by Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

“Wahdat al-Wujud” from the book “The Wisdom of Rumi” by Khalifa Abdul Hakim (an Islamic academic and critic who specialized in the study of Jalal al-Din al-Rumi and his impact on the Mawlawi tradition for more than half a century until his death). 

WordForPeace.com Special 

“Wahdat al-Wujud” from the book “The Wisdom of Rumi”

“Wahdat al-Wujud” in the book “The Wisdom of Rumi”Egyptian researcher and translator Hani Al-Saeed presents a fascinating translation of the chapter “Wahdat al-Wujud” from the book “The Wisdom of Rumi” by Khalifa Abdul Hakim (an Islamic academic and critic who specialized in the study of Jalal al-Din al-Rumi and his impact on the Mawlawi tradition for more than half a century until his death). 

In the beginning, Khalifa introduces some of the researchers’ opinions about the Masnawi, refers to his themes, and explains how Rumi clarifies them with similes, and shows us that the Masnawi is considered a form of interpretation of the Holy Qur’an. Therefore, he simulates, it is similar to the Qur’an in several respects. Then he demonstrates that with a number of wonderful examples. 

Khalifa summarises the indepth meanings of the mystical Islamic theory of Wahdat al-Wujud; that is,  there is no existence but God, and He is the sole owner of true existence, and all other beings are only a manifestation of himself.

He also discusses the theories of Nietzsche and Darwin in this regard, and shows that neither Nietzsche and Bergson had reached the highest level reached by Rumi in explaining the Unity of Existence, and defining man and his position and scope. He explained that Iqbal’s theory of the greatness of Adam is also inspired by Rumi.

Khalifa Abdul Hakim also tried in his book to unravel the moral secrets inherent in Rumi’s Mathnawi. It seems that he has already penetrated into the depths of some of his meanings, and has probed some of the mysteries, extracting some pearls and reviewing the spiritual and intellectual importance of Rumi’s ideas and theories, in an attractive and simple style.

Anthropological studies confirmed the possibilities of looking at religions from this angle when they discussed the inscription and the document, digging into the ground looking for impact and influence, and informed about the possibilities of considering the communal religious space. An examination of the impacts of Jalal al-Din al-Rumi tells that he looked at the truth as ‘one in its essence’, replete with its qualities and names, and that he interpreted different religions outside the realm of rivalry and the claim of superiority, and thus, he opened the doors to the nobility of the human conscience, and directed the divine inspiration to the cause of existence.

Among the important issues raised by the mysticism of Jalal al-Din Rumi and his openness to the religious other, the issue of universality. It deals with an entity synthesis that brings the world together under the auspices of the creator and according to fixed rules and ethics, and it keeps renewing the patterns of consciousness and re-seeing the values in a humane and beneficial way. In other readings, it aims to review the ways of dealing with powerful and controlling addresses, such as religions, ideologies, nationalities, borders and identities

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One Comment

  1. Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi was a Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and Islamic dervish who lived in the 13th century. He is respected as one of the world’s greatest spiritual masters and writers. Thank you for sharing.

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