MawlanaJalal al-Din Rumi's poem, the Mathnawi, is one of the best known and most influential works of Muslim mysticism. Its author was born in 1207 at Balkh in Central Asia but, as a child accompanied his father and family to settle in Qonya in Anatolia. After he had followed his father as a preacher, Rumi's mystical bent became more pronounced, particularly after the beginnning of his relationship with the dervish Shams al-Dn of Tabriz which led to non-conformist behaviour and an outpouring of lyric poetry. Rumi had his own circle of followers, the origin of the Mevlevi sufi order, whose whirling dance is said to be inspired by their Shaikh's own ecstasies.

Begun in 1262 AD, Masnavi-ye Ma 'navi, or 'spiritual couplets', is thought to be the longest single-authored 'mystical' poem ever written. As the spiritual masterpiece of the Persian Sufi tradition, it teaches how to progress to the ultimate goal of the Sufi path - union with God. Jalaloddin Rumi was a poet and a mystic, but he was first a teacher; in these verses he draws the reader into the complexities of human love and separation and explains the path to divine love through the elimination of self-regard and worldly desires. Drawing on diverse sources from bawdy tales and fables to stories of the prophet Mohammed, these verses are brief in expression yet copious in meaning.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

A two volume set comprising the critical notes and commentary provided by Nicholson to his edition and translation of Rumi's great poem on Islamic mysticism. (Gibb Memorial Trust)

MawlanaJalal al-Din Rumi's poem, the Mathnawi, is one of the best known and most influential works of Muslim mysticism. Its author was born in 1207 at Balkh in Central Asia but, as a child accompanied his father and family to settle in Qonya in Anatolia. After he had followed his father as a preacher, Rumi's mystical bent became more pronounced, particularly after the beginnning of his relationship with the dervish Shams al-Dn of Tabriz which led to non-conformist behaviour and an outpouring of lyric poetry. Rumi had his own circle of followers, the origin of the Mevlevi sufi order, whose whirling dance is said to be inspired by their Shaikh's own ecstasies.