Jalal al-Din Rumi: Remembering the Sufi Figure Behind the Mevlevi Tradition

September 30 marks the anniversary of the birth of Jalal al-Din Rumi, who was born in 1207 and became one of the most celebrated figures in Sufism.

A poet, scholar and spiritual teacher, Rumi explored love, faith and the soul’s search for closeness to God. His writing used stories and imagery to express ideas about the inner life, giving his work an appeal that extended beyond scholarly circles.

Rumi is closely associated with the Mevlevi tradition, which took shape among his followers after his death. Its distinctive whirling practice became an expression of spiritual devotion and one of the tradition’s most recognisable features.

His legacy endures both in Sufi practice and in the continuing readership of his poetry. The anniversary offers an opportunity to revisit a life whose influence reaches across literature and religious thought.