Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī, known in much of the world as Rumi, was born on 30 September 1207 and died on 17 December 1273. Few poets have crossed linguistic, religious, and national boundaries as fully as he has. In Persian literary history he is often called Mawlānā, “our master,” and in the Turkish-speaking world he is remembered as Mevlânâ; “Rumi,” the name by which he is most familiar in English, means…
“There is one thing in this world that must never be forgotten. If you forget everything else and remember that, you need not worry; if you remember everything else and forget that, you have done nothing at all.”
Neighbourhood:
Medieval Poets, Mystical & Spiritual Poets, Persian Mystic Poets
Emotional landscape: Spirituality, Longing, Tenderness
Abu Nuwas, whose full name was al-Hasan ibn Hani al-Hakami and whose life is generally dated from about 756 to about 814, occupies a singular position in the history of Arabic poetry. Few poets have been so admired for verbal brilliance, so censured for moral provocation, so repeatedly transformed into legend, and so difficult to confine within a single image. He is remembered above all as the great poet of wine, urb…
“He who lives in fear of death dies a thousand times before his time.”
Neighbourhood:
Ancient & Classical Poets, Arabic Poets, Classical & Ancient Poets, Love Poets, Mystical & Spiritual Poets, Persian Mystic Poets
Emotional landscape: Sensuality, Joy, Longing
