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Rumi: Whispers of the Beloved
A breathtaking new collection of translations of poems by Rumi, one of the world’s most loved mystical teachers. Beautifully illustrated with Persian calligraphy, this is an ideal ebook for every MBS reader.
Jalal-uddin Rumi was born in what is now Afghanistan in 1207. His poetry has inspired generations of spiritual seekers, both from his own Sufi school and well beyond. His poems speak to the seeker and the lover in all of us.
In recent years, interest in Rumi has skyrocketed, with perrfomances, CDs by Deepak Chopra, and filmed versions of his life all in the work. In these beautiful, simple new translations – 100 in all – his timeless appeal is obvious.
141 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2023
57 people are currently reading
929 people want to read
About the author
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi
1,170 books15.7k followersSufism inspired writings of Persian poet and mystic Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi; these writings express the longing of the soul for union with the divine.
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī - also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ/Mawlānā (مولانا, "our master"), Mevlevî/Mawlawī (مولوی, "my master") and more popularly simply as Rumi - was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic who lived in Konya, a city of Ottoman Empire (Today's Turkey). His poems have been widely translated into many of the world's languages, and he has been described as the most popular poet and the best-selling poet in the United States.
His poetry has influenced Persian literature, but also Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Azerbaijani, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu, as well as the literature of some other Turkic, Iranian, and Indo-Aryan languages including Chagatai, Pashto, and Bengali.
Due to quarrels between different dynasties in Khorāṣān, opposition to the Khwarizmid Shahs who were considered devious by his father, Bahā ud-Dīn Wālad or fear of the impending Mongol cataclysm, his father decided to migrate westwards, eventually settling in the Anatolian city Konya, where he lived most of his life, composed one of the crowning glories of Persian literature, and profoundly affected the culture of the area.
When his father died, Rumi, aged 25, inherited his position as the head of an Islamic school. One of Baha' ud-Din's students, Sayyed Burhan ud-Din Muhaqqiq Termazi, continued to train Rumi in the Shariah as well as the Tariqa, especially that of Rumi's father. For nine years, Rumi practised Sufism as a disciple of Burhan ud-Din until the latter died in 1240 or 1241. Rumi's public life then began: he became an Islamic Jurist, issuing fatwas and giving sermons in the mosques of Konya. He also served as a Molvi (Islamic teacher) and taught his adherents in the madrassa. During this period, Rumi also travelled to Damascus and is said to have spent four years there.
It was his meeting with the dervish Shams-e Tabrizi on 15 November 1244 that completely changed his life. From an accomplished teacher and jurist, Rumi was transformed into an ascetic.
On the night of 5 December 1248, as Rumi and Shams were talking, Shams was called to the back door. He went out, never to be seen again. Rumi's love for, and his bereavement at the death of, Shams found their expression in an outpouring of lyric poems, Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi. He himself went out searching for Shams and journeyed again to Damascus.
Rumi found another companion in Salaḥ ud-Din-e Zarkub, a goldsmith. After Salah ud-Din's death, Rumi's scribe and favourite student, Hussam-e Chalabi, assumed the role of Rumi's companion. Hussam implored Rumi to write more. Rumi spent the next 12 years of his life in Anatolia dictating the six volumes of this masterwork, the Masnavi, to Hussam.
In December 1273, Rumi fell ill and died on the 17th of December in Konya.
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī - also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ/Mawlānā (مولانا, "our master"), Mevlevî/Mawlawī (مولوی, "my master") and more popularly simply as Rumi - was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic who lived in Konya, a city of Ottoman Empire (Today's Turkey). His poems have been widely translated into many of the world's languages, and he has been described as the most popular poet and the best-selling poet in the United States.
His poetry has influenced Persian literature, but also Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Azerbaijani, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu, as well as the literature of some other Turkic, Iranian, and Indo-Aryan languages including Chagatai, Pashto, and Bengali.
Due to quarrels between different dynasties in Khorāṣān, opposition to the Khwarizmid Shahs who were considered devious by his father, Bahā ud-Dīn Wālad or fear of the impending Mongol cataclysm, his father decided to migrate westwards, eventually settling in the Anatolian city Konya, where he lived most of his life, composed one of the crowning glories of Persian literature, and profoundly affected the culture of the area.
When his father died, Rumi, aged 25, inherited his position as the head of an Islamic school. One of Baha' ud-Din's students, Sayyed Burhan ud-Din Muhaqqiq Termazi, continued to train Rumi in the Shariah as well as the Tariqa, especially that of Rumi's father. For nine years, Rumi practised Sufism as a disciple of Burhan ud-Din until the latter died in 1240 or 1241. Rumi's public life then began: he became an Islamic Jurist, issuing fatwas and giving sermons in the mosques of Konya. He also served as a Molvi (Islamic teacher) and taught his adherents in the madrassa. During this period, Rumi also travelled to Damascus and is said to have spent four years there.
It was his meeting with the dervish Shams-e Tabrizi on 15 November 1244 that completely changed his life. From an accomplished teacher and jurist, Rumi was transformed into an ascetic.
On the night of 5 December 1248, as Rumi and Shams were talking, Shams was called to the back door. He went out, never to be seen again. Rumi's love for, and his bereavement at the death of, Shams found their expression in an outpouring of lyric poems, Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi. He himself went out searching for Shams and journeyed again to Damascus.
Rumi found another companion in Salaḥ ud-Din-e Zarkub, a goldsmith. After Salah ud-Din's death, Rumi's scribe and favourite student, Hussam-e Chalabi, assumed the role of Rumi's companion. Hussam implored Rumi to write more. Rumi spent the next 12 years of his life in Anatolia dictating the six volumes of this masterwork, the Masnavi, to Hussam.
In December 1273, Rumi fell ill and died on the 17th of December in Konya.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 6, 2017
It's the type of book I know I will keep going back to, to find inspiration.
May 19, 2016
Lovely little book of poetry from the Sufi master. I'm sure I'll come back and read this again a few times and get something new from it.
This line really resonated with me:
“If you can’t smell the fragrance don’t come into the garden of Love. If you’re unwilling to undress don’t enter into the stream of Truth. Stay where you are. Don’t come our way.”
and this:
“My heart is so small it's almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?
"Look," He answered,
"your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”
This line really resonated with me:
“If you can’t smell the fragrance don’t come into the garden of Love. If you’re unwilling to undress don’t enter into the stream of Truth. Stay where you are. Don’t come our way.”
and this:
“My heart is so small it's almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?
"Look," He answered,
"your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”
January 12, 2023
This collection of Rumi poems is a gem of a read, full of hopeful, whimsical and magical pieces!
March 17, 2015
This book makes me want to go learn Arabic so I can read this in the original. Stunning poetry. I appreciated the glossary in the back to "decode" Sufi terms.
May 15, 2021
i rarely read poetry but this was okay-ish. i don’t find myself re reading ever but i did highlight lots of quotes i liked :0.
“Disharmony prevails when you confuse lust with love,
while the distance between the two is endless.”
“ It’s good to leave each day behind,
like flowing water, free of sadness.
Yesterday is gone and it’s tale told.
Today new seeds are growing.”
“I said to the night,
‘If you are in love with the moon, it is because
you never stay for long.’
The night turned to me and said,
‘ It is not my fault. I never see the sun.
How can i know love is endless?’”
“Disharmony prevails when you confuse lust with love,
while the distance between the two is endless.”
“ It’s good to leave each day behind,
like flowing water, free of sadness.
Yesterday is gone and it’s tale told.
Today new seeds are growing.”
“I said to the night,
‘If you are in love with the moon, it is because
you never stay for long.’
The night turned to me and said,
‘ It is not my fault. I never see the sun.
How can i know love is endless?’”
December 8, 2021
A great pocket sized book, I took this with me on my long train journeys and I fell in love. Rumi may be a 13th century spiritual poet but his poetry runs deep till today, I certainly was one to feel that way! I Highly recommend.
April 27, 2020
Essential reading
I’m almost sad that I bought this book as an ebook and not as a physical copy, just because of how beautiful the cover is. Alas, my bulging bookcase prevents me from doing so. I’ve heard a lot about ‘Rumi’ throughout the years, come across his poetry in the form of pictures and articles, as I’m sure many of us have. However the introduction to this book showed me how little I really knew about Rumi.
The book starts with an introduction to Rumi and his life. Going into details about his heritage and family life and helps draw an image of what kind of a man Rumi really was. The more I read of his life and struggles the more I wish I knew my fathers mother language, Persian. So that I might “spend time together with Rumi and deepen my understanding of him” as the authors set out to do in the writing of this book.
I went into this book with pretty high expectations and I can fully say that my expectations were met with success. The poetry was written clearly and translated in such a way that it flowed nicely and could be enjoyed fully. I think the world needs more Muslim poets.
As my second read of Ramadan I’ve found that this book also compliments my first read - Reclaim your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed. Having finished this book in one sitting, I’m increasingly grateful for my spontaneous purchase based on the cover alone. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the verse and I’m thankful the book was brought to me during this time in my life. I think my current read follows on wonderfully from this read- Secrets of Divine Love by A. Helwa. Stay tuned for that review shortly!
For more of the review and for other reviews please go to my blog at tahmasebi-reads.com or go to my Instagram page @tahmasebireads
I’m almost sad that I bought this book as an ebook and not as a physical copy, just because of how beautiful the cover is. Alas, my bulging bookcase prevents me from doing so. I’ve heard a lot about ‘Rumi’ throughout the years, come across his poetry in the form of pictures and articles, as I’m sure many of us have. However the introduction to this book showed me how little I really knew about Rumi.
The book starts with an introduction to Rumi and his life. Going into details about his heritage and family life and helps draw an image of what kind of a man Rumi really was. The more I read of his life and struggles the more I wish I knew my fathers mother language, Persian. So that I might “spend time together with Rumi and deepen my understanding of him” as the authors set out to do in the writing of this book.
I went into this book with pretty high expectations and I can fully say that my expectations were met with success. The poetry was written clearly and translated in such a way that it flowed nicely and could be enjoyed fully. I think the world needs more Muslim poets.
As my second read of Ramadan I’ve found that this book also compliments my first read - Reclaim your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed. Having finished this book in one sitting, I’m increasingly grateful for my spontaneous purchase based on the cover alone. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the verse and I’m thankful the book was brought to me during this time in my life. I think my current read follows on wonderfully from this read- Secrets of Divine Love by A. Helwa. Stay tuned for that review shortly!
For more of the review and for other reviews please go to my blog at tahmasebi-reads.com or go to my Instagram page @tahmasebireads
January 25, 2025
Rumi’s whole vibe on love? It’s not just for people it’s like this deep love for God too he’s so lost in it it’s mesmerizing. And the way he talks about life struggles? It hits different. Right now I’m just reflecting on how I love, how I give, and how I show it all
June 12, 2019
I really wanted to avoid a westernised translation and this is a wonderful (albeit short) collection translated by native Persian speakers.
February 24, 2025
নিজের প্রেমিকের কথা ভাবতে ভাবতে বইটা পড়ে ফেললাম। তারপর ভাবলাম আম্মুকে ও এটা পড়তে দেব। তাহলে না লেখাপড়া না করে প্রেম করার জন্য গালাগাল দেবে না :3
June 8, 2020
This book is significant to me in more ways than one. The most significant one being the fact that I received this book from a complete stranger forming part of a book chain that was initiated on Social Media. Much to the chagrin and jealousies of naysayers and doomsday prophets, the book link did not turn out to be a devious scheme designed to "Ponzify" its gullible victims. So without naming the benevolent individual who gifted me this precious book,I will just place on record my heartfelt appreciation and admiration!
Now coming to the book itself. This is a selected collection of pearls from Rumi's Quatrains. These seraphic, rhapsody inducing pieces, selected and translated by Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam M give immense pleasure to the reader. Sensual yet simple; cheerily plain yet pure; melancholic yet melodious, each one of these gems sets the reader to think, experience and get immersed in the dance of words and the depth of meaning. ‘Whispers of the beloved is at once the dervish swirl of Shams of Tabriz and at the next the unabashed dripping eloquence of Rumi paying homage at the feet of the former. A range of emotions permeate the length of this small collection. Scorn goes toe to toe with selflessness and love attempts a dangerous dalliance with rejection. Happiness is interspersed with hatred and forgiveness plays host to irreparable loss.
Rumi’s genius lay in his spontaneity. A spontaneity that enveloped the swirl of human imagination and grasped the essence of the very cosmos. A surreal sense of enlightened spirituality mingled with the alarming innocence of a rustic mind, lends to his works a heightened sense of beauty, realization and fulfilment. Without attempting to say more, Rumi says it all! The unimaginable economy of words opens the door to a universal expression of catharsis. The Rumi imprimatur is one which can be repeatedly attempted and aspired for, but never attained. This extraordinary genius once said “Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love”. The world is eternally indebted to Rumi for silently and steadily allowing himself to be drawn by the pull of not only what he really loved, but more significantly left behind as an immortal legacy to be savoured, cherished and raptured over by a legion of humanity that never cared for trivial punctuations such as caste, creed, colour, sex and religion.
Jalaluddin Rumi – The perennial poet of the past, present and future.
Now coming to the book itself. This is a selected collection of pearls from Rumi's Quatrains. These seraphic, rhapsody inducing pieces, selected and translated by Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam M give immense pleasure to the reader. Sensual yet simple; cheerily plain yet pure; melancholic yet melodious, each one of these gems sets the reader to think, experience and get immersed in the dance of words and the depth of meaning. ‘Whispers of the beloved is at once the dervish swirl of Shams of Tabriz and at the next the unabashed dripping eloquence of Rumi paying homage at the feet of the former. A range of emotions permeate the length of this small collection. Scorn goes toe to toe with selflessness and love attempts a dangerous dalliance with rejection. Happiness is interspersed with hatred and forgiveness plays host to irreparable loss.
Rumi’s genius lay in his spontaneity. A spontaneity that enveloped the swirl of human imagination and grasped the essence of the very cosmos. A surreal sense of enlightened spirituality mingled with the alarming innocence of a rustic mind, lends to his works a heightened sense of beauty, realization and fulfilment. Without attempting to say more, Rumi says it all! The unimaginable economy of words opens the door to a universal expression of catharsis. The Rumi imprimatur is one which can be repeatedly attempted and aspired for, but never attained. This extraordinary genius once said “Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love”. The world is eternally indebted to Rumi for silently and steadily allowing himself to be drawn by the pull of not only what he really loved, but more significantly left behind as an immortal legacy to be savoured, cherished and raptured over by a legion of humanity that never cared for trivial punctuations such as caste, creed, colour, sex and religion.
Jalaluddin Rumi – The perennial poet of the past, present and future.
July 10, 2014
Ever so sacred text on the beloved and his lover. Rumi evoques the beauty of love which can be seen portrayed as a lover caressing every traits of the beloved face,inward and outward, so tangible and close, yet so distant and hidden.
The distance is like the one of heaven and earth or when you just meet the beloved it is even as distant as from the pit of hell to the mountains of heaven. The love he described it's almost similar to singing a worship song, with every core of your body, every inch of your soul.
It is beautiful and dreamy.
A friend who also sings once wrote "hold it, hold it slippery edge, hang on to the first note that you remember from your own childhood. Follow it, you'll reach the place that will stop you from searching and stop you from wandering, you will reach yourself." Her writing reminds me of Rumi...
Beautiful!!!
When you meet the beloved, you will surely not be the same again!
The distance is like the one of heaven and earth or when you just meet the beloved it is even as distant as from the pit of hell to the mountains of heaven. The love he described it's almost similar to singing a worship song, with every core of your body, every inch of your soul.
It is beautiful and dreamy.
A friend who also sings once wrote "hold it, hold it slippery edge, hang on to the first note that you remember from your own childhood. Follow it, you'll reach the place that will stop you from searching and stop you from wandering, you will reach yourself." Her writing reminds me of Rumi...
Beautiful!!!
When you meet the beloved, you will surely not be the same again!
January 3, 2017
It's a beautifully done collection and is very thought-provoking. Sufi mysticism hinging on a very romantic love of God, and something I've always been fascinated with. I think some facets of Hinduism are similar, at least when I hear devotional songs for Krishna, they remind me of sensual Ghazals I've also heard.
I'll have to keep flipping through this to absorb it all. I'm also partial to looking at it literally as well, but the mention of finding love within oneself is most tantalizing. There's so much to get out of these quatrains.
I'll have to keep flipping through this to absorb it all. I'm also partial to looking at it literally as well, but the mention of finding love within oneself is most tantalizing. There's so much to get out of these quatrains.
August 24, 2016
It somehow missed the mark with me although I adore Rumi's poetry
May 28, 2025
❝Peaceful is the one who’s not concerned with having more or less.
Unbound by name and fame he is free from sorrow from the world and mostly from himself.❞
❝The one who cuts off your head is your friend.
The one who puts it back is a deceiver.
The one who weighs you with his troubles is your burden.
But the one who truly loves you will set you free.❞
❝You know what love is?
It is all kindness, generosity.
Disharmony prevails when you confuse lust with love, while the distance between the two is endless.❞
❝To be or not to be is not my dilemma.
To break away from both worlds is not bravery.
To be unaware of the wonders that exist in me, that is real madness!❞
❝Be thirsty heart, seek forever without a rest.
Let this soundless longing hidden deep inside you be the source of every word you say.❞
❝It’s good to leave each day behind, like flowing water, free of sadness.
Yesterday is gone and its tale told. Today new seeds are growing.❞
❝My heart is so small it’s almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?
“Look,” He answered, “your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”❞
Unbound by name and fame he is free from sorrow from the world and mostly from himself.❞
❝The one who cuts off your head is your friend.
The one who puts it back is a deceiver.
The one who weighs you with his troubles is your burden.
But the one who truly loves you will set you free.❞
❝You know what love is?
It is all kindness, generosity.
Disharmony prevails when you confuse lust with love, while the distance between the two is endless.❞
❝To be or not to be is not my dilemma.
To break away from both worlds is not bravery.
To be unaware of the wonders that exist in me, that is real madness!❞
❝Be thirsty heart, seek forever without a rest.
Let this soundless longing hidden deep inside you be the source of every word you say.❞
❝It’s good to leave each day behind, like flowing water, free of sadness.
Yesterday is gone and its tale told. Today new seeds are growing.❞
❝My heart is so small it’s almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?
“Look,” He answered, “your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”❞
October 9, 2025
Rumi is, to me, one of the most gifted souls the world has ever known. His words feel like pure magic timeless, tender, and full of divine wisdom. Every line seems to open a doorway into the heart.
One of my favorite verses says:
“My heart is so small it’s almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?”
“Look,” He answered, “your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”
This simple exchange contains an entire universe. It reminds me that the human heart, though fragile, has an infinite capacity for love, grief, and wonder. Rumi’s poetry doesn’t just speak to the mind it speaks to the soul.
One of my favorite verses says:
“My heart is so small it’s almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?”
“Look,” He answered, “your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”
This simple exchange contains an entire universe. It reminds me that the human heart, though fragile, has an infinite capacity for love, grief, and wonder. Rumi’s poetry doesn’t just speak to the mind it speaks to the soul.
July 8, 2023
A beautiful collection of translation of poems by rumi. It is a pocket friendly book . This book has only 135 pages with verses of a100 pages and these are not complete poems, they are verses from different collection.It just took me 1 hr to finish. My fav part of the book is beautifully illustrated with persion calligraphy,this an ideal ebook . I don't recommend this book for people who are reading rumi books for first time but still if you only want to see gimples of rumi you can .I would like to suggest you to buy ebook .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2021
"Invoking Your name does not help me to see You.
Longing for your lips does not bring them any closer
'What veils You from me is my memory of You'."
"Beyond a hundred steps of wisdom, I will be free from good and bad .
Behind the veils I will find such Splendor, such Beauty that I will fall in love with Myself."
Why is my heart so troubled?
Why has love reduced me to nothing?
Why does this heart of mine fight with me day and night?
Why?
Longing for your lips does not bring them any closer
'What veils You from me is my memory of You'."
"Beyond a hundred steps of wisdom, I will be free from good and bad .
Behind the veils I will find such Splendor, such Beauty that I will fall in love with Myself."
Why is my heart so troubled?
Why has love reduced me to nothing?
Why does this heart of mine fight with me day and night?
Why?
December 10, 2021
Received this as a gift. I did not read it as I would a normal book. I'd flip it open to an arbitrary page, and read the quatrain there. I don't think I can say that I've finished reading this. I'll probably keep reading it again and again, hoping to find answers to all the mysteries of life.
One of my favorite quatrains is this:
“My heart is so small it's almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?
"Look," He answered,
"your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”
One of my favorite quatrains is this:
“My heart is so small it's almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?
"Look," He answered,
"your eyes are even smaller, yet they behold the world.”
February 9, 2022
okay so this book was all about rumi's relationship with god. i did not really enjoy reading about it but it was still so beautifully crafted and without a doubt, he has skill. but also the symbolism and terms were hard to understand and/or interpret until i found a page in the back of the book that stated what the references meant tysmmmm to that page!!!! but i couldn't have gone without it. some of the poems were very very pretty and relatable so this KINDA slayed but eh.
January 15, 2022
This is the book, that will always be closer to my heart. The best of Rumi. The divine love visualized in the words, is total serene and ecstatic, simultaneously. I love the way, all the poems are translated, they are heart pounding, and so full of love and melancholy. Also, this book inspired me a lot. ❤️
April 14, 2023
Lovely collection of Rumis love poems. You can feel the inspiration and enthusiam of Mafi and Kolin, having selected these selection of poems. One of the books to have on your bedside table, to carry in your handbag or to send it as a gift to a loved one. Easy to read, while you need a bit of a time to digest each one of the poems. Loved the illustration as well!
Read
September 16, 2018It's a nice little collection of Rumi's poems that works well as an introduction to him. You can read them once and move on or sit with them for hours and keep getting more insight out of a few lines of text. These poems made for nice meditations at the beginning of each day.
June 6, 2021
Tal vez tenía demasiadas expectativas, lo he leído muy rápido o simplemente no era el momento adecuado, pero no me ha llegado. Aún así, tiene frases muy buenas y puede que le de otra oportunidad al autor en un futuro.
January 15, 2022
Are you searching for your soul? Then come out of your prison. Leave the stream and join the river that flows into the ocean.
Absorbed in this world you’ve made it your burden. Rise above this world. There is another vision…
Absorbed in this world you’ve made it your burden. Rise above this world. There is another vision…
January 28, 2018
Beautiful
May 30, 2018
Rumi had figured it all out!
June 4, 2018
3.75✨
July 6, 2018
A lovely little book, one I think I'll come back to from time to time.
August 5, 2019
The epitome of succinctness - inspirational as frick.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews