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Sufi Comics: Rumi
An enriching collection of Rumi’s poems in graphic form.
Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi, a 13th century theologian, jurist and poet led a quiet life in central Anatolia, Turkey. He left a legacy of the most profound poems and stories.
It’s been 800 years since Rumi lay ink to his mystical words. Yet, even today, the spiritual wisdom that flowed from his lips, creating ripples in our hearts.
On reading his poems, one can’t help but reflect that there is more to this world than the physical and material.
The objects he refers to are so familiar, his message so universal and words so sublime, that one finds simple villagers and to university professors all quoting Rumi with fondness and fervour.
Sufi Comics - Rumi is an enriching collection of Rumi’s entrancing poems in graphic form. We’ve chosen to portray the illustrations in the Turkish-Iranian miniature style to reflect the ambiance of 13th Century Persia.
Every poem is followed by sacred verses of the Holy Quran and Islamic traditions, to reflect the inspiration of Rumi’s poems. These verses and traditions are inscribed in Arabic by Muqtar Ahmed, one of India s finest Islamic calligraphers.
We live in a world that is increasingly materialistic and devoid of the spirit. In times like these, Rumi's poems are an invitation to get in touch with your soul and experience Divine Love.
Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi, a 13th century theologian, jurist and poet led a quiet life in central Anatolia, Turkey. He left a legacy of the most profound poems and stories.
It’s been 800 years since Rumi lay ink to his mystical words. Yet, even today, the spiritual wisdom that flowed from his lips, creating ripples in our hearts.
On reading his poems, one can’t help but reflect that there is more to this world than the physical and material.
The objects he refers to are so familiar, his message so universal and words so sublime, that one finds simple villagers and to university professors all quoting Rumi with fondness and fervour.
Sufi Comics - Rumi is an enriching collection of Rumi’s entrancing poems in graphic form. We’ve chosen to portray the illustrations in the Turkish-Iranian miniature style to reflect the ambiance of 13th Century Persia.
Every poem is followed by sacred verses of the Holy Quran and Islamic traditions, to reflect the inspiration of Rumi’s poems. These verses and traditions are inscribed in Arabic by Muqtar Ahmed, one of India s finest Islamic calligraphers.
We live in a world that is increasingly materialistic and devoid of the spirit. In times like these, Rumi's poems are an invitation to get in touch with your soul and experience Divine Love.
- GenresIslamGraphic Novels
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2014
5 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 15, 2023
Sufi comics was rather a unique book for the very reason that I could never imagine Rumi's works to be represented in the form of a comic! I think I am going to write more about the visual design elements of the book instead of its content. Haha
I must say it was a visual treat! It doesn't just contain English translations but also Farsi writings, and the beautiful script adds to the overall beauty of the pages. The borders of the pages are eye-catching with intricate Turkish motifs! The illustrations definitely help us understand the content more deeply but also give a strong idea of the culture and traditions of Rumi's time. I specifically loved the illustrations of the old Turkish markets that Rahil Mohsin has so skilfully created.
As far as the content is concerned, it is to do with God broadly. However, the stories are pretty interesting though very short.
P.S. Thanks Kunal for this one too! :)
I must say it was a visual treat! It doesn't just contain English translations but also Farsi writings, and the beautiful script adds to the overall beauty of the pages. The borders of the pages are eye-catching with intricate Turkish motifs! The illustrations definitely help us understand the content more deeply but also give a strong idea of the culture and traditions of Rumi's time. I specifically loved the illustrations of the old Turkish markets that Rahil Mohsin has so skilfully created.
As far as the content is concerned, it is to do with God broadly. However, the stories are pretty interesting though very short.
P.S. Thanks Kunal for this one too! :)
June 23, 2017
The ancient poetry of Rumi is classic and still stands the test of time. The artwork and calligraphy are astounding. If you have never read Rumi, this is a great place to start.
September 27, 2017
3.5 stars
April 16, 2025
Sufi Comics is by the Vakil brothers - Mohammed Ali Vakil and Mohammed Arif Vakil. Interestingly, they are chartered accountants too. What is even more interesting is that they are practitioners and trainers of Getting Things Done (GTD - a productivity methodology propagated by David Allen). I have had multiple chances to meet and interact with them - at GTD workshop and at Comic Con Bengaluru (various years). You can right away tell that they embody sufism. Every time I look at these books, I wonder how much this path of spirituality must have influenced these two brothers that they invested themselves in Sufi Comics.
As labelled, vol. 1 of Rumi came out first and it shows. How it is structured is very different from vol. 2. In Rumi vol. 1, you will find quotes by other saints and maulanas along with those of Prophet Mohammed and Rumi a.k.a. Mevlana whereas Rumi vol. 2 is all about the latter two only. But, both the books have meaningful stories to go with the teachings and quotes, accompanied by appropriate illustrations by Rahil Mohsin (of Hallubol fame) and bewitching calligraphy by Muqtar Ahmed.
While reading Rumi vol. 1, one of the chapters intrigued me. In fact, it was a particular line at the end of that chapter. “The cries of the agonised spring from ecstasy.” After reading this line, I couldn’t get back to this book for two days. It got me thinking, why does one have to suffer in order to catch the attention of the gods, be it any religion? Is it something that got carried forward to the modern religions from old world ways of worshiping and pleasing the old gods? Is subjecting oneself to suffering to please the gods the alternative to animal sacrifices? I have had these questions with me for a very long time when it comes to discussions on religions. Gods, irrespective of religion, are made in the image of love and peace, even though there are wars between different religions. Why would the gods want to make us suffer, to see us suffer and offer those sufferings to them? One might say it is because the gods have something better in store for us and want us to strive for it. That makes sense. But, what if the followers are not ambitious and are okay with whatever they have, wherever they are? Is suffering still a necessity? What if the followers are grateful to the gods for what they have and need nothing more? I guess that’s where beliefs of different sects and clans come into picture. That’s where the differences and conflicts arise, internal as well as external.
I continued reading vol. 1 and moved to Rumi vol. 2. In it, if not for all of my questions, I found answers for a few, in one of the chapters. In this chapter, when Moses admonishes a person for not praying to Allah in a prescribed manner and makes that person run away in tears, the god in turn admonishes Moses, questioning him, who he is to say what is to be done and what not. Allah tells Moses that as long as the people talk, pray, worship or just communicate in whichever manner they see feasible, it is acceptable to Allah. The god shows the great Moses his place. This chapter gave me a bit of solace. Nobody is qualified to tell others how one has to behave with the gods as long as they are not misbehaving.
This is also the reason why there are many good hearted people in the world who are atheists. Communicating with the gods is a way of communicating with self and vice versa. If your inner moral compass is working well, then you don’t have to worry about which faith you need to belong to. But the sense of belonging gives a certain level of comfort to many. To each their own.
Apart from one volume putting to rest the doubts raised by another volume, these two books are beautiful and calming to look at. The floral and Islamic patterns that decorate both the books cover to cover go well with the teachings in them.
Rumi vol. 1 and 2 by Sufi Comics deserve the money you spend on them - for what you get to read and all the efforts that have gone in their making.
As labelled, vol. 1 of Rumi came out first and it shows. How it is structured is very different from vol. 2. In Rumi vol. 1, you will find quotes by other saints and maulanas along with those of Prophet Mohammed and Rumi a.k.a. Mevlana whereas Rumi vol. 2 is all about the latter two only. But, both the books have meaningful stories to go with the teachings and quotes, accompanied by appropriate illustrations by Rahil Mohsin (of Hallubol fame) and bewitching calligraphy by Muqtar Ahmed.
While reading Rumi vol. 1, one of the chapters intrigued me. In fact, it was a particular line at the end of that chapter. “The cries of the agonised spring from ecstasy.” After reading this line, I couldn’t get back to this book for two days. It got me thinking, why does one have to suffer in order to catch the attention of the gods, be it any religion? Is it something that got carried forward to the modern religions from old world ways of worshiping and pleasing the old gods? Is subjecting oneself to suffering to please the gods the alternative to animal sacrifices? I have had these questions with me for a very long time when it comes to discussions on religions. Gods, irrespective of religion, are made in the image of love and peace, even though there are wars between different religions. Why would the gods want to make us suffer, to see us suffer and offer those sufferings to them? One might say it is because the gods have something better in store for us and want us to strive for it. That makes sense. But, what if the followers are not ambitious and are okay with whatever they have, wherever they are? Is suffering still a necessity? What if the followers are grateful to the gods for what they have and need nothing more? I guess that’s where beliefs of different sects and clans come into picture. That’s where the differences and conflicts arise, internal as well as external.
I continued reading vol. 1 and moved to Rumi vol. 2. In it, if not for all of my questions, I found answers for a few, in one of the chapters. In this chapter, when Moses admonishes a person for not praying to Allah in a prescribed manner and makes that person run away in tears, the god in turn admonishes Moses, questioning him, who he is to say what is to be done and what not. Allah tells Moses that as long as the people talk, pray, worship or just communicate in whichever manner they see feasible, it is acceptable to Allah. The god shows the great Moses his place. This chapter gave me a bit of solace. Nobody is qualified to tell others how one has to behave with the gods as long as they are not misbehaving.
This is also the reason why there are many good hearted people in the world who are atheists. Communicating with the gods is a way of communicating with self and vice versa. If your inner moral compass is working well, then you don’t have to worry about which faith you need to belong to. But the sense of belonging gives a certain level of comfort to many. To each their own.
Apart from one volume putting to rest the doubts raised by another volume, these two books are beautiful and calming to look at. The floral and Islamic patterns that decorate both the books cover to cover go well with the teachings in them.
Rumi vol. 1 and 2 by Sufi Comics deserve the money you spend on them - for what you get to read and all the efforts that have gone in their making.
September 2, 2014
Excellent art and presentation. Sufi Comics never fails to deliver in bringing to life the spirituality of Islam, with comedy and depth of heart and soul. Rumi is no different. This is a great addition to the library for the whole family.
My personal favorite poem-comics in this volume are The Tattoo Artist and Keep Your Dragon In The Snow. Keep Your Dragon In The Snow is a perfect metaphor for the entire point of religion and spirituity. Rumi helps us realize this with a fun story about a young man claiming to have slain a dragon, and in this volume we are treated with a graphical presentation of the story. The dragon itself is terrifyingly realized. Admittedly, with The Tattoo Artist my initial love comes from having been tattooed myself and knowing of people who can't handle the pain. The use of that entire experience to elucidate a spiritual point is fantastic. It seems an unusualimage for a Muslim to use, because of the taboo on tattoos in Islam.
The inclusion of verses from the Qur'an and traditional sayings from Muhammad (sal) and the Imams of his Family (as), on beautifully illuminated English pages and in Arabic calligraphy, goes a long way to co textualizing both Rumi himself, as well as his poetry. All too often, Rumi and other Sufi poets (Hafiz, Sa'di etc) are divorced from their Muslim religious life and environment in an attempt to universalize them. As a result, something is not merely lost in translation, a great disservice is done to the world by removing Islam from the spiritual lives of these men. This is especially true in these troubled times, when a person simply watching the news would be hard pressed to believe that such beauty of word and character and depth of spiritual insight could originate in the heartlands of Islam.
My personal favorite poem-comics in this volume are The Tattoo Artist and Keep Your Dragon In The Snow. Keep Your Dragon In The Snow is a perfect metaphor for the entire point of religion and spirituity. Rumi helps us realize this with a fun story about a young man claiming to have slain a dragon, and in this volume we are treated with a graphical presentation of the story. The dragon itself is terrifyingly realized. Admittedly, with The Tattoo Artist my initial love comes from having been tattooed myself and knowing of people who can't handle the pain. The use of that entire experience to elucidate a spiritual point is fantastic. It seems an unusualimage for a Muslim to use, because of the taboo on tattoos in Islam.
The inclusion of verses from the Qur'an and traditional sayings from Muhammad (sal) and the Imams of his Family (as), on beautifully illuminated English pages and in Arabic calligraphy, goes a long way to co textualizing both Rumi himself, as well as his poetry. All too often, Rumi and other Sufi poets (Hafiz, Sa'di etc) are divorced from their Muslim religious life and environment in an attempt to universalize them. As a result, something is not merely lost in translation, a great disservice is done to the world by removing Islam from the spiritual lives of these men. This is especially true in these troubled times, when a person simply watching the news would be hard pressed to believe that such beauty of word and character and depth of spiritual insight could originate in the heartlands of Islam.
September 10, 2015
I enjoyed this book a lot. The book is filled with relevant poems from Rumi's greatest works. I especially liked the illustrations and the verses from the Holy Quran as they related to the metaphors. I would re read this book to gain a better understanding of spirituality and Islam. Perfect for a cup of tea and endless evenings pondering over life.
February 9, 2016
Very nice, the good graphics appeal the readers and made the poem easy to be understood
July 10, 2016
These book was the toughest one I read. And it was the most confusing one I read. And I could not understand much.
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August 16, 2021I really like the art.. but I don't plan to share this book with kids
September 2, 2014
Awesome and a must read... Looking forward to re-read it in book-format...
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February 14, 2018Rumi
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews