The Candle That Lit The Fire Within Our Hearts

In this book, we discover the mystical journey of Mevlana Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi - whose teachings continue to bring us peace.

For many, the studies, prayers and mystical practices that brought Mevlana Rumi close to God remain a mystery. Our aim is to uncover this mystery, providing insight into how we can draw closer to God.

We trace Mevlana Rumi's tumultuous travels from Vakhsh to Konya and we relive his meetings with princes and paupers. We then correlate Mevlana Rumi's biographical journey with the spiritual struggles he faced at each station of his life. In this discovery of Mevlana's mystical journey, we unveil anecdotes from his life, vividly illustrating his teachings and shedding light on the prayers and practices of this illustrious friend of God.

Mevlana's mystical journey brought him close to God. In this intimacy he found happiness and tranquility. Reading about Mevlana's journey would fill you with calmness and joy. Mevlana's teachings were centered not on fear but on optimism. Through his intimacy with our Creator, Mevlana came to understand God's boundless Love, Forgiveness and Kindness. This is the joyful message of optimism and hope that he shares with us.

Mevlana's mystical journey reveals the successive steps that a seeker of truth has to go through and the stages that bring one to realization, and exploring Mevlana's mystical journey will guide and inspire you on your own spiritual path.

----------------------Following are the chapters in the book.

IntroductionIn the 'Introduction' chapter we examine the three stages of mystical journey that Mevlana Rumi went through. We also correlate these three spiritual stations with the different phases of Mevlana's life.

In Search for PeaceIn the chapter 'In Search for Peace' we view Mevlana's early life, his family in Vakhsh (near Balkh in Afghanistan) and the grandeur of ancient Balkh. We also examine the deep simmering problems in the Islamic world during that time that made it vulnerable to the marauding Mongols. We follow Mevlana Rumi in his journey through the deserts, mountains and caravanserais, his meetings with many luminaries on his expedition from Balkh to Konya and his warm reception in the royal court of the Seljuk emperor.

Growing Up In KonyaIn the chapter 'Growing Up In Konya' we observe how Mevlana Rumi started his life in Konya and found unexpected support in his old teacher. We then follow the Mevlana as he went back to school and eventually matured into a widely admired jurist, teacher and preacher in Konya.

The Coming of God's Friend'The Coming of God's Friend' was the arrival of Sheikh Shams - This was a remarkable period of cleansing in Mevlana's spiritual journey, and is also one of the most enigmatic and fascinating periods of his life.

Finding Peace Amidst TurmoilWhen the world fell apart and his beloved teacher and friend disappeared then how did Mevlana Rumi find peace? In this chapter we also follow Mevlana's life as he endured the winds of change due to the Mongol invasion of Konya and the various changes in the regime.

LegacyIn this chapter we seek to understand Mevlana's Sama gatherings, poetry and spirituality. What exactly prompted Mevalana to start Sama gatherings? We examine the spontaneity in Mevlana's poetry, the beauty of ghazals and rubaiyats. Mevlana had infinite trust in God's love and kindness and through his poetry Mevlana shares this belief with us.

-------

This book invites you to step away from everyday problems and let your heart dwell in peace as you read the message of hope and happiness that the Mevlana Rumi has left for us.