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Title: The Masnavi: Book Four
Author:Jalal al-Din Rumi/Translated by Jawid Mojaddedi
ISBN: 9780198783435
Publisher: Oxford University Press
'Joking is teaching, so take care to listen -
Don't look at just the joke's form of expression.
To jesters every serious thing's hilarious,
While to the wise hilarious jokes are serious'
This is the first ever verse translation of Book Four of the Masnavi. It follows the original by presenting Rumi's most mature mystical teachings in simple and attractive rhyming couplets.
The Masnavi is Rumi's greatest work, described as 'the Koran in Persian'. It consists of roughly 26,000 verses, divided into six books, and describes man's predicament in his search for God The translation is based on the best critical edition and includes an introduction and invaluable notes, making the edition the ideal introduction to Rumi for the non-specialist reader. The poem draws on sources from sacred history to folklore and fable, is full of stories, and often funny.
Rumi is the greatest mystic poet to have written in Persian, and the Masnavi is his masterpiece. Divided into six books and consisting of some 26,000 verses, the poem was designed to convey a message of divine love and unity to the disciples of Rumi's Sufi order, known today as the Whirling Dervishes. Like the earlier books, Book Four interweaves amusing stories with homilies to instruct pupils in understanding of God's meaning. It has a special focus on the mystical knowledge of the spiritual guide, elaborated through stories such as Solomon's inspiration to the Queen of Sheba, and animal fables.
Readership : Suitable for readers of classic poetry and those interested in Islam; students of Islam, Persian, Near and Middle Eastern Studies, and Comparative Literature; anyone interested in Rumi, Sufism, Islamic History and Literature. New Age enthusiasts of mysticism.
