Jelal-ed-din Rumi was born at Balkh, Persia, in 1207, and died at Konya, Turkey, in 1273. He founded the order of Mevlevi or whirling dervishes, and his chief work is the Mathnawi, an epic poem which expresses their mystical path. It was translated into English by Reynold Nicholson (6 volumes, London, 1926). This booklet is a selection from ‘The Lives of the Gnostics‘ by Aflaki, disciple of the poet’s grandson, written between 1318 and 1335. It was translated into French by C. Huart under the title ‘Les Saints des Derviches Tourneurs’ (Paris 1918-22).
