TEHRAN -- October 8 marks the official national day honoring Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi, widely known as Rumi, one of Iran’s most illustrious and globally revered poets. 
His oeuvre stands as a pinnacle of poetic language, rich in intellectual depth and an intrinsic musicality that seems to whisper the profound mysteries of the cosmos into the ears of humanity.
Born in 1207 CE in Balkh, Rumi emerged from an eminent spiritual lineage. His father, Baha al-Din, a distinguished scholar and Sufi, relocated the family to Konya after falling out with Sultan Muhammad Khwarazmshah. 
Rumi’s formative education under Burhan al-Din al-Tirmidhi established his scholarly foundations. However, it was the catalytic encounter with Shams Tabrizi in 1244 CE that precipitated a radical transformation—prompting Rumi to abandon his formal teaching role and embark on a path of spiritual introspection and poetic innovation. He died in Konya in 1273 CE.
Rumi’s major works—including the Masnavi, Divan-e Shams, Rubaiyat, Maktubat, Fihi Ma Fihi, and Majalis-e Sab’ah—are landmarks of Persian literature, where the convergence of thought, spirituality, and sound produces an almost hypnotic effect. His poetry surpasses mere metric composition; it vibrates with a life force that embodies the very pulse of existence.
The eminent scholar Dr. Muhammad-Reza Shafiei Kadkani, a leading authority on Rumi, has articulated the poet’s unique mastery: “Jalal al-Din Rumi stands atop the roof of language. Philosophically and epistemologically, he transcends linguistic limits, and artistically, he walks the tightrope of grammar without faltering.” 
Kadkani emphasizes Rumi’s poetry as emanating from a ‘superior and elevated self,’ one whose emotional and intellectual reach spans eternity.
Rumi’s poetic voice is not derivative; it is an original eruption of fervor and spiritual ecstasy. The tragic and transformative relationship with Shams Tabrizi is often cited as a seminal moment in Rumi’s life and work—infusing his verse with a passionate intensity that reshaped Persian mysticism.
Dr. Muhammad Ali Eslami Nodushan further contextualizes this transformation, describing Rumi’s poetic rebirth as akin to a child’s birth, facilitated by Shams as midwife, ushering forth new insights that had long gestated within him but remained unformed.
Music is integral to Rumi’s language. His poetry’s rhythms and sonorities echo cosmic harmonies, generating an interplay between joy and melancholy, ecstasy and sorrow. This auditory dimension is a key factor in Rumi’s enduring appeal and influence, distinguishing his work from that of other poets of his time.
Beyond thematic depth, Rumi’s experimentation with over forty-six different poetic meters—many innovative for his era—further attests to his command of form and sound, securing his status as a paragon of poetic harmony.
Rumi’s legacy transcends national boundaries and historical epochs. His work reflects the blossoming of a civilization at its cultural zenith and remains a vital source for understanding the intersections of poetry, spirituality, and philosophy.