Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi (1207 - 1273 / Balkh / Afghanistan)
Biography of Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi Jalal al-Din Rumi was born
on September 30, 1207 in Balkh (Afghanistan). His father Baha'
Walad was descended from the first caliph Abu Bakr and was
influenced by the ideas of Ahmad Ghazali, brother of the famous
philosopher. Baha' Walad's sermons were published and still
exist as Divine Sciences (Ma'arif). He fled the Mongols with his
son in 1219, and it was reported that at Nishapur young Rumi met
'Attar, who gave him a copy of his Book of Mysteries (Asrar-
nama). After a pilgrimage to Mecca and other travels, the family
went to Rum (Anatolia). Baha' Walad was given an important
teaching position in the capital at Konya (Iconium) in 1228 by
Seljuk king 'Ala' al-Din Kayqubad (r. 1219-1236) and his vizier
Mu'in al-Din. Rumi married and had a son, who later wrote his
biography. In 1231 Rumi succeeded his late father as a religious
teacher. His father's friend Burhan al-Din arrived and for nine
years taught Rumi Sufi