Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes: Being an account of the Sufi order known as the Mevlevis and its founder the poet and mystic Mevlana Jalalu'ddin Rumi

by Shems Friedlander

This book, beautifully illustrated with rare photographs of dervishes, tells the tale of the Sufi order and of one of its founders, poet and mystic Mevlana Jalalu’ddin Rumi. After Rumi’s death in 1273, the whirling dance, or sema, was established as part of the Mevlevi’s prayer ritual, and it has been performed by them ever since. The sema survives to this day, a statement of a timeless and passionate yearning toward God.

With a special section devoted to Mevlevi music and introductions by Annemarie Schimmel and Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Rumi and the and the Whirling Dervishes offers an unparalleled glimpse into the Mevlevi’s ecstatic practices.

168 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2003

About the author

“New York City’nin kalbinde” doğmuş olan Shems Friedlander ödüllü bir grafik tasarımcısı, usta bir fotoğrafçı, ressam, şair, film yapımcısı ve tasavvuf hakkında kitapları olan bir yazardır.
İkisi Hz. Mevlâna ve semazenler hakkında olmak üzere dokuz kitabı vardır. Tabloları New York ve Kahire’de sergilenmiş; çizim ve fotoğrafları muhtelif özel koleksiyonlarda yer almıştır. Çektiği Türk dervişlerin fotoğrafları, belgesel klasikleri hâline gelmiş; New York, Kahire, İskenderiye ve Dubai’de sergilenmiştir.
En son çektiği Faysal: Bir Kral’ın Mirası isimli belgesel filmin dünyada ilk gösterimi Kasım 2012’de Londra’daki BAFTA Tiyatrosu’nda gerçekleştirilmiş ve eser, Chagrin Falls Belgesel Film Festivali’nde gösterilmiştir.
Shems Friedlander başta Mekke, Medine, Kahire ve İstanbul olmak üzere bütün Ortadoğu’da muhtelif şeyh efendilerden feyz almış, istifade etmiştir.
Kraliyet İslami Araştırmalar Enstitüsü tarafından Sanat ve Kültür alanında 2012’nin “En Etkili 500 Müslümanı”ndan biri seçilmiştir.
Hâlihazırda Kahire’deki Amerikan Üniversitesi’nde görsel iletişim alanında profesör olarak ders veren Friedlander, dönüşümlü olarak Kahire ve İstanbul’da ikamet etmektedir.

Reviews

[Joanne Rixon]

I wasn't totally sure what I was looking for when I checked this book out from my local library. I'd read a fair amount of Rumi's poetry, and wanted to know more about Rumi as a religious figure. Turns out this is exactly what I was looking for. Written by a believer, this is a gentle introduction to the history and practice of Sufi whirling. It covers everything from the life of Rumi to the political suppression of the dervishes in the early 20th century to the musical instruments used in the dance ceremonies, all in friendly, respectful language that I found easily accessible. Plus there's a ton of photos!

[Andrew Mossberg]

https://amzn.to/3QmLiBn

Nice book that gives a lay history of the Whirling Dervishes and the Sufi poet Rumi. Great photos of classic and modern Dervishes along with related Islamic art.

[Ervina Bajrami]

What a beautiful gift you have left behind, Shems.
May your soul rest in love and peace!

[Soha Wagdy]

A nice quick guide for sufism through Jalal'udin Al Rumi's life. The pictures started pretty but at some point became repetitive. Also, the last part discussing the music and music instruments is downright boring and pointless.

[Matt Friedman]

A truly wonderful introduction, in picture and in text, to the life and work of Jalaluddin Rumi and the Mevlevi tariqa of Sufism.