Fundamentals of Rumi's Thought Format: Paperback

This work attempts to present Rumi to the English-speaking world and to shed light on his life as seen from within the Islamic mystical tradition. The knowledge presented in this work comes from Sefik Can, a great expert of Rumi and who used to be the highest authority, Sertariq, of the Mevlevi Sufi order in Turkey until he passed away on January 24, 2005. Two aspects of this work make it unique. The first is that the book was originally authored by a man who is ninety five years old and who has dedicated his entire life to the teachings of Rumu. Such a Mevlevi's view of Rumi makes this work greatly valuable. The second important contribution to the book is the foreword, which was translated by from the original turkish, written by M. Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Muslim thinker and interfaith activist of Turkey.

Sefik Can (1910-2005) was born in a village near Erzurum, in Eastern Turkey. During his childhood he learned Arabic and Persian from his father. He graduated from Kuleli Military High School in 1929 and the Academy of War in 1931. In 1935, he began working as a teacher in a Military High School. In addition to his native Turkish, he also spoke French, English and Russian alongside Arabic and Persian. Up until he passed in on January 24 2005, he was head of the Mevlevis (most authoritative figure in the spiritial order). He was also the latest Mesnevihan (Mesnevi reciter) who recieved his ijazat (special certification in the recitation of Mesnevi) from his spiritual master Tahir al-Mevlevi. Sefik Can authored nine books on Rumi as well as on poetry and classical mythology.