BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MAWLANA 800th ANNIVERSARY OF RUMI CD

Mevlana who is also known as Rumi, was an Anatolian philosopher and mystic of Islam. His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love.

Mevlana was born on 30 September 1207 in Balkh (in present day Afghanistan). He died on 17 December 1273 in Konya (in present day Turkey).

Within the frame of the annual commemoration ceremonies organized in the name of Mevlana, whirling dances (sema) of the Mevlevi dervishes (semazen) are performed in certain days called as Seb-i Arus (Feast Day).

The "dance" of the Whirling Dervishes is called Sema. Sema is a part of the inspiration of Mevlana as well as part of the Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture. Sema represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to "Perfect." Turning towards the truth, his growth through love, desert his ego, find the truth and arrive to the "Perfect," then he return from this spiritual journey as a man who reached maturity and a greater perfection, so as to love and to be of service to the whole of creation, to all creatures without discrimination of believes, races, classes and nations.

Since the death of Hz. Mevlana was considered as a reunion with God, these days have been renamed as feast days.

"Come, come again, whoever you are, come!
Heathen, fire worshipper or idolatrous, come!
Come even if you broke your penitence a hundred times,
Ours is the portal of hope, come as you are."