Maulana Roomi

Name -           Maulana Jalaluddin, Roomi Hanafi, Siddiquie

Birth    -           Balk (Afghanistan) (12-07-1273 (66 yrs)

Alluaddin King of Khwarasan married his daughter to Jalaluddin Hussain, a great scholar of Balkh. Prophet Mohammad asked Jalaluddin Hussain to accept Alauddin’s proposal of his daughter’s marriage with him.  Jalaluddin Hussain was grandfather of Maulana Room.  Jalaluddin died when his son Bahaullah was just five year old. Bahaullah brought up by his mother followed the foot prints of his father and became a great scholar.

Bahauddin, Room’s father denounced kingdom and became a teacher in a madrasa.  The entire scholar’s of that time dreamt simultaneously one night that, Prophet Mohammad is occupying a throne and Bahauddin is sitting on his right side.  Next day morning all of them got together, discussed, accepted and declared Bahauddin, the greatest scholar of the time.  The popularity of Bahauddin spread like a wild fire.  The king of Khwarasan became apprehensive of his popularity and regal blood and felt threatened.

Helplessly, King and came to Bahauddin, offering him two choices, either to accept the kingdom end he himself leaves the city or Bahauddin leaves the city of Balkh.  Bahauddin accept the later and left the city with his two sons, Roomi (7 years) and Allauddin (10 years) with 40 people and 300 camels loaded with books for Baghdad.

The king of Bagdhad thinking Bahauddin a spy implanted by the king of Balkh sent his minister Sahabuddin Suhrawordy to confirm his apprehension, and then granted permission to establish a madarasa-e Khalifa.  Gave three thousands dirhams as gift, which was refused by Bahauddin.

Roomi was very pious and religious.  His father Bahauddin was his first teacher.  It is said that Roomi’s instinct of temptation (Nafs) died at the age of five.  Roomi’s second teacher was Syed Burhanaddin Tirmiji.  Roomi shifted to Alhand after his father death .  Burhanuddin brought him back to Konya and made him undertake his first forty days, three consecutive meditational prayers.  Roomi was transformed and got enlightenment.

Roomi had two wives.  First wife Gauhar Khatoon bore him to sons (Alauddin and Bahauddin). From second wife he had a son and daughter.  Roomi’s turning point was at the age of 38 when he met shams Tabrezi.  Shams Tabrezi was guided by God to go to Konya and make Roomi his deciple.  When shams Taberzi arrived at Roomi’s madarasa (Muslim seminary) , Roomi was teaching from the stacks of book kept on his table.  The seminary was next to a pond. Shams Tabrezi all of sudden picked up the books from the table and threw them in the pond.  Roomi and his students got very angry and shouted at the old man.  Shams Tabrezi simply took out all the books one by one from the pond and put it back on the table as they were kept earlier.  Roomi was shocked to see that none of the books were even wet or spoiled.  Roomi accepted Shams Tabrezi immediately his third and final teacher.

Tabrezi took Roomi to the Zarkhoob’s (Gold smith) shop and sat there for six months meditating.  Roomi’s life was fully transformed.  Roomi left everything and just followed Tabrezi like a mad man. Tabrezi’s company was so inspiring that Roomi left reading books and gave up all the books he loved so much.  Roomi started wearing soof (white cotton woolen robe). People blamed Tabrezi for Roomi’s renunciation of worldly affairs.  Roomi got Tabrezi even married, so that he settles in Konya and do not ever leave him.

When the oppression became too much, Taberazi disappeared suddenly for one year.  Roomi went almost a lunatic.  After one year Roomi received a letter from Tabrezi from Damascus (Syria). Roomi sent his son, Bahauddin with a request letter to return with a gift of one thousand dinars, Roomi’s son walked 600 kms from Konya to Damascus and brought Tabrezi back to Konya.  This time people of Konya plotted and either killed Tabrezi or forced him to just disappear. 

Roomi was crest fallen and never recovered from the shock.  He ever since remained in state of unconsciousness  and was seen swirling and singing in the streets.  He became a mendicant (deewana).

Sheikh Sahaudddin Zarkhoobi became his next friend after Tabrezi and Roomi spent most of the time with him.  Roomi got his son Bahauddin married to Salauddin’s daughter. Salauddin died after three years.  After Salauddin Zarkhoobi Osamaddin (Roomi’s deciple) became the reason for writing the Masnavi (Mathnavi).  Roomi used to recite and Osamuddin used to compile.  He compiled six volumes with 27,000 (twenty thousand) couplets.

Some latest work on Masnavi

The soul of leadership – Deepak Chopra.

Gift of love – CD by Hollywood.

2007 year of Roomi – UNESCO declaration.

The Masnavi of Maulana Room – By Reynold Nichloson