Masnavi

What it is

The Masnavi is a long Persian poem in six books, totalling around 25,000 verses. Rumi dictated it to his disciple Husam al-Din Chalabi, who wrote down and recited back the lines, over the final years of Rumi's life until his death; the sixth book was left unfinished.

Why it matters

Many consider the Masnavi one of the most important works of Islamic and Sufi literature. It weaves stories from the Quran, hadith, and everyday life into teachings about the soul's longing for God, showing how Rumi used storytelling to pass on spiritual wisdom to his followers, especially Husam al-Din Chalabi who preserved it.

Look closer

• Why might Rumi have chosen to dictate rather than write the poem himself?
• The opening lines compare a reed-flute's complaint to human longing — what feeling is Rumi trying to capture?
• What might be missing or changed because Chalabi wrote down Rumi's spoken words rather than Rumi writing them himself?