Ali Yıldırım
The First Sprouts of Love in His Heart
The childhood period of the world-renowned Islamic philosopher, poet, and mystic, Hazrat Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, is one of the significant turning points in his life. Mevlana’s childhood is a period where the first sprouts of his spiritual journey, which would continue throughout his life, were planted, and the seeds of a great love to serve humanity were sown.
Birth and Family
Hazrat Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi was born on September 30, 1207, in the city of Belh, which is now located within the borders of present-day Afghanistan. His father, Bahauddin Veled, was a renowned scholar in the Islamic world and a Sufi sage. During Mevlana’s childhood, his father, Bahauddin, placed great importance on his education and provided him with all the opportunities to learn Islamic sciences.
His mother, Mümine Hatun, had a profound impact on Hazrat Mevlana’s spiritual world, enriching his inner self and providing him with a loving family environment. The affectionate guidance of his parents during Mevlana’s childhood laid the foundation for his future personality.
Education and Love for Knowledge
Mevlana’s childhood was a crucial period when his curiosity for education and knowledge began to emerge. His father, Bahauddin Veled, taught him religious sciences while also nurturing his interest in philosophy, literature, and music. It is known that Mevlana received his education in the madrasahs and schools where his father was an instructor. The close relationships he formed with classmates and teachers during this period contributed to the development of his social skills.
Journey and Transformation in Childhood
Mevlana’s childhood marks the beginning of an important journey in his life. Due to the Mongol invasions and political upheavals, his family decided to migrate to Anatolia. This migration was a significant turning point in Mevlana’s life and one of the events that shaped his spiritual world. After settling in Konya, Mevlana met great scholars of Sufism like Yunus Emre and drew inspiration from them.
However, the most profound impact on Mevlana’s life during his childhood came from a mystical scholar named Shams Tabrizi. Shams Tabrizi deepened Mevlana’s love for knowledge and became a significant guide on his spiritual journey. Shams’ sudden arrival and disappearance caused a transformation in Mevlana’s world, and the concepts of love and affection became central to his life.
The Rise of Love from Childhood to Adulthood
Mevlana’s spiritual journey, which began in his childhood, continued with the ascent of profound love in his adulthood. Although Shams Tabrizi’s sudden disappearance caused deep loneliness within Mevlana, it also intensified the fire of love inside him. Mevlana discovered that love and affection were the most potent means to bring one closer to Allah, and he eloquently expressed this in his works, especially in his masterpiece, “Masnavi.”
In conclusion, Hazrat Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi’s childhood is a significant phase in his life. The loving guidance of his family, his curiosity for education and knowledge, the migration, and the influence of Shams Tabrizi have all laid the groundwork for his spiritual journey. These first sprouts during his childhood opened the buds of a great love that would serve humanity in the later stages of his life
