Dancing before God's Beauty

This book presents fresh insights into the life, teachings, and enduring legacy of the Persian mystic poet Jall al-Dn Rm. Across thirteen chapters, scholars introduce innovative perspectives on under-explored and emerging themes, from the hagiography written by Rm's son, Suln Valad, and his journey towards accepting spiritual leadership, to Rm's passionate relationship with his beloved friend, Shams-i Tabrz. The volume also provides new approaches to reading Rm's monumental didactic narrative, the Mathnav . Topics range from shhid-bz worshipping a beautiful face to commune with the divine ** to supplication ( munjt ), immolation, sensory perception, and the transformative role of music in reaching ecstatic states. Chapters deal with Rm's reception history, examining the works of figures such as Anqarav (d. 1041/1631) and Abdülbâki Gölpnarl (1900-1982), as well as the Dutch-Iranian novelist Kader Abdolah. The book further explores Rm's visual reception history and his impact on contemporary artists. Finally, it examines Rm's popularity in the United States, analysing how his poetry continues to offer people from diverse backgrounds a Lacanian "imaginary": an internalized representation of the spiritual.

Autorentext
Ali-Asghar Seyed-Gohrab , Utrecht University, The Netherlands.