Beyond Dogma: Rumi's Teachings On Friendship With God And Early Sufi Theories

Despite Rumi's (d. 1273) recent emergence as a best-selling poet in the English-speaking world, fundamental questions about his teachings, such as the relationship of his Sufi mysticism to the wider Islamic religion, remain contested. In this groundbreaking study, Jawid Mojaddedi examines Rumi's teachings on walaya (Friendship with God) in light of earlier discourse in the wider Sufi tradition and juridico-theological Islam. Walaya is central to Rumi's teachings and the basis for intimacy, communication with the Divine, and transcendence of conventional religiosity in his poetry. It is also one of the most challenging aspects to reconcile with juridico-theological Islam. Beyond Dogma provides an analysis of the development of the discourse on walaya during the formative centuries of Sufism, a period notable for the rise of juridico-theological Islam. Mojaddedi's work offers a nuanced evaluation of Rumi's teachings and their historical context, contributing to a deeper understanding of early Sufi manuals and the evolution of Islamic dogma.