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{{Short description|1906 book by Shibli Nomani}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Sawanih Maulana Rum
| image = Cover of Sawanih Maulana Rum.jpg
| image_size = 280px
| caption = 1961 cover
| alt = Book cover
| author = [[Shibli Nomani]]
| title_orig = سوانح مولانا روم
| orig_lang_code = ur
| country = [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British India]]
| language = Urdu
| subject = [[Rumi]], [[Kalam]]
| genre = [[Biography]]
| published = 1906
| series = Kalam series
| media_type = Print
| followed_by = [[Al-Kalam (book)|Al-Kalam]]
| oclc = 269281862
| dewey = 891.5513092
| congress = PK2199.S5 S3 1962
| external_url = https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/sawanih-maulana-rom-shibli-nomani-ebooks-1
| pages = 200
| isbn = 978-93-80104-49-2
| isbn_note = ([[Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy]], 2010)
}}
'''''Sawanih Maulana Rum''''' is a biographical and analytical work by [[Shibli Nomani]] that examines the life, thought, and work of [[Rumi]] within the framework of Islamic scholastic theology, i.e., [[kalam]]. Compiled during Shibli's stay in [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]] in 1904 and published in 1906, it represents the fourth and final volume of his ''Kalam series''. The book prioritizes theological analysis over conventional historical narrative, presenting Rumi primarily as a theologian and the ''[[Masnavi-e-Ma'navi]]'' as a theological text.

== Background ==
By the late [[Mughal Empire|Mughal period]] in India, the study of Rumi's ''Masnavi'' had diminished, and only a limited number of readers could engage with it in depth. The work, long regarded as a major text of Sufi thought, had largely fallen out of regular use.<ref name=":Khatoon">{{Cite thesis |last=Khatoon |first=Shaista |title=Allama Shibli ka kirdar Muslim khawatin ki talimi wa samaji taraqqi men |type=PhD |publisher=Department of Urdu, [[Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/128335 |language=ur |page=56 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250224183802/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/128335 |archive-date=24 February 2025 |year=2013 |location=India |hdl=10603/128335 |url-status=live}}</ref> Habibur Rahman Khan Sherwani noted that when Shibli Nomani wrote his earlier work [[Al-Ghazali (book)|''Al-Ghazali'']], he was initially unfamiliar with [[Sufism]] and overlooked aspects of [[al-Ghazali]]'s life. After advice from a colleague, he studied Sufism and added a section on it, an engagement that later influenced the composition of ''Sawanih Maulana Rum''.<ref name=":Khatoon" /> In its preface, Shibli explained that the book was the fourth volume in his ''Kalam series'', following ''[[Ilm-ul-Kalam]]'', [[Al-Kalam (book)|''Al-Kalam'']], and ''Al-Ghazali''. He observed that although Rumi was commonly viewed as a Sufi and ascetic, his method of presenting Islamic beliefs in ways that resonated with audiences placed him within the field of [[theology]].<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Haq |first=Sirajul |title=Maqalat e Shibli ka adbi aur tanqeedi jaiza |type=PhD |publisher=Department of Urdu, [[Delhi University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/439484 |language=ur |page=114 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250920114558/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/439484 |archive-date=20 September 2025 |year=2021 |location=India |hdl=10603/439484 |url-status=live}}</ref> Shibli also commented that the ''[[Masnavi-e-Ma'navi]]'', while often considered exclusively a mystical text, could also be understood as a work of philosophy and theology.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Ahrari |first=Mohd Jafar |title=The renaissance of Urdu literature and Shibli |type=PhD |publisher=School of Language Literature and Culture Studies, [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/16762 |language=ur |pages=163 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250919231544/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/16762 |archive-date=19 September 2025 |year=1999 |location=India |url-status=live |hdl=10603/16762}}</ref>

Shibli's choice to write on Rumi was considered unexpected, given his limited earlier interest in Sufism. His student, [[Sulaiman Nadvi]], suggested that this interest may have been shaped by the intellectual environment of Hyderabad, where debates on Sufism and [[Wahdat al-wujūd]] were prominent.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Akhtar |first=Md Jamil |title=Maulana Shibli Noamani As A Biographer And Historian |type=PhD |publisher=University Department of Urdu, [[Lalit Narayan Mithila University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/496281 |language=ur |page=266 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250921220545/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/496281 |archive-date=21 September 2025 |year=1988 |location=India |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1904, Shibli began drafting a preface on the ''Masnavi-e-Ma'navi'' and, in correspondence with [[Hamiduddin Farahi]] dated 18 February, requested notes on Rumi's principles.<ref name=":Khan">{{Cite book |last=Khan |first=Muhammad Zafar |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/shibli-naqqadon-ki-nazar-mein-ebooks |title=Shibli Naqqadon Ki Nazar Mein |publisher=Ilyas Traders Nashiran-e-Kutub |year=1976 |editor-last=Siddiqi |editor-first=Naaz |location=Hyderabad |pages=128 |language=ur |chapter=Maulana Shibli ke Aaina-e-Tahqiq o Tanqeed mein |oclc=557436232}}</ref> In another letter to Nawab Sayyid Ali Hasan Khan, he mentioned preparing both a review of the ''Masnavi'' and a biography of Rumi.<ref name=":Khan" /> ''Sawanih Maulana Rum'' was completed in 1904 and prepared for printing under the supervision of Munshi Rahmatullah Ra'd. The first edition, comprising about 200 pages, was published in August 1906 at Nami Press in [[Kanpur]], printed on four types of paper.<ref name=":Khan" /><ref name=":Mahmud">{{Cite thesis |last=Mahmud |first=Minhaj Uddin |title=Contribution of Allama Shibli Nu'mani to Urdu Literature |type=PhD |publisher=[[University of Dhaka]] |url=http://repository.library.du.ac.bd:8080/bitstream/handle/123456789/886/Minhaj%20Uddin.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |language=bn |page=60 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531151106/http://repository.library.du.ac.bd:8080/bitstream/handle/123456789/886/Minhaj%20Uddin.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |archive-date=31 May 2023 |year=2016 |location=Bangladesh |url-status=dead}}</ref> The book was translated into Bengali as ''Rūmīr Jīban o Darśan'' ({{lang|bn|রুমির জীবন ও দর্শন}}) in 2024 by Kamrul Hasan Nakeeb.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rūmīr Jīban o Darśan |url=https://www.rokomari.com/book/381658/রুমির-জীবন-ও-দর্শন |access-date=29 September 2025 |website=Rokomari.com}}</ref>

== Synopsis ==
Shibli divided the book into two parts.<ref name=":Khanum">{{Cite journal |last=Khanum |first=Almas |date=2016 |title=Maulana Shibli Nomani ki Muhqiqana Kawishen |url=https://tahqeeqnama.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/5d9f27733d6e0/page |journal=Tahqeeq Nama |language=ur |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=290}}</ref> The first part provides a detailed biography of Rumi, covering his name and lineage, birth, education, spiritual affiliations, contemporaries, character traits, and personal habits. It also discusses the scholars and elders who influenced him, his modes of worship, and his spiritual lineage. Rumi's father, Sheikh Baha al-Din, is presented as a [[ulama]] with connections to rulers and a history of migrations.<ref name=":Fatima">{{Cite book |last=Fatima |first=Noor |url=https://egyankosh.ac.in//handle/123456789/103717 |title=Special Study of Allama Shibli Nomani |publisher=[[Indira Gandhi National Open University]] |year=2024 |isbn=978-93-6106-988-8 |editor-last=Moazzamuddin |editor-first=Mohd. |volume= |location=India |pages=238 |language=ur |archive-url= |archive-date= |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://egyankosh.ac.in//handle/123456789/79256 |title=Urdu Non-fiction |publisher=[[Indira Gandhi National Open University]] |year=2021 |editor-last=Hafiz |editor-first=Abdul |volume=1 |location=India |pages=276 |language=ur |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223162829/https://www.egyankosh.ac.in/handle/123456789/79256 |archive-date=23 February 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> The political context of Rumi's era is outlined, including references to rulers of Rum. Before encountering [[Shams Tabrizi]], Rumi led a conventional scholarly life, strictly observing [[Sharia]] law; after this meeting, he adopted asceticism and Sufism.<ref name=":Fatima" /> Shibli recounts their interactions through narratives and oral traditions, illustrating the influence Shams had on Rumi's spiritual and personal development.<ref name=":Fatima" />

The second part of the book examines Rumi's literary works, including his collection of discourses (''[[Fihi Ma Fihi]]''), the ''[[Divan-i Shams-i Tabrizi|Diwan of ghazals]]'', and the ''Masnavi-i-Ma'navi''.{{Sfn|Haq|2021|p=116}} ''Fihi Ma Fihi'' was published in Amritsar in 1909, while the ''Diwan'' contains approximately fifty thousand ghazal verses. Shibli compares Rumi's ghazals with those of other poets such as [[Saadi Shirazi]] and [[Fakhr al-Din Iraqi]], noting features such as emotional expression, thematic continuity, and focus on spiritual subjects.{{Sfn|Fatima|2024|p=240}} The ''Masnavi'', written at the request of Rumi's disciple Husam al-Din Chalabi, is included among widely studied Persian works alongside texts such as the ''[[Shahnameh]]'', [[Gulistan (book)|''Gulistan'']], and the [[The Divān of Hafez|''Divān of Hafez'']].{{Sfn|Fatima|2024|p=240}}

Shibli emphasizes the ''Masnavi''<nowiki/>'s approach to complex intellectual and ethical questions, which distinguishes it from other Sufi ''masnavis''. Rumi presents theological issues allegorically and moral subjects narratively, differentiating his work from other poets such as [[Sanai]] and [[Attar of Nishapur|Attar]].{{Sfn|Fatima|2024|p=241}} Shibli examines Rumi's reasoning on topics including the Divine Essence, [[Attributes of God in Islam|Divine Attributes]], [[Prophet]]hood, [[Miracles of Muhammad|miracles]], the [[soul]], resurrection, [[Predestination in Islam|predestination]] and [[free will]], Sufism, [[monotheism]], and the relationship between [[philosophy]] and [[science]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nadia |last2=Liaquat |first2=Samreena |last3=Naeem |first3=Sharmeen |date=2022 |title=Religious Thoughts and Services of Allama Shibli Nomani |url=http://www.al-azhaar.org/index.php/alazhar/article/view/316 |journal=Al-Azhār |language=ur |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=29 |doi=10.46896/alazhr.v8i01.316 |doi-broken-date=11 July 2025 |issn=2519-6707}}</ref>{{Sfn|Fatima|2024|p=241}} He observes that Rumi's reasoning does not rely on analogy ([[qiyas]]) but on allegory (tamsil), making his explanations accessible to a broader audience.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=144}}

According to Shibli, Rumi's poetic expression was latent before his encounter with Shams, and the separation from Shams stimulated his creative output, resulting in the ghazals found in his ''Diwan''.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=134–135}} The ''Masnavi'' differs from traditional ethical and Sufi texts in that it lacks rigid classification, and its division into volumes resembles Quranic [[Juz'|parahs]] or multiple poetic collections.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=142}} This structure influenced the work's distinct character. The text also includes various traditions (riwayat) and anecdotes, some historically uncertain but integrated into its teachings.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=144}} The sixth and seventh volumes were composed by Rumi and completed after a period of illness.{{Sfn|Haq|2021|p=117}}

The ''Masnavi''<nowiki/>'s primary feature, according to Shibli, is its use of allegory to present ethical lessons and spiritual principles in an accessible manner.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=144}} Within its narratives, solutions to ethical and spiritual dilemmas are embedded, allowing readers to follow the reasoning intuitively.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=146}} Shibli notes that the effectiveness of this approach depends on three factors: the originality and significance of the conclusion, its relevance to the [[anecdote]], and the presentation of differing viewpoints in ethical discussions.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=146}}

== Approach ==
Shibli did not aim to produce a conventional or permanent biography of Rumi; rather, he sought to present Rumi as a theologian and evaluate his contributions to [[Kalam]] (Islamic theology), with historical narrative as a secondary focus.{{Sfn|Haq|2021|p=114}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Siddiqi |first=Zafar Ahmad |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/shibli-hindustani-adab-ke-memar-zafar-ahmad-siddiqi-ebooks-1 |title=Shibli: Hindustani Adab Ke Memar |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |year=1988 |location=India |pages=54 |language=ur |oclc=18816366}}</ref> Drawing on sources such as ''Sir Salari'', ''Fasl-e-Mawāl'', and ''Munaqib al-'Arifīn'', which he openly acknowledged,{{Sfn|Fatima|2024|p=236}} Shibli analyzed Rumi's poetry according to the principles of Ilm al-Badī' (rhetoric) and Ilm al-Bayān (eloquence),{{Sfn|Haq|2021|p=116}} including Urdu translations of couplets to make the ''Masnavi'' accessible to a wider audience.{{Sfn|Khan|1976|p=147}} The biography is divided into two parts, the second reflecting Shibli's creative [[Ijtihad]] (independent reasoning),{{Sfn|Haq|2021|p=116}} emphasizing scholarly rigor by acknowledging Rumi's personality traits, noting shortcomings, and presenting research-based observations while portraying him as human rather than celestial.{{Sfn|Haq|2021|p=117}} Structurally, the work lacks systematic order or strict chronology, compiling events from multiple accounts, selectively summarizing or omitting certain periods, and occasionally relying on conjecture.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Jahan |first=Nayyar |title=Shibli Bahaisiyat Sawaneh Nigar Ek Tankeedi Mutalea |type=PhD |publisher=Department of Urdu, [[Jamia Millia Islamia]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/387883 |language=ur |page=214–215 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250923182907/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/387883 |archive-date=23 September 2025 |year=1994 |location=India |hdl=10603/387883 |url-status=live}}</ref> Shibli's methodology blends traditional biography with a modern analytical approach, emphasizing accomplishments over mere facts and integrating theological commentary alongside the narrative.{{Sfn|Jahan|1994|p=207–208}}<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Nasir |first=Md |title=Allama Shibli Nomani Ki Nasri Khidmat |type=PhD |publisher=Department of Urdu, [[Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/648649 |language=ur |page=164 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250923000459/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/648649 |archive-date=23 September 2025 |year=1986 |location=India |hdl=10603/648649 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Reviews ==
Noor Fatima of [[Maulana Azad National Urdu University]] considers ''Sawanih Maulana Rum'' significant for examining Rumi's intellectual outlook and his ''Masnavi-e-Ma'navi'' within the framework of scholastic theology. She notes that the book was written when Urdu biography was still developing, which explains why it does not meet later technical standards, though its scope and originality gave it a place of importance.{{Sfn|Fatima|2024|p=241}} Minhaj Uddin Mahmud of the [[University of Dhaka]] describes it as a valuable work shaped by philosophical inquiry.<ref name=":Mahmud" /> [[Altaf Hussain Hali]] also praised the book.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Yeaqub |first=Md |title=Writings of Allama Shibli Nomani in Arabic : Edition and annotation |degree=PhD |publisher=[[Aligarh Muslim University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/666571 |language=ar |year=2019 |location=India |hdl=10603/666571 |p=152}}</ref> At the same time, some scholars emphasize its limitations. Almas Khanum of [[Government College University, Lahore]], observes that Shibli included accounts without verification and that the biographical portion is weak.<ref name=":Khanum" /> Syed Abdullah attributes this to the lack of reliable historical material on Rumi,<ref name=":Khanum" /> while Naghma Parveen of [[Aligarh Muslim University]] similarly points out that limited access to sources constrained the coverage of Rumi's life.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Parveen |first=Naghma |title=Seerat Nigari mein Darul Hosannafeen Azamgarh ki Kidmat Ek Tehqiqi Jaiyza |degree=PhD |publisher=Department of Sunni Theology, [[Aligarh Muslim University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/127224 |language=ur |pages=173 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508184632/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/127224 |archive-date=8 May 2019 |year=2016 |location=India |url-status=live}}</ref>

Other assessments underline the book's continued relevance. Shaista Khatoon of [[Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University]] states that, despite later studies on Rumi, the work has maintained its importance, citing Sheikh Ikram's remark that it is the most widely read Urdu book on the subject.{{Sfn|Khatoon|2013|p=57}} Md. Jamil Akhtar of [[Lalit Narayan Mithila University]] notes the absence of precise references or a bibliography but regards it as a significant effort in commentary and analysis, even though Shibli often interpreted Rumi's views through his own frameworks.{{Sfn|Akhtar|1988|p=265}} Sirajul Haq of [[Delhi University]] highlights the book's role in the study of Kalam and its distinctive position in Urdu scholarship.{{Sfn|Haq|2021|p=117}} Nayyar Jahan of [[Jamia Millia Islamia]] explains that Shibli relied on only two sources with limited detail but sought to address this through his analysis of Rumi's writings, particularly the ''Masnavi''.{{Sfn|Jahan|1994|p=117}} Talat Zafar of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University adds that Shibli's systematic organization of Rumi's works gave the book a degree of scholarly structure and ensured its recognition in Urdu literary studies.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Zafar |first=Talat |title=Shibli nomani bahaisiyat Sawaneh Nagar |type=PhD |publisher=Department of Urdu, [[Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University]] |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/201138 |language=ur |page=345 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221091359/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/201138 |archive-date=21 December 2024 |year=2017 |location=India |hdl=10603/201138 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[:Category:Deobandi biographical literature|Deobandi biographical literature]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite thesis |last=Gasman |first=Fejri |title=Shibli Numanis contribution to revitalization of Ilm al-kalam |degree=MA |publisher=[[International Islamic University Malaysia]] |url=https://studentrepo.iium.edu.my/entities/publication/f81cc928-6269-46b9-b8ec-bc272952deb2 |language=en |page=50–90 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250921212035/https://studentrepo.iium.edu.my/entities/publication/f81cc928-6269-46b9-b8ec-bc272952deb2 |archive-date=21 September 2025 |url-status=live |year=2012 |location=Malaysia}}

== External links ==
* [[iarchive:SwanehMolanaRoomr.aByShaykhAllamaShibliNomanir.a|''Sawanih Maulana Rum'']] at [[Internet Archive]]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Deobandi biographical literature]]
[[Category:Books by Shibli Nomani]]
[[Category:Rumi]]
[[Category:1906 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Urdu-language books]]
[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian books]]
[[Category:Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy books]]
[[Category:Islamic theology books]]

Sawanih Maulana Rum - Revision history

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