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IN PURSUIT OF TRUTH: D̲J̲ALĀL AL-DĪN RŪMĪ'S CONCEPTION OF HAPPINESS WITHIN THE MATHNAWĪ-I MA’NAWĪ

Year 2024, Issue: 111, 439 - 460, 16.09.2024
https://doi.org/10.60163/tkhcbva.1439385

Abstract

Abstract: This article investigates the notion of happiness as presented in Mawlānā D̲j̲alāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s (d. 672/1273) Mathnawī-ī Ma’nawī, examining the intersection amid the scholarly discourse on the subject within the Sufi literature. Rather than a momentary sentiment, Rumi identifies happiness as the state of existence once experienced in the primordial realm. Having separated from the divine presence, the condition of human beings on earth would consist of pain and unhappiness. Since the worldly material is transitory, the happiness achieved through them is likewise. Therefore, Rumi encourages the individual to take a voluntary spiritual journey (sulūk) from the self (nafs) to the soul to be united with the divine (tawḥīd) to obtain celestial happiness once again, all while living in the terrestrial world (ʿālam al-s̲h̲ahāda)—the Mathnawī being a manual for the devotees on the path. This education provides an understanding for the individual of the nature of the objects, self-awareness, and divine enlightenment through the inner transformation of the self. Traversing through the stations and the states of the journey with the guidance of the spiritual master (murs̲h̲id), one purifies the ego (nafs) and eventually reaches the grade of contentment (riḍā). This stage signals the achievement of self-realization, wherein individuals grasp the divine spirit inherent in their existence and relish living in harmony with divine will, thereby, happiness. If the seeker reaches the state of self-annihilation (fanā‘), then the layers of nafs are completely unveiled (kas̲h̲f, leading to the gnosis (ma‘rifa). In this state, through celestial love, one begins to see Divine manifestations around them—placing true happiness as an intimate communion with the ultimate Truth (al-Ḥaḳḳ). This connection brings about a profound sense of genuine and celestial happiness. Through the Mathnawī’s elaborate narratives and poetic reflections, Rūmī encourages the reader to embark on a path of spiritual enlightenment. In contrast, happiness arises as the natural product of a life aligned with divine will, marked by a harmonious balance between the dual nature of human beings. This scholarly analysis highlights Rūmī’s significant contribution to the discourse on happiness within the Sufi tradition,h highlighting his contribution to the discourse within the Sufi literature and the enduring relevance of his teachings in our contemporary scholarly expedition for authentic gratification and the human condition.

References

  • Akarsu, Bedia. “Mutçuluk.” Felsefe Terimleri Sözlüğü, İnkılap Kitabevi, 1998. al-Attas, Muhammad Naguib. “The Meaning and Experience of Happiness in Islam.” Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, (1993), 59-78.
  • Aristotle. The Metaphysics Books I-IX. trans. Hugh Tredennick, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1933.
  • Asghari mehr, Fatemehsoghra et al. “Positivism and Happiness from the Point of View of Rumi and Seligman.” Journal of Lyrical Literature Research 20/39 (2022), 23-44.
  • Aydın Mehmet. “İnsân-ı Kâmil”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 22/330-331. TDV Yayınları, 2000.
  • Ayvaz, Muzaffer. “Mevlânâ Celâleddin Rûmî’nin Ahlâk Öğretisinde Mutluluk.” Sinop Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 2/1 (2018), 87-108.
  • Benn Alfred William. Early Greek Philosophy. Archibald Constable, 1908.
  • Blackburn, Simon. “Eudaimonia.” The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford University Press, 1996.
  • Çağrıcı, Mustafa. “Saâdet”. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 35/319-322. TDV Yayınları, 2008.
  • _______ “İtidal”. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 23/456-7. TDV Yayınları, 2001.
  • Cayne, Bernard, et al. “Happiness”. New Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus of the English Language, Lexicon Publication INC, 1992, 439.
  • Cebecioğlu, Ethem. “Bezm-i elest”. Tasavvuf Terimleri ve Deyimleri Sözlüğü. Otto, 2014, 80. Cevizci, Ahmet. “Mutluluk.” Paradigma Felsefe Sözlüğü, Paradigma Yayınları, 2013, 1130- 1131. _______ “Yararcılık ve Yarar İlkesi.” Felsefe Sözlüğü, Say Yayınları, 2017, 455-456. Ceyhan, Semih. “Mesnevî”. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 29/325-334. TDV Yayınları, 2004.
  • Chittick, William C. Divine Love. Yale University Press, 2013.
  • _______ The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi. State University of New York Press, 1983.
  • Çelebi İlyas. “Şehâdet Âlemi”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 38/ 422-423. TDV Vakfı Yayınları. 2010.
  • Daiber, H. ‘Saʿāda’. Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Ed. P. Bearman et al. Brill Reference Online. Web. 18 Aug. 2023.
  • Demirci Mehmet. “Hakikat”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 15/178-179. TDV Yayınları, 1997.
  • Erk, Serap et al. “Mutçuluk.” Felsefe Sözlüğü, Bilim ve Sanat Yayınları, 2020, 1018-1019.
  • al-Fārābī, Abu Nasr. al-Farabi on the perfect state: Abū Naṣr al-Fārābī's Mabādiʼ ārāʼ ahl almadīna al-fāḍila. trans. Richard Waller, Clarendon Press, 1985.
  • Gazzâlî, Ebû Hamid Muhammed. İhyâu Ulûmi’d-dîn. çev. Ahmet Serdaroğlu. İstanbul: Bedir Yayınevi, 2002.
  • al-G̲ h̲ azzālī, Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad. İhyā’u ‘ulūmi’d-d īn, ed. Abdülhalim Mahmud. Maktabat al-Tawfīqiyyah, n.p. or d.
  • Gardet, L., “Kas̲ h̲ f”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 16 February 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0458
  • Gilbert, Daniel. “Gülümsemenin Ardındaki Bilim”. Duygusal Zeka: Mutluluk. ed. Çiğdem Zeynep Aydın, Optimist Kitap, 2019, 27-54.
  • Gökberk, Macit. Felsefe Tarihi. Remzi Kitabevi, 2005.
  • Halper, Yehuda, and Steven Harvey. Pursuit of Happiness in Medieval Jewish and Islamic Thought: Studies Dedicated to Steven Harvey. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols, 2021.
  • Hirtenstein Stephen. Ahmad Pakatchi and Translated by Alexander Khaleeli, “Ḥaqq”, in: Encyclopaedia Islamica, Editors-in-Chief: Farhad Daftary. Consulted online on 15 February 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1875-9831_isla_COM_070633>
  • Hookway, Christopher. “Pragmatism.” The Cambridge History of Philosophy 1870–1945, edited by Thomas Baldwin, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003, 74–90. al-Hud̲j̲
  • wīrī, Alī b. Uthmān. Hakikat Bilgisi: Keşfu’l-Mahcûb. ed. Süleyman Uludağ, Dergâh Yayınları, 2018.
  • İbn Miskeveyh, Ahmed bin Muhammed bin Yakup. Mutluluk ve Felsefe: Tertîbü’s-saâdât ve menâzilü’l-ulûm. ed. Hümeyra Özturan, Klasik Yayınları, 2009.
  • Joshanloo, Mohsen. 2014. “Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views.” Journal of Happiness Studies 15 (2): 475–493.
  • al-Kalābādhī, Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Isḥāq, Doğuş Devrinde Tasavvuf: Ta’arruf. ed. Süleyman Uludağ, Dergâh Yayınları, 2019.
  • al-Kāshānī Abd al-Razzāq. Sûfilerin Kavramları: Istılâhâtu's-Sûfiyye. trans. Abdurrezzak Tek, Akademi Yayınları, 2014.
  • Kırlangıç, Hicabi. “Nizâmî ve Fuzûlî’nin Leylâ ve Mecnun Mesnevîleri”. Şarkiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi 8/27, (2008) 49–65.
  • al-Kindī, Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb b. Isḥāq. Üzüntüden Kurtulma Yolları. ed. Mustafa Çağrıcı, Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı Yayınları, 2009.
  • Kors Alan Charles. “Eudaemonism”. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment. Oxford University Press, 2002.
  • Sargut, Cemalnur. Dinle. Nefes Yayınları, 2012 . Seligman, Martin. Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting. Atria Books, 2004.
  • Stove, D. C., and A. D. Irvine. 2011. What’s Wrong with Benevolence : Happiness, Private Property, and the Limits of Enlightenment. 1st American ed. New York: Encounter Books. Taş, Oktay. İbn-i Sînâ’nin Ahlâk Felsefesinde Mutluluk. Yüksek Lisans Tezi. Selçuk Üniversitesi, 2006.
  • The Qurʾān. trans. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Islamic Foundation, 2016.
  • Türer, Osman. “Letâif-i Hamse.” Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 27/143. TDV Yayınları, 2003.
  • Ulal Serap Erk, Güçlü Bâkî, Uzun Erkan, Uzun, Ü. Hüsrev Ünsal. “Mutçuluk”. Felsefe Sözlüğü, Ankara: Bilim ve Sanat Yayınları, 2020, 1018-1019.
  • Uludağ Süleyman. “Keşf”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 22/315-7. TDV Yayınları, 2002.
  • Uludağ Süleyman. “Sülûk”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 38/127-128. TDV Yayınları, 2010
  • Weber, Alfred. Felsefe Tarihi. trans. H. Vehbi Eralp, Sosyal Yayınları, 1993.
  • Yakıt, İsmail. “Mevlânâ’da Mutluluk Ahlakı” Felsefe Arkivi 29 (1994), 29–73. Yavuz, Yusuf Şevki. “Bezm-i Elest.” Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 6/106–8. TDV Yayınları, 1992.
  • Yeniterzi, Emine. Sevginin Evrensel Mühendisi: Mevlânâ, TDV Yayınları, 2011. Yount, J. David. Plato and Plotinus on Mysticism, Epistemology, and Ethics. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.

IN PURSUIT OF TRUTH: D̲J̲ALĀL AL-DĪN RŪMĪ'S CONCEPTION OF HAPPINESS WITHIN THE MATHNAWĪ-I MA’NAWĪ

Year 2024, Issue: 111, 439 - 460, 16.09.2024
https://doi.org/10.60163/tkhcbva.1439385

Abstract

This article investigates the notion of happiness as presented in Mawlānā D̲j̲alāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s (d. 672/1273) Mathnawī-ī Ma’nawī, examining the intersection amid the scholarly discourse on the subject within the Sufi literature. Rather than a momentary sentiment, Rumi identifies happiness as the state of existence once experienced in the primordial realm. Having separated from the divine presence, the condition of human beings on earth would consist of pain and unhappiness. Since the worldly material is transitory, the happiness achieved through them is likewise. Therefore, Rumi encourages the individual to take a voluntary spiritual journey (sulūk) from the self (nafs) to the soul to be united with the divine (tawḥīd) to obtain celestial happiness once again, all while living in the terrestrial world (ʿālam al-s̲h̲ahāda)—the Mathnawī being a manual for the devotees on the path. This education provides an understanding for the individual of the nature of the objects, self-awareness, and divine enlightenment through the inner transformation of the self. Traversing through the stations and the states of the journey with the guidance of the spiritual master (murs̲h̲id), one purifies the ego (nafs) and eventually reaches the grade of contentment (riḍā). This stage signals the achievement of self-realization, wherein individuals grasp the divine spirit inherent in their existence and relish living in harmony with divine will, thereby, happiness. If the seeker reaches the state of self-annihilation (fanā‘), then the layers of nafs are completely unveiled (kas̲h̲f, leading to the gnosis (ma‘rifa). In this state, through celestial love, one begins to see Divine manifestations around them—placing true happiness as an intimate communion with the ultimate Truth (al-Ḥaḳḳ). This connection brings about a profound sense of genuine and celestial happiness. Through the Mathnawī’s elaborate narratives and poetic reflections, Rūmī encourages the reader to embark on a path of spiritual enlightenment. In contrast, happiness arises as the natural product of a life aligned with divine will, marked by a harmonious balance between the dual nature of human beings. This scholarly analysis highlights Rūmī’s significant contribution to the discourse on happiness within the Sufi tradition,h highlighting his contribution to the discourse within the Sufi literature and the enduring relevance of his teachings in our contemporary scholarly expedition for authentic gratification and the human condition.

References

  • Akarsu, Bedia. “Mutçuluk.” Felsefe Terimleri Sözlüğü, İnkılap Kitabevi, 1998. al-Attas, Muhammad Naguib. “The Meaning and Experience of Happiness in Islam.” Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, (1993), 59-78.
  • Aristotle. The Metaphysics Books I-IX. trans. Hugh Tredennick, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1933.
  • Asghari mehr, Fatemehsoghra et al. “Positivism and Happiness from the Point of View of Rumi and Seligman.” Journal of Lyrical Literature Research 20/39 (2022), 23-44.
  • Aydın Mehmet. “İnsân-ı Kâmil”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 22/330-331. TDV Yayınları, 2000.
  • Ayvaz, Muzaffer. “Mevlânâ Celâleddin Rûmî’nin Ahlâk Öğretisinde Mutluluk.” Sinop Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 2/1 (2018), 87-108.
  • Benn Alfred William. Early Greek Philosophy. Archibald Constable, 1908.
  • Blackburn, Simon. “Eudaimonia.” The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford University Press, 1996.
  • Çağrıcı, Mustafa. “Saâdet”. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 35/319-322. TDV Yayınları, 2008.
  • _______ “İtidal”. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 23/456-7. TDV Yayınları, 2001.
  • Cayne, Bernard, et al. “Happiness”. New Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus of the English Language, Lexicon Publication INC, 1992, 439.
  • Cebecioğlu, Ethem. “Bezm-i elest”. Tasavvuf Terimleri ve Deyimleri Sözlüğü. Otto, 2014, 80. Cevizci, Ahmet. “Mutluluk.” Paradigma Felsefe Sözlüğü, Paradigma Yayınları, 2013, 1130- 1131. _______ “Yararcılık ve Yarar İlkesi.” Felsefe Sözlüğü, Say Yayınları, 2017, 455-456. Ceyhan, Semih. “Mesnevî”. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 29/325-334. TDV Yayınları, 2004.
  • Chittick, William C. Divine Love. Yale University Press, 2013.
  • _______ The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi. State University of New York Press, 1983.
  • Çelebi İlyas. “Şehâdet Âlemi”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 38/ 422-423. TDV Vakfı Yayınları. 2010.
  • Daiber, H. ‘Saʿāda’. Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Ed. P. Bearman et al. Brill Reference Online. Web. 18 Aug. 2023.
  • Demirci Mehmet. “Hakikat”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 15/178-179. TDV Yayınları, 1997.
  • Erk, Serap et al. “Mutçuluk.” Felsefe Sözlüğü, Bilim ve Sanat Yayınları, 2020, 1018-1019.
  • al-Fārābī, Abu Nasr. al-Farabi on the perfect state: Abū Naṣr al-Fārābī's Mabādiʼ ārāʼ ahl almadīna al-fāḍila. trans. Richard Waller, Clarendon Press, 1985.
  • Gazzâlî, Ebû Hamid Muhammed. İhyâu Ulûmi’d-dîn. çev. Ahmet Serdaroğlu. İstanbul: Bedir Yayınevi, 2002.
  • al-G̲ h̲ azzālī, Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad. İhyā’u ‘ulūmi’d-d īn, ed. Abdülhalim Mahmud. Maktabat al-Tawfīqiyyah, n.p. or d.
  • Gardet, L., “Kas̲ h̲ f”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 16 February 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0458
  • Gilbert, Daniel. “Gülümsemenin Ardındaki Bilim”. Duygusal Zeka: Mutluluk. ed. Çiğdem Zeynep Aydın, Optimist Kitap, 2019, 27-54.
  • Gökberk, Macit. Felsefe Tarihi. Remzi Kitabevi, 2005.
  • Halper, Yehuda, and Steven Harvey. Pursuit of Happiness in Medieval Jewish and Islamic Thought: Studies Dedicated to Steven Harvey. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols, 2021.
  • Hirtenstein Stephen. Ahmad Pakatchi and Translated by Alexander Khaleeli, “Ḥaqq”, in: Encyclopaedia Islamica, Editors-in-Chief: Farhad Daftary. Consulted online on 15 February 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1875-9831_isla_COM_070633>
  • Hookway, Christopher. “Pragmatism.” The Cambridge History of Philosophy 1870–1945, edited by Thomas Baldwin, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003, 74–90. al-Hud̲j̲
  • wīrī, Alī b. Uthmān. Hakikat Bilgisi: Keşfu’l-Mahcûb. ed. Süleyman Uludağ, Dergâh Yayınları, 2018.
  • İbn Miskeveyh, Ahmed bin Muhammed bin Yakup. Mutluluk ve Felsefe: Tertîbü’s-saâdât ve menâzilü’l-ulûm. ed. Hümeyra Özturan, Klasik Yayınları, 2009.
  • Joshanloo, Mohsen. 2014. “Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views.” Journal of Happiness Studies 15 (2): 475–493.
  • al-Kalābādhī, Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Isḥāq, Doğuş Devrinde Tasavvuf: Ta’arruf. ed. Süleyman Uludağ, Dergâh Yayınları, 2019.
  • al-Kāshānī Abd al-Razzāq. Sûfilerin Kavramları: Istılâhâtu's-Sûfiyye. trans. Abdurrezzak Tek, Akademi Yayınları, 2014.
  • Kırlangıç, Hicabi. “Nizâmî ve Fuzûlî’nin Leylâ ve Mecnun Mesnevîleri”. Şarkiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi 8/27, (2008) 49–65.
  • al-Kindī, Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb b. Isḥāq. Üzüntüden Kurtulma Yolları. ed. Mustafa Çağrıcı, Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı Yayınları, 2009.
  • Kors Alan Charles. “Eudaemonism”. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment. Oxford University Press, 2002.
  • Sargut, Cemalnur. Dinle. Nefes Yayınları, 2012 . Seligman, Martin. Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting. Atria Books, 2004.
  • Stove, D. C., and A. D. Irvine. 2011. What’s Wrong with Benevolence : Happiness, Private Property, and the Limits of Enlightenment. 1st American ed. New York: Encounter Books. Taş, Oktay. İbn-i Sînâ’nin Ahlâk Felsefesinde Mutluluk. Yüksek Lisans Tezi. Selçuk Üniversitesi, 2006.
  • The Qurʾān. trans. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Islamic Foundation, 2016.
  • Türer, Osman. “Letâif-i Hamse.” Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 27/143. TDV Yayınları, 2003.
  • Ulal Serap Erk, Güçlü Bâkî, Uzun Erkan, Uzun, Ü. Hüsrev Ünsal. “Mutçuluk”. Felsefe Sözlüğü, Ankara: Bilim ve Sanat Yayınları, 2020, 1018-1019.
  • Uludağ Süleyman. “Keşf”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 22/315-7. TDV Yayınları, 2002.
  • Uludağ Süleyman. “Sülûk”. TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 38/127-128. TDV Yayınları, 2010
  • Weber, Alfred. Felsefe Tarihi. trans. H. Vehbi Eralp, Sosyal Yayınları, 1993.
  • Yakıt, İsmail. “Mevlânâ’da Mutluluk Ahlakı” Felsefe Arkivi 29 (1994), 29–73. Yavuz, Yusuf Şevki. “Bezm-i Elest.” Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 6/106–8. TDV Yayınları, 1992.
  • Yeniterzi, Emine. Sevginin Evrensel Mühendisi: Mevlânâ, TDV Yayınları, 2011. Yount, J. David. Plato and Plotinus on Mysticism, Epistemology, and Ethics. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.
There are 44 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Sufism
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya 0000-0001-6834-799X

Early Pub Date September 10, 2024
Publication Date September 16, 2024
Submission Date February 19, 2024
Acceptance Date May 15, 2024
Published in Issue Year 2024 Issue: 111

Cite

ISNAD Yalçınkaya, Arzu Eylül. “IN PURSUIT OF TRUTH: D̲J̲ALĀL AL-DĪN RŪMĪ’S CONCEPTION OF HAPPINESS WITHIN THE MATHNAWĪ-I MA’NAWĪ”. Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi 111 (September 2024), 439-460. https://doi.org/10.60163/tkhcbva.1439385.

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