on rumi’s philosophy of language

this paper examines the nature of language in the works of mawlana jalal al-din rumi and consists of three sections: language and reality in rumi; the complex view of language in fihi ma fihi (the discourses of rumi); and, poetry and mysticism in rumi. the paper discusses three main topics: rumi's ambivalent attitude to language, which is seen as both a means of conveying truth and guidance and yet ultimately inadequate for expressing divine realities; the nature of mystical inebriation in rumi's poetry, and the diverse ways in which this is expressed in the divan-e shams and the mathnavi-e macnavi; and the intimate connection between imagery and the expression of mystical truths in rumi's writings. finally, this paper will show how these three themes are interrelated, giving a complete picture of language in the works of rumi.