The Song of the Soul: An Introduction to Rumi’s Masnavi, Book II

Rumi’s Masnavi is often described as the “Ocean of Recognition,” for its teachings are said to contain the keys to understanding the signs of God in both creation and the soul. Yet the question that remains to be explored is this: what exactly is recognition (maʿrifat)? How does it differ from ordinary knowledge, and how might one attain it? Through a close reading of nine tales in Book II, this course examines how Rumi develops a vision of recognition rooted in the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet, and enriched by the literary and philosophical traditions that preceded him. We will explore such themes as the relationship between realization and imitation; the ethical and spiritual dimensions of recognition; the tension between form and meaning; the interplay of recognition, metaphor, and truth; the role of the spiritual master as guide; the interdependence of virtue and knowledge; the diversity of paths leading to recognition; and the ascending hierarchy of the levels of knowledge. Join us as we unravel the hidden threads that weave together the tales of Book II of the Masnavi.

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Lecture Titles, Nov 6 to Dec 18

Lecture 1: Introduction to Book II — What Is Recognition?
Lecture 2: Metaphor, Truth, and Recognition
Lecture 3: Recognition, Imitation, and Realization
Lecture 4: The Spiritual Master, Guidance, and Recognition
Lecture 5: Levels of Knowledge, Revelation, and Recognition
Lecture 6: Virtues, Spiritual States, Trials, and Recognition
Lecture 7: Recognition and the Plurality of Spiritual Perspectives
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Speaker Bio‍

Dr. Nariman Aavani is a Research Fellow at SufiCorner and a Research Associate in the Intellectual History of Islam in South Asia in the Department of South Asian Studies at Harvard University. He received his PhD in Islamic Studies from Harvard, where his research focused on pre-modern Islamic thought in Iran and the Indian subcontinent, with particular attention to Hindu-Muslim intellectual encounters during the Mughal period.

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