Iqtidārʹgarāyī-i Mawlānā dar girdāb-i qudrat

This insightful work by Hamid Bigdeli delves into the life and character of one of Iran's most renowned Sufi mystics, Jalal al-Din Rumi (Mowlavi, 1207-1273). Rather than focusing solely on Rumi's renowned Masnavi, the author takes a fresh approach, exploring the multilayered dimensions of Rumi's persona - from his social and political contexts to the nuances of his mystical worldview.

The book is structured in five key sections. The first examines the cultural and political landscape that shaped Rumi's era, as well as the evolution of Sufi thought and concepts like love, gnosis and the unity of being. The second and third parts delve into Rumi's complex relationship with power, tracing how various social and religious figures vied to co-opt him for their own authoritarian agendas. The fourth section explores the transformative impact of Rumi's encounter with the enigmatic Shams-i Tabrizi. Finally, the concluding chapters analyze Rumi's own ambiguous flirtations with power, as manifested in his writings and poetry. By adopting this multifaceted lens, the author challenges the common portrayal of Rumi as solely a mystic of unbridled love, revealing the intricate interplay between spirituality, politics and human nature in the life of this towering figure of Persian culture.