Jalal-ad-Din Rumi was the greatest mystic of Islam - and perhaps of the world. He was born in 1207 and died in 1272. Rumi left behind a vast collection of mystical poetry and is today the most widely red poet in the western world as he has long been in the East. Much like Francis of Assisi, Rumi adored The Creation. Trees and animals would bow with reverence when he passed by.
Rumi loved to help all beings at whatever stage and in whatever difficulties they found themselves. He loved to see people and animals happy and at peace with their lives and with God.
A beautiful story is told that perfectly expresses Rumi’s enlightened tenderness. It goes like this:
One day Rumi, carrying a tray, was followed secretly by one of his disciples out of the town. Te disciple was bemused, because the tray was heaped with delicacies and Rumi himself always seemed to live austerely. Was the master a hypocrite? Did he plan to eat everything on the tray secretly somewhere? In fact, as the disciple discovered, Rumi was taking the food to a dog who had just given birth to six puppies in the ruins of an old house. Clearly Rumi’s mystically awake senses had made him aware of the dog! When he saw his disciple, Rumi remarked, “You know your heart is awake when you can hear a mother dog’s soft cries of help from miles away.”