Please see the full profile of Raza Rumi here
A travelling soul with diverse interests ranging from Urdu, literature to music and from psychologyand Sufism to cinema. History is another unwavering passion of mine. Lahore is my janam bhoomi and Pakistan is what defines me in its entirety. Yet I am a citizen of the world and my Muslim identity, howsoever fractured in these times, is central to my being. I have created this space to prompt a conference of words where people sharing my interests could contribute their thoughts and writings. I have also posted my recent writings on diverse topics – some of these have been published in a Pakistani weekly publication.
And, yet ki janaa mein kaun? for I do not recognize myself…
Dara Shikoh with a saint [Src: A. Mittal]
Jahane Rumi 
Greetings Raza, I must commend you on this lovely sace you have created and the perfect and balanced choice of writings chosen for the website. One would also of course like to see some seminal development thought being made accessibale from this very space as well. Best wishes, Mohd. Ali
Just discovered this site. Wonderful space!!
What you say about Pakistan defining oneself resonates with me. Of course, it is interesting–though inevitable, really–that those of us most comfortable and well-thought-out in our being Pakistani that are most comfortable engaging with India, Indians and our common heritage, too.
Keep up the good work!
PS: Have you seen http://pakistaniat.wordpress.com ?
Many thanks for liking the blog. Since it is still under construction, I would request your comments and feedback on how to improve it. Yes I am already linked to All Things Pakistan. Good to know that you are also concerned with our common heritage. Indo-Islamic culture is a peculiar universe – its fascinating and rich yet fractured due to the hostility between India and Pakistan since 1947. However, such hostilities cannot take away the 1000 years of co-existence. We still share the classical music, architecture and above the Sufis!
RR
My dear Rumi,
Why is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of slaves?
Dear KL Sb
Many thanks for leaving the comment. You have pointed out the paradox of our times. It is only through acknowldeging of our past and confronting our present, we can move towards liberty!
thanks again, RR
Welcome to the Blogospere!
(And thanks for the link to 3QD…)
Abbas
liked your site
would add a link to mine
Many thanks. likewise. Let’s stay connected in the blog-world….
Do send me stuff for posting..if you can
regards, R
Dear RR,
It was very soothing to see a space like this one when everyone else is just spreading the hate. Please keep up the good work.
its very hard to describe the beauty of this blog. i guess this space is a plunge into knowledge and spreading it further..thanks for hosting such a nice corner on the web….
Salaam Alaikum:
Alhamdulillah, that I have discovered your wonderful blog by following a link through a comment on Mystic Saint’s blog (Sadiq Alam). I am adding you to my blogroll, dear soul 🙂
Ya Haqq!
Assalaam alaikum Br. Raza,
Fortunately, I have discovered your blog through Br. Sadiq’s blog too. Your blog reflects a very impressive subject range full of depth and wisdom, Alhamdolillah.
Br. Raza, if its okay with you, can i have your email address?
Jazaak Allah Khair
Dear Irving and SF
thanks for your encouraging comments. Please do keep visiting and also give me suggestions on how to improve it further. I know this blog is a little eclectic – a bit of many things and perhaps no focus – but then blogs are meant to be personal? I value your comments.
thanks, RR
I stumbled across your site about a month ago. I live in the States. I travel to India each Feb. I do enjoy the poetry you set forth on the site, and have gone to several of the sites you recommend on poetry, sufism and religion.
As you know, in the States, Pakistan, Pakistanis and Muslims are often vilified. Its a pleasure to read your post, just as a reminder that despite the various labels placed upon us, we all seek the same oneness.
Gary Wunderlin
not sure i agree that by “acknowldging our past…confronting our present we can gain liberty”. our past is sordid (for the most part) and our present fractured and confused… nice website, though 🙂 good mix of varied material. i like the spiritual tone.
twg
A very good collection you have here!
What a beautiful collection of poetry and prose! And no Raza, its not cluttered at all…!! Full of energy, lots of ideas all packed in one dynamic brain (blog)! the enthusiasm is almost infectious!!! I know how busy you are both workwise and socially, and yet knowing you, you have been managing this creative outlet just as well! Its a job well done and you must continue to do so. Sheer delight to go through this blog. I shall try and seek some of Sahab Qizilbash’s work if available in English or try to translate them (dont worry, wont do it myself!) for you to give them some space here, if you could please. Very warm regards.
-Shaista
Dear Raza,
From India
If all pakistanis are broad minded and inclusive like you.We never want to fight you ,never.
i’ll be back
:))
Raza,
Amit K Bharati’comment makes me happy as it shows that we can avoid misunderstandings by communicating and interatcing with our neighbours. Let there be no war with anyone, ever. Your blog is a little step towards creating better understanding between Indians and Pakistanis….
You have a beautiful blog. I really like the picture of Shalimar.
Suzi
Hey Razman!!!
Kaun jaaney toon kaun? Yeah baby, sage-alicious!!!
How’s it hangin’ man?
Love,
Gulz
Gulssss
Thanks for visiting….as always you cheered me up.
Hope you will contribute stuff to this blog?
all the best..
Dear Rumi,
I was recently in India. The contrast in preservation of heritage couldn’t be starker. We simply burn daylight.
uth bulleya, chal othay challiye
jithe rainnay saaray annay
na koi saadi zaat pahchaanay, na koi sannu manne
“To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.”
I await your articles with such thoughts.
Write, Rumi, write !
Hullo! Just discovered … and delighted! Will be here regularly. Keep up the great work, on behalf of all members of the School of Eternal Harmony! Best, rama
AssalamAlykum
dear bro Raza ,Mashallah your choice of sufi poetry is so fine . Love is the need of the hour for the whole of humanity .Unconditional love for the best of creations i.e. Human beings will surely take us all close to the Almighty Creator .
“Love towards all ,Malice towards none” – Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishty (RA)
May you be blessed n May Allah always smile upon you ,Ameen.
Peace ,Love ,Blessings
Syed Salman Chishty
Ajmer Sharif ,India
Indeed a blog so nice, hard to belive it exist. Congratlations. Iam proud of you RR. Thanks for blog you have created,many many thanks, Jakallah may God bless you for eternity.
Syed
nice site brother rumi and nice words used do visit my site http://www.aulia-e-hind.com and let me know if u can give a link to the site from your space
a typo in my comment, I apologise profusly.
Syed
My dearest Raza,
It is so heartenting to see this site and the work you are doing. Makes up to some extent for you not being in Pakistan.
Atti.
Dear Raza
It is delightful to experience the old city through your evocative writings as well as Fawad’s, alongwith Mahboob Ali’s wonderful woodcuts. Since I have been fortunate enough to be a humble onlooker to these curious, ecstatic and mellow-winter sun wanderings through the purana sheher by the two of you and a keen participant in our joyous readings of Mustafa Zaidi and Majeed Amjad in front of a gas fire, I must say it has been quite a memorable winter.
Wonderful blog. Adding a link to mine
Hey i saw you in my Blog http://www.risingpakistan.wordpress.com , i planned to visit your blog and it is great.
Really a good blog.
I am from Karachi, but these days i am in Lahore on project, and want to meet you.
Though i havent studied philposhy, and other,,, but i like Iqbal, and like to read more.
Can we meet, sit,,, discuss..
my email is wajahatabbas@yahoo.com
Thanks & Regards,
Wajahat Abbas
Very nice to have come upon this blog. I am happy for two reasons:
1.There’s a spontaneous gladdening of my heart when I see spiritual endeavor.
2. Amidst the non-stop dose of regressive news that attaches itself to Pakistan in one form or another, as your neighbor, I am elated to discover someone of your wideness.
I do not follow Sufism, but I have fondness for it in my heart as the finest flower of Islam.
Dear Bhopale, Ghaus, Osama, Wajahat and Mahi
Many thanks for visiting this space and leaving comments. This is most encouraging!
D
Dear Raza Romi,
Great to have seen your blog. It is just wonderful, very impressive, CONGRATLATION!
Keep up this good work.
Thanks and Regards,
Nasar Malik, DJ, Journalist.
Copenhagen. Denmark.
http://www.urduhamasr.dk
Dear Raza,
Three cheers for making your blog look more direct, impresssive in content and user friendly. One feels quite at ease in exploring the world present in your blog.
I truly appreciate the depth, and richness of quality information and knowledge available in this treasure trove called “Jehan-e-Rumi”.
Peace
Zia
Islamabad
PAKISTAN.
Raza Ji!
Wah ji wah.boht shukriya kay itney saarey insaniyet sey payar kerney waaley logon ka mil bethney ka bahaana diya.
sir ur each and every blog is wonderful ,full of knowledge
MAy Allah bless u
Shah Ast Hussain BadshaAst Hussain – my poem
http://www.photographerno1.com/thumbnails.php?album=38&page=3
A lesson in humanity
A banner you must feel
Before you read
Shah Ast Hussain
Badshah Ast Hussain
A spiritual feed
One name stands out
Unbowed to human greed
Not by mere words
But by deed
From Medina to Karbala
he did proceed
to save Islam
his head did bleed..
He gave his head
But not his hand to Yazid
Haqqa bina la ilaha ast Hussain
Yes indeed.
it is nice bonding with you .. keep up your world adding our world within your word.
firoze shakir
photographerno1
mumbai india.
Hello Raza
I enjoy reading your blog. I have been to Lahore and it is great to still have the opportunity to “connect” with wonderful Pakistan through the blogging world.
I think of posting something about my impressions on Pakistan now that I have “met” the Pakistani blogosphere.
Keep it up!
ASALAM-0-ALIAKUM
U MAKE A WONDERFULL SITE …
I WANT UR HELP IN SOME POINTS.. I WANNA SOME BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF PARVEEN SHAIKIR … WOULD U ?
Dear Raza,
What a wonderful blog! I am happy to have found it!
I still shiver at the word “Lahore”. It was the scene of some of the greatest incidents of the War of 1857, and I remember some of the chilling stories. I wonder if it’s reported in your literature that, in one attack, tears of pride were brought to the eyes of the British officers as the Indians (now also Pakistani’s) attacked them with great skill and courage.
One of my heroes, Captain Sir Frances Richard Burton, served as a British officer in Lahore. I believe Winston Churchill visited Lahore as a junior officer before he joined Kitchener in an attempt to save Charles Gordon in Khartoum.
Great men! Memorable times!
Does “my Muslim identity, howsoever fractured” refer to the India/Pakistani conflict or to the America/Middle East issue or to something else. It’s not obvious to me in Chicago.
I do want to state that EVERY religion has believers of which that religion is ashamed. A Muslim (called Moslem at the time, when did we change?) told another one of my heroes, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, something like:
“You Westerners have your refrigerators and cars and material goods, but you don’t know the Truth”.
I believe there is much in that statement, which reflects the emptiness of a materialistic culture.
The best to you.
Mike
Dear Friend
Your blog is very intresting and I am si happy to find your blog.
I read some of your posts. The poems are impressive.
Success go with you.
went through few of your posts, i am impressed, i like your balanced view and unbiased analysis on a wide range of subjects, I like both the content and the presentation.
please feel free to visit my blog: http://farazy.blogspot.com/
Faraz: thanks for the comment. I visited your blog and left a comment. Am not sure if you saw it?
Mike: You have raised so many issues. The fractured identity remark was made in the global sense – the way Muslims are being demonised and some would say de-humanised. Your knowledge of South Asian history is impressive.
My Friend,
Muslims are indeed “being demonised and some would say de-humanised”, as are Americans.
America is being demonized because of the utter stupidity of our current leadership. Who knows what further havoc they can wreak in the next two years?
Unfortunately, our current leaders do reflect the ignorance of the American public. It was so obvious that Bush was unread and knew nothing of the world, yet we elected him.
Muslims are demonized due to the horrid deeds of a few. Few bother to remember the Light that Muslims have cast upon this world. Few remember that, when the West was in its Dark Ages, the Muslim world was the only Light on this planet.
About 2% of America is Muslim. That does help us see the other side of the story a little. Furthermore, polls show that over 60% of Americans are dissatisfied with Bush.
I do think that Bush has damages America’s image in the world for the next scores of years. Likewise, I think the Muslim image is damaged.
There is no winner. Both have already lost.
Mike in Chicago.
Dear Raza, This is my first comment, although
i have been a secret admirer since long. It is interesting to note the contrast between our two meetings; one atop Cocos cafe overlooking the grand Mosque and second far away in far east last month. But your sincerity remains the same. Khuda karey zor-ekalam aur bhi ziada. Write on my dear, and we travel with you. Best wishes, Sajid
Hello,
I came across your website when I was searching for an image of Jehangir’s wine cup. It has been a pleasure to be here. Please keep it up!
Best wishes,
Meher
Thank you for your words of encouragement at terminal therapy. I am really glad to make your acquaintance and I can see that I will be able to learn and re-learn a lot from your blog.
Zobaria.
Assalam o alaykum
Mr Rumi, i loved ur website it contain all tht i want, i want u to put more rumi’s poetry. Anyways, Jazak Allah and i really appreciate ur effort.:)
Salam!
Can you please telle me when Shah Shams Tabrez urs are in Multan?
Raza, your blog is becoming this enormous repository of amazing stuff — photographs, poetry, historical narratives, thoughtful opinion — about some of the things that matter most to me — India-Pakistan relations, Hindu-Muslim relations, Sufism, globalization’s impact on our heritage, for example. Even more important, I just don’t think there is a collection like this anywhere else on the Internet, and certainly not in any book or magazine.
I hope all of your materials are safely backed up somewhere. It would be a pity for there to be any kind of crash and for all this to be lost.
Just discovered your site…. I am very much interested to re-visit it in detail. There is so much more in it than I had expected. Congratulatins!
More later.
Keep up the good work.
Kucha Kakayzai
One small residential district in the walled city of Lahore, incidently is still well preserved . The early Kakayzais who settled in Lahore were Horse traders. They used a non-verbal, coded sign language to sell horses. This language is still used in many parts of Pakistan. There used to be atleast four wells of which only one is still intact. Small Shrines or rather remnants of shrines remain embedded in some corners of the streets of this Kucha , were presntly women and young children burn candles or oil
filled terracotta lamps”Diyas’. This clan women famous for taking up verbal fights across the street
sitting comfortably in ones home and still enjoying
the shouting and war like threats to the opposite household , the important cultural aspect of these
fights was the time management skills these women used in those times. At the time of the childrens arrival from schools they used a symbol of shutting down the fight by displaying a basket upside down
in the window. In this way they could take a break
and tend to the meals of there children and once the house hold chores were completed the verbal fights would resume and the baskets taken of the windows
Imagine such a tribe toady with codes and gestures to regulate daily life activities.
This site is a treasure trove of information with so many dimensions to it. The mellow background sporting an amazing selection of paintings creates an ambience unique to this place. Keep up the good work, please and don’t forget to share it with us :–)
Best,
Asma Khan
nice blog. really interesting.
Raza – What a wonderful write-up. I could almost taste the mangoes and pomegrandaes! It brought a smile to my face and a yearning to make a trip home…
i must offer my words of thanks and gratitiude. it was by a sheer chance tht i came by this blog yesterday. i was looking for some of allama iqbal’s snaps and got logged on. but it was sheer delight. today i also visited ur site of ghalib and it delighted me equally. the backdrop and the poetry togather is simply amazing. i lost my devan of galib long ago and the sight of his verses made my day.
munzer ik bulundee pur aur hum bana suktay
arsh say peraay hota kash kay makan apna
simply elating! its a pitty tht people are nt in touch wth the native litrature anymore. i bet they are missing on so much.so keep on the good work as its crutial.
thanx for taking us out of mundane
Very impressive site, i love Lahore and its magnificent history, and stumbled upon your site by accident.I hope to get a lot of inspiration and hope from re visting, i had no idea such blogs existed.
Plz keep up the good work.
The Center for Cultural Heritage conservation and Mangement at NCA, Lahore. We the first group of M.Phil students are all sensitive to the complex Heritage issues around us and we are also in the process of developing systems, procedures, and guidelines of Heritage preservation and conservation
Empathy may help us work better : with Stakeholders and make us understand the diversity of ethnic groups and intricate and dynamic social fabric we live in, we need to bring a change in our attitudes so that we can guide significant people to understand the processes of Heritage Conservation and Management in Pakistan
And, yet ki janaa mein kaun? for I do not recognize myself…
————–You are a soul to preach humanism and salvation. —————————————-
I looked at your blog and thank you for your story. It can make mutual understanding among all people of the world.
My name is Lendy Widayana (M), i am independent photojournalist from IndonesiaDiscovery, Indonesia. I would like to build a friendship with all photo journalist. And maybe someday you will visit to our country, we are welcome for that.
Unfortunately, my photo blog is in Bahasa. But for the pictures you can browse it all
through the http://photojournalist.wordpress.com
best regards
thanks for the comment on my post on Lal Ded in my blog
i have responded a little there….
your blog is a treat… we have so much common…
we are looking for a change… if u happen to come to Delhi.. please let me know…
would like to know if your name rumi is a pen name ( takhalus ) ?
inder salim is my conceptual name… we both know how much these two religions have a shared past and a histroy of conflict…
i have really enjoyed your blog
best of wishes
with lot of love
to the people of pakistan and you, your friends and family
inder salim
Against Forgetting – Manglesh Dabraal
I also found this translation on the site you mention – I find the poem moving and profound. Do you know if any more of Manglesh Dabraal’s poetry is available on the internet in translation into English ? Is there a collection or anthology of similar poetry published in English?
Kind Regards
William
Raza, ki jaane mai kaun? I too, cannot recognise myself either, for I am totally traversing through time nad space, and taking in the art, history, music and literature as my inner campanion. I think you have a lot of depth and beauty, as you have demonstrated this wonderful site, unselfishly sharing the best of what really matters! I salute you and wish our paths meet one day. Till then, experience the unknown deeply.
May ALLAH bless you with plenty of Happiness & Divine knowledge.
I think the Murshad/PIR of Dara Skikoh was HAZRAT SHAEED SAED MOHAMMAD SARMAD.
ALLAH KNOWS BEST
I come across your website while searching some material on sufiism….I must say its a great contribution by you towards promoting what we people used to be and what we should be. May Allah guide you for the best.
Regards,
AKHLAQUE
Dear Raza
Assalaam-u-alaikum
Please visit http://www.allaboutreligions.blogspot.com and offer your comments.Thanks
Dear friends, Assalaam u Alaikum
Engaging, impressive, interesting and endearing! It is such a delight to learn that Urdu lovers have globalized this sweet language. I would love to know more about you and if you can write an article entitled “Urdu in Denmark”? How did the language was introduced, who contributed to its growth, has it been taught at the university level,do you have literary meetings, functions and Musha’iras etc? I eagerly wait to hear from you and wish you all the best in your efforts to serve Urdu. Bravo and carry it forward.
With warm regards to you and your colleagues, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
M. Owais Jafrey
Seattle, WA (USA)
Lovely…Idiological Web and other big interesting things here for The people who want to know all about urdu literature…We Like it…We Pray For it…
Hafiz Muzaffar Mohsin
03009449527
Do you have copy writer for so good articles? If so please give me contacts, because this really rocks! 🙂