format_quote Originally Posted by
anatolian
Teachings of Rumi are controversial to some. He can be regarded as the chief sufi scholar of the 13th century. But we come to the same sufi versus traditional Islam conflict again. Some non-Muslim mystics benefit from this conflict and try to patch him to irriligious miytisizm. For me he was just a good Muslim scholar and did a good job. These sufi scholars preached Islam and many non-Muslims became Muslims by their hands.
Yes, a lot of the time when discussing Rumi that 'Sufism vs Orthodox Islam' conflict arises, and I suppose those who then do translate his work emphasise that division to make his come across as somehow 'not really Muslim or influenced by Islam'.
I understand he went much less for literal interpretations and more for symbolism and metaphors. I haven't studied him enough to have my own opinion about his school of thought, but while one might not agree with everything he wrote, he was definitely a Muslim scholar of his time who was very influential.