Mevlana is a cultural figure of world stature who gave not only Turkey and the other Moslem countries but people everywhere the transcendent values of "the heart's purity," the images of the Perfect Man, the deathlessness of the loving soul, joys of passion, humanitarian enlightenment, the artistic dimensions of faith, and the poetic euphoria of the belief in God's beauty and in the human being as a reflection of that reality. He sought to create a "climate of love" when sectarian conflict was rampant and religious wars ablaze. Few faiths in history have shared Mevlana's total commitment to peace or his insistence on blending ethics with aesthetics. This book is an attempt to provide an explanation of the symbolic meanings of the Mevlevi whirling rituals and to offer insights into the ideas and ideals of Sufi thought. Professor Metin And's article is a detailed account of the ceremonies of the dervishes and the focal significance of music and dance as an act of mystical faith. Talat Halman's article deals with Mevlana's concepts of love, ethics, art humanism, universalism and God the Beloved. It is based on extensive quotations from his vast corpus of exquisite and exuberant poetry. The book is embellished by splendid miniature paintings relating to Mevlana and the Whirling Dervishes. It is desired that this work provide readers with insights into the philosophy and poetry of Mevlana; one of history's greatest mystics, and into the symbolism of the dervish rituals. The authors also hope readers gain an appreciation of the eminent poet-philosopher's civic consciousness and his total faith in God without the stringencies of organized religion. 0474033$15.65

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