Born in Afghanistan in the thirteenth century, Rumi settled in Turkeyand became a great mystical poet. Although he began his adult lifeas a highly respected scholar, he found his true calling after beingmentored by a holy man, Shamsuddin. From "Shams," he learned to listenfor the sacred sound of God within himself. When his creative spirit wasawakened, he recited more than 50,000 rhymed couplets. He also wroteabout the love that resides in the soul of everyone regardless of religion orbackground. He founded the order of the whirling dervishes who believedtheir spinning dances put them in touch with God and brought peace andlove into the world. Although Rumi died 800 years ago, his poems are morewidely read now than ever before. To honor the 800th anniversary of hisbirth, the United Nations declared 2007 The Year of Mawlana JalaladdinRumi.