Who Is Mevlana, and How Is He Related to Rumi and Molavi?

Mevlana is not a separate person from Rumi — it is an honorific title for the same 13th-century Persian poet, whose full name is Jalal-e-Din Mohammad Molavi Rumi. "Mevlana" (also written Mevlânâ, Molana, or Mawlana) means "our master" or "our guide," and it is the name most commonly used in Turkish and Persian-speaking contexts. If you have seen "Rumi," "Molavi," and "Mevlana" in different books and assumed they were three different authors, they are all referring to one man.

One Poet, Several Names

The confusion is understandable because each name comes from a different language tradition and emphasizes a different aspect of his identity.

So a Turkish reader may call him Mevlana, an Iranian reader may call him Molavi, and an English reader will almost always find him as Rumi. The website Rumi On Fire, for example, introduces him under the full heading "Molana Jalal-e-Din Mohammad Molavi Rumi" — stacking the titles together precisely because readers arrive using different names.

Why the Titles Matter

The titles are not decorative. "Mevlana" signals respect and is tied to his role as a spiritual teacher and founder of the Mevlevi order (the "whirling dervishes"). "Rumi," by contrast, is a geographic label coined by later Western writers — it says where he was from, not who he was. Knowing this helps you search more effectively: a query for "Mevlana" will surface Turkish and Persian sources, while "Rumi" will surface English translations.

His Two Major Works

Two long works anchor his reputation, and both are available in English translation:

• Divan-e Shams (also Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi) — a large collection of lyric poems, many of them ghazals, named after his companion Shams-e Tabrizi. It is the source of much of the ecstatic, love-centered poetry people associate with him.
• Mathnavi (Masnavi-ye Ma'navi) — a long didactic poem in rhyming couplets, often described as a spiritual epic, filled with stories, parables, and reflection.

The site Rumi On Fire organizes its material around exactly these two works, alongside inspired poetry, Persian miniature art, a biography, and an art gallery section ("From Wheat to Bread").

Where to Read Him in English

Rumi On Fire (rumionfire.com) presents itself as a tribute to Mevlana, offering English translations of the Divan-e Shams and Mathnavi, plus inspired poetry and Persian miniature art. It is one usable entry point among others. When choosing a translation source, it helps to check:

• Which work is being translated (Divan-e Shams and Mathnavi read very differently).
• Who the translator is and whether the translation is literal or adapted.
• Whether the source distinguishes translation from "inspired by" poetry — the site does separate these categories, which is useful for knowing what you are reading.

Using the Material Responsibly

Rumi On Fire states its conditions of use directly: you may use the material for non-commercial purposes only, provided you give full credit to the author and to the site, including a hyperlink when used on the internet. All translations and original poetry remain the intellectual property of the author. The site is credited to Shahriar and carries a copyright line of © 1999–2026, based in Vancouver and Los Angeles.

If you plan to quote or republish anything from a translation site like this, read its terms first — attribution and non-commercial limits are common, and they are stated here rather than left implicit.

The Short Answer

Mevlana, Molavi, and Rumi are three names for one poet: Jalal-e-Din Mohammad Molavi Rumi. "Mevlana" is an honorific meaning "our master," used mainly in Turkish and Persian; "Rumi" is the Western geographic label. His central works are the Divan-e Shams and the Mathnavi, and English readers can find translations of both at rumionfire.com, subject to its attribution and non-commercial use conditions.