"Come, come again, whoever you are, come!
Heathen, fire worshipper or idolatrous, come!
Come even if you broke your penitence a hundred times,
Ours is the portal of hope, come as you are."

Who are we?
This site is constructed by the Celebi family for their great-grandfather, Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, the great Anatolian philosopher, poet and the father of the Mevlevi sect.

In 1996 we have lost Dr. Celaleddin Bakir Celebi, the 19^th great-grandson of Mevlana (21^st generation descendant) and the past "Celebi," the leader of the Mevlevi sect. He was the the 32^nd Celebi to occupy the post. We prepared this site in memory of him. A special section of this web site is dedicated to Dr. Celebi and a selection of his writings. {more}

Celebi family is one of the oldest families in the world.
Our family tree spans more than 800 years and includes 26 generations. Since Mevlana's death, his family kept complete records of their family. The youngest member of our family, the 21^st great-grandchildren of Mevlana is 17 years old (in year 2010). The oldest recorded member of our family is Mevlana's great-great father, Ahmed-i Hatibi who lived in 12^th century AD. {more}
 

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Who is Mevlana?
Hz. Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, is known as Hz. Mevlana in the East and known as Rumi in the West. At birth, his family named him Muhammed, though he came to be nicknamed Celaleddin. As for "Mevlana", it connotes to "our master", while "Rumi" relates to "the land of Rum" or "Anatolia", where he lived.

Mevlana was a philosopher and mystic of Islam, but not a Muslim of the orthodox type. His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love. To him and to his disciples all religions are more or less truth. Looking with the same eye on Muslim, Jew and Christian alike, his peaceful and tolerant teaching has appealed to men of all sects and creeds. {more}

Mevlana was born on 30 September 1207 in Balkh in present day Afghanistan. He died on 17 December 1273 in Konya in present day Turkey. He was laid to rest beside his father and over his remains a splendid shrine was erected.

Mevlana Mausoleum
The 13^th century building features a mosque, dance hall, dervish living quarters, school and tombs of some leaders of the Mevlevi Order.

Mevlana Mausoleum was made a museum in 1927, four years after the establishment of the Turkish Republic. It is now one of the most visited museums in Turkey, attracting more than two million visitors a year drawing pilgrims from all parts of the world. {more}

Mevlana's Mausoleum

International Mevlana Foundation was formed in Istanbul in 1996 with moral support of late Dr. Celaleddin Bakir Celebi to make researches about Mevlana’s works and thoughts, and carry them over to the coming generations all over the world.

International Mevlana Foundation gives consulting service for the Mevlana and Mevlevi gatherings, programs, books and artistic works. In 2009 our foundation reached the criteria for accreditation in UNESCO. {more}

Whirling Dervishes
The "dance" of the Whirling Dervishes is called Sema. Sema is a part of the inspiration of Mevlana as well as part of the Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture.

Sema represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to "Perfect." Turning towards the truth, his growth through love, desert his ego, find the truth and arrive to the "Perfect," then he return from this spiritual journey as a man who reached maturity and a greater perfection, so as to love and to be of service to the whole of creation, to all creatures without discrimination of believes, races, classes and nations.  {more}

* Alternative spellings: Mawlana, or Mowlana, and Jalal Al-Din, or Jalaluddin