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Ex-Minister Finds God in Rumi's Poetry
24 Mar
Summary
- Former minister left California for Turkey inspired by Rumi.
- He embraced Islam and became a whirling dervish in Konya.
- He is translating Rumi's famous Masnavi into English.
A former Christian minister's life took a profound spiritual turn after encountering the poetry of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. Craig Fentor, a former minister from California, found himself deeply moved by Rumi's writings on divine love and the soul's journey.
This encounter inspired Fentor to leave his home and begin a new life in Konya, Turkey, a significant pilgrimage site for Rumi's followers. There, he embraced Islam, adopted the name Ismail, and became a whirling dervish, joining the Mevleni order.
Ismail is now dedicating his life to a significant literary undertaking: translating Rumi's renowned Masnavi-yi Maʿnavi into English. This extensive work consists of 25,000 rhyming couplets. Ismail considers this translation his calling, with the blessing of Rumi's direct descendants.
