About the Translator
The Translator, Ibrahim Gamard, is a Rumi scholar, born in the United States (in 1947). He has been strongly interested in mysticism (since 1966), a student of sufism (since 1971), a semazen ("whirler") and a member of the 750 year-old sufi order that derives from the teachings of Mawlānā Jalāluddīn Rūmī-- the Mevlevi ('Whirling Dervish") Order (since 1975), a Muslim (since 1984), and a translator of Rumi's poetry (since 1985). He was made a Mevlevi Shaykh (in 2007), or authorized teacher, by Faruk Hemdem Chelebi Efendi, the 22nd generation direct descendent of Mawlana Rumi and the 33rd Makam-i Chelebi, or hereditary leader of all Mevlevis.
Professionally, he is a licensed psychologist in California (Ph.D. in Psychology, 1986). But his passion is in studying and translating the poetry of Rumi in his spare time. About 1981, he began teaching himself classical Persian for the sole purpose of reading Rumi's poetry in the original language. In 1985 he began collaborating with Dr. Ravan Farhadi, an Afghan professor of Persian Literature at the University of California, Berkeley, in a translation of over 1,600 of the quatrains attributed to Rumi, together with commentary and Persian text, in what is presently an 700 page unpublished manuscript (entitled, "The Quatrains of Rumi").
In December 1997, the Translator began posting articles on the Internet concerning Rumi translation issues (on the newsgroup, "alt.fan.jalaludin_rumi"). By comparing English translations and versions with the original Persian, he has attained an excellent understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the books which have made Rumi the best-selling poet in America today.
In November 1998, he was invited by a Rumi listserve group ("Sunlight" at yahoogroups.com, which offers daily translations and versions of Rumi's poetry) to add Persian transliterations to selections from R. A. Nicholson's (1926-34) literal translation of the Masnavi. This soon led to adding Qur'anic references, more explanatory notes, including some of Nicholson's commentary.
In June 1999, he was invited to post his own (literal) translations on "Sunlight" on a weekly basis, of selections (of usually 20--30 lines) from the Masnavi (selections chosen by Abraham Sarmad Brody, someone affiliated with "Sunlight"). This has included transliterations of the Persian text (based on the earliest text of Rumi's masterpiece) as well as explanations of the verses based on Nicholson's two volumes of commentary. This has been supplemented, starting at the end of September 2000, by commentary from Anqaravi, the famous 17th century Turkish Mevlevi commentator (translated by the Translator into English from a 15-volume Persian translation of the Ottoman Turkish text).
Other than two previous British efforts, long out of print (Nicholson's two volumes of commentary, 1937 & 1940; C. E. Wilson's translation and commentary on Book II, 1910), these are the first translations from the Masnavi into English which offer explanations from the great commentators of the past about the meanings of Rumi's words and teachings therein.
He has made these translations and commentary freely available on the Internet (since 11/01) for lovers of Rumi's poetry who are motivated to study about Rumi's words and teachings in greater depth. As readers become more familiar, over time, with Rumi's metaphors, religious references, and mystical (sufi) teachings, they will begin to glimpse and appreciate the first levels of a spiritual wisdom so profound, vast, and permeated with Divine Love and Mercy, as to make the Masnavi so greatly revered for more than 750 years.
He has made presentations at a number of international Rumi conferences: "Rumi: Poet of Heart, Light of Mind" (Columbia University, New York City, 6/97); "Rumi 2000" (California State University, San Bernardino, 10/00); the "Internatinal Seminar in Commemoratin of the 800th Birthday of Mawlānā Jalāluddīn Balkhī-Rūmī" (Kabul, 5/07: "The Translation of the Complete Rubā'iyāt-e Jalāluddīn Muhammad Balkhī-Rūmī"). He also attended the "International Symposium on Mevlānā Celāleddin Rūmī," Istanbul, 5/07; although he did not make a presentation, his paper ("How to Understand Mawlana Rumi") will be included in the book of the proceedings of the symposium.
He has made presentations at two sufi conference: at the Sufism Symposium, San Francisco, 4/99, with a talk entitled "Rumi and Self-Discvery.¾ He also spoke at "The First Annual International Symposium on Sayyid Nuruddin Shah Ni'matullah Vali," San Jose State University, 10/02). In addition, he presented a talk entitled, "Themes of Peace and Lovein the Masnavi and Quatrains of Mawlana Rumi" at an international conference on "Conflict Resolution: A Dialogue Among Cultures and Religions," at Union Theological Seminary, New York City (4/02).
He taught an ongoing class, twice per month, entitled, "Rumi Poetry and Whirling Prayer" which began with reading and discussion of his translated selections from the Masnavi (2/00 - 4/01). From 9/01-4/07 he co-led a class twice per month (in Berkeley, California): an hour of prayer-chanting, singing of ghazals (in Persian, with refrains sung by the rest of the group) and whirling prayer ceremony practice (to live or recorded music).
He was the disciple [murīd] of a Mevlevi shaykh in Istanbul, Turkey (from 1999 until the latter¼s death in January 2005) who was under the authority of the present world leader of the Mevlevi order, Faruk Hemdem Chelebi Efendi.
He has been living near Santa Rosa, California with his wife since July, 2001. He is available to teach classes on Rumi's Masnavi should there be enough individuals willing to make a long-term commitment to study the material.
His first book of translations from Rumi¼s works was published in 2004: "Rumi and Islam: Selections from His Stories, Poems, and Discourses" (Skylight Paths Publishing), a book of translations from Persian of some of Rumi's beautiful stories about the virtues of the Prophet, his references to sayings (Ahādīth) of the Prophet, and his praises of the greatness of the Prophet (upon whom be peace).
Also in 2004 was the publication "Hafiz: The Mystical Poets," which includes a preface written by him that explains some of the Islamic mystical symbolism of medieval Persian poetry.
More recently, was the publication of his article, "Rumi and Self-Discovery" in "Islamica Magazine," Issue 15, Summer 2005.
