The Influence of Mutanabbi on Rumi

In both his poetry and prose, Rumi (d. 1273 CE) has been influenced by Arabic literature, especially by the well-known Arab poet, Abu Tayyeb Mutanabbi (d. 965 CE). This influence manifests itself both in the Arabic poems Rumi has verbatim borrowed from his Divan and inserted into his own poetry or in the poems he has first translated from Arabic into Persian, and then used in his poetry. However, whatever lines of poetry Rumi has borrowed or adapted from Mutanabbi ’s Divan, containing either poetical wisdom or lyrical motifs, he has appropriated to suit his own mystical tone.