1. Introduction: The Nature of the Work and its Place in Mevlâna’s Collected Works
The work *Mecâlis-i Seb’a*, meaning “Seven Assemblies,” comprises seven sermons (assemblies) that Mevlâna Celâleddin Rûmî delivered from the pulpit to guide the people at various times, transcribed into writing. Compared with Mevlâna’s rhymed masterpieces, the Mesnevī and the Dīvān-i Kebīr, it is observed that the manuscript copies of this work are more limited in number. Nevertheless, the work holds a unique position within Mevlevi literature for demonstrating Mevlâna’s “official” rhetorical language, his method of commentary based on scriptural sources, and his ability to convey Sufi truths to the common people.
2. The Writing Process and Historical Background
The writing process of this work is closely linked to the great transformation in Mevlâna’s life. A chronological perspective can be presented through the accounts of menāqibnāme authors such as Sipehsâlār and Eflâkî:
Şems-i Tebrīzī Before and After: It is known that Mevlâna’s father, Sultanü’l-Ulemâ Bahâeddin Veled, was engaged in giving lessons and delivering sermons. Probably a large portion of the work dates back to the sermons delivered before his encounter with Şems-i Tebrīzī on November 26, 1244 (642 AH). However, stories quoted from Şems’s *Makâlāt* in the first assembly confirm that even after meeting Şems, Mevlâna rarely addressed the pulpit at the request of such individuals as Sultan Rükneddin, Emir Pervâne, or Çelebi Husâmeddîn.
Sultan Veled’s Stewardship and the “Server” Controversy: It is understood that the sermons were noted by Sultan Veled or his disciples, and subsequently, Sultan Veled undertook a serious process of revision and arrangement of the text. The presence of some couplets from Sultan Veled’s *İbtidânâme* in the work provides evidence of this stewardship. However, as an academic nuance, it is possible that certain couplets appearing in the text with the epithet “Server” (Sanâ’î), written in Hadîka meter, were added by Sultan Veled, or alternatively, they may have been recited by Mevlâna himself from Sanâ’î during the sermons.
Transcription and Authority: The work’s authority within the Mevlevi tradition was reinforced by the intervention of Sultan Veled in the text and his perfecting it.
3. The Seven Assemblies: Analysis of Thematic Content
The assemblies included in the work are shaped around a specific hadith or subject heading. The following table details the thematic structure of the assemblies:
Meclis No | Basic Hadith / Subject Heading | Sub-Themes Processed
1. Meclis | Deterioration (fesād) of the community and adherence to the Sunnah | Interpretation of the invocation (Bismallah), miracles of the Prophet (Shakk-i Kamer), repentance of Vahshī, and divine mercy.
2. Meclis | Emerging from the lowliness of sins and entering the boundary of God-fearingness (takwa) | The superiority of inner wealth (istiğna) over material wealth, the wisdom of the “Be” letter in the invocation.
3. Meclis | Power of faith and unwavering belief | Comparison of a zahid (one devoted to outward observance) with an ‘arif (one devoted to gnosis), the relationship between a ruler and his servant, and longing for union.
4. Meclis | Servants who dedicate themselves to the benefit of the people | Sense of servitude, self-discipline, and the nature of true repentance (tawba-i nasûh).
5. Meclis | The value of knowledge (ilm) and the parts of human nature | Abdü’l-muttalib’s prayer for rain, purification from ego, and spiritual stations.
6. Meclis | Awakening from heedlessness and the transience of the world | Chapter of supplication (munācāt), exhortations in the Torah, and a unitary interpretation of the phrase “Lâ-Ilâhe.”
7. Meclis | The dignity of reason, knowledge, and gnosis | The difference between innate (ladunnī) knowledge and acquired knowledge, the intellect of the soul.
The structural flow of the work begins with sermons written in literary language, continues with a heartfelt supplication, and culminates in a hadith commentary. A striking difference in volume is that the 1st Assembly is as long as the total length of the other six assemblies.
4. Stylistic Features and Literary Techniques
Mevlâna has blended “inshād” (elaboration) and “şerh” (commentary) techniques with a high degree of literary taste in pulpit oratory:
The Theological Function of Representation and Metaphors: Mevlâna used concrete metaphors to enable the common people to understand abstract Sufi concepts:
A Black Man and a Mirror: The mirror (guide or sermon) shows reality as it is; the black man (the self-desiring nafs) cannot tolerate seeing his own ugliness in the mirror and becomes hostile to it.
The Fox and the Drum: Emphasizes that worldly status and fame may appear magnificent from the outside, but are hollow (hali) on the inside, and intelligent people should not be deceived by this noise.
Functional Use of Sources: Mevlâna embellishes his sermons with quotations from Sanâ’î’s *Hadīka*, Attâr’s works, and his own Mesnevī and Dīvān. These quotations are not merely literary ornamentation but spiritual proofs that allow the hadiths being told to penetrate the heart.
5. Comparative Analysis: *Mecâlis-i Seb’a* and *Fîhi mâ-Fîh*
The two works sharply distinguish themselves in terms of address and context within Mevlâna’s prose corpus:
Level of Address (Avâm and Hâl Ehli): *Mecâlis-i Seb’a* carries a didactic and formal style aimed at the broad masses (avâm) from the pulpit (pulpit). In contrast, Fîhi mâ-Fîh are records of more free-flowing and profound conversations that Mevlâna had with “people of spiritual aptitude” (*hâl ehli*) in his private gatherings.
Formality and Language: While the sections of sermons and supplications in *Mecâlis* are woven with heavy siji’ (rhyme) and eloquence, the language in Fîhi mâ-Fîh is more direct, sincere, and free from affectation.
6. Academic Studies and Manuscript Evaluations
Research on this work sheds light on Mevlevi history:
1937 Publication: This first publication, led by Dr. F. Nâfiz Uzluk, with the translation of M. Hulûsi Karadeniz and the collation of Ahmed Remzi Akyürek, has been subject to scholarly criticism due to typesetting and translation errors.
Abdülbaki Gölpınarlı’s Work: Gölpınarlı’s publications in 1965 (Konya) and 1994 (Istanbul) have established academic standards by presenting the work with a comprehensive index, meticulous notes, and source research.
MS 79 Codex: The most reliable and ancient manuscript of the work is located in Mevlâna Museum Library No. 79 codex. This valuable “codex,” transcribed between 1351-1354, contains not only *Mecâlis-i* but also *Fîhi mâ-Fîh* and *Mektûbât*.
7. Conclusion: The Sufi and Social Value of the Work
*Mecâlis-i Seb’a* is the most brilliant manifestation of Mevlâna’s principle of “using art to guide people.” At the heart of the work, and extensively elaborated in the first assembly, is the story of “Vahshī’s Repentance,” which summarizes Mevlâna’s theological message. Through the sincere repentance and forgiveness of even Vahshī, the murderer of Hz. Hamza, Mevlâna proclaims that the mercy of God (divine mercy) surpasses all conditional forgiveness. This work is an eternal manifesto of hope, offering a message of hope to humanity drowning in despair.