Omar, the Emissary, and the Greater Jihad of Inner Transformation | Chapter 9 of The Masnavi
The Greater Jihad, Caliph Omar’s Humility, and the Mystery of Divine Presence | Chapter 9 of The Masnavi (Book One) Chapter 9 of The Masnavi weaves together two of Rumi’s central teachings: the supremacy of the “Greater Jihad”—the struggle against the lower self—and the transformative power of true spiritual presence. Through a captivating encounter between a Byzantine emissary and the Caliph Omar, Rumi contrasts worldly expectations with divine reality, intellectual pride with spiritual humility, and external grandeur with inner majesty. This chapter deepens Rumi’s message that spiritual greatness is not measured by appearance or status, but by the light of God that radiates from a purified heart. To follow the chapter’s themes in full depth, watch the complete breakdown here: The Greater Jihad: The Inner Struggle of the Soul Rumi opens the chapter with the Sufi teaching that the greatest battle is not fought on fields of war but within the self. The “Greater Jihad” refers...