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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. _________ are the wandering Sufis who laugh and love at everything, but they are in turmoil inside.

2. Rumi speaks in the poem mentioned in #157 about a _________ bringing him back to this lost connection.

3. The poet has to ask Shams and _________ to help him, since he is partly within himself and partly outside of himself.

4. Barks talks in his commentary about the mysterious "________" in the poem, though he defines it differently.

5. When asked how long he would remain in pain, Rumi answered that he was a _________ and his friend was the whole night.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rumi think that cow might experience when they are in Baghdad?

2. What happened as a result of Zuleikha loving Joseph so much that he became everything to her?

3. What does Barks suggest is the identity of the 'you' in Rumi's poem, as it is not clear who this person is?

4. What do the Sufis think about love and about its ability to help people, according to the book?

5. What does Rumi have to say about the gamble of love and what does he urge the reader to do?

6. What does Rumi try to do in order to find his lover again, according to the writings of Rumi?

7. What does Rumi say that he doesn't regret in his life, according to one of his poems?

8. Why does the poet ask Shams and the Sun to help him in his poems, according to the writings of Rumi?

9. What happens as the result of surrendering to love, according to the writings of Rumi?

10. What is essential in the windows of one heart to another, according to the writings of Rumi?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The story of Shams and Rumi is one which plays out from one page to the next in this book, a story of friendship and the sharing of knowledge.

Part 1: Why do you think Shams and Rumi got along as well as they did?

Part 2: Why do you think Rumi still felt the need to be competitive with Shams?

Part 3: Do you think all relationships are competitive on some level? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Rumi compares himself to a seeker who thinks he needs to get into somewhere special, only to realize that he is actually trying to get out.

Part 1: Why do you think Rumi uses the metaphors of animals so often in his poems?

Part 2: How do you interpret the idea of knocking on a door, only to realize one needs to be let out, not let in?

Part 3: How do you think a person can begin to release themselves from the inside of their journey?

Essay Topic 3

Some of the poems in this collection of Rumi's work celebrate the idea of openness in life and in spirit.

Part 1: Why do you think openness is essential in life?

Part 2: Do you think that openness is something which can be easily cultivated in life?

Part 3: How do you think that you can personally cultivate more openness in your own life?

(see the answer keys)

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