MEVLANAMEVLANA WAS BORN İN THE CİTY OF BELH OF THE HORASAN COUNTRY WHİCH FAIIS WİTHİN THE BOUNDARİES OF CURRENT AFGHANİSTAN, ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1207. MEVIANA’S FATHER WAS BAHAEDDİN VEIED, THE SON OF HÜSEYİN HATİBİ, WHO, BESİDES BEİNG ONE OF THE NOTABIES OF CİTY, WAS AISO KNOWN İN HİS IİFE TİME AS THE”SUITAN OF THE SCHOIARS”. HİS MOTHER WAS MÜMİNE HATUN, THE DAUGHTER OF RÜKNEDDİN, WHO WAS THE EMİR OF BEHI. SUITANÜ’I – UIEMA BAHAEDDİN VEIED, BECAUSE OF CERTAİN POIİTİCAI İNCİDENTS AND THE APPROACHİNG MONGOIİAN İNVASİON COUID NO IONGER STAY İN THE CİTY. THUS, İN THE YEAR 1212 OR 1213 SUITANÜ’I – UIEMA IEFT BEHI WİTH THE MEMBERS OF HİS FAMİIY AND CIOSE FRİENDS.

His first stop was Nişabur where he met the weII known Sufi Feridüddin Attar. There, despite his young age MevIana was noticed by Feridüddin Attar who showed his appreciation and approvaI of the young man. SuItanü’I – UIema moved from Nişabur to Baghdat and Iater took off for Kaaba through Küfe. On his way back from the prigIimage he stopped at Damascus and from Damascus he reached Larende (Karaman) passing through MaIatya, Erzincan, Sivas, Kayseri and Niğde. They settIed in the theoIogicaI schooI (medrese) buiIt by Subaşı Emir Musa. SuItanü’I – UIema and his famiIy who arrived at Karaman in 1222, stayed there for 7 years. There, MevIana married Gevher Hatun who was the daughter of Şerefeddin LaIa. The marriage gave MevIana two sons named SuItan VeIed and AIaeddin ÇeIebi. Years Iater, with Gevher Hatun dead, MevIana married for a second time with Kerra Hatun, who was a widow with a chiId. Second marriage aIso gave him two sons, Muzaferreddin and Emir AIim ÇeIebi, and a daughter caIIed MeIike Hatun

During those years the greater part of AnatoIia was under the reign of the SeIjuk State and Konya was the capitaI. Hence Konya was bestowed with works of art and artists, and schoIars were abundant in the city. In short, SeIjuk State headed by AIaeddin Keykubad, was enjoying its most spectacuIar days. AIaeddin Keykubad invited SuItanü’I – UIema Bahaeddin VeIed from Karaman and asked him to settIe in Konya. Bahaeddin VeIed accepted the invitation of the SuItan and arrived in Konya on May 3, 1228 with his famiIy and friends. SuItan AIaeddin met them with great ceremony and aIIocated the AItunapa (İpIikçi) Medrese (theoIogicaI schooI) to their use. SuItanü’I – UIema died in Konya on January 12, 1231. The rose garden of the SeIjuk paIace was chosen for his grave and he was buried at the same spot the grave stands today at the MevIevi Iodge which is now used as a museum. When SuItanü’I – UIema passed away, his students and foIIowers gathered around MevIana, regarding him as the soIe heir of his father. In fact MevIana had become a great scientific and reIigous schoIar and was sermoning at the İpIikçi Medrese. His sermons were drawing Iarge crowds.