Is it possible that in the heart of Brussels stands a sanctuary. It’s named Mevlana Cami. This is not just a place of worship. It’s a portal to a world of profound spirituality. It’s also a rich cultural heritage. Mevlana Cami offers a unique glimpse into the mystical traditions of Islam.
Imagine stepping through its doors. You are transported to Konya, Turkey. This is the home of the original Mevlana Museum. The museum started as a dervish lodge. It belonged to the Mevlevi order. These are better known as the whirling dervishes.
The Mevlana Museum in Konya houses the mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi. He was a Persian Sufi mystic. He is also known as Mevlâna. His teachings emphasized love, peace, and the search for divine truth. These resonate deeply within the Mevlana Cami.
Mevlâna’s journey began when Sultan ‘Ala’ al-Din Kayqubad gave his rose garden as a burial place. It was for Rumi’s father, Baha’ ud-Din Walad. Baha’ ud-Din Walad died on January 12, 1231. When Mevlâna passed on December 17, 1273, he was buried beside his father.
His successor, Hüsamettin Çelebi, built a mausoleum over Mevlâna’s grave. The Seljuk construction was completed in 1274. Architect Badr al-Din Tabrizi designed it. Gurju Khatun and Emir Alameddin Kayser funded the construction. The dome is covered with turquoise tiles. This construction reflects the spiritual significance of Mevlâna.
Over the centuries, additional sections were added to the complex. This continued until 1854. Selimoğlu Abdülvahit decorated the interior. He also carved the wood for the catafalques. These additions reflect the evolving devotion to Mevlâna’s teachings.
In a twist of fate, Atatürk decreed in 1926 that the mausoleum and dervish lodge become a museum. It opened on March 2, 1927. It was officially renamed the Mevlâna Museum in 1954. This transformation ensured that Mevlâna’s legacy would be accessible to all.
The main gate of the Mevlana Museum leads into a marble-paved courtyard. Here, the dervishes’ kitchen and the tomb of Hurrem Pasha stand. Dervishes’ cells line the left side. The kitchen educated dervishes and taught them the sema. The sema is the whirling ritual. The courtyard’s fountain was built during Yavuz Sultan Selim’s reign.
Inside the Ritual Hall, dervishes performed the sema to music. Instruments included the kemence, kemane, halile, daire, kudüm, rebab, and ney. Examples of these instruments are on display. There are also dervish clothing and rare manuscripts.
Mevlâna’s sarcophagus rests under the turquoise dome. It is covered with brocade embroidered in gold. Sultan Abdul Hamid II gifted it in 1894. Sarcophagi of his father and son stand nearby. The silver lattice separating the sarcophagi was built in 1579.
The Tomb gate leads into the mausoleum and a small mosque. Its doors feature Seljuk motifs and a Persian text from 1492. The Tilavet Room is decorated with Ottoman calligraphy. Here, the Koran was recited before the mausoleum became a museum.
A silver door leads into the mausoleum. Six coffins belong to dervishes who came with Mevlâna from Belkh. Cenotaphs of Mevlâna’s family stand on a raised platform. The adjoining mosque exhibits old Korans and prayer rugs. A box contains the Holy Beard of Muhammad.
The Mevlana Museum in Konya attracts millions of visitors annually. In 2019, it drew 3.4 million people. That made it Turkey’s most visited museum. This reflects Mevlâna’s enduring appeal and spiritual significance.
As you stand before the Mevlana Cami in Brussels, remember its connection to this rich history. Reflect on the teachings of Mevlâna. Consider the journey of the whirling dervishes. Let the Mevlana Cami be a reminder of the universal quest for love, peace, and divine understanding.