A Comparison of the Concept of Love in the Thought of Erich Fromm and Rumi, with Emphasis on the Question of Individuality and Annihilation

Abstract

Love is one of the most fundamental concepts in mystical thought and psychology, and in each of these domains it has been interpreted on the basis of distinct anthropological and ontological foundations. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and drawing on Rumi’s poetry, this study critically reexamines Erich Fromm’s theory of love and demonstrates that, although both thinkers regard love as a means of liberating the human being from the condition of separateness and attaining a form of unity, a fundamental difference exists between them in their conceptualization of the nature of this unity. Fromm, grounded in the principles of modern humanism, understands love as an art founded upon maturity of personality, responsibility, and the preservation of individuality; Rumi, by contrast, views love as a transcendent reality and a transformative force that liberates the human being from egocentrism and attachments and leads the individual toward the state of annihilation (fanā) and union with the Beloved. The findings indicate that the concept of fanā in Rumi’s thought does not signify alienation from the self; rather, it represents a stage of spiritual transcendence and liberation from self-centeredness and, therefore, cannot easily be accounted for within Fromm’s theoretical framework. It is concluded that, despite its capacity to explain the psychological and interpersonal dimensions of love, Fromm’s theory encounters certain limitations when applied to the mystical experience of love in Rumi’s thought. Rumi’s poetry thus opens a horizon that extends beyond a purely psychological explanation of love.