Introductory Chapters

The first five chapters introduce the purpose of the book, the connection of Iqbal with Rumi, the mysterious character “Joseph” and five clues for finding him in "the Garden of Poetry".

Chapter	Title and Synopsis
	1. A Parable Never Told: This fictitious account about Rumi is an allegory about our times, giving an idea about what our world can be if the message presented here gets to be implemented
	2. The Second Coming: This chapter introduces Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal as a modern day disciple of Mawlana Rumi.
	3. 'Who is Rumi?' In the works of Iqbal, Mawlana Rumi appears as a character with symbolic relevance to our times.
	4. Joseph: Joseph is an intriguing figure in the works of Iqbal and seems to be a mystery that could be solved by the discerning reader.
	5. Enter the Garden: Here, the reader is given five clues for finding Joseph in the works of Iqbal (presented here as a virtual reality called the Garden of Poetry

Part 1: Dilemma

The reader's "self" rather than the mind interacts with the Garden of Poetry. The first stage, with the Poet himself as the reader's guide (Chapter 6), culminates on meeting the Old Man of the Desert (Chapter 17).

Chapter	Title and Synopsis
	6. The Poet: The reader learns that all previous knowledge and learning must be held in abeyance while in the Garden.
	7. The Sytem of the Universe: The reader’s self is engaging with the Garden more than the reader’s mind.
	8. Love: The reader finds an interpretation of the five clues that were given for finding Joseph.
	9. Qalandar: This chapter defines the aim and scope of the learning that is being offered here.
	10. Plato: A parable describing some other forms of “spiritual teachings” that could be confused with the present message is followed by the Poet’s warning against the Greek philosopher Plato.
	11. Poetics of the Garden: The reader is offered a new kind of poetics that classifies literature on the basis of desirable and undesirable effect on the humanity.
	12. The Divine Vicegrency: The basic tenets of Islam are interpreted here from the perspective of three stages in the training of the self.
	13. Ali: This is a unique interpretation of Bu Turab (“the Master of the Clay”), the title given by the Prophet to his cousin Ali.
	14. Hajveri: The eleventh century saint Ali Hajveri explains that threats can be turned into opportunities.
	15. Brahmin: A chapter about the role of collective life in the development of an individual’s personality shows that speculation without action weakens the bond between the individual and the society.
	16. Jihad: A parable about the Sufi saint Mian Mir shows that territorial conquest was no part of the original program of Islam.
	17. The Old Man of the Desert: Here the reader discovers that the Garden is interactive for a reason.

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