He had been on one himself, and given her a book on Rumi, as he believed it would resonate with her.

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"Rumi loved people, not because of what they did or showed, but because he saw the little flame in their heart that waits to be illuminated, " she said.

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Likewise they flock to the mausoleum of Jalal-ud-din Rumi, one of Islam's most venerated mystics, ignoring on their way the secular mausoleums erected en masse by their Seljuk ancestors.

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"There is a popular perception that the U.S. has scuttled the chances of peace accords, but there are no real chances of such deals, given the history of past agreements, " said Raza Rumi, an analyst based in Islamabad.

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Rumi, who lived in 13th century, was "somebody who, during a time of ethnic tensions, was able to hit a very high note of love and tolerance and acceptance that we want to hold up as relevant today, " he added.

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During the 10-day or 21-day tours (the "month" in the tour name is slightly misleading, organizers admit), tour members stay in a 400-year-old Sufi lodge in Istanbul's Eyup district, visit the ancient city of Konya to visit the tomb of Sufi mystic Rumi, and admire the ecstatic services of the whirling dervishes who follow his teachings.

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