Sources checked: 16 October 2026 · 1 min
A beautiful sentence is not evidence by itself
Frequent sharing does not establish authorship. Writing only “Rumi” or “Masnavi” underneath a quotation is insufficient for checking it. Where no source has been verified, describe it as attributed to Rumi with an unverified source. Failure to locate a source does not by itself prove a saying is fabricated.
Look for four details
Record the work, book or poem number, verse or page range and edition. Include the translator and publication year. Wording may differ between translations, so compare meaning and context as well.
Separate quotation from explanation
Use quotation marks and a source for a verbatim passage. Label your own summary, interpretation or free translation accordingly. These steps are editorial recommendations. The existence of an authentic work does not authenticate every internet sentence attributed to it.