'Mevlâna' (Our Master) had had his early spiritual education under the tutelage of his father Bahauddin and later under his father’s close friend Sayyid Burhaneddin of Balkh. Mevlâna grew both in knowledge and consciousness of God over the years. Eventually Sayyid Burhaneddin told Mevlâna that he was now ready and a mature Sufi and scholar and that the 'next stage' of his spiritual development would soon occur. And so Sayyid predicted the coming of Shams of Tabriz, the central event and love of Rumi’s life.