This study examines how ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Bayyātī re-reads Mawlawī Sufism within his poetic structure and explores the structural and semantic function of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s presence in shaping the collage poem. It is grounded in the central hypothesis that Rūmī in al-Bayyātī’s poetry is not invoked merely as a traditional reference or ornamental cultural allusion; rather, he becomes an intertextual pillar and semantic organizer that connects multiple voices and grants the poem internal coherence despite the fragmentation of forms and references.



The theoretical framework draws on Julia Kristeva’s concept of intertextuality, interpreted through Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of polyphony, while also incorporating the notions of collage and mask as modernist expressive techniques. Methodologically, the study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach based on close textual and interpretive readings of selected poems in which Rūmī’s presence emerges at lexical, imagistic, and structural levels.



The findings indicate that al-Bayyātī reconstructs Mawlawī Sufism as an open-ended existential experience grounded in movement, questioning, and becoming, while suspending the idea of final spiritual arrival. This reconfiguration resonates with the anxieties and crises of modern humanity. Furthermore, Sufism in his poetry evolves into a model of non-ideological spirituality capable of transcending rigid political and religious discourses and opening an intercultural horizon that bridges Eastern mystical heritage with the concerns of modernity. Ultimately, Rūmī’s presence functions as both an intertextual axis and semantic center, marking a decisive shift from direct ideological commitment toward a broader humanistic and spiritual vision.