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Sharaf al-Din Lala of Samarqand, who had migrated from Balkh with Sultan al-Ulama and who was one of his favorite disciples, had a very beautiful daughter named Gevher Khatun. Besides possessing a unique beauty, this young lady's character and morals were unlike any other. God had combined physical and spiritual beauties in Gevher Khatun's person. Baha al-Din Valad considered marrying this beautiful girl to his younger son Jalal al-Din Muhammad. What was the reason behind finding a wife for his younger son before taking into account his older son Ala al-Din Muhammad? Of course, there was wisdom in this. Up to the age of seven, Gevher Khatun had been a student of Sultan al-Ulama. The character of his younger son and that of his beautiful student were very much alike, thus he believed this marriage would be very appropriate. When he revealed his thoughts to the girl's father, Sharaf al-Din Lala became glad and said: "This marriage brings us nothing but honor and happiness." And so the two fathers agreed on the marriage.
In the spring of the year 1225, these two beautiful and peerless personalities got married in a very modest and simple wedding ceremony. A short rime after this marriage, Mumine Khatun, Sultan al-Ulama's wife, noble in blood and spirit, and faithful as her name, passed away. Since they had come from Balkh to Karaman, Mumine Khatun had endured the pains of being away from home and had been a source of consolation to her beloved husband in those troubled days. In her sensitive heart, she had kept alive the sorrow and longing for their beloved, devastated, burned, and ruined hometown (Balkh), and for their relatives they had left there. The happiness she felt for the magnificent welcome Sultan al-Ulama received in big cities and the spiritual enrichment and joy of their visit to Makka and Madina had made her a Mumine Khatun, which was her living name.
The death of Mumine Khatun was followed by that of Ala al-Din Muhammad, Mevlana Jalal al-Din Muhammad's brother. Losing first his faithful and loyal wife and then his beloved son had drawn Baha al-Din Valad into indescribable sorrow. Not much later, Mevlana Jalal al-Din Muhammad's mother-in-law, i.e., the wife of Sharaf al-Din Lala of Samarqand died. She was buried in Karaman next to Mader Sultan (Queen Mother), Rumi's mother, and brother. So Rumi, who already had lost his beloved mother and brother, also lost his wife's mother. After three of his loved ones were buried in the soil of Karaman, God gave him two precious baby boys. Both Sultan al-Ulama and Mevlana Jalal al-Din were very happy about this favor and blessing of God. Rumi named his first son after his father, Sultan Valad. He gave his second son his brother's name, Ala al-Din Chelebi. These two boys consoled them and made them forget their sorrows. Sultan al-Ulama stayed in Karaman for approximately seven years. He educated many students. He guided many people on the path of Truth. The number of his disciples increased constantly and his sermons and moral efforts circulated.
The Seljuk ruler in power during this period was Sultan Ala al-Din Kay Qobad. At a time when the Anatolian Seljuk state was on the verge of collapsing, this valuable sultan performed remarkable leadership with his elevated ability, virtues, and courage and enabled the state to experience a bright period in history. Though temporarily, he achieved military successes and served knowledge and gnosis by calling scholars and other great personalities to Konya. He was also a learned and poetic sultan, and he could not accept that a great personality like Sultan al-Ulama had settled in Karaman, far from him. He sent a message to Amir Musa, whom he loved and admired very much, that he was somewhat offended because Amir Musa had blocked the way of the great saint of Balkh and had kept him in Karaman. When Amir Musa informed Baha al-Din Valad of the sultan's offense, Baha al-Din Valad advised Amir Musa to go immediately to Konya and explain everything to the sultan truthfully.
Amir Musa, who was devoted to the sultan and who was loved very much by the sultan, hurried to Konya. He immediately went to the palace and explained that Sultan al-Ulama had settled in Larende according to his own wishes. The good-hearted sultan carefully listened to the Amir, reassuring him that he had not insulted him. Then he invited the king of the scholars to Konya, saying: "If Sultan al-Ulama cares to honor our Konya, this would make me very happy I would become his servant and disciple and walk on the path of Truth that he shows. The city of Konya is awaiting him with all its sultans and amirs." With this intention, gifts were given to Amir Musa, and he was sent to Larende.
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