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Sultan al-Ulama was already over eighty five years old. It had been two years since he had come to Konya. He became suddenly ill in the winter of 1231. On the morning of the third day of his illness (January 12, 1231), he closed his eyes to this mortal world. The next day an immense funeral was held for him. Commencing with Sultan Ala al-Din Kay Qobad, all commanders, scholars, and shaykhs were present at his funeral. Sultan al-Ulama, who had taken a place in the hearts of the people of Konya for the past two years, now was proceeding toward his holy destination on their shoulders and above their heads. Everybody was crying. People of sensitive hearts were very sad about his leaving. They had become the orphans of a spiritual father.
In describing Sultan al-Ulama's passing away, Sultan Valad wrote in his Ibtidaname: "When Sultan al-Ulama's coffin was being carried it was like The Judgment Day. Men and women, everyone was shedding tears of anguish. Scholars and commanders, along with the sultan, fell in front of the coffin with nothing on their heads. Because of his sorrow, the sultan could not sit on his throne for a week." The mourning in the Seljuk palace lasted for forty days. The sultan and his officials did not ride their horses for forty days in the Seljuk palace.
The following was written on his tombstone, which was erected after some time: "God is Eternal. This is the resting place of our Master, High Office of the Law, Source of Wisdom, Rejuvenator of the Prophetic Tradition, Remover of the un-Islamic Beliefs, the One loved and followed as an exemplary Muslim, Man of God, Learned Man, the One who Practiced what He Knew and Believed In, King of All Scholars, Mufti of the East and West, the Value of the Law and the Religion, Shaykh of Islam and Muslims, Muhammad, son of Husayn, son of Ahmad of Balkh. May God be pleased with him and his ancestors. He passed away on the eighteenth day of the month Rabi al-Akhir of the year six hundred twenty-eight (after Hegira) in the late morning. May God have mercy on him."
One year later a simple shrine of sun-dried bricks was built over Sultan al-Ulama's tomb. Later, in place of this modest shrine, the Seljuk vizier Muin al-Din Pervane (d. 1277) asked Rumi about building a large shrine arid a high dome appropriate for the glory of the king of the scholars. Upon this offer, Rumi asked Vizier Pervane this question: "Can you build a bigger and higher dome than the one encompassing the universe?" The Vizier answered: "No." And Rumi replied: "Then do not bother to build a new one." The magnificent shrine seen today was built after Rumi's death, and it contains the tombs of Rumi's loved ones including Sultan al-Ulama. The tall wooden sarcophagus on Sultan al-Ulama's tomb, regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of wood carving from Seljuk era, had been placed on Rumi's tomb until the time of Suleyman the Magnificent. In the time of Suleyman the Magnificent, this tall wooden sarcophagus was taken from Rumi's tomb and put on his father's tomb; a shorter sarcophagus made of marble with a puside (cover) on top of it was constructed for Rumi. Contrary to common misconception, Sultan al-Ulama did not stand up to show his respect for Rumi's knowledge and virtues when he entered the room. Neither the father nor the son needed to exalt each other by standing up. However, those who have given their hearts to them stand up in their presence with excitement, love, and respect, and they will continue to stand till Judgment Day.
Sultan al-Ulama Muhammad Baha al-Din Valad had written a three-volume book in Persian called Ma'arif. It is said that Ma'arif was compiled from Sultan al-Ulama's sermons or lectures given in various places. Aflaki Dede relates that Rumi told what he remembered from his father's sermons and lectures while others wrote these down, and even Shaykh Mahmud Sahib dried the manuscripts over the oven. No matter how it came to be, Rumi benefited very much from the work of his father, who was a great public speaker. In fact, the greatest work of the sultan of scholars is his son Rumi. He was his father, teacher, and spiritual guide. After his father's death, Rumi lived without a spiritual guide for one year. Then Sayyid Burhan al-Din Muhaqqiq Tirmidhi became his spiritual guide.
