The protagonist, Ellen Rubinstein; turning 40, is married with three children and blessed with a pleasant home but was not a fulfilled person. She had emptiness in her heart- an emptiness which could be filled only with love! She takes a job as a reader for a literary agent.
Her first assignment is to read and report on Sweet Blasphemy, a novel yet to be published written by a man named A. Z Zahara. A novel within a novel, The Forty Rules of Love tells two parallel stories that mirror each other across two very different cultures and seven intervening centuries. The spiritual love of the 13th century poet, Rumi, for the wandering dervish, Shams of Tabriz and the present day love between Ella, and, Aziz Zahara. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about, Rumi, Shams (a fascinating character)and the world they lived in. Sub stories of Alladin, Hasan the beggar, Desert Rose, Baybars, Kimya, Kerra and Suleiman the drunk where apt and inspiritn. But I found the affair between Ella and Aziz rather contrived and irritating.
In an age of deeply-embedded bigotries and clashes, Shams of Tabriz and the great Rumi had stood for a universal spirituality, opening their doors to people of all backgrounds equally. They spoke of love as the essence of life, love that connected us all across centuries, cultures and cities.
I'm glad I read the book. It's made me want to read Rumi's poetry and to learn more about Rumi, Shams (if he existed), and about Sufism. The book has set me off on a new path of enquiry, and for that I'm extremely grateful! Indeed Elif Shafak was able to take the words and poems of Sufi Islam wisdom, and make them tangible, clear, and accessible to the present generation!
------ Each of the 40 Rules are especial, though the essence is Love:
Mystic thought forty symbolizes the ascent from one level to a higher one and spiritual awakening? When we moun we moun for forty days. When a baby is born it takes forty days for him to get ready to start life on earth. And when we are in love we need to wait for forty days to be sure of our feelings.
The flood of Noah lasted forty days, and while the waters destroyed life, they also washed all impurity away and enabled human beings to make a new, fresh start. In Islamic mysticism htere are forty degrees between man and God. Likewise, there are four basic stages of consciousness and ten degrees in each, making forty levels in total. Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days and nights. Muhammed was forty years old when he received the call to become a prophet. Buddha meditated under a linder tree for forty days...Not to mention the forty rules of Shams...
-----
Submission is a form of peaceful acceptance of the terms of universe, including the things we are currently unable to change or comprehend.
There are four stages in reading any book:
1. Understand the outer meaning
2. Take deep plunge and understand the inner meaning
3.Read with the inner eye.
4. Language fails, you step into love and you understand.
There are seven stages on the path to Truth:
1. Depraved Nafs: The soul is entrapped in worldly pursuit. It blames others for their unhappiness.
2. Accusing Naf: Start of the journey towards innerpurification. Blaming Self.
3. Inspired Nafs: Where one can surrender
4. Serene Nafs
5. Pleased Nafs
6. Pleasing Nafs: Lantern to humanity, radiating energy to everyone who ask for it.
7. Purified Nafs: High level
Her first assignment is to read and report on Sweet Blasphemy, a novel yet to be published written by a man named A. Z Zahara. A novel within a novel, The Forty Rules of Love tells two parallel stories that mirror each other across two very different cultures and seven intervening centuries. The spiritual love of the 13th century poet, Rumi, for the wandering dervish, Shams of Tabriz and the present day love between Ella, and, Aziz Zahara. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about, Rumi, Shams (a fascinating character)and the world they lived in. Sub stories of Alladin, Hasan the beggar, Desert Rose, Baybars, Kimya, Kerra and Suleiman the drunk where apt and inspiritn. But I found the affair between Ella and Aziz rather contrived and irritating.
In an age of deeply-embedded bigotries and clashes, Shams of Tabriz and the great Rumi had stood for a universal spirituality, opening their doors to people of all backgrounds equally. They spoke of love as the essence of life, love that connected us all across centuries, cultures and cities.
I'm glad I read the book. It's made me want to read Rumi's poetry and to learn more about Rumi, Shams (if he existed), and about Sufism. The book has set me off on a new path of enquiry, and for that I'm extremely grateful! Indeed Elif Shafak was able to take the words and poems of Sufi Islam wisdom, and make them tangible, clear, and accessible to the present generation!
------ Each of the 40 Rules are especial, though the essence is Love:
Mystic thought forty symbolizes the ascent from one level to a higher one and spiritual awakening? When we moun we moun for forty days. When a baby is born it takes forty days for him to get ready to start life on earth. And when we are in love we need to wait for forty days to be sure of our feelings.
The flood of Noah lasted forty days, and while the waters destroyed life, they also washed all impurity away and enabled human beings to make a new, fresh start. In Islamic mysticism htere are forty degrees between man and God. Likewise, there are four basic stages of consciousness and ten degrees in each, making forty levels in total. Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days and nights. Muhammed was forty years old when he received the call to become a prophet. Buddha meditated under a linder tree for forty days...Not to mention the forty rules of Shams...
-----
Submission is a form of peaceful acceptance of the terms of universe, including the things we are currently unable to change or comprehend.
There are four stages in reading any book:
1. Understand the outer meaning
2. Take deep plunge and understand the inner meaning
3.Read with the inner eye.
4. Language fails, you step into love and you understand.
There are seven stages on the path to Truth:
1. Depraved Nafs: The soul is entrapped in worldly pursuit. It blames others for their unhappiness.
2. Accusing Naf: Start of the journey towards innerpurification. Blaming Self.
3. Inspired Nafs: Where one can surrender
4. Serene Nafs
5. Pleased Nafs
6. Pleasing Nafs: Lantern to humanity, radiating energy to everyone who ask for it.
7. Purified Nafs: High level
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