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The Forty Rules of Love

Elif Shafak

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Must Read - Classic Sufi Books
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last updated Oct 06, 2015 04:09PM

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last updated Mar 21, 2015 11:18AM

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Dec 26, 2013 Tim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: islam, novels, islam-sufism

I cannot think of a book that has spoken to me more directly in a particular period of time. The "Rules of the Religion of Love" articulated by Shams state universal truths that we all realize deep down, but it is the way that the message is put together that really penetrates to our core essence.

The Sufi path is one of getting to the meaning of things. It always desires to go deeper to experience ultimate reality. This requires losing conceptions of God, religion, relationships, life, etc... Y I cannot think of a book that has spoken to me more directly in a particular period of time. The "Rules of the Religion of Love" articulated by Shams state universal truths that we all realize deep down, but it is the way that the message is put together that really penetrates to our core essence.

The Sufi path is one of getting to the meaning of things. It always desires to go deeper to experience ultimate reality. This requires losing conceptions of God, religion, relationships, life, etc... Yet there is a tension in this in that the Sufis do not say to discard a particular path. They are simply more concerned with the meaning behind it. It is like losing the desire for idle conversation and pleasantries. Even conceptions of "God" are "idle conversation" in many instances. God is unknowable, yet also knowable through certain universal truths that reside inside. Therefore the Sufi finds companions in all people who live by truths such as equality, justice, compassion and most importantly love.

I do desire to walk the Sufi path, and I found myself relating to the character Aziz in this book. His past and mine were nearly identical, from losing a wife to death to the experience with a debauched lifestyle. The restlessness of his nomadic drive to journey physically and discover also resonates with my own decision to move to the Middle East, a decision that I still cannot articulate in a truly profound fashion. Some meanings are beyond words. That may also be why my desire to write has diminished as of late. Experiences seem to be replacing that desire.

In the Islamic tradition, two of the names of God are "The All-Forgiving" and "The All-Compassionate". Along these lines, Shams emphasizes that God is not sitting around waiting to destroy us at every turn. After all, we are manifestations of God, and God is not "out there" just as much as God is not "in here". This realization of the limits of knowledge requires a loving attitude to life and others, as well as a forgiving attitude. The unknowable makes us question how we truly can know outside of the principles of love and humility. It should put a check on aggression, violence and oppression in all religious circles. Yet when we grasp onto the externalities of a dualistic world, we will always see relative good and relative evil and believe both to be real rather than recognizing The ONE that runs through it all. ...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Shaimaa Ali rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

One thing I feel when I read an excellent book, I never wanted it to end!! This simply what has happened with me with the beautiful enchanting mesmerizing novel (and allow me to write its original name): "The Forty Rules of RELIGION of Love".

This is my first encounter with the female Turkish writer "Elif Shafak" and it was am amazing experience by far! She managed to switch between past & future (which I found irritating and a bit distracting in the beginning,but later on I get used to it). I've ...more

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Jul 07, 2013 Madeeha rated it it was amazing

Firstly each writer has their own way of writing and Sufi mysticism is a concept that's not going to be grasped by everyone.

When I read a book, I'm more interested in the soul of it so to speak, I want to get lost in it instead of being pedantic and concentrating on outer mistakes, which I feel is missing the point of reading a book. Hmmm concentrating too much on the outer niggles than letting yourself delv into the soul of it, something Shams of Tabriz would probably say ;oD

For me, I was slig ...more

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Jun 23, 2013 Ahmed Almeldein rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

قال الشيخ الأكبر (محى الدين إبن عربى) إذا اتسعت الرؤيا ضاقت العبارة.....
وهذا ينطبق على هذه الرواية.... فلن أجد من الكلامات ما يعبر عن تلك الأحاسيس والصراعات و ....برضو مش لاقى كلام

يجب أن تقرائها لتفهم

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Apr 11, 2014 Mjaballah rated it really liked it

I am going to refrain from reviewing this book until i read it again sometime again in the future. I know I will.

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Oct 13, 2013 Raja rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"ما لم نتعلّم كيف نحبّ خلق الله، فلن تستطيع أن نحبّ حقاً ولن نعرف الله حقاً".

هِي ليست برواية فحسب إنما تَوليفَة رَائعة من القواعد تحكي لنا الحياة، الحب، الدين والله، تتقاطع فيها قصص العشق في ازدواجية استثنائية بين الماضي (القرن الثالث عشر) والحاضر (القرن الحادي والعشرين). قصة عشق شمس لله .. عشق شمس و جلال الدين الرومي .. عشق كيميا لشمس .. عشق إيلا و عزيز. .. هي روحانية تُتوج بعشق الإله تَسمو بك في عَالم الطُهر وترفعك عن الأرض وصِراعات البَشر ... دينية مجتمعية أم فردية.

لستُ بصدد تحكِيم تلك الأف ...more

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