And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. “Try not to resist the changes which come your way. To be thankful for all life’s conditions is what truly defines our power, strength, and faith. When life doesn’t meet our expectations, we drown in sorrow. We might be grateful only when things go well. A Sufi is thankful not only for what he has been given but also for all that he has been denied.” Be thankful! It is easy to be thankful when all is well.
Even when all doors remain closed, God will open up a new path only for you. “Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things might seem, do not enter the neighborhood of despair. When we understand this truth, we can expand our hearts and minds and spread our compassion to all living beings. Love is a universal experience that doesn’t need to be sectioned or labeled. And a lover is a soul of fire! The universe turns differently when fire loves water.” Don’t ask yourself what kind of love you should seek, spiritual or material, divine or mundane, Eastern or Western. Our actions and experiences right now determine whether we are in hell or in heaven. Perhaps, if we change our perception of heaven and hell, we’d take better responsibility for our actions in this present moment. Every time we hate, envy, or fight someone we tumble straight into the fires of hell.” Every time we fall in love, we ascend to heaven. Quit worrying about hell or dreaming about heaven, as they are both present inside this very moment. There are a few rules in particular that I have found astounding, and I want to share them with those who aren’t yet familiar with the novel. That said, whether the rules are indeed Shams’ accurate words or inspired by his writings, they’re worth the read.
Throughout his lifetime, Shams wrote a considerable amount of spiritual advice (which he taught to Rumi) and Elif exposed herself to all of them. Although she did extensive research before writing the novel-add to that her keen interest and devotion for Sufism-we’re not sure whether Shams did write the rules precisely as presented in the book or not. In the renowned novel The Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak (the author) presents Shams Tabrizi to the world and speaks of his 40 rules. In other words, without the presence (and absence) of Shams in Rumi’s life, the Rumi we know wouldn’t exist. Rumi’s encounter with Shams-which was soon followed by a sudden separation from him-had transformed Rumi to a mystical poet. A distinguished spiritual companionship emerged between the two, although it didn’t last for more than three years. In 1244, Rumi, who was a scholar and a wealthy nobleman, met Shams-i-Tabrīzī ( Shams Tabrizi) who was a wandering dervish and a holy man. However, we rarely speak of who was behind Rumi’s inspiration.
"Elif Shafak unfolds two tantalising parallel narratives - one contemporary and the other set in the thirteenth century, when Rumi encountered his spiritual mentor, the whirling dervish known as Shams of Tabriz - that together incarnate the poet's timeless message of love," reads the book's review on Amazon.His poetry has opened doors that were closed within many people, and he has described God, love, and life in the most astounding ways. It reveals how Shams transformed a scholar into a Sufi through love. It revolves around the love between Maulana Jalal-Ud-Din, popularly known as Rumi and his companion Shams Tabrizi.
Written by a Turkish author, Shafak, The Forty Rules of Love was published in March 2009. I read it a few years back and was deeply inspired," added Khan. "An inspirational book about divine love, Sufism, Rumi and his Murshid Shams Tabriz. "This October I suggest our youth to read The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak," he said. In an Instagram post on Saturday, the premier said that the book had deeply inspired him as it was about divine love. Prime Minister Imran Khan has recently recommend the country's youth to read Elif Shafak's Forty Rules of Love, in his attempt to bring them closer to Islam.