The Forty Rules of Love: A Journey into the Heart of Sufi Wisdom

If you want the moon, do not hide from the night.
If you want a rose, do not run from the thorns.
If you want love, do not run from yourself.
Rumi

Choosing the first novel of Elif Shafak to speak about on The Ritual of Reading was not an easy task, and we shall meet again for her other novels, as she is very dear and near to my heart. But for today, a journey of spirit, a discovery of another history of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, in The 40 rules of Love.

The story in one phrase

Two parallel stories 8 centuries apart like an introduction to sufism, as Ella, a quiet wife and mother in the United States, learns about the companionship of two great mystics of the 13th century, Shams of Tabriz and Rumi.

How does it make me feel

On a full moon night, the darkness doesn’t frighten me. I feel at one with the discreet hum of the nightly mysteries that surround me. The inner feeling that moments like this are reality, gives me shivers down my spine. I feel a soft smile on my face, for no reason whatsoever…

Top 3 details

The constant change in perspective. From a technical point of view, I appreciate the way we are lead to see the context through different eyes, by giving a voice to many secundary or passing-through characters. This gives a nice tempo to the story, making it dynamic and always new. We are allowed a privileged overview, not only of the historic situation of the 13th century Middle East, but also a better understanding of the mystical and fascinating Shams of Tabriz.

The soul-searching affair. We are tought that for the matters of the soul, we should seek spiritual guidance from organised religion. Let’s say we do that. How many of us have felt that the priest, or imam, or monk in front of us could never understand what we are going through. Could never understand the doubts we have, even with regards to the existance of a deity and its role in our life. What Rumi’s story told by Elif Shafak teaches us, is that sometimes, even those whos job it is to know the answers, are stuck in doubt or hesitance. They too can have that intuition that it’s more than just rules and dogma, and to be able to admit it takes a lot of courage. So let’s not lose hope and believe that we can have a personal and outside-the-box soul-searching experience. Or even a lifetime of it…

Redefining love. Isn’t is strange that in a world where every religion has its own way of expressing the same universal truth, that love is at the center of our humanity, most of us still see love as the romantic feeling between two people. Is it because we were told too many times about the concept of love from ancient and outdated books ? or maybe our survival instinct has tought us to become impervious to all the people and things that do not concern us in a direct way ? The novel has been out for 12 years already, and in that lapse of time, the idea we are all connected to each other has gained some audience. But I feel we need to constantly come back to the words that Elif Shafak has gifted to Shams of Tabriz : Intellect and love are made of two different materials. Intellect ties people in knots and risks nothing, but love dissolves all tangles and risks everything. Intellect is always cautious and advises, “Beware too much ecstasy,” whereas Love says, “Oh never mind. Take the plunge!” Intellect does not easily break down, whereas love can effortlessly reduce itself to rubble. But treasures are hidden amongst ruins. A broken heart hides treasure.

My favourite character

Do I choose Rumi for having the power to question his beliefs ? Do I choose Ella for trusting that her life should have more meaning ? I think that in the end, Shams is the one that speaks to me the most. His laws are beautifully put, his life philosophy impeccable, but what really got to me was that he had the courage of his convictions. He was a special soul, that could not conform to the rules of society, and he accepted it instead of making it a lifetime struggle. Right at the beginning he confesses : When I was a child, I saw God, I saw angels; I watched the mysteries of higher and lower worlds. I thought all men saw the same. At last I realized that they did not see…and later on, he give us a solution for living in peace with this world, however different we might be :Instead of intrusion or passivity, may I suggest submission? Some people make the mistake of confusing “submission” with “weakness,” whereas it is anything but. Submission is a form of peaceful acceptance of the terms of the universe, including the things we are currently unable to change or comprehend.

Yin/Yang

A clear and most definite Yin novel, The 40 rules of love has that quiet, interior quality to it. As if from stillness, our intuition will fulfill all our needs. A rounded story with delicate conclusions and eternal values.

Favourite Quote

East, West, South or North makes little difference. No matter what your destination, just be sure to make every journey, a journey within. If you travel within, you’ll travel the whole wide world and beyond.

Life Lesson

Choosing one life lesson from such a novel, I would say it’s impossible. But still, if I had to choose, I think the message of hope is the most valuable to me. So often we see despair take over the sensitive souls among us, overwhelmed by the hardships of life. The idea that whatever happens, we will get through and that the light will always return, is precious to me. In the words of Elif Shafak : Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things may seem, do not enter the neighbourhood of despair. Even when all doors remain closed, God will open up a new path only for you. Be thankful ! It is easy to be thankful when all is well. A Sufi or Lightworker is thankful not only for what he has been given, but also for what he has been denied.

Why you should read it

If you need a dash of spiritual mystery in your life, you found your book. If you have trouble with the concept of God, you found your book. If you like good litterature, you found your book.

The Ritual

While reading The 40 rules of love, many worlds are awake in my imagination, and they convey to a series of gestures and rituals that have mostly a feeling to them, and not so much a historical accuracy.  The first thing I do when I start a reading session is to perfume my bookmark…

A perfumed bookmark

It gives me great pleasure to pair a book and a perfume, as they appeal to both my intellect and my abstract sense of smell. For The 40 rules of love, I turn to Smyrna, by Couvent des Minimes.This journey to the Orient begins with vigorous Bergamot top notes and other citrus aromas. Then Turkish Rose chimes in with its velvety and voluptuous character, under which spices and the dark perfume of Black Pepper reside. SMYRNA’s final flourish contains all the promise of distant lands with its enigmatic and intoxicating woody, milky notes. I find myself somewhere between the turkish roots of Elif Shafak, and the enchanted spices of Persia.

The Art of the Rumi Arabesque Decor

When taking a break from reading, I browse through art catalogues so that I can complete the puzzle of images in my imagination. And I discover that Rumi was not only the famous poet we all know, but also the name of a certain type of islamic pattern. Biomorphic art is one of the three distinct disciplines of Islamic art, together with calligraphy and geometry. The floral and animal patterns of biomorphic designs represent the underlying order and unity of nature, and they are found in various cultures, from Morocco to Malaysia. The development of one of the most common arabesque styles, Rumi (a Turkish and Persian term) was done by the Seljuks from Central Asian Turk cave paintings of animals and birds. As the Seljuks moved into Anatolia in the 10th century and adopted Islam they stylized the wings and beaks and developed the Rumi motif, that was then replicated and transmitted around the Islamic world. The motif is beautiful in its simplicity and perfect in its archetypal proportions. The different components of the Rumi composition fit together in and around each other like a jigsaw puzzle.

Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip

All this information makes me hungry ! And what would be the point of learning all these wonderful things, if we cannot experience a little part of that world. So, I decided to invent an eggplant dip, inspired by the Middle Eastern Cuisine. The result is a journey for your tastebuds, a light yet grounding appetizer, or maybe a light dinner with some fresh salad on the side. The easiest way to transporting oneself to the enchanted lands of Elif Shafak’s imagination.

The Sufi Rose

If sufism is at the heart of the novel, then how can we pass by such a rich and exciting subject. What I choose to focus on are two main symbols of sufism, and we can agree that symbols were their strong suit. A flower with a multicultural background, the Rose has fascinated our ancestors since the beggining of time. The aesthetics, the perfume, the various rituals it accompanies, the rose is truly a universal symbol.In the mystical Muslim tradition of Sufism, the rose, that exquisite flower attached to a long thorny stem, symbolizes the mystic path to Allah. Rumi writes, “What is the scent of the Rose? The breath of reason and intelligence, a sweet guide on the way to the eternal kingdom.” 

And if the divine love was found on the path of the rose, then the soul searching for it was symbolized by the nightingale. The nightingale of Sufi poetry, yearning for the rose, singing night and day of its unfulfilled longing and union, suffering without complain the sting of its thorns – is the soul longing for eternal beauty. It is this longing that inspires the soul bird to sing. In Sufism, longing is the most creative state that the soul can reach.

My nightingale has made me long for the novel, so I’ll get back to my reading. Maybe you will to, and while keeping our curiosity awake, we all shall meet in a communion of passionate readers.

Until next time, enjoy your reading, and your rituals !

Looking for inspiration ? Here is where I found some of mine :

The common nightingale song was recorded by Mathias Ritschard for Xeno Canto : https://www.xeno-canto.org/29724
Art of islamic pattern : https://artofislamicpattern.com/resources/introduction-to-islimi/
Couvent des Minimes perfumes (not sponsored) : https://www.lecouventparfums.com/
İstanbul, Isfahan, Delhi 3 Capitals of Islamic Art – Masterpieces From the Louvre Collection : https://amzn.to/3yhWp5L

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