The Forty Rules of Love: A Novel of Rumi

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The Forty Rules of Love: A Novel of Rumi

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 4,939 ratings · 555 reviews

A mesmerizing tale of love-from the author of The Bastard of Istanbul

Elif Shafak, the most widely read female writer in Turkey, has earned a growing fan base all over the world with her bestselling The Bastard of Istanbul. In The Forty Rules of Love, her lyrical, imaginative new novel about the famous Sufi mystic Rumi, Shafak effortlessly blends East and West, past and...more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published April 26th 2011 by Penguin Books (first published January 1st 2009)

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Mar 15, 2010 Michelle Bird rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I heard the author of this book, Elif Shafak, interviewed on NPR on my way to work and had to rush out and buy the book (in hardback, no less) based on her interview. It's rare to hear someone on the radio and think, "That is an amazingly interesting person. I would love her writing." Kudos to Books Inc. in Alameda (one of the few independent bookstores around)- I walked in and said I was looking for a book by a Turkish author and there was something about love in the title... and they found it!...more I heard the author of this book, Elif Shafak, interviewed on NPR on my way to work and had to rush out and buy the book (in hardback, no less) based on her interview. It's rare to hear someone on the radio and think, "That is an amazingly interesting person. I would love her writing." Kudos to Books Inc. in Alameda (one of the few independent bookstores around)- I walked in and said I was looking for a book by a Turkish author and there was something about love in the title... and they found it!

The Forty Rules of Love follows the parallel life paths of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz in the 13th century (a rather famous pair), the unfolding story of Ella, a Massachusetts housewife with her first editing job, and Aziz Z. Zahara, the globe-trotting author of the book she is reading. I was particularly impressed with the way Shafak told the story of Rumi and Shams through the eyes of the people around them- the historical chapters are alternately written in the voices of Rumis very different sons, the leper who begs outside the mosque, the prostitute trying to leave her brothel, Rumi's wife, Shams' main enemy, a leading scholar, and many others. Not surprisingly I found the female characters particularly compelling, as they took Shams' forty rules and attempted to apply them to their own lives, often finding they were not always a perfect fit. The forty rules themselves are worth returning to after finishing the book for further contemplation.

I feel I would be able to understand the book on a much deeper level if I knew Arabic and had a basic grounding in the Koran (while reading I had the sense there was a great deal more being alluded to). But even as an English speaking westerner with little knowledge of Islam, I now have a much greater sense of respect for Sufism and the place it occupies opposite the more traditional interpretation of Islam. This book is a study in opposites- discipline vs. spontaneity, reason vs. love, perspective vs. acceptance, wisdom vs. youth, and foundation vs. risk. Although the book argues strongly in favor of love, spontaneity and acceptance, it is actually the balance created between the two extremes that is most important (this balance is often represented as the friendship of two people who represent opposite attributes). Parts of the novel reminded me of The Feminine Face of God (which actually may have no relation to Shafak's writing) and there were bits of aura interpretation that slipped in here and there... what I liked best, however, was its frank treatment of the "dangers" of the spiritual path.

When one pushes beyond the boundaries society draws around spirituality, when one starts to say "no" to things one has said "yes" to before and one says "yes" to things one has said "no" to before, when one challenges accepted notions of respect, holiness, and spiritual authority- this is Pema Chodron's "when the rug is pulled out from under you"- a much celebrated place in spiritual development. What I particularly appreciate about this book is its honest and direct treatment of that place- and the deep confusion and pain it can bring to the seeker and those close to them. And, of course, the beauty and wisdom that come from that difficult experience. Had Shams not challenged every aspect of social order Rumi held dear, Rumi would not have learned. Had Rumi not lost Shams, he would not have become a poet. And we would not have his poetry. This book is a celebration of the radical transformation of Rumi from scholar to poet, from devoted spiritual man to visionary- and a deeply honest (historical, I can't vouch for, but truthful, yes) portrayal of every difficult step of that evolution.

Goodness. I think it's time to read some Rumi.(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 Bistra Ivanova rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: abandoned, fiction

Странно - имах както големи очаквания (няколко души ми я препоръчаха), така и големи опасения (няколко души ме предупредиха). В крайна сметка оказа се типичен бестселър, от тези, които не харесвам - чисто и просто прекалено повърхностен за моя вкус.

40-годишна американска съпруга-тире-домакиня внезапно забелязва, че бракът й се разпада, че вече не може да общува с децата си, че живее празен живот без любов и смисъл, стряска се и търси промяна. Първата малка стъпка е, че започва работа в литерату...more Странно - имах както големи очаквания (няколко души ми я препоръчаха), така и големи опасения (няколко души ме предупредиха). В крайна сметка оказа се типичен бестселър, от тези, които не харесвам - чисто и просто прекалено повърхностен за моя вкус.

40-годишна американска съпруга-тире-домакиня внезапно забелязва, че бракът й се разпада, че вече не може да общува с децата си, че живее празен живот без любов и смисъл, стряска се и търси промяна. Първата малка стъпка е, че започва работа в литературна агенция и първата задача, която й възлагат, е да прочете дебютния роман на холандски автор, в който става дума за суфизма. Романът е втората сюжетна линия. Тя чете, разменя си мейли с автора и лека-полека се променя в стил героиня на Дорис Лесинг. Колкото точно - не разбрах, защото към средата затворих книгата завинаги. Никоя от сюжетните линии не беше достатъчно убедителна и макар да бе увлекателно, повествованието се плъзгаше по повърхността, авторката ни заливаше с плоски послания и правеше досадни трикове, за да ни задържи вниманието.

Всъщост не че беше чак толкова лоша - думата е посредствена :-)(less)

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Nov 19, 2011 Geoffrey Fox rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The encounter and transforming love between Rumi and the wandering dervish Shams i-Tabriz in the 1240s is background, context and explanation of the transformation in 2008 and 2009 of Ella Rubinstein, Jewish American housewife in Northampton MA, through contact with their story. Shams turns the respected and sedate scholar Rumi into a poet and co-founder (along with Shams) of the whirling dervishes; their story turns Ella from a self-repressed, resigned wife in a loveless marriage into a free an...more The encounter and transforming love between Rumi and the wandering dervish Shams i-Tabriz in the 1240s is background, context and explanation of the transformation in 2008 and 2009 of Ella Rubinstein, Jewish American housewife in Northampton MA, through contact with their story. Shams turns the respected and sedate scholar Rumi into a poet and co-founder (along with Shams) of the whirling dervishes; their story turns Ella from a self-repressed, resigned wife in a loveless marriage into a free and adventurous woman. Alternating chapters are told from the points of view of Ella or Shams and the many people who come in contact directly with him in Konya, Damascus or Tabriz. His stern but gentle manner and his preachings of love arouse strong reactions, ranging from murderous hostility on the part of Islamic zealots to almost total identification by Rumi, from respect and devotion by outcastes whom he has consoled and aided to the one kind of love he cannot allow himself, the passionate, carnal kind. Which may be what you thought this book was going to be about, but no, Shams' 40 Rules of Love are Sufi rules, of accepting one's fate but aiding and preventing harm to others and trusting in God's overall just design of all things. The book is a welcome introduction to this moment in Sufism and the origins of the Mahlevi whirling dervishes ("Mahlev" or master was what Rumi was called), and the twin stories — of the 13th and of the 21st centuries — come to a satisfying conclusion.

However, Shafak's narrative structure and voice here are so limited that one longs for a little break now and then. Each chapter tells us the thoughts and observations of just one character at a time, often telling us things that they would be unlikely to say even to themselves, and everybody sounds alike, whether a drunk or a prostitute or enlightened one in Konya in 1246 or Ella Rubinstein in 2008. The drunk tells us he is drunk but he doesn't sound drunk, the angry zealot tells us he is an angry zealot but doesn't sound very excited about it, and so on. “"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Shams kept saying.” (p. 268) He sounds just like Ella. These limitations are quite unlike Elif Shafak's approach in her earlier novel, The Bastard of Istanbul (see my review), where there are different voices and narrative points of view, including a genie and an Internet forum. But "40 Rules" comes to a good, perfectly Sufi ending, which goes far to compensate for other weaknesses, and in the course of reading it we learn much about why Sufism is so appealing to so many.(less)

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Aug 12, 2011 Titilayo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

what can i say? this book was pretty fucking amazing? the metaphor on the first page sets a precedent for the psychic trip which is this engaging, retrospective tour of life, written in elegant prose...teeming with compelling drive to THINK...FEEL...PRAY...LIVE...BELIEVE...COMMIT

As stories of self-discovery go-it's unorthodox. what do a middle evil islamic scholar, heretic muslim mystic, international photographer and a middle aged jewish housewife....thought provoking philosophical questions/ch...more what can i say? this book was pretty fucking amazing? the metaphor on the first page sets a precedent for the psychic trip which is this engaging, retrospective tour of life, written in elegant prose...teeming with compelling drive to THINK...FEEL...PRAY...LIVE...BELIEVE...COMMIT

As stories of self-discovery go-it's unorthodox. what do a middle evil islamic scholar, heretic muslim mystic, international photographer and a middle aged jewish housewife....thought provoking philosophical questions/challenges/thoughts. poetry. submission. companionship. oneness with god. the choices we make..the reasons we conform or rage against the machine. poetry. religious devotion. filial devotion....the power of love. the possibility of changed. all that and then some swim through the 350 pages...Sweet Blasphemy!

"Nothing should stand between yourself and GOD!"

NO MATTER WHO WE ARE WHERE WE LIVE, DEEP INSIDE WE ALL FEEL INCOMPLETE. IT'S LIKE WE HAVE LOST SOMETHING AND NEED TO GET IT BACK. JUST WHAT THAT SOMETHING IS, MOST OF US NEVER FIND OUT. AND THOSE WHO DO EVEN FEWER MANAGE TO GO OUT AND LOOK FOR IT.

Loneliness and solitude are tow different thing. When you are lonely, it is easy to delude yourself into believing that you are on the right path. Solitude is better for us, as it means being alone without feelin lonely. But eventually it is best to find a person, the person who will be your mirror. Remember, onlly in another person's heart can you truly see yourself and the presence of God within you.

IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY OTHERS TREAT YOU, YOU SHOULD FIRST CHANGE THE WAY YOU TREAT YOURSELF. UNLESS YOU LEARN TO LOVE YOURSELF, FULLY AND SINCERELY, THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BE LOVED.

Most of the problems of the world steem from linguistic mistakes and simple misunderstandings. Don't ever take words at face value...That which cannot be put into workds can only be grasphed through silence.

REAL FILTH IS THE ONE INSIDE. THE REST SIMPLY WASHES OFF. THERE IS ONLY ONE TYPE OF DIRT THAT CANNOT BE CLEANSED WITH PUR WATERS, AND THAT IS THE STAIN OF HATRED AND BIGOTRY CONTAMINATING THE SOUL. YOU CAN PURIFY YOUR BODY THROUGH ABSTINENCE AND FASTING, BUT ONLY LOVE WILL PURFIY YOUR HEART.

(less)

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Jun 23, 2011 Karen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I wanted to like this book, but couldn't, as hard as I tried. The writing felt forced, almost like a translation, but there was no mention of a translator, so I am guessing it was written in English. On a structural level, I felt the novel was disjointed - going back and forth in time between too many superficially developed characters. I was confused by the use of informal, modern-day colloquialisms in the 13th century voices - these expressions were so well-integrated into the novel that it se...more

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Aug 28, 2010 Reneesarah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 04, 2011 Elaine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is not the type of book I usually read. I daresay it's not what most readers usually read. I know I've never read anything like it. It is,you see, not about romantic love, but love for God, God as perceived by Sufi Muslims.

Sharak lays out the Forty Rules by framing a 13th century treatise within a modern story. This outer story is trite, uninteresting, and mediocre in the telling. It could easily have not been included, and why it was baffles me.

In contrast, the Forty Rules laid out in the...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Wael_k rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Un magnifique roman sur l'amour et la religion de l'amour.

Ella, une américaine de quarante ans, travaille chez un éditeur de livres en tant que lectrice de manuscrits. Elle découvre le véritable amour grâce à "doux blasphème". Doux blasphème, un livre écrit par un Sufi d'Amesterdam, raconte l'histoire de l'amour inconditionnel entre Imam Al-Rûmi et son ami Shams-i-Tabrizi. Cet amour a bouleversé la vie d'Al-Rûmi, le transformant en poète et maître de l'ordre soufi des Mevlevis (connu par la dans...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Jeffrey Fennelly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

PLEASE APPROACH THIS BOOK WITH CAUTION: if you have standards for style, you will be greatly disappointed. I gave it an extra star only because it taught me a good deal about a culture about which I could claim scant knowledge before reading the book. I found it consistently confounding, a potentially compelling story ruined by weak writing. It seems that while crafting it, the author was either careless, distracted, lazy, or some combination of these. It is painfully loaded with clichés, to a d...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Burcu rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was my first Elif Safak and I can only hope that not all of her novels are like this. I simply found this novel weak, even "forced." It reads like any other Western/American novelist writing about the Eastern culture. But wait... Elif Safak is Turkish, right? Precisely.. I think what the author tries to do with this novel (and unfortunately fails) is to show a treasure of Eastern spiritualism to the American reader. What happens as a result is that it becomes another form of exoticism. Ther...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Cara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fun-or-frivolity

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Book within a book. The inner book tells the story of Shams of Tabriz and Rumi in the 1200s. The outer book tells of the blossoming romance between Ella, a tedious and lame housewife in Massachusetts, and A. Z. Zahara, a Scottish Sufi and the author of the inner book.

The parts about Rumi and Shams of Tabriz were interesting. I chose to read this book as a lazy person's introduction to Rumi. Although I don't feel like I know a lot more about him or his variety of mysticism than I did before, it...more Book within a book. The inner book tells the story of Shams of Tabriz and Rumi in the 1200s. The outer book tells of the blossoming romance between Ella, a tedious and lame housewife in Massachusetts, and A. Z. Zahara, a Scottish Sufi and the author of the inner book.

The parts about Rumi and Shams of Tabriz were interesting. I chose to read this book as a lazy person's introduction to Rumi. Although I don't feel like I know a lot more about him or his variety of mysticism than I did before, it was interesting to read about life during that time, especially since the narration also included the viewpoints of many others in his life, including his wife, his sons, a prostitute, a drunk, two students, and a few hardline Muslim rules guys. I know next to nothing about Islam, but the story had many parallels with the Christian stories I am familiar with. The rules guys are just like the Pharisees Jesus argued with, and the struggles are the same. Shams begins in a role very similar to the Fools for Christ of old, and ends as a Christ figure himself, although I expect the author would be appalled to hear me say that. The message is the same, too: trust God; love your neighbor; recognize that you're not in control of anything, least of all the future. It's a message that gets trampled under the feet of the crazies way too much in both religions. I hadn't realized the two were so much alike.

As for the outer story, I found it tedious on many levels. Ella is not a likable character, and she lacks integrity and strength. She starts a communication that quickly deepens into friendship at the very least with the author of a book she is supposed to be reporting on as an editorial assistant, but she tells neither the author nor her employer about this increasingly blatant conflict of interest. Her email conversations with this author become a growing passion and escape from her ordinary life, but instead of taking some action to solve her problems or being honest with her husband about anything at all, she sneaks around to do the emailing, and she lies when she finally goes off to meet the guy. When her eyes finally open to how unfulfilling her existence is and she no longer finds this acceptable, instead of finding some strength or meaning within herself, she runs off with the author, replacing the old structure with a new one that has just as little to do with her. And then, when he dies, suddenly she's all calm and spiritual about it and stuff, which we're supposed to believe she developed during her short time with the guy (which the story skips over), despite this being totally unlike her previous self-centered, whiny, weak persona. Completely unconvincing. Also, the grand romance between Ella and A. Z. is in the grand tradition of love potion romances: they fall madly in love without meeting or knowing much about each other; it's all-encompassing and dramatic and end-of-the-world-ish; it's blatantly a replacement for to fill the vacancy left by a lack of true spirituality, at least for Ella, right down to her admiring and adopting the guy's spiritual blah-blah; neither one has any true interest in what's good for the other, only their Love. I have no patience for this crap.

Overall, none of the characters other than Ella seemed quite real--they were all sort of thin or caricature-ish. Ella seemed real enough, but I spent most of the book wanting to shake her, send her to a good therapist, and tell her to get her shit straightened out and figure out who she really is. The end of the book does leave her on her own and at a loss but not returning to Massachusetts, so I guess there's some hope that she will. If I had to bet, though, my money would be on a new external structure, probably a love potion, and never learning anything about herself. Too bad.(less)

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Feb 12, 2010 Kate marked it as to-read · review of another edition Recommends it for: Jeannie Russell

Recommended to Kate by: Goodreads Newsletter

GR: Is it true that you wrote the book separately in both English and Turkish, rather than simply translating a final draft in one language to the other? How did this exercise in language aid the creative process? How does writing in English differ from writing in Turkish?

ES: I wrote this novel in English first. Then it was translated into Turkish, after which I rewrote the translation. After that I went back to the English version and rewrote that, too. So in a way the novel was written in two...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Mothigeorge rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being a hardcore fan of romance and Sufi Philosophy, I picked up this book seeing a dream confluence of both these in one book. Of course there was this tempting remark on the cover by ‘The Independent’ claiming that “Elif Shafak will challenge Paulo Coehlo”. The back cover lead on the story talked of the protagonist, Ellen Rubinstein who is married with three children and blessed with a pleasant home both of which should have made her a fulfilled person. It continued to say that she suddenly re...more Being a hardcore fan of romance and Sufi Philosophy, I picked up this book seeing a dream confluence of both these in one book. Of course there was this tempting remark on the cover by ‘The Independent’ claiming that “Elif Shafak will challenge Paulo Coehlo”. The back cover lead on the story talked of the protagonist, Ellen Rubinstein who is married with three children and blessed with a pleasant home both of which should have made her a fulfilled person. It continued to say that she suddenly realized that she had emptiness in her heart- an emptiness which could be filled only with love! All that came about when she read a manuscript of a book on the thirteenth century Sufi poet “Rumi and Shamz of Tabriz”! The book was to be her search for the love that she needed desperately to fill her heart! And so I set off on a read and realized that I was soon in an unique journey that spanned a millennium! It was a journey of love and pain. At the end of it the romantic in me had a heart which was in a ruptured state! But… (a BIG BUT) was the highs of the book that is what I want everybody to relish!

There were tragedies galore but there were some nice aspects which I think we will miss out if warped in a cocoon of romance! Remember that history’s best romances are stories of pain laced with the best coat of love! Here too the protagonists all had to undergo tragedies in some form or the other! There were moments of despair for the subjective reader that I am. But soon I realised that the book unveils a lot of hues of love of this world. Amidst the heart wrenching sequence of events I almost forgot that Ella actually “found” her love, however short lived was that life. But it sure must have liberated her from that prison of a life that she was experiencing. Her daughter”finding” her true mom was another issue that is on the positive note. And at the end of it all, Ella would have had a life of her own in Amsterdam, which not of the same financial (or shall I say “pleasant”) state as she was used to but would have been a fabulous one in the emotional plane!
The son of Rumi too had a wonderful marriage and his daughter-in-law was also a wonderful girl! There was a lot of poetry at the end of the pain! There were lessons for women as to whom to choose to marry. People like David and Shamz are wrong choices and that was a good positive lesson that any lucid reader should imbibe.
Then there were the great experience of Rumi. He gave up his fame for his love. He allowed women to grow. He had respect for other faiths. And most of all he brought out (through Shamz of course) that the preachers and leaders must live amongst the common, amongst the non believers, the heathen and downtrodden to be able to teach the right word of God. How many of them do we find these days doing that?
And at the end of it, it was a fabulously written book. It had its pitfalls in terms of the story line full of tragedies. She could have kept away from the death of Aziz. But I suppose that it was her way to draw a line to say that Ella did not leave her for just for Aziz but for her love! She did not go back to her family after the death of Aziz and even goes to settle down in Amsterdam. Otherwise that point would never have gone through fully!
And who needs to remember the Forty Rules? Those are rules which he has been listed out for the sake of listing out. Remember that the core values of the rules were “love everybody, God is within everyone, Do good; The hell and heaven is on earth; hell and devil were creations which justifies our bad deeds; there is nothing permanent, particularly Glory and Misery; doing good should not be for the fear of hell, there is no love without pain and words spoken will come around etc. So even though the book lays down the rules, one is not expected to remember them. But there are enough of stories and by-stories to place the essence of the rules right within your hearts.
Another great aspect of the book was the careful kneading of the life beyond history. The space between historical records or the mysteries outside history is the “potter’s wheel” of story writers. History of Rumi and Shamz is known, but it is the weaving of sub stories of Alladin, Hasan the beggar, Desert Rose, Baybars, Kimya, Kerra and Suleiman the drunk that made the book so fabulous. Each had a role to play in the values which were being brought out by the author. The beauty of Konya lay as much in the tavern as in the bountiful nature! So I felt that the book was an experience in history of a great person as well as a great era well coated with stories that added charm to history. And while doing so, Elif wove a contemporary story just as powerful so as to bring out the relevance of Rumi even today! Brilliant tapestry of love and dedication!
So at the cost of annoying any hard core romantics, May I tell you not to see this book through the prism of your love. Remember that there are so many phenomenal love stories in the real world. But there is a subtle variation in each! Imagine how silly the author would feel if she found yet another story which was a duplicate of hers!!! She would feel silly! So remember that very story in this world is different!
And as someone said, the unrecorded history that surrounds the recorded history is the realm of a great author and Elif Shafak has woven a brilliant tapestry in that realm! I bow to her!!!!
(less)

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Sep 12, 2011 Silvia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Докато четях тази книга, тя ми харесваше много, но когато я завърших и след няколко дни се върнах към нея в мислите си, осъзнах колко незавършена е и колко много проблеми, косвено поставени в нея, изобщо не са били разгледани.

(view spoiler)...more Докато четях тази книга, тя ми харесваше много, но когато я завърших и след няколко дни се върнах към нея в мислите си, осъзнах колко незавършена е и колко много проблеми, косвено поставени в нея, изобщо не са били разгледани.

(view spoiler)["Любов" всъщност представлява две книги в една - едната история проследява в откъслечни моменти живота на Ела, съпруга и майка на три деца, а другата се връща близо 800 години назад във времето. Съчетаването на двете сюжетни линии е довело до незавършеността и на двете. От една страна имаме Ела, която е омъжена поради всички други причини, различни от любовта. Тя е изградила живота и семейството си, но се запознава с мъж, който и дава това, което до този момент не е осъзнавала, че й е липсвало - любов; истинска, непоколебима, изпепеляваща любов. Тя изоставя всичко и потегля на приключение с мъжа на живота си, когото най-после е успяла да открие.

Ела има потенциала да бъде сложен и интересен персонаж, но въпреки това тя е безмилостно оплоскостена. Любовта идва и я преобръща - без нищо друго да има значение, без нищо друго да е фактор и да оказва каквото и да е влияние. Сложните й взаимоотношения с изневеряващия й съпруг не са развити. Не е разгледана и връзката й с децата й - тя заминава без да се поколебае, без да се замисли за това, че ги изоставя, че лишава себе си от присъствието им и тях от майка им.

Втората сюжетна линия предполагаемо би трябвало да проследява трансформацията на местния книжник Руми в поет, чиито стихове се четат и днес. Това не се случва. По-голямата част от вниманието е отделено на суфиста Шамс и на суфизма като идеология, но за съжаление цяла идеология трудно може да бъде описана в половин книга. Резултатът е респективно половинчат и анализът не притежава присъщата на суфизма задълбоченост. Второстепенните герои и от тази част на книгата са разгледани повърхностно, потенциалните проблеми, които биха могли да бъдат разгледани, са само загатнати. (hide spoiler)]

В заключение, книгата има потенциал за нещо повече от това, което е било реализирано като литературно произведение. Макар че за мен беше увлекателна и приятна за четене, а също и изпълнена с красиви цитати, които човек да си отбележи, авторката е допуснала да има осезаеми липси, които оставят усещане за незавършеност след прочитането.(less)

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Feb 25, 2011 Donna Peake rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Donna by: our book club Jan Meeting

Rumi has lots of followers and disciples and followers yet he feels empty. He prays and finds a friend that he can debate with. They talk of God,Man and divine Love.
This book takes place in the 13th century and the present. the characters seem to always be looking for the future and not the present. Not appreciating what they have in the here and now. We need to be patient.

Sufi's perspective on Islam is don't make things complicated. Some of the Forty Rules are:

" What does patience mean? It me...more

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Dec 04, 2010 Burak şen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

İlk başlarda AŞK kelimesini duyduğumda kitaba bir antipati ile yaklaşmıştım. Ayrıca kitabın kapağının pembe olması da sanki sadece kızlara özel bir kitapmış izlenimi uyandırıyordu bende. Daha sonra kitap ben istemeden elime geçti ve göz atarken bazı paragraflar çok ilgimi çekti. Bunun neticesinde kitabı okumaya karar verdim.

Kitap beklediğimin aksine Mevlanadan, Şemsden bahsediyordu. Sanırsam bu alanda da daha önceden pek birşey yazılmamıştı. Belli bir süre okuduktan sonra kitabı çok ciddi biçim...more

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Oct 17, 2010 Aban (Aby) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the story of two loves: the spiritual love of the 13th century poet, Rumi, for the wandering dervish, Shams of Tabriz and the present day love between Ella, an American housewife and mother, and a Sufi, Aziz Zahara.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about, Rumi, Shams (a fascinating character)and the world they lived in. I found the affair between Ella and Aziz rather contrived and irritating. (It was a bit like reading a Harlequin romance!) The author is Turkish but I presume the book was wri...more

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Oct 02, 2010 Eileen Souza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-east, bookclub, historical-fiction

Wow - what an excellent book. I picked this book up after reading Elif Shafak's "Bastard of Istanbul" which was enjoyable enough that I wanted more. This book was incredibly good - and a book that I will re-read, and see from different eyes for years to come.

The story is of Ella Rubenstein, a housewife in a successful family in Massachusetts. She gets a job as a literary reviewer, and the first novel she is asked to read is "Sweet Blasphemy" by A.Z. Zahara. As she digs into this novel of Rumi, a...more Wow - what an excellent book. I picked this book up after reading Elif Shafak's "Bastard of Istanbul" which was enjoyable enough that I wanted more. This book was incredibly good - and a book that I will re-read, and see from different eyes for years to come.

The story is of Ella Rubenstein, a housewife in a successful family in Massachusetts. She gets a job as a literary reviewer, and the first novel she is asked to read is "Sweet Blasphemy" by A.Z. Zahara. As she digs into this novel of Rumi, a 13th century poet and his experience with Shams of Tabriz, the dervish that becomes his deepest friend, she starts to see how flawed her "perfect" life is - and the fact that it is devoid of love. Love is used not in it's romantic Valentine's Day sense, but in it's full love of life, and spiritual sense.

What I really enjoyed about this book is that Elif Shafak was able to take the words and poems of Sufi Islam wisdom, and make them tangible, clear, and accessible to me. Rumi and Shams were enlightened men, similar to Gandhi, Deepak, Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus, etc. Though I struggle with reading their powerful teachings of oneness, love, and compassion on their own, Elif was able to put these messages into a story so that I could read and understand their depth. I could absorb the wisdom and still enjoy the process.

I am not a believer in "God", and so in this novel, as I read about "Him" I was thinking more of the Universe, the connection between all people - quantum physics and energy. There were still messages for me, even as someone who does not believe that there is an All Powerful Being looking over my shoulder.

My rule that struck me most in this novel was "We were all created in His image, and yet we were each created different and unique. No two people are alike. No two hearts beat to the same rhythm. If God had wanted everyone to be the same, He would have made it so. Therefore disrespecting differences and imposing your own thoughts on others is tantamount to disrespecting God's holy scheme."

I often expect more of people then they are capable of giving - and then I am angered/disappointed that they cannot be who I expect them to be. I am frustrated by this daily - by people's inability to be efficient, their unwillingness to work harder, their Sheepiness and inability to think critically or ask questions. All of this is my own ego, expecting them to be what I want, not who they are. Just being able to let go of those expectations could improve my own well-being, and I will be working on it.

Elif is an exceptional writer - who can open up the 13th century for you, provide tolerant views of cultures we don't understand, and change your world - all while giving you an entertaining page turner that you can't put down.

Highly recommended!(less)

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Jul 28, 2010 Faizah Roslaini rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2010, islam, historical-fiction, tasawuf, favorites

1 - Ada sesetengah buku masih berupaya mengesankan jiwa walaupun kita tidak pasti sama ada kita bersetuju dengan segala yang disebutkannya.

2 - Forty Rules membuatkan aku menangis mengenangkan darjat dan kehinaan diri, entahlah sama ada aku ada makna atau tidak di dalam alam semesta yang sangat luas ini. Aku menangis kerana dalam kehinaan dan kebejatan diri, aku tahu Dia masih menyintai.

3 - Dia lebih dekat denganku dari urat-urat nadi aku sendiri.

4 - Forty Rules membuatkan aku mempersoalkan semul...more

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May 24, 2010 Mandi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The writing is not the greatest, but the message in this novel was simple and piercing - love, love, love. The lead character, Ella, became secondary (to me) to Shams of Tabriz, whose stories and so-called "rules of love" were reaffirmations of all I've learned about life the past few years. Love and don't judge. Hope but don't wait aimlessly for miracles. Love yourself but not your ego. Really great lessons to take away...too bad Ella's dry, weightless presence interrupts the story of Shams and...more

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May 30, 2010 Nora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone!

The writer, Elif Shafak has woven a captivating and wise tale of love, spiritual longing, universal desire for intimacy with another human being, and Divine Love. It opened up the mystical aspects of daily existence, truly understanding what Love is in all of its forms. The beautiful story of Rumi and Shams resonates with our needs and longing. The 40 rules in the title refer to a list of principles that Shams compiled while roaming the Earth.
They include gems like:
"The whole universe is contai...more

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Jan 12, 2010 Sandra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Forty Rules of Love is the story of Ella Rubinstein - a Jewish-American housewife with a straying husband and three children who no longer need her constant attention. In an attempt to fill the gap in her life, Ella has become a reader for a literary agency. Her first assignment is a book called “Sweet Blasphemy” written by a Dutch Sufi named Aziz Zahara. The book deals with the relationship between Rumi and Shams of Tabriz in the 13th century.

The Forty Rules of Love explores the theme of lo...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Stephanie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I forced myself to read 3/4 of this book before I just gave up. I couldnt take any more. This book is two intertwined boring stories in one. The first is of a modern day woman, who is disillusioned with her failing marriage and her life as a housewife. The second is the story of an ancient whirling dervish and his pursuit for a "soul mate", whom he finds in a male scholar/poet, which leaves the reader to wonder about the nature of their "love". The housewife begins an online love affair with a S...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Marina Nova rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Прочетох доста ревюта на книгата тук. Ревюта на хора, които са я оценили с минимален брой звезди и са я описали като слаба, безинтересна, отегчителна, твърде поучителна или пък лигаво-романтична. Не ги съдя, всеки има право на мнение, но не ги и разбирам. Ако не си изпитал поне една от многото емоции и ситуации в книгата, няма как да я разбереш, няма как да я дапуснеш до себе си и да тя да те разтърси. Има книги, които, след като прочетеш, те оставят безмълвен и тих и с бушуващи емоции и мисли....more

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Apr 22, 2010 Janet rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: turkish, colossal-disappointments

As a fan of Rumi's poetry, I had high hopes for this book. Told in two parallel narratives - one in the 13th c. and the other in the present day - both were equally unsatisfying. The present day narrative didn't ring true on any level and the 13th c. narrative had too many people running on and off stage to establish any rhythm. The only fully realized character, Ella, an upperclass suburban wife and mother annoyingly self absorbed yet remarkably unself-aware makes a complete about face that is...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Venelin Iliev rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/eli...

Освен видеото, което си струва да се види, бих искал да кажа, че тази книга ме трогна. Може и да е смешно, но историята на Руми и Шамс ме трогна. Накара ме да се замисля за много неща, или по-скоро, даде малко по-различна насока на мислите ми за неща, които ме интересуват отдавна. Най-вече за това колко смешни, ненужни, трагични, измислени и ужасни са различията - между религиите, а оттам и между хората. Толкова сме еднакви, всъщност. Но, това е дълга тема...more

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May 12, 2013 Dina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

تنهيدة كبيرة
مش عارفة أبدأ منين بصراحة. كان رحلة روحانية جوا نفسى أكتر من أنه مجرد كتاب قريته لأنه ببساطة بيتكلم عن دين الحب و العشق و الإيمان القلبى. بيتناول الصوفية من زاوية مش متشددة أو بمعنى أصح من زاوية قلبية جداً. قواعد العشق الأربعون اللى اتوزعوا فى أماكن متفرقة فى الكتاب زودولى كتير. أتعلمت مصطلح جديد جداً عمرى ما أستخدمته فى حياته و هو " الإذعان " و القدرة على الإستسلام لما ما لا نقدر على تغييره. و إنى أعذر و أحب و أتخلى عن الأحكام المسبقة. علمنى الوسطية و تقبل المُختلف.
جددلى إيمانى برب...more تنهيدة كبيرة
مش عارفة أبدأ منين بصراحة. كان رحلة روحانية جوا نفسى أكتر من أنه مجرد كتاب قريته لأنه ببساطة بيتكلم عن دين الحب و العشق و الإيمان القلبى. بيتناول الصوفية من زاوية مش متشددة أو بمعنى أصح من زاوية قلبية جداً. قواعد العشق الأربعون اللى اتوزعوا فى أماكن متفرقة فى الكتاب زودولى كتير. أتعلمت مصطلح جديد جداً عمرى ما أستخدمته فى حياته و هو " الإذعان " و القدرة على الإستسلام لما ما لا نقدر على تغييره. و إنى أعذر و أحب و أتخلى عن الأحكام المسبقة. علمنى الوسطية و تقبل المُختلف.
جددلى إيمانى بربنا و بيتكلم عن ازاى نستسلم لحب ربنا و حب الناس. و أن مش لازم ناخد المعانى فى الكتب السماوية بالحرف و إن لكل الأمور بواطن و أسباب إتقال بسببها الكلام ده فى الوقت ده
و اللى عجبنى أكتر إزاى الكتاب بيناقش فكرة إن الجنة و النار دى حاجة جوانا و مكانهم هنا و دلوقتى و ده بيحللى مشكلة كبيرة عندى مع رب يوافق يحرق فى مخلوقاته للأبد , و فكرة إن إزاى الدين أتحول من محبة لربنا لخوف و مصلحة و إن الناس بقت بتصلى و بتعبد ربنا طمعاً فى أنه يكرمهم فى الدنيا و لو مش هنا يبقى بعد كده فى الآخرة
ناقش كمان فكرة إن الرقص و الشعر و الموسيقى مش حاجة حرام, و ده لما كانت إليف بتتكلم عن الوقت اللى اخترعوا فيه رقصة الدراويش و إنه كل واحد بيتواصل مع ربنا بالطريقة اللى بيعرفها , مش شرط إنه يركع و يسجد أو يولع شمعة
للأسف الناس بتتعامل مع ربنا بحساسية جداً و خوف أكتر من الحب, بياخدوا أى حاجة مختلفة فى التقرب لربنا على إنها كُفر, و إن ربنا مثلاً مش فاهم كل واحد جواه أيه او بيعمل كده ليه و فاكرين أنه محتاجهم هما يساعدوا يطبق دينه فى الأرض أو يدافعوا عنه
بمنتهى البساطة الدين يُسر و طالما الإنسان مبيئذيش حد يبقى مش وحش و مكانه مش النار, نفسى كل الناس اللى متقمصة دور ربنا على الأرض يقروه و يبطلوا يحكموا على الناس و يكرهوا كل ما هو مختلف عنهم. كلنا أضعف من الضعف و صلاتك أو طاعتك العمياء لرب مش معناها إنك أفضل من حد مبيصليش بس قلبه كله إيمان بجد

There are no believers and unbelievers in the religion of love, love embraces us all ~ Rumi

أنا حبيت الكتاب جداً و نفسى وقتى يسمحلى أقراه تانى قريب عشان أكتب كل الإقتباسات اللى عجبتنى منه
(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Plamen Miltenoff rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Plamen by: TED series

P 50.
"The sharia is like a candle," said Shams of Tabriz. " It provides us with much valuable light. But let us not forget that a candle helps us to go from one place to another in the dark. If we forget where are headed and instead concentrate on the candle, what good is it?"

P 55 submission is a form of peaceful acceptance of the terms of the universe, including the things we are currently unable to change or comprehend.

P 72 loneliness and solitude are two different things. When you are lonely,...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Marty rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book starts with an image of a stone falling into water, and the water making rings that go out and out and out. Many water images are throughout the book. And images of opposites. The final sentence is "the universe turns differently when fire loves water." There are two time periods in the book - current day (2009)in Massachusetts and the 1250s in the Middle East. In the current day Ella is reading and writing a review of a book written by Aziz. She starts corresponding with him, and they...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Fouad Khan rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is packaged spirituality for hockey moms. This book, it takes something that is complex, profound and meaningful and reduces it to easily digestible aphorisms for the consumer class. It is so blatantly formulaic, it literally builds its target audience into the novel! The suburban housewife has a suburban housewife counterpart in the book to relate to... just to put another signpost in there for the spoon-fed to follow.

This is like 'Sophie's World' for Sufism. However, while Sophie's world...more

1 like · like · see review

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About Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak (Elif Şafak) was born in Strasbourg, France, in 1971. She is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read woman writer in Turkey. Critics have named her as "one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Turkish and world literature". Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and she was awarded the honorary distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts a...more Elif Shafak (Elif Şafak) was born in Strasbourg, France, in 1971. She is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read woman writer in Turkey. Critics have named her as "one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Turkish and world literature". Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and she was awarded the honorary distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters.

Shafak has published eleven books, eight of which are novels. She writes fiction in both Turkish and English. Shafak blends Western and Eastern traditions of storytelling, bringing out the myriad stories of women, minorities, immigrants, subcultures, youth and global souls. Her work draws on diverse cultures and literary traditions, as well as deep interest in history, philosophy, Sufism, oral culture, and cultural politics. Shafak's writing breaks down categories, clichés, and cultural ghettoes. She also has a keen eye for black humor.

Shafak's first novel, Pinhan (The Mystic) was awarded the "Rumi Prize" in 1998, which is given to the best work in mystical literature in Turkey. Her second novel, Şehrin Aynaları (Mirrors of the City), brings together Jewish and Islamic mysticism against a historical setting in the 17th century Mediterranean. Shafak greatly increased her readership with her novel Mahrem (The Gaze), which earned her the "Best Novel-Turkish Writers' Union Prize" in 2000. Her next novel, Bit Palas (The Flea Palace), has been a bestseller in Turkey and was shortlisted for the independent Best Fiction Award.

Shafak' wrote her next novel in English. The Saint of Incipient Insanities was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Her second novel written in English is The Bastard of Istanbul, which was the bestselling book of 2006 in Turkey and was longlisted for the Orange prize. The novel, which tells the story of an Armenian and a Turkish family through the eyes of women, brought Shafak under prosecution but the charges were ultimately dismissed.

Following the birth of her daughter in 2006 she suffered from post-natal depression, an experience she addressed in her first autobiographical book, Black Milk. In this book Shafak explored the beauties and difficulties of being a writer and a mother. The book was received with great interest and acclaim by critics and readers alike, being an instant bestseller.

Shafak's next novel focused on Love and love –East & West, past & present, spiritual & mundane, all in the light of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz. The Forty Rules of Love sold more than 600 000 copies, becoming an all time best-seller in Turkey and in France awarded with the Prix ALEF - Mention Spéciale Littérature Etrangère.

Her latest novel, Iskender (Honor), has topped the best-seller lists and has been acclaimed by both critics and readers of various ages and backgrounds. The novel has opened up a vivid debate in Turkey about family, love, freedom, redemption and the construct of masculinity.

In addition to writing fiction, Shafak is also a political scientist, having graduated from the program in International Relations at Middle East Technical University. She holds a Masters degree in Gender and Women's Studies and a Ph.D. in Political Science. Her thesis on "Islamic Mysticism and the Circular Understanding of Time" was awarded by the Social Scientists Institute. Today Shafak continues to write for Haberturk, a major newspaper in Turkey, as well as several international daily & weekly publications, including The Guardian website. She has been featured in major newspapers and periodicals, including the Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Economist and The Guardian.

Her nonfiction covers a wide range of topics, including belonging, identity, gender, mental ghettoes, daily life politics, multicultural literature and the art of coexistence. These e(less)

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Quotes from The Forty Rules of Love

“If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven't loved enough.” — 19 people liked it

“Loneliness and solitude are two different things. When you are lonely, it is easy to delude yourself into believing that you are on the right path. Solitude is better for us, as it means being alone without feeling lonely. But eventually it is best to find a person, the person who will be your mirror. Remember, only in another person’s heart can you truly see yourself and the presence of God within you” — 15 people liked it

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