The Transformative Power of Love: A Sufi-Reading of Elif Shafak's The Forty Rules of Love
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63163/srh213Keywords:
Sufism, Divine Love, Spiritual Transformation, Rumi and Shams, Elif Shafak, Mysticism, Self-RealizationAbstract
This paper examines Elif Shafak’s The Forty Rules of Love through a Sufi perspective, focusing on the transformative power of divine love as a source of spiritual awakening and self-realization. The novel presents two parallel stories; one from the thirteenth century about Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, and the other from the modern life of Ella Rubinstein. Through these narratives, Shafak illustrates how love transcends time, culture, and individuality. Using Sufi philosophy as a framework, the study explores love as a purifying force that dissolves the ego and connects the human soul with the Divine. The paper argues that Shafak redefines love not merely as an emotion but as a spiritual path leading to enlightenment, peace, and self-discovery. By merging fiction with mystic philosophy, Shafak presents a modern interpretation of Sufism, emphasizing that love is both the journey and the ultimate destination of human existence
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