After so many had recommended it, I HAD to go for "The Forty Rules of Love" as my next read. Of course, I never expected to take a fortnight to complete it, a very rare instance for me.

I just completed the book last night, and here I am, on a lazy Saturday morning, pondering over what I read and introspecting over the rules.

Shams of Tabriz is a fascinating character - some of his decisions might seem questionable until you realize the thought behind it. His forty rules are quite a mixed bag in this day and age. But at least half of the rules seem like they must be remembered and applied in our lives.

As far as the rest of the book goes, it didn't really "shake my world" the way I had expected it to. It's a great read, but I somehow just couldn't "feel" it. Maybe I haven't evolved yet as a person/reader.

Overall, I would still recommend it as a book worth reading. What you get from it is upto you as a person, because I do feel it will give different take-aways to different readers.

Some of the rules that I loved:
“How we see God is a direct reflection of how we see ourselves.....If we see God as full of love and compassion, so are we.”

“Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things might seem, do not enter the neighborhood of despair. Even when all doors remain closed, God will open up a new path only for you. Be thankful!”

“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?”

Lots more introspection required for these. Shams is going to stay with me for a long while...



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I was very curious about The Forty Rules of Love - I find sufism interesting, and Rumi's poetry is beautiful. A very dear friend recommended this. I am very glad the friend in question is not using Goodreads...
- Weak writing killed this book. Where were the editors?
- The storyline set in modern times is basically a soap opera. It is not believable and for this reason, very annoying.
- I googled the story of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz. I enjoyed reading various sources a lot more than reading about these two in The Forty Rules of Love.
- Platitudes, platitudes, platitudes.
- Flat, boring characters.

Basically, this is a novel where nothing works. The only reason it gets two stars and not one is that it gave me a reason to google Rumi's poems and re-read them. ( )

This is my first read from this author and I'm in between 3 to 4. In the end, I've rated it 4/5 as it was well written, it was easy to navigate between the past and the present. I liked that it has been tagged or titled for each chapter, so I didn't get lost at all.

Ella's story is from the present where she is living a typical housewife with 3 kids kinda life. She was given an assignment to read and report an unknown author's book, Sweet Blasphemy, which has slowly intrigued her and changed her way of life. Sweet Blasphemy brings us to the past with the likes of Shams, Rumi, Kimya, Aladdin and lots more.

This may not be a popular opinion as I did find the religious teachings incorporated into the story kinda dragging as such I tend to skip more. However, the overall story is actually quite interesting with each individual sharing their side of the story. This is where I find myself more engrossed especially when they share their thoughts of Shams and his relationship with Rumi. Who would have known, bromance from way back then!

The one thing which is hard for me to grasp was Ella's choice after reading Sweet Blasphemy and having communicated with the author, Aziz. It's a little hard to accept that each time we read something enlightening that will lead us to a life-changing decision. A little too farfetched in my opinion. It was her decision to get married in the first place and also her choice not to question her husband's infidelity. So, to suddenly follow Aziz after having read Sweet Blasphemy was more of Ella running away IMO.

Other than that, it was an interesting read with much of its religious context differed from the local ones which was eye-opening for me. I thought it should be universal but then again, many preachers have preached it differently, so it has changed through the years. If you are looking for something spiritual, unorthodox historical, this is a choice for you. ( )

A book is all about the value of Love in life ,Which is both #ishqHaqeeqi and #ishqMajazi and also the transformation from #ishqMajazi to #ishqHaqeqi. A book consist the Forty rules of true love about life and love of religion (Islam) by #ShamsofTabriz and Every Rule of Shams is widely described many things.The book tells the story of Ella Rubinstein, a woman in her late thirties who has settled into the complacency of her life.If you like reading fiction which reads like nonfiction, then you can try out this book. ( )

Oh my heart!