The Forty Rules of Love
by Elif Shafak
“A captivating dual-narrative novel weaving a modern woman’s spiritual awakening with the timeless, transformative friendship between the 13th-century poet Rumi and his enigmatic Sufi mentor, Shams of Tabriz.”
Overview
Elif Shafak’s “The Forty Rules of Love” is a profound and intricately woven novel that masterfully juxtaposes two distinct yet deeply interconnected narratives across centuries.
At its heart, the book explores the transformative power of love, faith, and self-discovery, challenging conventional notions of spirituality and human connection.
One narrative thread follows Ella Rubinstein, a forty-year-old American housewife living in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 2008.
Trapped in a seemingly perfect but emotionally sterile marriage and a life devoid of passion, Ella feels increasingly unfulfilled. Her world begins to shift when she takes on a job reviewing a manuscript titled “Sweet Blasphemy,” a historical novel about the legendary 13th-century Sufi poet Rumi and his spiritual guide, Shams of Tabriz.
This manuscript forms the second, historical narrative, transporting the reader to Konya, Turkey, in 1244. It chronicles the radical and revolutionary friendship between Rumi, a respected but conventional Islamic scholar, and Shams, a wandering dervish who embodies the mystical, unconventional path of Sufism. Shams arrives in Konya with a mission: to transform Rumi from a popular preacher into a passionate poet and mystic of divine love, a transformation that will ultimately lead to Rumi’s profound spiritual awakening and the creation of his enduring poetic legacy.
Shafak brilliantly interlaces these two stories, allowing Ella’s contemporary journey of self-re-evaluation to mirror Rumi’s historical metamorphosis. As Ella delves deeper into the manuscript and exchanges emails with its mysterious author, Aziz Zahara, she begins to question her own life choices, her understanding of love, and her capacity for true happiness. The novel is a rich tapestry of philosophy, history, and romance, exploring themes of divine love, human connection, destiny, and the courage required to break free from societal expectations and embrace one’s authentic self. It is a compelling invitation to readers to reconsider their own lives through the lens of Sufi wisdom and the enduring “Forty Rules of Love” articulated by Shams of Tabriz.
Key Takeaways
The Transformative Power of Love
The central theme is that love, particularly divine or unconditional love, is the ultimate catalyst for personal and spiritual transformation.
It is not merely a romantic emotion but a profound force that can shatter ego, challenge conventions, and lead to self-discovery.
Both Rumi and Ella undergo radical shifts in their lives once they open themselves to this expansive form of love, demonstrating its capacity to redefine existence and purpose.
Challenging Conventionality and Dogma
The novel strongly advocates for questioning rigid societal norms, religious dogma, and personal comfort zones. Shams of Tabriz is the embodiment of this challenge, constantly provoking Rumi and those around him to look beyond superficial appearances and literal interpretations.
Ella’s journey mirrors this, as she breaks free from her conventional, unfulfilling life to pursue a more authentic and spiritually rich existence, illustrating that true faith and love often lie outside established boundaries.
The Interconnectedness of All Things
A core Sufi principle, beautifully illustrated through the dual narrative, is the idea that all beings and events are interconnected. The past influences the present, and individual actions ripple through time.
The Forty Rules themselves emphasise unity, compassion, and the understanding that every person is a reflection of the Divine. This interconnectedness suggests that our personal journeys are part of a larger, universal tapestry of love and spiritual evolution.
The Journey of Self-Discovery and Authenticity
Both Rumi and Ella embark on profound journeys of self-discovery. Rumi, initially a respected scholar, finds his true calling as a mystic poet through his relationship with Shams.
Ella, a disillusioned housewife, finds her authentic self by daring to pursue love and spiritual meaning outside her prescribed life. The book argues that true happiness and fulfilment come from shedding false identities and embracing one’s genuine self, even if it means facing discomfort and making difficult choices.
Embracing Impermanence and Loss
The novel powerfully explores the themes of impermanence and the transformative nature of loss. Shams’s disappearance and Aziz’s terminal illness are moments of profound grief, yet they ultimately lead to deeper spiritual understanding and growth for Rumi and Ella, respectively.
The message is that suffering and loss are integral parts of the human experience, and by embracing them, one can find profound meaning and a more expansive capacity for love and acceptance.
Chapter Breakdown
Part I: Earth
The novel opens by introducing Ella Rubinstein, a seemingly content but deeply unfulfilled American housewife on the cusp of her fortieth birthday. Her life is meticulously organised, centred around her three children and her dentist husband, David, yet it lacks genuine warmth and passion. Ella’s emotional detachment is palpable, a consequence of years of suppressing her own desires and conforming to societal expectations. Her new job as a reader for a literary agency, specifically tasked with reviewing a manuscript titled “Sweet Blasphemy,” marks the beginning of her awakening.
The manuscript, written by a mysterious Dutch-Scottish author named Aziz Zahara, immediately captivates Ella. It introduces the historical narrative, beginning with Shams of Tabriz, a wandering dervish who receives a divine vision instructing him to find his spiritual counterpart in Konya. This part establishes Shams’s unconventional and provocative nature, his profound spiritual insight, and his readiness to challenge religious dogma. His journey to Konya, driven by a sacred quest, sets the stage for the revolutionary encounter that will change the course of Islamic mysticism and Rumi’s life forever.
Ella’s initial correspondence with Aziz Zahara, the author of “Sweet Blasphemy,” begins tentatively, but quickly deepens. She finds herself drawn to his philosophical insights and the profound questions his novel raises about love, faith, and destiny. This burgeoning connection, initially intellectual, starts to chip away at the carefully constructed walls around Ella’s heart, hinting at the seismic shifts awaiting her.
Key Points
- Introduces Ella Rubinstein, a forty-year-old housewife experiencing profound emotional stagnation despite a seemingly perfect life.
- Establishes the historical narrative with Shams of Tabriz, a radical dervish guided by a divine vision to seek his spiritual companion, Rumi.
- Highlights the initial, transformative connection between Ella and Aziz Zahara, the author of the manuscript, which begins to challenge Ella’s worldview.
Part II: Water
As Ella delves deeper into “Sweet Blasphemy,” the narrative in Konya intensifies with the arrival of Shams of Tabriz. He is a figure of immense spiritual power and unconventional wisdom, immediately clashing with the rigid religious establishment of Konya. Shams’s presence disrupts the ordered life of Rumi, a revered scholar and preacher, who is initially resistant to the dervish’s provocative teachings and unorthodox methods. Their first encounter is charged with an undeniable spiritual magnetism, marking the beginning of a profound and often tumultuous friendship.
Shams begins to impart his “Forty Rules of Love” to Rumi, challenging him to look beyond the literal interpretations of scripture and embrace the boundless, unconditional love of the Divine. These rules, presented throughout the novel, serve as philosophical anchors, guiding both Rumi’s spiritual transformation and, by extension, Ella’s contemporary journey. Shams’s teachings are radical, advocating for tolerance, compassion, and the dissolution of ego, often causing scandal and outrage among Rumi’s followers and family.
In Ella’s world, her email exchanges with Aziz Zahara become increasingly intimate and revealing. She finds herself confiding in him about her marital dissatisfaction and her growing sense of emptiness. Aziz, through his emails, acts as a modern-day Shams, gently guiding Ella to question her own “rules” and assumptions about life and love. The parallels between Rumi’s initial resistance to Shams and Ella’s internal struggle to confront her own unhappiness become increasingly evident, as both characters are faced with the discomfort of profound change.
Key Points
- Shams of Tabriz arrives in Konya, immediately challenging Rumi’s conventional life and the city’s religious orthodoxy.
- Shams begins to teach Rumi the “Forty Rules of Love,” which advocate for a radical, unconditional, and divine understanding of love.
- Ella’s correspondence with Aziz Zahara deepens, mirroring Rumi’s spiritual guidance from Shams and prompting Ella to confront her own life’s dissatisfactions.
Part III: Wind
The “Wind” section sees the deepening of Rumi and Shams’s bond, which becomes the central focus of the historical narrative. Their friendship is portrayed as a sacred, almost mystical union, where Shams acts as Rumi’s spiritual mirror, reflecting back to him his true potential and guiding him towards a profound understanding of divine love. This intense connection, however, isolates Rumi from his family and many of his disciples, who view Shams with suspicion and jealousy, perceiving him as a disruptive and dangerous influence. The Forty Rules continue to unfold, each rule offering a new perspective on existence, suffering, and the path to enlightenment.
Shams’s teachings are not merely intellectual; they demand a complete reorientation of Rumi’s being, pushing him to shed his ego and embrace vulnerability. This period is marked by Rumi’s burgeoning poetic expression, as the love and wisdom imparted by Shams ignite a creative fire within him. The spiritual transformation is profound, but it comes at a great personal cost, as the animosity towards Shams grows, fuelled by misunderstanding and fear of the unknown.
Concurrently, Ella’s relationship with Aziz Zahara evolves beyond mere professional correspondence. She finds herself falling in love with the man behind the words, drawn to his spiritual depth and understanding. This emotional awakening is both exhilarating and terrifying, as it forces Ella to confront the stagnation of her own marriage and the courage required to pursue genuine happiness. The “wind” symbolises the unsettling, yet ultimately liberating, force of change that sweeps through both Ella’s and Rumi’s lives, challenging their foundations and pushing them towards uncharted territories.
Key Points
- Rumi and Shams’s spiritual bond intensifies, leading to Rumi’s profound transformation and the emergence of his poetic voice.
- Shams’s unconventional teachings and Rumi’s devotion alienate Rumi’s family and disciples, fostering jealousy and resentment.
- Ella’s emotional connection with Aziz Zahara deepens into love, compelling her to confront the emptiness of her marriage and consider radical life changes.
Part IV: Fire
This section ignites with the escalating conflict and tragic events surrounding Shams of Tabriz. The jealousy and resentment towards Shams reach a fever pitch among Rumi’s family and followers, culminating in his mysterious disappearance. This event, widely believed to be his murder, plunges Rumi into an unbearable grief that paradoxically deepens his spiritual and poetic journey. The “fire” symbolises both the destructive passion of human jealousy and the purifying, transformative fire of divine love and sorrow.
Shams’s absence forces Rumi to internalise his teachings and find the divine love within himself, rather than relying on an external guide. It is in this period of profound loss that Rumi truly becomes the Mevlana, the great mystic poet whose verses would inspire generations. His grief is channelled into the creation of his monumental work, the “Masnavi,” a testament to his enduring love for Shams and his realisation of the omnipresence of the Divine.
In the modern narrative, Ella makes the courageous decision to leave her unfulfilling marriage and travel to Amsterdam to meet Aziz Zahara in person. This act of defiance and self-assertion represents her own “fire” – a burning desire for authenticity and love, even if it means dismantling her entire life. Her journey is fraught with uncertainty, but it is driven by a newfound conviction that true love and spiritual connection are worth any sacrifice. The parallels between Rumi’s ultimate sacrifice for love and Ella’s bold leap of faith become strikingly clear, highlighting the timeless nature of their respective quests for meaning.
Key Points
- Shams of Tabriz disappears, widely believed to be murdered, due to the intense jealousy and animosity from Rumi’s circle.
- Rumi’s profound grief over Shams’s loss becomes the catalyst for his ultimate spiritual awakening and the creation of his seminal poetic works.
- Ella makes the courageous decision to leave her marriage and travel to meet Aziz, embodying her own transformative ‘fire’ and pursuit of authentic love.
Part V: The Void
The final section, “The Void,” explores the aftermath of these transformative events and the enduring legacy of love and spiritual awakening. In the historical narrative, Rumi fully embraces his role as a mystic and poet, his grief for Shams transmuted into an eternal wellspring of divine love and wisdom. He establishes the Mevlevi Order, the whirling dervishes, as a living testament to Shams’s teachings and the path of ecstatic love. The void left by Shams’s physical absence is filled by Rumi’s boundless spiritual presence, demonstrating that true connection transcends physical boundaries.
In Ella’s contemporary story, she finally meets Aziz Zahara. Their connection is as profound and immediate in person as it was through their correspondence. However, the void here takes on a poignant meaning, as Ella discovers that Aziz is terminally ill and has only a short time left to live. This revelation forces Ella to confront the impermanence of life and love, yet she chooses to embrace the present moment, finding profound joy and meaning in their brief, intense connection.
Ella’s journey culminates in a radical shift in her perspective on life, love, and death. She learns to live fully, to love unconditionally, and to find beauty in transience, embodying the very essence of Shams’s Forty Rules. The novel concludes with Ella having found her own spiritual centre, transformed by the love she found and the wisdom she gained, demonstrating that the void is not an absence but a space for infinite possibilities and profound spiritual growth.
Key Points
- Rumi fully embodies his spiritual destiny, establishing the Mevlevi Order and channelling his grief into an enduring legacy of divine love.
- Ella meets Aziz Zahara, only to discover his terminal illness, forcing her to confront the impermanence of their love.
- Ella chooses to embrace the present and finds profound meaning in her brief, intense connection with Aziz, achieving her own spiritual awakening and embodying the Forty Rules.
Conclusion
Elif Shafak’s “The Forty Rules of Love” is a literary triumph, a meticulously crafted novel that transcends mere storytelling to offer a profound meditation on love, faith, and the human spirit. Its dual narrative structure is not merely a clever device but an essential component, allowing the timeless wisdom of Sufism to resonate deeply with contemporary struggles for meaning and connection. Shafak’s prose is rich and evocative, imbued with a poetic sensibility that mirrors the very essence of Rumi’s work, making the philosophical concepts accessible and emotionally impactful.
The book’s critical reception has been largely positive, lauded for its ambitious scope, its compelling characters, and its ability to weave complex spiritual ideas into an engaging narrative. Reviewers have particularly praised Shafak’s skill in bringing the historical figures of Rumi and Shams to vivid life, whilst simultaneously crafting a relatable and poignant modern story. It has been celebrated for its universal appeal, speaking to readers across cultures and spiritual backgrounds about the enduring quest for authenticity and unconditional love.
Ultimately, “The Forty Rules of Love” stands as a powerful testament to the idea that true transformation often requires courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. It is a book that encourages introspection, inviting readers to examine their own lives, relationships, and understanding of love. Shafak delivers a deeply moving and intellectually stimulating work that leaves an indelible mark, reminding us that the path to enlightenment is often found in the most unexpected of connections and the most radical acts of the heart.
