Book Title : The Prophet
Author : Kahlil Gibran
Pages : 117
This is really a great book I read recently and found it marvellously great. One must read this book in life as early as possible to define some rule sets of the life one is going to drive. Each word of this book delivers everything one seeks in life - the truth, love, justice, wisdom, meaning of every aspect of life
About the Book
Almustafa came to Orphalese city twelve years back, and on this seventh day of lelool - the month of reaping his ship is coming on the shore of this city to take him back to his place of birth. Almustafa is a prophet, a spirit among the people of this place and they are weeping and telling him not to go, not to leave them. They tell him - ''You have walked among us a spirit, and your shadow has been a light upon our faces.'' All people are gathered around him and tell him to guide them about the wisdom of life.
They start asking from Almustafa one by one and he starts answering them On Love ''Love is speechless but when you cry it gets expressed''. He says- ''When love beckons you, follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep''. Love may wound you through the sword hidden among his pinions. But when love speaks to you, believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams.
Love has such a power that it can crown you, and it can crucify you too. He is for your growth and for your pruning too. As he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, on the other hand he descends to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth. This all happens if you listen to your heart and know the secrets of your heart. When you achieve these heights in love, love assigns you to his sacred fire, and you become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. Love gives nothing but itself and takes nothing but itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed.
Love needs to be without desires and need to direct as it has the power to direct your course if it finds you worthy. Sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your hert and a song of praise on your lips. But if you fear to reach to this extent and seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, you will live in a seasonless world where you will laugh but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
On Marriage You should be together in the silent memory of God, but let there be spaces in your togetherness. Let the winds of heaven dance between you. Love one another but not make a bond of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other;s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone. Give your heart's but not into each other's keeping. Stand together yet not too near together as the pillars of the temple stand apart.
On Children and Parenting You may give them your love but no your thoughts, as they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, as their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you as life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
Almustafa compared God as Archer, parents as bow and children as arrow and said - ''Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness, as even as he loves the arrow that flies, similarly he loves the bow also that is stable.'"
On Giving You give very little when you give of your possessions, it is when you give of yourself that you truly give. Who is bigger in giving - A rich giving little of his and a Poor giving whole of his? When you give, are you really a Giver or just a Spectator?
On Work When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music. - All life is darkness unless there is urge - All urge is blind unless there is knowledge - All knowledge is vain unless there is work - All work is empty unless there is love ''Weave the cloth from the thread of your heart. Build a house with affection'' Work is love made visible On Joy and Sorrow Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. They are inseperable. They come together, but when one is sitting with you the other is asleep at your bed.
On Pain Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. <="">Your heart knows in silence the secrets of the days and the nights but your ears thirst for the sound of your heart's knowledge. you would know in words that which you have always known in thought. You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams. Self is a sea of knowledge boundless and measureless.
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<="">On Teaching The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among the followers, gives not of his wisdom, but rather of his faith and his loving..
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<="">On Friendship Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. Without words in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared with joy that is un-acclaimed..
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<="">Conclusions and my views after reading this book
<="">- Love does not need any other wish as it is the biggest wish fulfilled.
<="">- Never hurt, as life is too short to give happiness and heal the wounds of heart.
<="">- Love never binds, it lets you free.
<="">- Marriage means provide enough space to each other to live own's life and not forcing one to live as other wants.
<="">- Being parent does not mean imposing one's thoughts into your children.
<="">- When you give, don't give for fear or with pain, give for joy.
<="">- If you really want to learn the art of giving, learn from life itself who gives as long as you live.
<="">- Whatever you work, work for love, work with love. If you want to learn how to work, learn from earth which keep on moving non-stop.
<="">- Self is the biggest source of knowledge and greatest teacher. Great book to read as many times as possible. Must read for everyone.