The Spiritual Intersection of Shams and Sufism: A Comparative Analysis of Shams' Character in the Forty Rules of Loveand the Sufi Teachings in Kashf al-Mahjoobby Ali Hajweri

Abstract

The spiritual cross-path of Shams of Tabraiz, portrayed by Elif Shafakin her ground breaking work “The Forty Rules of Love”, and Sufism as explained in Kashaf ul Majooob by Ali Hajweri puts forth a compelling and eye catching lens to investigate the mystical perspectives of self-transcendence and diving love. This study explores how the transformative character of Shams as Spiritual mentor in the mentioned novel correspond with the basic principle of Sufism and particular a Sufi, expounded by Ali Hajweri in his book. With his unconventional preaching and radical wisdom, Shams recapitulates the Sufi path by accepting the divine love and deconstructing the ego as the ultimate truth. In the book, his “forty rules” shapes the crux of Sufi teaching by highlighting the very importance of humility, spiritual awakening and true love and this in turns forms the essence of the doctrine that Kashf ul Majoob presents. This forms a theoretical framework to explore the life of shams as a spiritual example. This analysis in comparison presents the character of Shams as a bridging a gap between ideals of Sufism and contemporary critics which not only makes the universal teaching of Sufism accessible beyond time but also emotionally resonant