The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a praiseworthy book. In this,the author compares his spiritual life with his real life, in a magical way. The novel comprises of characters: Al-Mustafa, the Prophet and people of Orphalese who belong to various aspects of life. The story begins with a dream which is the imaginary world of the writer. He imagines being in a place where people from different fields of life seek information about their respective jobs.
The writer is a great wizard in finding out the causes of many phenomenon observed in our everyday life. He uses some of his best qualities to explain them.
He tells us that the basis of work is love; hence, love makes you committed and determined to work. In this regard, we can easily quote the example of Dashrath Manjhi, who carved a path of 110 m long, 9.1 m wide and 7.6 m deep through a hillock using only a hammer and a chisel for the love of his villagers and for the love of his beloved wife who slipped from the hill and got injured, which eventually led to her death.
Another theme discussed in the book is that of buying and selling. He beautifully explains how buying and selling occurs when someone feels abundant or satisfied of something. He says that there should be justice in exchange, to avoid greed on one side and hunger on the other. People usually consider that there should be no exchange between audiences and dancers or players,instead they think it is a waste of time and money, both to listen or watch them. The writer clarifies that dancers or players give food for our soul. As we work a lot, we feel tired, but listening to them makes us feel relaxed, it is then that we are able to work smartly. The book further explains a very important aspect of life, sorrow and joy.
With his great skill of comparison, he compares someone to a scale when talking about sorrow and joy. He explains that if someone is empty, he is balanced and stands still like a scale. However, when a shopkeeper wants to weigh his materials, his sorrows or joys either rise or fall.
Similarly, he has the quality of finding out about the interrelationships between things. He relates passion with reasons, saying that passion must be followed by some logical reasons, and then they can govern an individual’s life wonderfully.
The writer implements his thoughts and opinions regarding many other features of life as well.
It is our general observation that when someone talks continuously, he or she will make mistakes. The writer derives a fact from the above observation and says that when people are talking, half of theirthoughts are dead. This fact is applicable in everyday life. The book, therefore, talks of the importance of time for a disciplined life. The writer sets out a vital role for time in governing someone’s life: time limits conduct and activities as well as gives a disciplined life.
The writer further talks of law. He describes two kinds of people with respect to law. One kindenjoys making laws and the other breaks them with much excitement. However, the writer considers them to be a fail. On the other hand, another kind holds laws as chisels to shape their lives, these are the people who find their success in this world.
Moreover, besides all other subjects, he talks of the most important: friendship. He considers it a platform for sharing joy, laughter and happiness and says that “a friend can fill someone’s need but he cannot fill his emptiness.”
Finally, he gives a few important and interesting facts about major areas of life, such as clothing, shelter, freedom, pain, self-knowledge, prayer, good and evil, crime and punishment, pleasure and beauty amongst many others. The book serves a great deal. It presents to us those ideas which we are in search of our complete life. Although it is very philosophical, it discusses general life features of a community under the writer’s great power of imagination. Any reader can seek an awareness of their traits through this book.
Paperback, 127 pages
Published: January 1, 2010 by Rupa & Co (first published in 1923)
Original Title: The Prophet
ISBN: 000100039X (ISBN13: 9780001000391)
Edition Language: English
Characters: Al Mustafa, Al Mitra
Setting: Orphalese
Other editions: 142
The reviewer teaches in I-WELL Academy Turbat, Kech
Published in Daily Times, January 18th 2018.