AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE SUFI METAPHYSICAL CONCEPT “WAHDATAL WUJUD” IN ELIF SHAFAQ’S NOVEL “FORTY RULES OF LOVE”

 

Ms. Zaib-un-Nisa Ahmed¹*, Ms. Mehwish Malghani², Ms. Ayesha Ahmed³

and Ms. Durdana Khosa⁴

¹Ms., SBKWU Quetta, PAKISTAN zx3ba.xoxo@gmail.com

² Ms., SBKWU Quetta, PAKISTAN mehwishmalghani@gmail.com

³ Ms., SBKWU Quetta, PAKISTAN, ahmed.ayesha81@yahoo.com

⁴ Ms., SBKWU Quetta, PAKISTAN, dkhosa26@gmail.com

*Corresponding author

 

Abstract

The current study examined the validity of the assertion that whether the Sufi metaphysical concept of Wahdatal Wujud i.e. spiritual union with the Absolute which is the highest level of mystical elevation, is depicted in the novel Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafaq. This study focused particularly on those aspects of the novel which are related to the specific concept given by Ibn ‘Arabi Wahdatal Wujud, as referred by Chittick (2005) which indicates that all human beings possess the Divine Spirit within themselves and if they ascend the ladder of knowledge and self-recognition with the motivation of love of Divine and acknowledge that Divine presence in them, they are set to a spiritual journey by God which elevates them. Hence, the secrets of world and cosmos are revealed to them by God.

The research was of subjective nature; therefore the researcher had adopted unstructured approach to carry out the study. Further, exploratory and descriptive research paradigm was used to gather required evidence from the text of the novel that related to the selected theory.

The study aimed to discover this spiritual aspect in the novel and also attempted to explore and describe each and every point where this Sufi metaphysical concept was reflected in the text of the novel. Through the content analysis and interpretation of the text of the novel, enough evidence was gathered to advocate and achieve the objectives of the research, as the character of Shams of Tabrez, who was an elevated dervish, showed the attributes of divinity and also through his character and his utterances majorly, the concept of Wahdatal Wujud or Unity of Being was put forward.

 

Keywords: Sufism, Oneness of Being, Forty Rules of Love.