The Prophet is a book of short essays by Kahlil Gibran on a variety of themes ranging from love and marriage to pain and death presented by a character named Almustafa. By using a variety of rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, and imagery, he enhances the ideas presented in each section and makes them easier for the reader to comprehend and put into practice. Although written in 1923, all of the themes are still very relevant in today’s world, perhaps even more so.
One of the most prominent themes in Gibran’s The Prophet is the idea of friendship and how the friend should impact your life. First, to illustrate the true importance of companionship, he used metaphors to compare this person to ordinary objects. For example, he stated that “[a friend] is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving” (Gibran 64). This shows that in a true relationship, you provide love for the person and give them much thanks for all that they do for you. Next, in order to demonstrate the significance of forming a relationship based on shared experiences and thoughts with friends, Gibran used anaphora, which is the repetition of a specific word or phrase over successive phrases or clauses. For instance, “for without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed” (Gibran 64). The author was saying that two friends can bond over mutual beliefs and hopes, which is often necessary for a strong partnership, even without having to speak. Thirdly, Gibran discussed how absence makes the heart grow fonder with a simile. He stated that “for that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain” (Gibr...
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...orth” (Gibran 19). This is both a simile and a metaphor to show that parents can influence their offspring, but children are the ones who truly make a difference later on. Finally, at the end of the section, he used imagery in order for the reader to truly understand the bow and arrow metaphor. He said that “for even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable” (Gibran 19). The reader can visualize this and realize the importance of being a parent with confidence as they let their children go through life.
By using these rhetorical devices, Gibran explains the importance of the above five themes and various ways to apply them in one’s life. It is written in a genuine and relatable way and is meant to hopefully inspire people to follow his ways. Finally, it can be read cover to cover or just one section at a time, but every part will ha
Ibn Munqidh, Usama. "From Memoirs." McNeill, William and Marilyn Robinson Waldman. The Islamic World. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1973. 184-206.
In today’s world of chaos and war, many people are turning to religion. People look to organized religion not only for solace but on the contrary, they also look to attribute cause for the world’s woes. The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th has many people looking to the religion of Islam for a culprit, as the men who flew the planes were Israeli suicide missionaries. These men thought themselves to be on a mission from God (Allah). This implies that they were acting on the words of a prophet, or thought themselves prophets. In response to this, I decided to research the major religions in today’s world that rely on modern day prophets for guidance. By doing so, I am attempting to prove the religion of Islam innocent by comparing it to many other religions that have similar structure but no terrorist intentions.
Snart, Jason. "In Aid Of Teaching James Joyce's "Araby." Eureka Studies In Teaching Short Fiction 9.2 (2009): 89-101. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
In conclusion, these two short stories written by Shirley Jackson and Salman Rushdie have expressed the idea of what rebellion and conformity has affected the relationship between religion and individuals through the characters who expressed their feelings towards things that did not seem to fit in their societies. Through the similarities, differences, and resolutions that these two stories both share, the real message that can only be summarized in one way: do not be afraid to express your true feelings and don’t let things like religion take over your entire life. Things like spiritual guidance can really take a toll on an individual’s behavior and few of their own lives as we saw in Jackson’s “The Lottery”. Through these stories we now know that the relationship between religion and individuals can be very strong in some cases.
Memories of Muhammad: Why the prophet Matters is a book by scholar and author Omid Safi. Omid Safi focuses primarily on the life of the Prophet Muhammad and how he created a religion that has lasted since its creation in approximately the 7th century. In addition, what the book does extremely well is giving an in depth look at not only who Muhammad was according to Muslims, but the historical person as well. In light of this, by doing so we are able to see who the Prophet Muhammad was, his ideologies and beliefs, his travels and encounters with different religions and cultures that helped him create Islam. Furthermore, because the creation of Islam and Muhammad must go hand in hand, by focusing on the prophet Muhammad’s life we are able to
Throughout his life, the Prophet Muhammad proved to be exceptionally adept at uniting diverse groups, negotiating a series of alliances and loyalty arrangements that spanned religious, tribal, ethnic, and familial lines (Berggren 2009). Among other things, this ability enabled Muhammad to forge a shared identity and found a nascent Islamic state from a diverse and even heterogeneous community (Rahman 1982; Ernst 2003, pp. 87-93). This diversity proved to be both a source of strength and conflict for Islam, and following the death of Muhammad early Islamic communities engaged in extensive debates not only about the nature of his teachings or how to carry his legacy forward, but also about the terms that should be used to define his authority. Although this debate produced a colorful array of movements within the tapestry of early Islamic civilization, this essay offers a critical examination of two particularly distinct perspectives on the nature of prophetic authority: namely, those articulated
Critics have already begun a heated debate over the success of the book that has addressed both its strengths and weaknesses. The debate may rage for a few years but it will eventually fizzle out as the success of the novel sustains. The characters, plot, emotional appeal, and easily relatable situations are too strong for this book to crumble. The internal characteristics have provided a strong base to withstand the petty attacks on underdeveloped metaphors and transparent descriptions. The novel does not need confrontations with the Middle East to remain a staple in modern reading, it can hold its own based on its life lessons that anyone can use.
There are two declarations of faith in Islam: That there is only one God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. In Memories of Muhammad, Omid Safi explores the ways in which Muhammad – both the historical and spiritual Muhammad – is remembered, commemorated, and contested by Muslims throughout the centuries. Safi focuses on the movements and moments in Muhammad’s life and after his death that for many Muslims best exemplify the teachings of Islam. He succeeds in opening up the dialogue to correct the negative portrayals of Muhammad and the religion of Islam, calling it a “Muhammad problem” in his introduction. Furthermore, he provides a book that is accessible and intelligible to both Muslims and non-Muslims, drawing from historical and spiritual sources, and addresses relevant issues contested between Muslims in relation to other religions, presenting Muhammad as a historical figure and one who is beloved by the Umma.
Religion is essential to every human being. Not only does it serve as a foundation for one to form his/her own set of values and integrity, but it also acts as a source of conflict for many people. Internal religious conflict can be seen in the form of one’s personal struggle with his/her belief. However, personal struggles are mostly influenced by external factors, which cause disturbances to one’s faith and loyalty to their beliefs. On the other hand, external conflict is the concept of which chaos and upheavals occur in society from clash of beliefs. Both conflicts between religions and internal religious conflict are found to be central to the plot of many examples of 20th Century Non-Western literature. African and Middle-Eastern literature, in particular, addresses many aspects of religious conflict, both in the form of the individual and collective struggle.
Joyce, James. "Araby." 1914. Literature and Ourselves. Henderson, Gloria, ed. Boston, Longman Press. 2009. 984-988.
Although “Araby” is a fairly short story, author James Joyce does a remarkable job of discussing some very deep issues within it. On the surface it appears to be a story of a boy's trip to the market to get a gift for the girl he has a crush on. Yet deeper down it is about a lonely boy who makes a pilgrimage to an eastern-styled bazaar in hopes that it will somehow alleviate his miserable life. James Joyce’s uses the boy in “Araby” to expose a story of isolation and lack of control. These themes of alienation and control are ultimately linked because it will be seen that the source of the boy's emotional distance is his lack of control over his life.
In his short story, “The Prophet’s Hair,” Salman Rushdie make use of magic realism, symbolization and situational irony to comment on class, religion, and the fragility of human life. The story is brimming with ironic outcomes that add to the lighthearted and slightly fantastic tone. Rushdie’s use of the genre magic realism capitalizes on the absurdity of each situation but makes the events relevant to readers’ lives. In addition, the irony in the story serves as a way to further deepen Rushdie’s commentary on class and religion. Finally, his use of symbolization focuses on the concept of glass, and just how easily it can be broken.
Throughout the narrator’s elaborate life; he experienced love, friendship, and sickness; as well as many other things described in his book: Love in Exile. This book discusses the different cultures and personalities that the narrator observes, the love of the narrator’s life, Brigitte, and the life of Bahaa Taher in general and the kinds of cultures he experiences.
The prophet Muhammad is a very significant individual in the lives of all Muslims. This essay will focus on the book The lives of Muhammad by Kecia Ali on the first chapter of The Historical Muhammad. Further discussion on early sources about Muhammad, Muhammad throughout the centuries and non-Muslim sources will be touched on throughout, as the author will provide insight on different perspectives of Muhammad as a true prophet.
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the messenger of God and a model for mankind. Conceived in the city of Makkah on the Arabian landmass in 570 CE, he became an orphan at a very young age and was then raised by an uncle, Abu Talib. He wedded a more established lady, the widow Khadijah, for whom he had worked in the band exchange. As a trader, he was referred to by notoriety as al-Amin, the believed one. At the point when Muhammad was forty years of age, he had a significant experience that changed his life. He was the last prophet from God and will not be any other Prophets after him. The life of this incredible Prophet comprises of numerous examples and key moments, which helped, fulfill the ultimate mission to spread the message of Islam to mankind. Out of those many examples, I