Book Review Kahlil Gibran The Prophet

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1923 - One World Publications Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese prose-poet who was able to write with incredible depth and deceptive simplicity. The Prophet, which is by far his most famous book, has a very simple and yet deeply beautiful and haunting premise. A well loved and respected spiritual leader of an unspecified religious community (Kahlil Gibran was influenced by the teachings of Sufism) finds it necessary to leave his followers and go away on a long journey from which he might not ever return. (This may be a way of saying that he is soon going to die). His adoring, but over-dependent followers are panic stricken and heart-broken, and they try to talk him out of departing. They quickly start to ask how they can possibly live their lives without his welcome and familiar comforting sage advice and wisdom, once he has gone. They feel unable to live their lives without him. The book now becomes a series of questions and answers as the people ask their prophet, called simply Master, what they must do. Each chapter of the book from this point on is an answer to a fresh question. The Prophet patiently, lovingly offers polite and friendly answers that amount to showing his followers that they are stronger than they think and that they can find the answers they seek within their own minds and hearts. With the questions answered, he finally goes on his journey. The short book resonates with wisdom and beauty, and it has deservedly become one of the most cherished works of mysticism ever. It is particularly loved by new age people who sadly miss its point and still seek their inner knowledge from other gurus and leaders, while carrying the comforting Prophet in their pockets, failing to see that they already have their answers at their disposal. Arthur Chappell