Turkey Rumi Forty Rules of Love

Exploring Turkey, Rumi, and the Forty Rules of Love

Turkey’s Crossroads: A Personal Journey Through Geopolitics and Economy

“Turkey is a European country, an Asian country, a Middle Eastern country, Balkan country, Caucasian country, neighbor to Africa, Black Sea country, Caspian Sea, all these.” — Ahmet Davutoğlu

I traveled to Turkey in the winter of 2014 to visit my son Tomer, who was spending the semester at Istanbul’s Bahçeşehir University. Growing up in Israel, where echoes of the Ottoman Empire were everywhere — in old railway stations, government buildings, and even the lingering nostalgia in some neighborhoods — it felt almost surreal to stand in the place where that empire began.

In Istanbul, I sensed a sharp current in the air, a kind of restless tension. Looking back now, I understand why. This was the winter when ISIS was drawing recruits from all over the world, many slipping through Istanbul on their way into Syria. That awareness hummed under the surface, but it didn’t overshadow the city’s enchantment.

Istanbul: A City of Layers

The Ottoman Echoes of My Childhood

We explored Istanbul’s wonders — the iconic Hagia Sophia, its massive dome rising like a dream above the city; the bustling Grand Bazaar, where every corner offered an invitation to get lost; the view from the Bahçeşehir University terrace, where Tomer stood smiling against the gray-blue sweep of the Bosphorus, ships and seagulls passing behind him. Yet not every image was comforting. On a street wall, we stumbled across graffiti that read, “Baby Killer Israel” — a stark reminder of the political tensions that thread through this city of layers.

A City of Wonder and Tension

In the evenings, we tasted Istanbul’s elegance. At the Pera Palace Hotel, under a glittering chandelier, I sank into a red velvet sofa, momentarily transported to the 1920s when Agatha Christie penned Murder on the Orient Express within these walls. At dinner, we watched as a waiter, in a flourish of tradition, cracked open a clay pot to serve us steaming lamb stew — the kind of small ceremony that lingers in memory long after the meal.

➤ For a cinematic glimpse into the texture and spirit of Istanbul, I recommend this evocative short film.

Istanbul: 15 Fascinating Facts

“If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

• Istanbul is the only transcontinental city, straddling Europe and Asia.
• Once Constantinople, it was founded on seven hills like Rome and renamed Istanbul in 1930.
• It served as the capital of three empires: Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman.
• The Grand Bazaar, dating back to 1461, has over 5,000 shops and draws 300,000 visitors daily.
• Istanbul’s 3,113 mosques give it the nickname “city of mosques.”
• The Blue Mosque is the only mosque with six minarets.
• Hagia Sophia was the largest church in the world for 900 years.
• Topkapi Palace holds relics of Muhammad in its Holy Mantle Chamber.
• Ottoman Istanbul had over 1,400 public toilets — Europe had none.
• Istanbul’s Jewish community has existed continuously since Byzantine times.
• Tulips originated here, not the Netherlands.
• Three suspension bridges and two tunnels cross the Bosphorus.
• The world’s third-oldest subway opened in Istanbul in 1875.
• Istanbul averages 18 inches of snow each year.
• Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express at the Pera Palace Hotel.

Turkey — Where History and Geopolitics Collide

My travels have always been shaped by a deep curiosity about the meeting points of history, culture, and power — and few places embody that convergence like Turkey. Straddling two continents, Turkey is more than just a bridge between Europe and Asia; it’s a place where civilizations have collided, coexisted, and left their mark for thousands of years.

From the Byzantine mosaics of Istanbul to the nationalist vision of Atatürk, from its long, fraught courtship with the European Union to its embrace of a bold geopolitical “Plan B,” Turkey fascinates me as a country perpetually balancing old and new, East and West, faith and modernity.

In the following sections, I explore some of the forces that have shaped Turkey’s path — its history, its ambitions, and the enduring tension between its past and its future. For me, these are not just abstract political stories; they are human stories, alive in the streets, the mosques, the markets, and the people I encountered on my journey.

Between Europe and Asia: Geography and Power

Turkey straddles Western Asia and Southeastern Europe, with coastlines on both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It shares borders with eight countries — Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria — giving it a pivotal place in regional and global affairs.

With over 84 million people, Turkey ranks among the world’s most populous nations. Its political system is a presidential representative democracy, and it plays an active role in international organizations like NATO, the Council of Europe, and the G20.

Economically, Turkey is diverse. Manufacturing and agriculture are pillars of the economy, and its geographic position makes it a key transit route for oil and gas moving from the Middle East and the Caspian region into Europe.

The Long Debate Over EU Membership

Turkey’s relationship with Europe has been a long and complicated one. It became an associate member of the European Community in 1963 and applied for full EU membership in 1987. A NATO member since 1952, Turkey has long positioned itself as a bridge between East and West.

But the path to EU membership has been anything but smooth. Less than 5% of Turkey’s territory lies in Europe; the rest stretches across the Middle East and Asia. Critics often point to human rights concerns, especially regarding the treatment of Kurds, as well as economic disparities that might trigger mass migration. And while rarely stated outright, the fact that Turkey is 98% Muslim has often shaped the debate from the sidelines.

Over the past decade, hopes for Turkey’s EU accession have dimmed. The conversation continues, but the road ahead remains uncertain.

Turkey’s Plan B: Embracing Its Strategic Location

“Many analysts compare Turkey with countries in the Middle East, but I think we need to compare it with Russia. Both countries come from a tradition of empire, and also from a tradition of the strong state.” — Elif Shafak

By the late 1980s, a generation of Turkish leaders began considering the unthinkable: maybe Europe wasn’t the only path forward. As Europe kept Turkey at arm’s length, and many Turks remained resistant to secularization, the country’s leaders began looking for a “Plan B.”

When President Turgut Özal, a devout man, took office in 1989, he began to shift the narrative. He encouraged Turks to see their nation not just as an EU hopeful, but as a crossroads — a land bridge linking Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. His vision revived the old imperial dream of Turkey as a dominant player across three continents.

Today, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pursues even more ambitious goals, continuing to harness Turkey’s strategic geography as both a gateway and a power center between East and West.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: Father of Modern Turkey

For Mustafa Kemal, there was no real alternative in the 1920s. As the only Turkish general to come out of World War I with his reputation not only intact but elevated, he rose to the presidency on a platform of fierce opposition to the terms forced on Turkey by the Allied victors, who aimed to carve up the country. At the same time, Atatürk was determined to modernize Turkey and bring it closer to Europe.

His reforms reshaped the nation. He introduced the Gregorian calendar, replaced Islamic legal codes with Western laws, banned Islamic public institutions, and even outlawed the wearing of the fez. He pushed through the switch from Arabic script to the Latin alphabet and granted Turkish women the right to vote — two years before Spain and fifteen years before France. In 1934, when citizens were required to adopt surnames, Kemal was given the honorific Atatürk, meaning “Father of the Turks.”

Although Atatürk died in 1938, his presence still looms large over Turkey. Generations of leaders have tried to carry his vision forward, steering Turkey toward Europe and keeping alive the promise of his bold, unfinished project.

Standing before Atatürk’s statue in Istanbul, I watched locals pause as they passed — some offering a quick salute, others simply glancing up with a faint nod. Even in a bustling modern city, his legacy lives quietly in the gestures of everyday life.

Konya: In the Footsteps of Rumi

The Mevlana Festival: The Whirling Dance

But it was Konya that stole my heart. A few days there during the Mevlana Festival offered a glimpse into something timeless. We sat in the main auditorium, watching the whirling dervishes — their white robes billowing like flower petals, bodies turning in slow, endless circles, arms raised as if drawing down the heavens.

At the Mevlana Festival in Konya, I felt the living heartbeat of this tradition. In the main auditorium, the dervishes spun in hypnotic circles — their white skirts fanning out like halos, arms lifted in surrender, as if the very air was holding its breath.

At Rumi’s Tomb

Later, at Rumi’s tomb in the Mevlana Museum, surrounded by flickering lamps and the quiet murmur of pilgrims, I felt a deep stillness settle over me. For Danna and me, as dance practitioners, witnessing the body transformed into prayer was profoundly moving — a reminder that devotion is sometimes best expressed without words.

We joined pilgrims moving through the hushed space. Standing before the intricately tiled shrine, under chandeliers casting a soft golden glow, I was moved by the quiet reverence around us — people praying, weeping, or simply sitting in stillness. For Danna and me, it was deeply moving to see the human body used as an instrument of longing, devotion, and surrender.

➤ For a deeper reflection on surrender, movement, and healing, visit: Healing Through Dance: A Veteran’s Journey of Trauma and Transformation

The Meeting of Rumi and Shams

Shams of Tabriz was a wandering Persian Sufi mystic from the late 12th century. He became the spiritual teacher and companion of Rumi — and it’s often said that Shams transformed Rumi from a respected professor into a mystic, a lover, and one of the world’s greatest poets.

Many legends tell of their first meeting in Konya. One story goes like this:

One day, Rumi sat absorbed in study, surrounded by a towering stack of books. Shams happened to walk by and asked what he was doing. With a touch of pride, Rumi replied that it was knowledge beyond Shams’ reach — something only the deeply learned could grasp. Without a word, Shams swept the entire stack of books into a nearby fountain. Startled, Rumi rushed to save them — only to discover the pages were dry. Stunned, he turned to Shams, who smiled and simply said: there’s a kind of knowing beyond words.

After that meeting, Shams and Rumi retreated together for forty days. It was a turning point in Rumi’s life, awakening a passion for mysticism that poured into poetry, music, and dance. This was the birth of the whirling dervishes — an enduring symbol of spiritual devotion.

The Forty Rules of Love

There’s a saying that love happens to us while we’re living — but really, life happens to us while we’re loving. Too often, we get swept up in the noise and forget to choose love each day. We forget that love is the purest essence of life — and in the end, it’s all we leave behind.

That’s what Shams taught Rumi, long before the world knew him as the poet of love: that life itself is a religion of love. Shams lived by what became known as the Forty Rules of Love — a philosophy as alive today as it was centuries ago. You can find them beautifully retold in Elif Shafak’s novel The Forty Rules of Love, though they long predate Rumi’s lifetime.

These forty insights can be read as teachings — or, as Shams might suggest, you can let them enter your heart one by one, allowing the mind to soften and the soul to awaken. Like love itself, learning is not a race to conquer, but a dance with mystery.

Here are a few rules that especially stayed with me:

• Rule 1: “Our perception of God is a mirror of our self-perception.”
• Rule 4: “Intelligence takes caution; love takes risks.”
• Rule 7: “Give thanks! Even for what has been denied.”
• Rule 10: “No new self without pain, no clay without fire.”
• Rule 40: “A life without love is not worth living.”

A Short Summary of the Forty Rules of Love

1. How you see God mirrors how you see yourself.
2. Let your heart, not ego, guide you.
3. God lives in all things, especially in the heart of a lover.
4. Love dares; intellect hesitates.
5. Silence speaks love’s deepest truths.
6. Solitude brings clarity; loneliness blinds.
7. Be grateful in joy and hardship.
8. Patience sees the rose within the thorn.
9. Every journey leads inward.
10. Pain shapes and refines love.

➤ For a moving visual meditation on one of Rumi’s most iconic teachings, watch this short video.

November 2014