Love Among the Silk Roads

'Love among the Silk Roads' is a wonderful, enigmatic journey through the soul of Islam, through its oral and literary Sufi tradition. The book traces the themes of love, beauty and grace from Islam's Holy Book, woven into the fabric of storytelling by writers and poets of all backgrounds, during what is known as the Islamic Golden Age. This tradition inspired and influenced many poets and writers from both East and West (including Goethe, and others) centuries later. From Africa to Asia, Arabia and Persia, to the Indus Valley, India and beyond, some of these love narratives not only brought diverse communities together, but also helped many understand beauty, love and grace in their own respective traditions. Timeless classics, such as the Persian, 'Layla and Majnun' the Qur'anic inspired Persian ode to love and beauty, 'Yusuf and Zulaykha' to Bhulleh Shah and more, these masterpieces touched the lives of millions, influencing art, cinema, and music even today. From Punjabi rock to Asian fusion, Sufi love poetry still plays a huge role in connecting and uniting in what seems like an otherwise fractured world. The message of unity, through the lens of human love, beauty and grace inspired by the Scent of the Divine is as timely and relevant today as it ever was...