The Smiling Forehead (Selected Writings of Hazrat Inayat Khan)

by Hazrat Inayat Khan

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0914198017
• ISBN13: 9780914198017
• Release Date: January 1973
• Publisher: The Rainbow Bridge
• Length: 126 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A little gem full of things to ponder

I gave this book five stars, because of its meaningfulness to me. Your mileage may vary. Years ago (possibly late 70s) I purchased this book because of an interest in Sufism, and because somehow I was drawn to the book. Years later I loaned to someone, but alas, it never found its way back, so here we are again. Whether one has some background in Sufism, mysticism, or not, there still might be something within this book that speaks to you. A review like this is certainly no place to discuss or evaluate a religion or philosophy, but perhaps the author's gentle way of encouraging you to open your heart to ... things, will be enough. Of particular interest is the simple phrase (within a section on marriage): "When two hearts unite together, they become powerful enough to remove mountains." It causes one to think of the strength of many hearts, united for a good cause. Another concept is of "renunciation": "He who wants anything, becomes smaller than the things he wants." I am as guilty as the next person of "wanting too many things", but this simple idea has provided at least a degree of balance in a modern day life. As a final item of note: it is not expected that the path to a better spiritual life can only be taken by hermits who remove themselves from the everyday distractions. The expectation here is to live within the hub-bub of the world and find the good in all that you perceive. Here we talking of the heart, not of the intellect. A Taoist saying kind of sums it up: "Only those who really know what knowledge can never know, really know." If you decide to read this book, I hope you find it enjoyable.