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- Herausgeber: tredition
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
About the Novel Whispers of Life is a philosophical reflection on human emotions—free from the complications and ailments of the psyche. While emotions may seem universal in their essence, their impact varies from one person to another. They are, nonetheless, the nourishment of the soul and the body—the hidden hues that color the canvas of life. This novel offers a tapestry of life’s images, woven with thoughtful details and drawn from an experience that is sure to captivate the reader. Its richness lies not in complexity, but in its subtlety. Through a heartfelt reading of its words, the reader is invited to explore their own life journey—to awaken a personal awareness that adds depth and meaning to their emotional world. In style and tone, the writing is guided by reason yet softened by whispers of feeling. It is the intellect that gives structure and language to the truth of emotion—an approach the author believes captures the genuine nature of human sentiment.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Whispers of Life
Mohanad khalaf
Al Andalusi
A Novel
Inhalt
Cover
Title Page
Introduction
Chapter One: Living in Daily Life
Chapter Two: Departure
Chapter Three: Alienation
Chapter Four: Stability
Chapter Five: Life Surprises
Chapter Six: Resilience and Facing Change
Chapter Seven: Upbringing
Conclusion
Whispers of Life
Cover
Title Page
Introduction
Conclusion
Whispers of Life
Cover
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Introduction
When a person is content with themselves, their soul settles into tranquility and calmness; the world blossoms in their eyes. They draw from it what satisfies their needs, grasping life along with its meanings, happiness, and mysteries—all through selfacceptance. This concept, however, varies in interpretation among different people. Some believe contentment lies in achieving a single dream, although one dream inevitably leads to another. Others consider contentment as surrendering to circumstances, a notion closer to resignation than true satisfaction. The meanings of contentment differ, but perhaps it can be understood as accepting events and their courses—that is, embracing reality with whatever willpower one possesses for life. Life is harsh, and humans must continually confront it. Contentment is what alleviates the severity of this life.
It is said that there was a man named "Azar," and his wife was named "Sara." They came from different inherited beliefs, yet fate and destiny brought them together, and they deeply loved each other. They married in a small town and had been together for more than three years. Azar worked as a fisherman; he was in his forties and had undergone various profound experiences in his work. Sara was in her late twenties, working in spinning and weaving, but since the town offered no opportunities in her field, she became a housewife. Azar fished in a nearby lake, and their life was peaceful and stable. However, life’s surprises often lie beyond human control—that unknown realm no one can foresee. Life’s many fluctuations often dictate one’s path without choice. Yet, willpower plays a role in confronting this guidance, enabling a person to overcome the hardships of their reality. Life is always harsh and does not grant all a person desires. However, the absence or lack of something may carry meaning within life itself. Perfection in things diminishes their joy. Although the ladder of life’s stages is fixed and indisputable—from birth and childhood to old age—the measure of knowledge and ignorance within this ladder is unclear. We can predict the future only to a limited extent, perhaps some simple outlines science has provided, especially regarding life and its meanings.
After Azar and Sara found mutual love, tranquility, and contentment, they believed life had become stable. They continuously sought happiness in the simplest ways, confident in the intimacy they shared and convinced that their understanding had reached an optimal level—where neither could harm the other. On the contrary, each of them endeavored to break the monotony in the most beautiful and simplest ways available. Both were convinced that wealth might enhance comfort; however, happiness is a concept linked to human perception. Azar had reached a state of contentment and truly understood it, which enabled him to find happiness as long as his work met his basic needs. At the same time, he possessed the ambition to develop his work further. Poverty did not equate to a lack of happiness, nor did wealth guarantee its completeness.
As for Sara, she was convinced that love itself was happiness. She felt secure with her husband, constantly sharing his goals and ambitions. She realized that her reality was truly wonderful and that Azar was a responsible man working for both of them. This state endured for several years until life’s first real test arrived—not a test to reveal affection or anything of the sort, but rather a challenge marking one of life’s stages.
Chapter One
Living in Daily Life
She said to him, “My dear husband, what gift will you give me on Eid? I cherish your gift on the day that brought us together. You always delight me with a gift on our wedding anniversary, despite the many festivals throughout the year. Yet, you forget all the religious holidays—those of my faith and yours—and only remember our wedding day. I believe it is the dearest celebration to your heart!”
He replied, “Sara, all religious holidays originated from sacred stories and narratives from God, and these narratives have profoundly influenced humanity. Celebrating them has become a ritual embedded in the fabric of life, even though we are not always entirely certain of the exact timing for each occasion. Nonetheless, we tend to seek moments and days when one can feel happiness and peace, even if the reason for the celebration is unknown. We also tend to revere inherited traditions. As for us, our Eid is the dearest to our hearts because it is one we created ourselves. My dear wife, is there a day more beautiful than our wedding day? That day is the celebration.”
Sara responded, “Faith requires us to honor sacred days. These days are a gift from God, and celebrating them is a sacred act.”
The husband answered, “My wife Sara, a person cannot live without faith; it is the nourishment of the soul, the breath and inspiration of humanity. Faith varies—whether in nature, science, a divine message, or something else—but faith can sometimes turn into a deadly malady. It can blind its possessor to see nothing in life except their own beliefs, defending only what they consider true and what they believe in. Now, my wife, may I leave for work? It is time, and I do not wish to be late.”
She replied, “Go in the care of what you believe in.”
Azar set out walking toward the lake to begin his work as a professional fisherman. Along the way, he pondered his wife’s words and the meaning behind her farewell, urging him to go in the care of what he believed in. He questioned himself: Do I truly believe in the right thing? Or is it others who hold the correct faith? Why do not all people share the same belief? Why is there always a divergence in faith? What are the human values that all people agree upon? Why does evil persist? And why does goodness never prevail?
The answer dawned upon him: despite the lack of unified belief among humans and the differences in their faiths, human values remain the common ground. Everyone calls for love, cooperation, benevolence, justice, goodness, honesty, trustworthiness, ethics, and sincerity on earth—each according to their own faith tradition. Even if these traditions conflict over time, humanity remains responsible for rectifying and shaping them in ways that uphold values and sustain life. This is because human beings are unique creatures entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the continuation of life on earth.
A myriad of questions had caused a headache in his mind. Finally, he said to himself, “Perhaps now I should set aside these questions and their interpretations, and simply enjoy nature. The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the deer are playing. I will escape the headache and the intellectual struggle in my mind for now. I have plenty of time for fishing, which requires great patience, and I can make use of this time by contemplating the mysteries of nature and the human soul.”
Azar continued walking, delighting in the embrace of nature and the enchanting atmosphere, until he reached his boat resting on the lake. He began preparing it along with his fishing tools and nets, readying himself to sail across the waters, filled with hope of catching fish—the sole source of his livelihood on which he depended.
The lake’s temperament was ever-changing; some days it gave generously without pause, while on others it offered nothing at all. Yet, with full conviction, he remained content with whatever the lake bestowed, never grumbling. Instead, he performed his work with utmost sincerity and dedication.
He sailed to the center of the lake and cast his fishing nets, then sat waiting for his catch. Meanwhile, with the gentle breeze and clear sky around him, he began to contemplate and wonder about the secret behind the beauty of nature. To him, nature’s beauty was beyond description and beyond his ability to fully grasp its mysteries. Here, he felt puzzled—so many questions filled his mind, and he needed to interpret them using what he knew and what he was capable of understanding. He asked himself, “Why are humans so different?”
He found a seemingly convincing explanation: perhaps we differ in appearance, culture, and many other aspects, but at the core, we are alike. He interpreted this core as comprising two types: the biological and the emotional.
He continued elaborating on this idea until his fishing nets interrupted his thoughts. He had caught a good haul. Taking the fish, he returned home. Sometimes he sold the fish, and other times he took it home to sustain his family.
Azar arrived home to find Sara greeting him with a smile. He returned her smile warmly. She said, “I see you came back early today, and with a plentiful catch. I suppose luck has smiled upon you today, and I hope it smiles upon you every day.”
He replied, “I do not know what luck is, nor how it smiles upon people. There are, my dear wife, those who claim to possess good luck unlike others, and there are those who claim to suffer bad luck alone. But I am fully convinced that a person creates their own luck, and that opportunities do not come without effort. Every action yields results—either these results serve as valuable lessons or become a path or way of life. When I cast my fishing nets, I waited with hope to catch fish. And if I did not catch any, I would tell myself: ‘Perhaps tomorrow will bring success.’ Hope is the energy that softens the harshness of patience.”
Sara interjected teasingly, “Your good luck is that I love you. You are my dear husband, from whom I often learn wisdom and knowledge about the world. Yet, despite your limited knowledge of some matters, you have not read much from my sacred books.”
The husband remained silent, not uttering a word. After a moment, Sara felt a slight surge of anger and said to him, “You don’t give my words any importance or meaning. You hear me but respond only with silence—that’s all you ever do with me. Why? Don’t you like what I say, or am I not important to you?”
He replied playfully, “How could you not be important to me when all I possess in this world is your love? You are the meaning of the happiness I hold. If I remain silent while you speak, it does not mean I am uninterested. Silence carries many meanings and does not signify a lack of concern.”
“Alright,” he continued, “I will explain why I stay silent. People differ in their beliefs, just as you and I do. You hold one belief, and I hold another. This is something we inherited from our parents—they built our faith. Even as we grow, our faith grows with us. Even if we reject it, that belief continues to glow within our hearts. We feel pain when someone speaks ill of it or contradicts it without clear evidence or proof. Sometimes, we are certain that this belief is mistaken, yet we cannot oppose it because it was planted in us from childhood. We were raised on it, and we cannot deny it.”
“When you speak to me about your beliefs or your thoughts, I fear speaking up and hurting your feelings, so I remain silent out of respect and love for you. When you talk about your beliefs, it does not mean I disagree with you. On the contrary, I am a good listener—especially when the matter does not harm human reason or feelings. So, do you now understand why I remain silent?”
She replied, “Yes, I understand. Although I am not fully convinced by what you said, can you help me prepare dinner?”
He responded playfully, “Alright, and what will you be making? I like soup with toasted bread.”
She answered, “That’s exactly what I wanted to prepare. I know you love soup, so I will make it for you.”
Thus, the day ended with all its thoughts, emotions, and feelings, and a new day began, much like the one before it, bearing nothing new except the everrecurring questions in his mind. He wondered: Is this life really as simple as it seems, with all its emotions, thoughts, and feelings? Is this the life—so surprisingly harmonious—that we live?
By nature, humans are capable of maintaining their daily routine, despite its hardships, joys, monotony, and pain. Though the individual often complains—usually about dissatisfaction with things, or the conditions of their life, or the imagined details they create, or the problems they encounter—there is, on the other hand, a secret they hide within themselves: a hope for change, a noble purpose, a dignified life, or something else. This secret is the medicine that nourishes patience and soothes the pain.
Yet, there are some people who fear change; they feel safe remaining in their current state and never wish to alter it—especially if the change threatens their beliefs and ideologies upon which they have built their lives. Others may desire change, but only in a modest form that enhances their comfort and happiness. But what if the step toward change borders on madness?
What if problems and worries increase while happiness diminishes? How can a person assess a step toward change when the future is utterly unknown? In fact, what frightens humans most fundamentally is their ignorance of an uncertain future.
Humans always greet change with great enthusiasm and joy—until the new reality sets in. Then, they recall the days they have passed through. Sometimes, regret consumes them; other times, they remember those days as beautiful moments, describing their charm through a nostalgic lens. Once again, their thoughts return: What types of change are there? Could change be about moving to a new job, a new home, or a new town? Or is it a transformation within the self, acquiring new knowledge? Or is it the capacity to perceive the environment around us? Or could it be a revolt against a painful reality that an individual endures?
