In the Islamic faith they believe that there is no one greater than Allah. This idea has greatly impacted Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist. The main character, Santiago, goes all over Northern Africa in search of his personal legend, or his life goal. On his journey, Santiago must face many challenges and get in touch with the soul of the world; everything is connected. Santiago runs into many Islamic traditions and people and these things help him along his way. Although many religions, such as Hinduism, have an impact on The Alchemist, Islam has the greatest effect. One reason the Islamic faith has the greater effect on The Alchemist is that the crystal merchant practices the Islamic faith. First, according to Christie DeRoche’s, Five …show more content…
First, according to the Muslim Students Association of IUPUI, Marriage in Islam, married Muslim women have very strict rules. For example, a married Muslim woman should not let strange men into the house without permission from the husband. A married Muslim woman also should not be alone with a strange man. She should also not receive gifts from a strange man without the consent of her husband (Muslim Students Association of IUPUI). Muslim women must live these rules out in their everyday life. This idea is shown in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; Santiago meets a married Muslim woman and she does not talk to him because of her religion. He comes to the well and sees the lady with the black headdress and tries to ask her for advice, but the only advice she gives is to not talk to the married Muslim women (91-93). If it were not for the married Muslim lady Santiago would have never gone back to the well and met Fatima. Through modern married Muslim traditions and The Alchemist’s married woman at the well, the traditions stayed the same and have a great impact on the …show more content…
According to Daisy Khan’s, The Five Pillars of Islam, “there is no god but God”. “La ilaha illallah. Muhammad Rasulullah.” This means: "There is no god but God, and Mohammed is a messenger of God." Muslims say it everyday in prayer (Khan). Muslims put their full faith in God and rely on him to guide them the right way. This is shown in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Santiago puts his full faith in God on the way to his personal legend and has no doubt that some things are signs from God. At the place in front of the pyramids where he is crying, he looks down and sees a scarab beetle. He knows that this is a sign from God and that he must begin digging. It was another omen, so he began to dig in the spot (160-161). If it were not for God and his path he set for Santiago, Santiago would have never met, seen, or found the things he does. Through Muslim beliefs and the beliefs during Santiago's journey, the only God, Allah, has a great impact on the book. Although many religions have an impact on The Alchemist, Islam has the greatest effect. First, the people who practice Islam must care for the needy, as shown by, Santiago’s experience with the crystal merchant. Second, married Muslim women have certain rules they must follow, as seen when Santiago encounters the married woman at the well and she helps him along his way. Finally, Muslims have one god,
When it comes to fear in the book The Alchemist is seen so many times. You start out with Santiago talking about how he was telling his stories to the Merchants daughter “He went on telling stories about his travels, and her bright, Moorish eyes went wide with fear and surprise. ”(p.6) this young lady had fear from just the stories that Santiago was telling. She did not fear because it was insanely scary but because it was different. A little later in the book there is more fear when Santiago is talking to The Crystal Merchant.
Willow Wilsons memoir entitled “The Butterfly Mosque” depicts the quest of an Atheist whom denies the dissociation of a god she has been taught never existed and submerges herself into a new religion; Islam. Wilson’s journey starts out with her fascination of the concept of god and unanswered prayer through her sickness. She chooses Islam for the very reason that it is monotheistic, antiauthoritarian, and sexually positive. Wilson’s ideas of Islam identify and show distinct contrasts with William Shepard’s book that introduces the foundation of Islam. I, myself identify as a Balkan Muslim, not necessarily a firm follower but a believer.
The child grabs his hand and takes him to the pyramids of Egypt and tells him about a treasure there. This dream was his call to adventure. He returns home to find treasure, but realizes his true treasure was Fatima. In The Alchemist, the female protagonist is Fatima, the girl he met by the well at the oasis. Even though in the book Santiago doesn’t spend an immense amount of time with Fatima, and the book doesn't tell much about her, she plays a key role in the book and in Santiago’s heart.
It is crucial to remember that Islam is a diverse religion while determining which interpretation of the religion is most accurate. Within the religion, there are numerous interpretations and traditions, and various communities may hold various beliefs and rituals. The context in which these interpretations and practices emerge must also be taken into account. According to Ahmed, women's Islam developed in a society where they were marginalized and excluded from conventional Islamic settings and rituals. It gave women a way to live out their faith in a way that was significant to them and on their own terms.
The principal beliefs and practises of religions influence the society in which they exist and provide answers to a search for a meaning. This is demonstrated in the principal beliefs, supernatural powers and deities and rituals of different religions of ancient origin. This essay will discuss the above points in reference to the Aztec and Ancient Egyptian religions and conclude that religions influence society and provide answers to a search meaning for their lives. This is demonstrated through the origins of the universe in the Aztec religion.
Now we come to the Alchemist, someone focused on the things of this world, even with his amazing knowledge and wisdom. A much less subtle clue to the Alchemist’s intentions is the wine outside his tent with Santiago. The wine is forbidden by the local religion, but he’d rather have the material wine bottle than respect a spiritual religion. Even after he explains that the wine
The Importance of Perseverance At many times in people’s lives, they consider giving up. This is also true for Santiago, the protagonist in Paulo Coelho's fantasy novel The Alchemist. Santiago is on a journey to find a hidden treasure he saw in a dream. Along this journey he continues to contemplate whether he should just give up, or continue his adventure.
Lessons, Memories, and Values Gained “‘If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. You’ll see that there is life in the desert, that there are stars in the heavens, and that tribesmen fight because they are part of the human race.’” expresses the courageous camel driver (Coelho 87). Braving through the strong and dangerous desert, Santiago listens to those around him, including the leaders of the trip who seem to have no fear of their environment. Leaving behind his role as a shepherd, Santiago embarks on a difficult trip to a treasure seen in his dreams, during which, he receives words of wisdom from many. In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho utilizes the lessons, memories, and values created during Santiago’s journey
Paulo Coehlo’s, The Alchemist, explores the Hero’s Journey through the story of a shepherd, Santiago. Throughout the novel, Santiago becomes more aware of his potential as he pursues his Personal Legend. He faces temptations and obstacles as he develops as a character. The hero crosses the threshold when they leave their old reality in search for a new one. Santiago crosses the threshold by selling his sheep and taking a boat to Africa.
Beliefs about God, humanity, and the Universe are very important to the Muslims. This idea is clearly demonstrated in Paulo Coelho's novel, The Alchemist. In the story, Santiago, the main character, from a Christian upbringing, encounters Islam on his journey from Spain to Africa in pursuit of his personal legend. He must change his ways among this other culture to refrain from offending them. Although Biblical allusions play a role in the story, Islam has a greater impact on the book.
The Alchemist is a famous book written by Paulo Coelho. It’s about a shepherd named Santiago who travels from his homeland Spain to the Pyramids in Egypt. He does this to find a treasure he was told about. Along his hard journey, he meets some people along the way like a gypsy woman and a king in disguise who all direct him towards his quest. He doesn’t let the obstacles stop him toward his goal and eventually he finds his treasure.
Many people may not know much in the way of their identity. The challenges can help people learn about themselves through the actions they take and what they can achieve in the face of adversity. Learning about your identity is represented quite well by Santiago in Paulo Coelho’s fantasy novel The Alchemist. The the start of the story Santiago is lost with no goal in life and has little knowledge of what it outside of the plains and towns of Spain. Then Santiago is faced with massive amounts of adversity in the form of a threat of death he learn about his identity and learns that he can face and overcome the challenge.
G. Willow Wilson’s “The Butterfly Mosque” is an autobiographical retelling of one American woman’s journey of self-discovery as a Muslim convert living in Egypt. Wilson’s story reveals her experience in Islamic, Arab, and American cultures, each of which leave their mark on her identity, forcing Wilson to re-evaluate her perceptions of herself and the cultures to which she is connected. But with this multifaceted identity comes significant internal turmoil, which torments her such that longs for the opportunity to “live beyond the threshold of identity” (Wilson 117). Based on the meaning of identity as suggested by Wilson’s description of her experience as a Muslim, it is clear that although Wilson’s engagement with Islam enables her to evolve
The first example of the practice of Islam in The Alchemist is when Santiago is in the bar in Tangier, Morocco. Since Santiago was not able to speak Arabic, he wasn’t able to verbally order a drink so he pointed to a drink that was served at the table next to him. After Santiago found out, to his disdain, that the drink was bitter tea, a Spanish man approached him and informed him that wine was forbidden due to Islamic beliefs. “‘There is no wine in this country,’ the young man said. ‘The religion here forbids it.’”
During the whole story Santiago is trying to find his personal legend, he is trying to find his purpose in life. Therefore in the Alchemist, the most important thing is personal legend. Everything is based off Santiago’s personal legend, if he wouldn’t of became a shepherd the book wouldn’t be all about him following his personal legend and trying to figure out what his was. Santiago has to figure out a bunch of new things that lend his to his personal