Three beautiful books penned by Sinan Yağmur. My mom was the one who first recommended them. I started with the second in the series — “Aşkın Gözyaşları Hz. Mevlana” — since I was more familiar with the name. While reading, I really wanted to get to the end fast: it turned out I knew almost nothing about Mevlana (Rumi). And because the book reads more like a story than a biography, it hits you harder.

Then I grabbed “Aşkın Gözyaşları Şems-i Tebrîzî” from a friend and dove right in. In the first book, Sinan Yağmur tells the story through Mevlana’s perspective. In Shams’s book, the same story is examined deeply through Shams-i Tabrizi’s perspective and the events around him. In the third book, again, Kimya Hatun is the central character through whom the story is told.

I read the first two by borrowing them from others. The third I bought myself before anyone else even saw it. While reading these three books, I felt overflowing with spiritual energy. Normally I’m not someone who plans to re-read a book, but I intend to read these again at some point.

Reading these books makes you ask: are the things we call “troubles” really troubles? Do we say “thank God we’re Muslims” — but do we actually live like Muslims? You also see things like: act now in the way the future spouse you wish for would want, in case nothing terrible happens to you before that. For example, Shams’s smile when he sees there’s almost nothing to eat — explained by saying “our cupboard is now like the Prophet’s cupboard.” Or being sent away with the words that someone who hasn’t tasted earthly love can hardly reach divine love. The reality that being far from home isn’t easy.

The importance of living without bending to what people say. To live now according to the kind of person you want to be with in the future. These books help you understand, in the truest sense, what loving and being loved looks like — until the day you die.