
Beautiful! Magical! Inspiring!
It has been a long time since i have read a work that has moved me so
much - spoke to me so much from my own deepest feelings and spiritual
impulses. I feel so elevated after reading this!
Congratulations on a wonderful work of art! Inshallah, many people
will read this and come to know the depth and beauty of Islamic
spirituality.
Sarah, after reading the EBOOK, which can be ordered HERE.
“Master of the Jinn” really took my breath away. It was “Lord of the Rings” (much shorter version) meets the “Alchemist” and as fast tracked as the “Da Vinci code” (The first two books are my all time favorites; so that’s saying plenty!).
The language is deep, poetic, and layered, textured with so many meanings (as poetic language always is). There were parts where I had to pause, take a deep sigh, and re-read; just for the pleasure of savoring such beautifully written words. I highly recommend this book; so prep your lemonade; set up your hammock and enjoy a long languid summer afternoon in an unforgettable and gorgeous journey with a true master of words.
Maliha - lightnessofbeing.wordpress.com
"An absolute must have book for your collection!! Irving has most certainly grasped the essence of tassawwuf and true dervishhood in this tale, with hidden meanings and lessons to be learnt in tasks small and big."
Alis - Warriorette.blogspot.com
"I read your book from cover to cover in two days. It was marvelous. In the brilliant form of a novel, you have conveyed the most beautiful aspects of Sufism."
Jodi Shams Prinzivalli - Center for Energetic Psychology
"Master of the Jinn is a truly inspired work. For those familiar with traditional teaching stories, meaning finds a new light and home here in this book. Most of all, this work lights the lamp of hope in the human heart and leaves a sublime feeling of joy that lingers on past the last page."
Malihe, Ohio USA
"Every page, every phrase of "Master of the Jinn" is vibrating with hidden meanings, opening up a sea of wonder and a mountain of knowledge, kindled by the gentle fire of poetry. But it is also a tricky book, and I cannot read it from the beginning to the end: I'm caught running up and down in its pages. Please, receive another thousand of camels (good quality desert camels, not second rate city camels) loaded with the finest Swiss chocolate (all Swiss chocolate is the finest) Your book is on my desk, and laughs at me!!!"
Musnawira Marina Montanaro, Switzerland
"All I can say is BUY THE BOOK! Its a masterpiece! I was so happy when it arrived in the mail. A Sufi novel is a great thing and a marvelous manifestation of Islamic/Sufi culture in the West. But when I began reading it, I found I couldn't put it down. Its a real 'page turner.' May Allah bless and reward the author and publisher; and may Allah bless our ummat with continued manifestations of genius."
Dawoud, New York City
"A pearl of a book, Master of the Jinn is parable, metaphor and insight into Sufi practice all at the same time. It has been said that Sufi's drink from the river from which all streams come, and Irving has written a book accessable to all religions and denominations that can only inform and excite. The real skill is in writing a tale that works on so many different levels, from a simple rollercoaster of a yarn that your children will love to a rich and complex spiritual teaching tale. I loved it"
Adam Sargant, Yorkshire, England
"I've been waiting for a Sufi novel. Who would have thought that it would be
perfect and written by a fellow traveler? Then again, what else could it be
if it were truly to be a Sufi novel. Each word a measured breath. Soul food
that leaves you hungry for more."
Sparrow Johnson, Khaniqahi Santa Cruz, California
"I do not know why the book "Master of the Jinn" is called a Novel. It is definitely more than that. It is a tale of the Infinite Mercy of God and I cried towards the end of the story! And yes like the characters in the story, my sleep was perturbed and I had strange dreams!
If the book is to be deemed a novel, then since reading Charles Dickens, I have not been kept so captivated and hooked on any other novel. It has definitely a great story line and wonderful real-life characters! The author has blended real events with fiction in a very original and incisive style, at times reminiscent of Khalil Gibran! Mystic sayings and pearls of wisdom abound and peppers the tale throughout the adventure! On a personal note, the book answered one of my lingering doubts and I seize the occasion to thank the author for such inspired thoughts that permeate throughout the book!"
Muhammed, Mauritania, Northern Africa
"What a trip! I read The Master of the Jinn before going to sleep each night, and I am sure it affected my dreams, which were unusually intense. As with any allegorical work, the challenge is to work through all the layers until one reaches the central nugget. Fortunately, this all happens at a level way below the conscious mind. It does its yeasty work down there and we start reaping the benefits some time later, as our lives begin to change for the better. Bravo!"
Jane, Canada- Visionary Art Studio
Master of the Jinn combines the flavor of an adventure story with timeless Sufi wisdom. Set in the winding streets of Jerusalem and the deep desert of the Sahara, the novel warms the heart and opens the reader to age-old symbols of the religion of love, crossing gently the artificial boundaries that separate human hearts. Like most Sufi stories, this one can be understood at many levels. The book combines a rich collection of citations from sacred books and philosophers, vivid descriptions of a fantastic underworld, and enough hair raising danger to hold the attention of many audiences. Religion may divide, but mysticism unites. This novel takes our imagination on a search for Solomon's legendary seal ring and appeals to our yearning for the inner peace that could unite the quarreling children of Abraham. The insightful Master reminds us that the real quest is not for the ring itself, but for what we learn about ourselves in the process. And that is precisely the value of Master of the Jinn.
Cathryn Goddard, Cairo, Egypt
He who knows himself knows God – is one of the greatest secrets of mankind. This knowing refers to self realization. The self-realization along with the path of Love and the infinite mercy of God is the central theme of the novel – Master of the Jinn by Irving Karchmar.
For those readers who love mysticism - the hidden meanings and mystic wisdom in the book are perhaps the best attraction. The journey is triggered when the Sufi Master is visited by an Israeli Professor of archeology and an Israeli intelligence officer, Captain Simach. The Captain had several mysterious incidents and visions, which may point the way to the legendary ring of King Solomon – the greatest treasure of the ancient world. In a quest to salvage the immensely mysterious treasure, seven people start their journey into the unknown territory of the desert.
Soon they arrive at a lost city where the mystery of Solomon’s ring is revealed. The journey from the beginning to the end and everything in between has deep allegorical significance. At the end of the journey, it reveals not only the fate of the Jinn, but also some greater truths. And I felt that to realize the inner meanings, the book deserve more than one reading. No doubt readers will find the book spellbinding.
Often among the conversations between the characters, readers can find treasures of timeless wisdom that can at once penetrate a reader directly to the heart. One of such is, “The less you are burdened by possessions, the lighter will be the anchor of your self-indulgent nafs (false ego)” - one of the central teachings of Sufis. Likewise, Karchmar quotes verses from the Islamic Holy Book Koran, Jewish wisdom and beautiful mystic Persian poetry that contains deep spiritual reflection.
For someone who is not familiar with the mystical path, especially those of the Sufi mystics, the book gives a rare inside look at their community and how the interaction, love and harmony between the master and the students happen. Also, their inner practices, attitudes and the process of initiation, which are often veiled from the outside world, are interestingly revealed in the book. Karchmar, himself being a darvish of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order, has taken this wonderful opportunity through his eloquent description, not leaving out any of the finer details. The richness of the details shows the research behind the book and also the author’s mastery of the subject matter.
The message of Love and Harmony of the Mystic Path that transcends any religion, faith or boundaries can be summarized by quoting this text from the novel, spoken with the voice of the Master: “Know, O dervish, that love is the foundation and principle of the way to God, and that all states and stations are stages of Love, which is not destructible so long as the Way itself remains in existence.”
Sadiq M. Alam - mysticsaint.blogspot.com
I read the whole thing last night. A small book, not much bigger than my hand, but filled with power and mystery. My favorite Sufi quotes scattered throughout the book like secret gemstones. Seven friends on a quest bound together by trial and circumstance, and by the love of God.I love the concept of the wali, the friends of God, that may not recognize themselves, let alone each other. I wept with bitter empathy for the hopeless Jinn, thrilled to the onslaught of the great storm, puzzled over the mysteries and secrets. What a great movie this would make! This small book was revelation, perhaps even epiphany for me.
Matoko -Ghost blog
Every verse of the Quran has seven levels of meaning, so traditional wisdom states. This is
certainly the case with Master of the Jinn. Every image and every page has been finely crafted and expertly executed. The book works as a story and on a more esoteric level, as an excellent tale of the unfolding Path of Divine Love. Master of the Jinn is full of meaning, symbol and metaphor, which make it an enjoyable read and a book to think through and with. In fact, I'm going to have to read it again!
Abdur Rahman - Wales, United Kingdom
Master of the Jinn, A Sufi Novel by Irving Karchmar is a tale that involves a journey out of time, space and the physical sphere of three Jews, three Sufi dervishes and a mysterious faqir in search of King Solomon’s ring. Every page of the novel contains hidden meanings and presents precious messages and words of wisdom. Each chapter begins with apt quotations from Sufi poets, verses from the Holy Quran and Psalms of David that offer clues to the main subject of the chapter. The entire novel indirectly explains in detail the spirit of Sufism. Several chapters focus on how dervishes are initiated into Sufism, how they live and behave in khaniqahs, and even how much they indulge in good food! The characters are of pure heart and deeply human; they eat, drink tea, cry with joy and in repentance, laugh and make jokes, dance, sing and play the ney. Karchmar spent twelve years writing his masterpiece which interweaves theological references from two beautiful religions – Judaism and Islam. The book is a modern Sufi novel that focuses on mysticism, repentance, gratitude, and God’s love. Master of the Jinn is not a book that you can read only once. It has to be read many times before one can begin to understand the deep layers of meanings. Each time you read the novel, I assure you, you will find something new to wonder.
Suroor at http://achelois.wordpress.com
What a beautiful story – from the longing of the heart to the quest for knowledge, and circling back to the understanding beyond words, to peace. As I closed the book I felt a sense of peace, too, as if I’d absorbed some of the knowledge in the unspoken. Several times I had to stop reading to attend to mundane matters, but my thoughts stayed with the travelers until I could return to the story.It was very captivating. I enjoyed the poems that open the chapters, and I found myself envying the tears brought on by music and celebration, and wanting my own zekr so that each of my breaths could be a prayer and a blessing. Thank you for the gift!
Nancy, St. Louis Missouri
Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel, is a smashing good fantasy-adventure story filled with twists and turns and surprises! You never know what to expect next! It is a beautiful story about Allah's love and mercy and about the love of sister/brotherhood Islam teaches and is practiced by the book characters...beautiful examples to aspire to! A truly wonderful story. I was sorry to have read the last page. I wanted the story to go on and on.
This is a book written in a style I have not encountered before...never having read a Sufi book and knowing next to nothing about what it means to be a Sufi...yet I was able to read and comprehend and even understand many words I was not familiar with. The author did an excellent job of providing easily understood explanations within the story without interrupting the story flow...excellent!
I particularly liked the fact that although the main character is a male...a strong female character is in the story and she has a lovely personality, is physically fit, modest, smart and the author treats her with respect throughout the book. He doesn't make her a shadow of the male characters in this book as I have seen in many books. Both sisters and brothers...especially teens who enjoy reading fantasy and adventure ...will enjoy reading this book. The author's creativity, imagination, the beautiful black and white drawings, and the tale itself make the book a must read for all Islamic fiction book lovers. I highly recommend this book for all readers.
Linda D. Delgado, Author and Publisher, Islamic Writers Alliance
Comments, criticisms, praise, and great thoughts are always welcome.