BSHARRE: Nestled in the mountains of northern Lebanon, a museum dedicated to Kahlil Gibran in his hometown of Bsharre has been celebrating the centennial of The Prophet, the renowned author’s most famous work.

Since it was first published in the United States in 1923, millions of copies of The Prophet have been sold worldwide, with the book becoming a literary classic that has been translated into dozens of languages from the original English.

“Every reader, no matter where they’re from, feels that this book relates to them and moves them deeply... whether they are Christian, Muslim, Jewish” or atheist, said museum director Joseph Geagea.

It “touches the spirituality of each individual, dealing with death, life, friendship, love, children” and other topics, he added.

A collection of poetic prose, The Prophet tells the story of Almustafa, who before returning to his homeland, speaks to residents of the city of Orphalese about various aspects of life.

Divided into 26 chapters, verses from The Prophet are often quoted at births, weddings and funerals around the world.

“Biblical style is pervasive” in The Prophet, Lebanese author Alexandre Najjar said during a recent reading in Beirut, also noting the influence of Islam’s mystic Sufi tradition.

The Prophet captured the hearts of students and hippies in the 1960s, Najjar said, including for the passage: “Your children are not your children... they come through you but not from you.”

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2023