GIBRAN Gibran Khalil
Philosopher, poet, painter, writing in both English and Arabic
Lebanese, American
1883 -
1931
Biography
Khalil Gibran has inspired, and continues to inspire, tens of millions of readers with his masterpiece, The Prophet (1923), in which he expressed his ethical philosophy, in poetic language and accompanied by his own paintings. His many writings celebrate the human values of understanding, kindness, brotherhood, love, peace, and a spirituality open to the whole diversity of human thought and faith.
Born in rural Lebanon in 1883, he and his siblings emigrated to the United States with their mother when he was 12 years old. He returned to Lebanon two years later, to finish his education. After his studies, he returned to the US where, apart from a few years in France, he spent the rest of his life. However, he always identified with Eastern lands and culture. He died at the young age of 48, as a result of multiple illness. His ashes were buried at an ancient Lebanese monastery, as he had specified.
Jean-Pierre Dahdah's biography of Gibran (ed. Albin Michel, 2004) includes the following quote from Marc de Smedt in its foreword :
"The need for a simple, tolerant ethos for life, open both to one's inner self and to the outside world, embracing the magic of existence and the joys and sorrows of the passage of time, and reminding us of the great timeless principles of wise and fair conduct; the need for this type of common sense, secular morality continues to this day."
A beautiful animated film, "The Prophet", produced by Salma Hayek in 2014, expresses Gibran's ideas, illustrates their positive impact, and takes inspiration from his drawings.
Being a citizen of the world
The whole earth is my homeland and all men are my fellow countrymen.
- Topics : Dependence , Global Citizenship , Belonging
- Quote
Defending our rights
Strange that we all defend our wrongs with more vigor than we do our rights.
- Topics : Attitudes , Human right to peace , Human rights
- Quote
Finding truth
Say not, "I have found the truth", but rather, "I have found a truth".
- Topics : Truth , Understanding , Wisdom , Diversity
- Quote
Learning to discern
All can hear, but only the sensitive can understand.
- Topics : Consideration , Empathy , Understanding
- Quote
Listen to your inner voice
Should you open your ears and listen, you would hear your own voice in all voices.
- Topics : Identity , Inner light , Understanding , Dependence
- Quote
Remembering injury
If the other person injures you, you may forget the injury; but if you injure him you will always remember.
- Topics : Attitudes , Human relations , Human consciousness , Offense
- Quote
The other self
Your neighbor is your other self dwelling behind a wall. In understanding, all walls shall fall down.
- Topics : Consideration , Openness , Human relations , Living together , Awareness
- Quote
The shortest cut
A disagreement may be the shortest cut between two minds.
- Topics : Dialogue , Mediation , Human relations , Tolerance , Understanding
- Quote
To sit upon a cloud
Should you sit upon a cloud you would not see the boundary line between one country and another, nor the boundary stone between a farm and a farm.
It is a pity you cannot sit upon a cloud.
- Topics : Awareness , Rising , Global Citizenship
- Quote
Viewing life for living life
Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life ; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.
- Topics : Inner light , Wisdom
- Quote
We are sons of one faith
You are my brother and I love you. I love you when you prostrate yourself in your mosque, and kneel in your church and pray in your synagogue. You and I are sons of one faith - the Spirit.
- Topics : Religion and peace , Universal values , Dependence
- Quote
On Children
- Poem