Al-Ajniha Al-Mutakassira

And life, unless conceived by sorrow, born of despair, and laid by love in the cradle of dreams, remains but an empty white page in the book of existence.

Early twentieth century, Beirut. Unshakeable cultural and religious norms, corrupt spiritual leaders, and a thirst for power and wealth intertwine in the story of a young man returning to his homeland, and a maiden whose fate lies in the hands of a few influential men. Simultaneously unattainable and all-consuming, the love that blossoms between them stands as a symbol of that timeless insight unique to Kahlil Gibran—a feeling equivalent to religion, and a faith unyielding to tradition.

Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) was a Lebanese poet, prose writer, and artist who spent most of his life in the United States, where nearly all of his works were published. A pioneer of modern Arabic literature, he transcended the boundaries of his culture and era, drawing spiritual, philosophical, and ideological inspiration from both East and West—echoes of which continue to resonate in the minds of millions of readers worldwide to this day. It is precisely this symbiosis of profound substance and ethereal form that creates the distinctive style that has made Gibran's work a global classic, and the man himself one of the most beloved poets of all time.