This book “The Voice of the Master” is the translation of work of Kahlil Gibran by Anthony R. Ferris. Kahlil Gibran was born in Lebanon. He was well known poet, philosopher and artist of his time. His words of wisdom are well understood in East and commonly quoted in many Arabic speaking countries.
This book is divided into two parts. The first part is “The Master and the Disciple,” which is a conversation between Kahlil Gibran “the master” and Almuhtada “the disciple.” This part starts with a story of few nights before the death of Kahlil Gibran where he shared his emotions and experiences with Almurtada. He explained him what is life in real, and I quote
“-----Life is that which we see and experience through the spirit; but the world around us we come to know through our understanding and reason. And such knowledge brings us great joy or sorrow.”
The second part of the book are the quotes of Kahlil Gibran divided into eighteen chapters. Each with a clearly marked topic. I will quote some of the abstracts for the readers of this review to have a feel about this part of the book.
“Life is an Island in an ocean of loneliness, an island whose rocks are hopes, whose trees are dreams, whose flowers are solitude, and whose brooks are thirst.”
“A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.”
Certainly all Kahlil Gibran’s words are faith driven and the inspiration behind his work is coming from his belief in religion. He sees diversity in religions as an opportunity for all to reach God. His this believe is clearly reflected in following quote
“I love you my brother, whoever you are- whether you worship in your church, kneel in your temple, or pray in your mosque. You and I are all children of one faith, for the diverse path of religion are fingers of the loving hand of one Supreme Being, a hand extended to all, offering completeness of spirit to all, eager to receive all.”
This small volume of translation of Kahlil’s work has many strengths and weaknesses. Translation is done in colonial English which makes reading a little dry and flow of the events are sometimes hard to comprehend. On the other hand descriptions of things and places were quite attractive and gave enough information to imagine a scene such as:
“The city of Venice is situated on many small islands, close to one another. Its streets are canals and its numerous palaces and residences are built on water. Gondolas are the only means of transportation---“
This book is lacking the proper introduction of Kahlil Gibran as well as the translator Anthony . R. Ferris for new readers; but it is well organized in parts. First part is clearly about last moments of Kahlil with e As mentioned in the book:
“----Almuhtada was left alone in this world, but loneliness never possessed his heart , for the voice of the Master always resounded in his ears, urging him to carry on his work and sow the words of the Prophet in the hearts and minds of all who listen of their own free will.”
In general the book is worth a read and has plenty of wise advices for life by Kahlil Gibran.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Make a Shield from Wisdom
This book “Make a shield from Wisdom” is the translation of selected verses from Nasir-i-Khusraw’s Divan, by Annemarie Schimmel, who was the Emeritus professor of Indo Muslim Culture at Harvard University and Honorary professor at the University of Bonn. She has a wide range of books published on Islamic literature, mysticism and culture and has also translated work from Persian, Urdu, Arabic and Turkish into English and German.
Nasir-i-Khusraw was a Persian poet and thinker, and is quite well known among the historians of modern and medieval Islam. Although he was well known but, not well understood by them. His philosophy and poetry is deeply rooted in Shia Ismaili Muslim interpretation of Islam, which is more of the esoteric understanding of revelation of Quran than exoteric. His poetry and his work is based on his belief. His love for Prophet Muhammad’s family (ahl-al- bait and his successors) is clearly the center of his writings.
He believes that intellect, reason, speech and virtue should be the highest attributes of the thinkers, poets and writers; and they should practice these attributes for the betterment of society, not for reward or fame just like he was doing.
“Tear off the rope from the unbridled masses!
You’d better bring about something in writing!
You are the pen of God, the true Creator-
Well done and bravo, o you sober reed!
To Intellect your word became the writing;
So, make a covenant and do not leave it!
Give only letters of advice and wisdom
To mankind’s ear, be they low, be they high.
Without a robe of honor you are noble,
For you are known for writing, not for robes!
His work reflects that it is difficult to read the Qur’an according to its true inner meaning; and it needs a guide or a true interpreter to explain the Tawil (inner meaning); and that guide should be from prophet’s own family and should be very close to him. He claims that anyone who denies this right of prophet’s family is the enemy of Islam. His beliefs and understandings about the prophet’s family put him against the political environment of that time and he was thrown in exile in Yumgan. This isolation made him bitter which was evident in his expressions for those Muslim rulers who denied the right of Ahl-i-Bait (prophet Muhammad’s family).
His love for prophet’s family was very deep rooted and echoed through his writing loud and clear.
“O Lord of the dark blue mill
A hundred thousand thanks be to thee from this slave
That Thou has saved me through the family of Thy Messenger
From the flock of these half men! (284)
His understanding of Islam was very deep and based on reason and intelligence. As Annemarie Schimmel explains
“Deep as Nasir-i-Khusraw’s faith was, it is never ‘the faith of the old women’; rather, it is built upon the fundament of reason, of intelligence. Therefore Nasir-i-Khusraw invites men to think, to weigh the different possibilities, and to acknowledge that the true treasure of wisdom is given to those close to the faith. Time and again he leads the reader to the conclusion that the Fatimid ruler of Egypt, as the descendant of Fatima and ‘Ali, is ‘the keeper of God’s garden’, and that he has drawn the sword of true religion from the scabbard.”
Another beautiful aspect of Nasir-i-Khusraw’s work visible in this book is the use of unique comparisons of things to explain difficult concepts. Annmarie Schimmel did the beautiful job in finding close vocabulary words to bring this beauty into English while translating.
“your body is the child of grass
And grass the child of dust.
That’s why it’s constantly inclined,
Toward it’s ancestors. (303, ef. 522)
Nasir’s poetry is very inspiring and his thoughts about reason, intellect and virtues inspired many poets after him. Such as Allama Iqbal, a sufi poet from Sub continent (Indo Pak) in 19th century.
The biggest tragedy of Nasir-i-Khusraw was that his words of wisdom were little heard because of his isolated life.
Nasir-i-Khusraw’s mission was not to be famous instead his true focus of writing was to improve life of the people and bring inner truth of Divine message out to the people. He strongly believed that the people with the wisdom are obligated to support this cause. His Divan is not only his words instead it grew out of his personal experiences, which reflects his hopes and pains, and firm faith in the Fatimid cause.
Annmarie Schimmel’s choice of verses is excellent and clearly reflects multiple dimensions of Nasir’s work. Her selection clearly shows Nasir-i-Khusraw’s expertise in poetry and deep view of his inner being. She justified her work as a translator wonderfully and certainly deserves applause.
Nasir-i-Khusraw was a Persian poet and thinker, and is quite well known among the historians of modern and medieval Islam. Although he was well known but, not well understood by them. His philosophy and poetry is deeply rooted in Shia Ismaili Muslim interpretation of Islam, which is more of the esoteric understanding of revelation of Quran than exoteric. His poetry and his work is based on his belief. His love for Prophet Muhammad’s family (ahl-al- bait and his successors) is clearly the center of his writings.
He believes that intellect, reason, speech and virtue should be the highest attributes of the thinkers, poets and writers; and they should practice these attributes for the betterment of society, not for reward or fame just like he was doing.
“Tear off the rope from the unbridled masses!
You’d better bring about something in writing!
You are the pen of God, the true Creator-
Well done and bravo, o you sober reed!
To Intellect your word became the writing;
So, make a covenant and do not leave it!
Give only letters of advice and wisdom
To mankind’s ear, be they low, be they high.
Without a robe of honor you are noble,
For you are known for writing, not for robes!
His work reflects that it is difficult to read the Qur’an according to its true inner meaning; and it needs a guide or a true interpreter to explain the Tawil (inner meaning); and that guide should be from prophet’s own family and should be very close to him. He claims that anyone who denies this right of prophet’s family is the enemy of Islam. His beliefs and understandings about the prophet’s family put him against the political environment of that time and he was thrown in exile in Yumgan. This isolation made him bitter which was evident in his expressions for those Muslim rulers who denied the right of Ahl-i-Bait (prophet Muhammad’s family).
His love for prophet’s family was very deep rooted and echoed through his writing loud and clear.
“O Lord of the dark blue mill
A hundred thousand thanks be to thee from this slave
That Thou has saved me through the family of Thy Messenger
From the flock of these half men! (284)
His understanding of Islam was very deep and based on reason and intelligence. As Annemarie Schimmel explains
“Deep as Nasir-i-Khusraw’s faith was, it is never ‘the faith of the old women’; rather, it is built upon the fundament of reason, of intelligence. Therefore Nasir-i-Khusraw invites men to think, to weigh the different possibilities, and to acknowledge that the true treasure of wisdom is given to those close to the faith. Time and again he leads the reader to the conclusion that the Fatimid ruler of Egypt, as the descendant of Fatima and ‘Ali, is ‘the keeper of God’s garden’, and that he has drawn the sword of true religion from the scabbard.”
Another beautiful aspect of Nasir-i-Khusraw’s work visible in this book is the use of unique comparisons of things to explain difficult concepts. Annmarie Schimmel did the beautiful job in finding close vocabulary words to bring this beauty into English while translating.
“your body is the child of grass
And grass the child of dust.
That’s why it’s constantly inclined,
Toward it’s ancestors. (303, ef. 522)
Nasir’s poetry is very inspiring and his thoughts about reason, intellect and virtues inspired many poets after him. Such as Allama Iqbal, a sufi poet from Sub continent (Indo Pak) in 19th century.
The biggest tragedy of Nasir-i-Khusraw was that his words of wisdom were little heard because of his isolated life.
Nasir-i-Khusraw’s mission was not to be famous instead his true focus of writing was to improve life of the people and bring inner truth of Divine message out to the people. He strongly believed that the people with the wisdom are obligated to support this cause. His Divan is not only his words instead it grew out of his personal experiences, which reflects his hopes and pains, and firm faith in the Fatimid cause.
Annmarie Schimmel’s choice of verses is excellent and clearly reflects multiple dimensions of Nasir’s work. Her selection clearly shows Nasir-i-Khusraw’s expertise in poetry and deep view of his inner being. She justified her work as a translator wonderfully and certainly deserves applause.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The Power of Myth
The Power of Myth is a wonderful book based on the conversation between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell. In this conversation whole horizon of believes opened up, and detailed analysis of Campbell’s understanding of mythology spread up like a wide variety of colors on canvas. Questions which Bill Moyers was asking were like fire and answers that Campbell was giving were like roaring flames whose heat touched my heart and I felt warm and cozy inside.
This book is divided into eight chapters and every chapter explains myth with a different perspective but still having the same fundamentals which all religions have. The myth was defined when Moyers asked this question.
“--------Myths are stories of our search through the ages for truth, for meaning, for significance.
--------we all need help in our passages from birth to life and then to death. We need for life to signify, to touch the eternal, to understand the mysterious, to find out who we are?”
Campbell answered by opening up a broad horizon of meaning and said.
“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own inner most being and reality, so that we actually feel the rupture of being alive. That’s what it’s all finally about, and that’s what these clues help us to find within ourselves.”
That is how he changed the definition of Myth by broadening the horizon from search for meaning to experiences of meaning. Therefore it is important that the Myths should be appropriate to the time in which we are living. Today’s biggest problem is that time is moving too fast and Myths have lost their speed. Therefore our children are losing faith in religion and see the faiths as a historical story which they are unable to relate themselves with.
When Moyers asked the question, “How we live without the Myths then?”
Campbell answered by saying that “The individual has to find an aspect of myth that relates to his own life.”
He explained that myths basically serve four functions.
First is realization of wonder of universe and oneself.
The second is Cosmological dimension, the dimension with which the science is involved.
The third is Sociological function which supports and legalizes social order.
Fourth is the pedagogical function, which teaches us how to live like human under certain circumstances.
Myths are primarily inward journeys, they tell you something which you know in your heart that it is true. The truth which relates you to the one who is transcend meaning which is beyond duality, and field of time and space
In explaining the concept of duality, time and space he gave multiple examples. The one which is common in all Monotheistic religions is the story of Adam and Eve, was beautifully explained by him.
His description of symbolism behind it was amazing.
“---Moyers: What is the myth of Adam and Eve trying to tell us about the pairs of opposites? What is the meaning?
Campbell: It started with the sin, you see in other words, moving out of the mythological dreamtime zone of the Garden of Paradise, where there is no time, and where men and women don’t even know that they are different from each other. The two are just creatures. God and man are practically the same. God walks in the cool of the evening in the garden where they are. And then they eat the apple, the knowledge of the opposites. And when they discover they are different, the man and woman cover their shame. You see, they had not thought of themselves as opposites. Male and female is one opposite. Another opposite is human and God. Good and evil is the third opposite. The primary oppositions are the sexual and that between human beings and God. Then comes the idea of good and evil in the world. And so Adam and Eve have thrown themselves out of the Garden of Timeless Unity, you might say, just by that act of recognizing duality. To move out into the world, you have to act in terms of pairs of opposites.”
Then he gave multiple examples from other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism etc. where field of time, space and duality is explained.
In his understanding “Every religion is true one way or another. It is true when understood metaphorically. But when it get stuck to its own metaphor, interpreting them as facts, then you are in trouble.”
Then he gave detailed analysis of metaphor which is an image that suggests something else. For example we understand sin as a willful breaking of religion or moral law but he explains sin as a metaphor which is simply a limiting factor that limits our consciousness and fixes it to an inappropriate condition.
He explained that energies of inner world need to meet the field of our incarnation or outer world to get going.
Then Moyers asked him about what the idea of reincarnation suggests?
And Campbell answers
“----It suggests that you are more than you think you are. There are dimensions of your being and a potential for realization and consciousness that are not included in your concept of yourself. Your life is much deeper and broader than you conceive it to be here. What you are living is but a fractional inkling of what is really within you, what gives you life, breath, and depth. But you can live in terms of that depth. And when you can experience it you suddenly see that all the religions are talking of that.”
Then he explained that all religious symbols are pointing toward the experiences but they are not the experiences themselves. In his words
“---The person who has had a mystical experience knows that all the symbolic expressions of it are faulty. The symbols don’t render the experience, they suggest it. If you haven’t had the experience, how can you know what it is? Try to explain the joy of skiing to somebody living in the tropics who has never seen snow. There has to be an experience to catch the message, some clue- otherwise you’re not hearing what is being said.”
Then he explained many rituals from multiple religions, and traditional believe systems, which are pointing toward some experiences.
“----The main theme in ritual is the linking of the individual to a larger morphological structure than that of his own physical body.”
Campbell’s command on telling related stories is amazing. He explains very deep concept with the story and makes it clear and understandable for a common person. Like poets and artists he brings abstracts of myths to life and conveys the message loud and clear. Certainly he is the master of story- telling and Moyers did a wonderful job of pulling right strings as questions to get the music started.
Quoting all stories is not possible for me as I don’t have command and beautiful vocabulary like Campbell does to make stories come alive. But I cannot resist sharing a story from Mayan’s ritual which is named as “Worthy to be sacrificed as aged.” In which
“---The Mayan Indians had a kind of basketball game in which, at the end, the captain of the winning team was sacrificed on the field by the captain of the losing team. His head was cut off. Going to your sacrifice as the winning stroke of your life is the essence of the early sacrificial idea.”
The Moyer concludes Campbell’s story by the statement “The idea of sacrifice especially of the winner being sacrificed is so foreign to our world. Our ruling motif today is winner take all.”
In the process of taking it all what is missing is being bigger than only a winner. Yes we enjoy being a winner for some time but in the end we fail to follow our bliss. He explains the bliss through a story of a twelve year old in a restaurant forced by his father to drink tomato soup and the mother said “Don’t make him do what he doesn’t want to do.” The father looked at her and said “He can’t go through life doing what he wants to do, if he does only what he wants to do, he’ll be dead. Look at me, I’ve never done a thing I wanted to in all my life.”
Campbell felt that these are the people who never followed their bliss and always try to be right for the society only. Following the bliss doesn’t mean being rebellious to the society, it simply means experiencing the path of your heart and do what you want to do even it is different from what everybody else is doing. When you follow your bliss you are enjoying the freshness of the life within you and you enjoy this all the time. Then he explains the concept of hero as those people who did “something beyond the normal range of achievement and experience. Hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”
He clearly explained that a hero will not escape from the society for ecstasy or for the light, instead he will stay among the people and serve them. He clearly distinguishes between celebrity and hero, where celebrity lives only for self, whereas a hero acts to redeem society.
There were many wonderful explanations given to many religious themes and their respective mythology. Then Moyers raised a concern that people perceive Myth lies. And Campbell answered as
“-----no mythology is not a lie, mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical. It has been well said that mythology is the penultimate truth - penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words. It is beyond words, beyond images, beyond that bounding rim of the Buddhist Wheel of Becoming. Mythology pitches the mind beyond that rim, to what can be known but not told-------“
His explanation of time is amazing and enlightening. He explains circle of a clock as the circle of totality. Everything within the circle is enframed. No matter where you go will always come back.
“---God is the Alpha and the Omega, the source and the end. The circle suggests immediately a completed totality, whether in the time or in the space.”
This wonderful book helped me understand my inward self. Especially because some of my actions which differs greatly from everybody else around me. I will suggest the readers to go through this book and take its meaning in mythological sense to truly appreciate the depth of author’s understanding.
This book is divided into eight chapters and every chapter explains myth with a different perspective but still having the same fundamentals which all religions have. The myth was defined when Moyers asked this question.
“--------Myths are stories of our search through the ages for truth, for meaning, for significance.
--------we all need help in our passages from birth to life and then to death. We need for life to signify, to touch the eternal, to understand the mysterious, to find out who we are?”
Campbell answered by opening up a broad horizon of meaning and said.
“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own inner most being and reality, so that we actually feel the rupture of being alive. That’s what it’s all finally about, and that’s what these clues help us to find within ourselves.”
That is how he changed the definition of Myth by broadening the horizon from search for meaning to experiences of meaning. Therefore it is important that the Myths should be appropriate to the time in which we are living. Today’s biggest problem is that time is moving too fast and Myths have lost their speed. Therefore our children are losing faith in religion and see the faiths as a historical story which they are unable to relate themselves with.
When Moyers asked the question, “How we live without the Myths then?”
Campbell answered by saying that “The individual has to find an aspect of myth that relates to his own life.”
He explained that myths basically serve four functions.
First is realization of wonder of universe and oneself.
The second is Cosmological dimension, the dimension with which the science is involved.
The third is Sociological function which supports and legalizes social order.
Fourth is the pedagogical function, which teaches us how to live like human under certain circumstances.
Myths are primarily inward journeys, they tell you something which you know in your heart that it is true. The truth which relates you to the one who is transcend meaning which is beyond duality, and field of time and space
In explaining the concept of duality, time and space he gave multiple examples. The one which is common in all Monotheistic religions is the story of Adam and Eve, was beautifully explained by him.
His description of symbolism behind it was amazing.
“---Moyers: What is the myth of Adam and Eve trying to tell us about the pairs of opposites? What is the meaning?
Campbell: It started with the sin, you see in other words, moving out of the mythological dreamtime zone of the Garden of Paradise, where there is no time, and where men and women don’t even know that they are different from each other. The two are just creatures. God and man are practically the same. God walks in the cool of the evening in the garden where they are. And then they eat the apple, the knowledge of the opposites. And when they discover they are different, the man and woman cover their shame. You see, they had not thought of themselves as opposites. Male and female is one opposite. Another opposite is human and God. Good and evil is the third opposite. The primary oppositions are the sexual and that between human beings and God. Then comes the idea of good and evil in the world. And so Adam and Eve have thrown themselves out of the Garden of Timeless Unity, you might say, just by that act of recognizing duality. To move out into the world, you have to act in terms of pairs of opposites.”
Then he gave multiple examples from other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism etc. where field of time, space and duality is explained.
In his understanding “Every religion is true one way or another. It is true when understood metaphorically. But when it get stuck to its own metaphor, interpreting them as facts, then you are in trouble.”
Then he gave detailed analysis of metaphor which is an image that suggests something else. For example we understand sin as a willful breaking of religion or moral law but he explains sin as a metaphor which is simply a limiting factor that limits our consciousness and fixes it to an inappropriate condition.
He explained that energies of inner world need to meet the field of our incarnation or outer world to get going.
Then Moyers asked him about what the idea of reincarnation suggests?
And Campbell answers
“----It suggests that you are more than you think you are. There are dimensions of your being and a potential for realization and consciousness that are not included in your concept of yourself. Your life is much deeper and broader than you conceive it to be here. What you are living is but a fractional inkling of what is really within you, what gives you life, breath, and depth. But you can live in terms of that depth. And when you can experience it you suddenly see that all the religions are talking of that.”
Then he explained that all religious symbols are pointing toward the experiences but they are not the experiences themselves. In his words
“---The person who has had a mystical experience knows that all the symbolic expressions of it are faulty. The symbols don’t render the experience, they suggest it. If you haven’t had the experience, how can you know what it is? Try to explain the joy of skiing to somebody living in the tropics who has never seen snow. There has to be an experience to catch the message, some clue- otherwise you’re not hearing what is being said.”
Then he explained many rituals from multiple religions, and traditional believe systems, which are pointing toward some experiences.
“----The main theme in ritual is the linking of the individual to a larger morphological structure than that of his own physical body.”
Campbell’s command on telling related stories is amazing. He explains very deep concept with the story and makes it clear and understandable for a common person. Like poets and artists he brings abstracts of myths to life and conveys the message loud and clear. Certainly he is the master of story- telling and Moyers did a wonderful job of pulling right strings as questions to get the music started.
Quoting all stories is not possible for me as I don’t have command and beautiful vocabulary like Campbell does to make stories come alive. But I cannot resist sharing a story from Mayan’s ritual which is named as “Worthy to be sacrificed as aged.” In which
“---The Mayan Indians had a kind of basketball game in which, at the end, the captain of the winning team was sacrificed on the field by the captain of the losing team. His head was cut off. Going to your sacrifice as the winning stroke of your life is the essence of the early sacrificial idea.”
The Moyer concludes Campbell’s story by the statement “The idea of sacrifice especially of the winner being sacrificed is so foreign to our world. Our ruling motif today is winner take all.”
In the process of taking it all what is missing is being bigger than only a winner. Yes we enjoy being a winner for some time but in the end we fail to follow our bliss. He explains the bliss through a story of a twelve year old in a restaurant forced by his father to drink tomato soup and the mother said “Don’t make him do what he doesn’t want to do.” The father looked at her and said “He can’t go through life doing what he wants to do, if he does only what he wants to do, he’ll be dead. Look at me, I’ve never done a thing I wanted to in all my life.”
Campbell felt that these are the people who never followed their bliss and always try to be right for the society only. Following the bliss doesn’t mean being rebellious to the society, it simply means experiencing the path of your heart and do what you want to do even it is different from what everybody else is doing. When you follow your bliss you are enjoying the freshness of the life within you and you enjoy this all the time. Then he explains the concept of hero as those people who did “something beyond the normal range of achievement and experience. Hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”
He clearly explained that a hero will not escape from the society for ecstasy or for the light, instead he will stay among the people and serve them. He clearly distinguishes between celebrity and hero, where celebrity lives only for self, whereas a hero acts to redeem society.
There were many wonderful explanations given to many religious themes and their respective mythology. Then Moyers raised a concern that people perceive Myth lies. And Campbell answered as
“-----no mythology is not a lie, mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical. It has been well said that mythology is the penultimate truth - penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words. It is beyond words, beyond images, beyond that bounding rim of the Buddhist Wheel of Becoming. Mythology pitches the mind beyond that rim, to what can be known but not told-------“
His explanation of time is amazing and enlightening. He explains circle of a clock as the circle of totality. Everything within the circle is enframed. No matter where you go will always come back.
“---God is the Alpha and the Omega, the source and the end. The circle suggests immediately a completed totality, whether in the time or in the space.”
This wonderful book helped me understand my inward self. Especially because some of my actions which differs greatly from everybody else around me. I will suggest the readers to go through this book and take its meaning in mythological sense to truly appreciate the depth of author’s understanding.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning:
“The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning” is written by Heinz Halm and published by I.B. Tauris Publishers, London. New York.
The beauty of this book is that Heinz Halm uses multiple sources and works of multiple authors. His sources vary from non-Muslim writers such as John of Antioch (Greek-Orthodox) to Sunni author Al-Maqrizi, who was first historian to recognize the importance of Fatimid in the history of Egypt and Syria, to Idris Imad al-Din, who was supreme missionary dai of Musta’ali Tayyibi Ismaili community of Yemen, and numerous Ismaili missionaries from the Fatimid period. Despite the loss of Fatimid records, it was possible for Halm to find authentic records about Fatimids. Certainly he had to filter unauthentic information provided by hostile anti-Fatimid authors whose mission was to destroy the image of Fatimids in history.
This book examines the Fatimid period with special emphasis on their teaching and learning which was the major reason why this era came to be known as the most enlightened and enriched period in Ismaili history in specific and Islamic history in general.
Halm explored the training of the Ismaili dais or missionaries and gave the clear understanding of the process. He vividly uses abstracts from Ismaili dais. For example, he quoted Ibn-Hawshab, Dai of Yemen, to explain the entire Ismaili idea of knowledge, learning and teaching in a concise manner. I quote: “Knowledge means life; learning means resurrection from the death of ignorance; knowledge is a good entrusted by God to human beings (amana) who must not selfishly keep it to themselves, but instead pass it on. Learning and teaching are a divine mission: the man who is spiritually resurrected through learning has the duty to bring his neighbor back to life as well.”
Institutions like Al-Azhar played a major role in teaching Ismaili jurisprudence which is the external meaning (zahir), the sharia according to the Ismaili madhab. Qadi Nauman’s book Daaim-al-Islam (Pillars of Islam) worked as a guide or handbook for the Egyptian jurist to explain Ismaili law in Fatimid empire. Amr Mosque in Al-Fustat was the principle mosque of Sunnis. Amr Mosque and Al-Azhar mosque were holding purely legal lectures. Whereas “sessions of wisdom” (Majalis al hikmah) were open exclusively for those initiates who had taken oath of allegiance (ahd) to the Imam. These sessions were held in Caliph’s palace and personally monitored and authorized by Imam himself. The Chief Dai only worked as the mouthpiece of the Imam.
While he is exploring the learning traditions he explains the critical controversial issue with it. Clearing those misconceptions about Fatimids which are misleading historians since centuries. He discusses in great detail about the authenticity of the content while discussing controversial issues specially from the period of Caliph Imam Al-Hakim.
Certainly Heinz Halm was successful in presenting a clear view of learning traditions of Ismailis and was able to grab my attention from the beginning till the end. This book is definitely worth a read for all those who like to explore history from all perspectives and curious about understanding true historical context of the time.
The beauty of this book is that Heinz Halm uses multiple sources and works of multiple authors. His sources vary from non-Muslim writers such as John of Antioch (Greek-Orthodox) to Sunni author Al-Maqrizi, who was first historian to recognize the importance of Fatimid in the history of Egypt and Syria, to Idris Imad al-Din, who was supreme missionary dai of Musta’ali Tayyibi Ismaili community of Yemen, and numerous Ismaili missionaries from the Fatimid period. Despite the loss of Fatimid records, it was possible for Halm to find authentic records about Fatimids. Certainly he had to filter unauthentic information provided by hostile anti-Fatimid authors whose mission was to destroy the image of Fatimids in history.
This book examines the Fatimid period with special emphasis on their teaching and learning which was the major reason why this era came to be known as the most enlightened and enriched period in Ismaili history in specific and Islamic history in general.
Halm explored the training of the Ismaili dais or missionaries and gave the clear understanding of the process. He vividly uses abstracts from Ismaili dais. For example, he quoted Ibn-Hawshab, Dai of Yemen, to explain the entire Ismaili idea of knowledge, learning and teaching in a concise manner. I quote: “Knowledge means life; learning means resurrection from the death of ignorance; knowledge is a good entrusted by God to human beings (amana) who must not selfishly keep it to themselves, but instead pass it on. Learning and teaching are a divine mission: the man who is spiritually resurrected through learning has the duty to bring his neighbor back to life as well.”
Institutions like Al-Azhar played a major role in teaching Ismaili jurisprudence which is the external meaning (zahir), the sharia according to the Ismaili madhab. Qadi Nauman’s book Daaim-al-Islam (Pillars of Islam) worked as a guide or handbook for the Egyptian jurist to explain Ismaili law in Fatimid empire. Amr Mosque in Al-Fustat was the principle mosque of Sunnis. Amr Mosque and Al-Azhar mosque were holding purely legal lectures. Whereas “sessions of wisdom” (Majalis al hikmah) were open exclusively for those initiates who had taken oath of allegiance (ahd) to the Imam. These sessions were held in Caliph’s palace and personally monitored and authorized by Imam himself. The Chief Dai only worked as the mouthpiece of the Imam.
While he is exploring the learning traditions he explains the critical controversial issue with it. Clearing those misconceptions about Fatimids which are misleading historians since centuries. He discusses in great detail about the authenticity of the content while discussing controversial issues specially from the period of Caliph Imam Al-Hakim.
Certainly Heinz Halm was successful in presenting a clear view of learning traditions of Ismailis and was able to grab my attention from the beginning till the end. This book is definitely worth a read for all those who like to explore history from all perspectives and curious about understanding true historical context of the time.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Why is God Laughing?
Why is God Laughing?
The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism
Deepak Chopra
"Why God is Laughing?" is a wonderful book by Deepak Chopra which shows the intangible connection between spiritual awareness, optimism and humor, which we can feel like a tickle but cannot express in the words very easily. This book of deep spiritual insight with the touch of light comedy takes you on a journey of soul. On this path you will see three major intersections: Fear, Egotism and Addiction each of which can mislead you to paths that can result in losing freedom of your soul to realize its true potential. Deepak Chopra uses the help of Mike Myers the comedian to give touch of laughter to the very deep and enlightening concepts in spirituality. Besides jokes he uses many riddles which are certainly worth a thought and I quote some of them:
"I tell many lies but am always believed.
If the worst happens, I'll be greatly relieved
Oh the day you were born I poisoned your heart
I'll be there on the day you depart"
Or
"I'm keeping your secret, you're paying my price
You know if you don't, I'll stop being nice
Protection is worth it, wouldn't you say?
Life is so empty when you don't get your way
Who am I?"
All the jokes, riddles and philosophical inside unveil the fact that comedy is a mean to make truth realized. "Plainly put, 'ha ha' is related to 'ah-ah' the sound one makes upon the realization of truth"
Seeking the truth is a painful process and laughter eases the pain and as a result we can explore our self and ultimately free our soul by bravely crossing the intersections of fear, egotism and addiction.
Certainly this book is worth a read, especially when you feel low and down and need a spiritual boost to get up and walk out.
The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism
Deepak Chopra
"Why God is Laughing?" is a wonderful book by Deepak Chopra which shows the intangible connection between spiritual awareness, optimism and humor, which we can feel like a tickle but cannot express in the words very easily. This book of deep spiritual insight with the touch of light comedy takes you on a journey of soul. On this path you will see three major intersections: Fear, Egotism and Addiction each of which can mislead you to paths that can result in losing freedom of your soul to realize its true potential. Deepak Chopra uses the help of Mike Myers the comedian to give touch of laughter to the very deep and enlightening concepts in spirituality. Besides jokes he uses many riddles which are certainly worth a thought and I quote some of them:
"I tell many lies but am always believed.
If the worst happens, I'll be greatly relieved
Oh the day you were born I poisoned your heart
I'll be there on the day you depart"
Or
"I'm keeping your secret, you're paying my price
You know if you don't, I'll stop being nice
Protection is worth it, wouldn't you say?
Life is so empty when you don't get your way
Who am I?"
All the jokes, riddles and philosophical inside unveil the fact that comedy is a mean to make truth realized. "Plainly put, 'ha ha' is related to 'ah-ah' the sound one makes upon the realization of truth"
Seeking the truth is a painful process and laughter eases the pain and as a result we can explore our self and ultimately free our soul by bravely crossing the intersections of fear, egotism and addiction.
Certainly this book is worth a read, especially when you feel low and down and need a spiritual boost to get up and walk out.
Maslaha
Word of the Day
Maslaha
Concept of the public welfare or common good in Muslim judicial thought. It has been interpreted to reflect a broader concern for public interest through a more flexible approach to the application of the principle of Qiyas. In general, it afforded legal scholars and state a degree of flexibility in meeting exigencies or situations where the welfare of the community as a whole might be compromised.
In recent times advocates of reform have argued that the principle permits the addressing of social and legal issues that had not arisen previously, so that every new generation is able to interpret Muslim tradition and legal practice in the context of the need of the time. Some of these issues relate to economic aspects, such as modern form of banking and finance, others to ethical issues, such as family planning and modern medicine and issues of governance such political representation and human rights. (Dictionary of Islam: Azim Nanji)
Maslaha
Concept of the public welfare or common good in Muslim judicial thought. It has been interpreted to reflect a broader concern for public interest through a more flexible approach to the application of the principle of Qiyas. In general, it afforded legal scholars and state a degree of flexibility in meeting exigencies or situations where the welfare of the community as a whole might be compromised.
In recent times advocates of reform have argued that the principle permits the addressing of social and legal issues that had not arisen previously, so that every new generation is able to interpret Muslim tradition and legal practice in the context of the need of the time. Some of these issues relate to economic aspects, such as modern form of banking and finance, others to ethical issues, such as family planning and modern medicine and issues of governance such political representation and human rights. (Dictionary of Islam: Azim Nanji)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - review continued (Chapter 4 - final)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In chapter four the author’s studies are focused on Pluralistic Governance. He analyzes in the detail the democracies of today and how they lack the fundamental ingredient of plurality, both in the western world as well as the Muslim world. To make pluralistic governance functional it requires inclusion of all citizens and their engagement in the society beyond the theory of tolerance only. He explained that pluralism cannot be obtained by force because uncivil means cannot bring civil outcomes. The author refers American academic Nancy Fraser, author of numerous works on social justice, and he quotes: “..underlying problem with prevailing multicultural strategies is that they favor recognition of group identities over citizenship-based equity of participation.”
Our author, Amyn Sajoo, gave many examples from West as well as from Muslim world where the concept of equality of citizens was not taken into consideration. He mentions the incident of Ziyad Yasin, a 22 year old biomedical engineering student at Harvard University who was invited to deliver commencement speech in 2002. He was harassed from death threats to removing him from the list of speakers because the topic of his speech was “Faith and Citizenship” with the sub-title “Jihad”. Leading the protests against Ziyad, Hilary Levy claimed that she could only visualize planes flying into the buildings when she heard the word ‘jihad.” Harvard’s President Larry Summers, who approved the content of the speech was forced to remove the word “Jihad” from the title.
Another incident from Iran was of Iranian academic Hashem Aghajani who encouraged his students and ordinary Iranians to interpret Quran and Shi’a theology for themselves rather than passively follow the interpretations of the clerical establishments’ became subject to death sentence by bringing religion to bad reputation.
In all these incidents freedom of expression, freedom of thoughts and inquiry as well as civic pluralism were undermined in the name of safeguarding the rules that govern the relationship between Religion and State. Thus, he concludes that “rule of law needs the support of public ethics for civil society to deliver pluralism”.
This book is an excellent reading material. In fact, in my opinion, it would work great as a text book in universities for the students who want to understand Islamic ethics and their roots in the society; their practical applications in everyday decision making, and their expressive depictions in Islamic Art, buildings and everything related to their environment. Certainly this book can work as a window to peek inside Islam and see its true essence.
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In chapter four the author’s studies are focused on Pluralistic Governance. He analyzes in the detail the democracies of today and how they lack the fundamental ingredient of plurality, both in the western world as well as the Muslim world. To make pluralistic governance functional it requires inclusion of all citizens and their engagement in the society beyond the theory of tolerance only. He explained that pluralism cannot be obtained by force because uncivil means cannot bring civil outcomes. The author refers American academic Nancy Fraser, author of numerous works on social justice, and he quotes: “..underlying problem with prevailing multicultural strategies is that they favor recognition of group identities over citizenship-based equity of participation.”
Our author, Amyn Sajoo, gave many examples from West as well as from Muslim world where the concept of equality of citizens was not taken into consideration. He mentions the incident of Ziyad Yasin, a 22 year old biomedical engineering student at Harvard University who was invited to deliver commencement speech in 2002. He was harassed from death threats to removing him from the list of speakers because the topic of his speech was “Faith and Citizenship” with the sub-title “Jihad”. Leading the protests against Ziyad, Hilary Levy claimed that she could only visualize planes flying into the buildings when she heard the word ‘jihad.” Harvard’s President Larry Summers, who approved the content of the speech was forced to remove the word “Jihad” from the title.
Another incident from Iran was of Iranian academic Hashem Aghajani who encouraged his students and ordinary Iranians to interpret Quran and Shi’a theology for themselves rather than passively follow the interpretations of the clerical establishments’ became subject to death sentence by bringing religion to bad reputation.
In all these incidents freedom of expression, freedom of thoughts and inquiry as well as civic pluralism were undermined in the name of safeguarding the rules that govern the relationship between Religion and State. Thus, he concludes that “rule of law needs the support of public ethics for civil society to deliver pluralism”.
This book is an excellent reading material. In fact, in my opinion, it would work great as a text book in universities for the students who want to understand Islamic ethics and their roots in the society; their practical applications in everyday decision making, and their expressive depictions in Islamic Art, buildings and everything related to their environment. Certainly this book can work as a window to peek inside Islam and see its true essence.
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - review continued (Chapter 3)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In third chapter “Humanist Ethos”, Amyn Sajoo talks about how terrible and sad event of 9/11, which was an act of some irrational militants was taken as a religious obligation of Islam. How Islamic term “Jihad” was manipulated and Quran Ayats related to jihad were quoted out of context to explain the causes of 9/11. Huntington’s “Clash of Civilization” which claims underlying problem of west is not Islamic fundamentalism but Islam itself which is a different civilization and is in clash with western civilization. Huntington undermines all rational, scientific and ethical contributions of Muslim and limits Islam to a traditional religion which is lacking modernity’s vital attachment and civic rationality, thus becoming a focus of all western media. The religion of 1/5 of world’s population (Muslims), is seen as harboring terrorists. Irony of the matter is where liberalism sees Islam as lacking rationality, whereas opposite is true for the majority of Muslims all over the world. First revelation of Quran talks about this matter in detail which was quoted and explained by Amyn Sajoo which condemns all the claims that Islam lacks rationality and believes in rigid and stagnant law. A quote from the book is worth referring here:
“The opening word of the Quranic revelation dating to the year 610 CE, enjoins the prophet – and by extension all who encounter the text – to “Read” in the name of a God “who teaches humanity by the pen ---- the which it knew not” (96:1-5). Thereafter, the text repeatedly exhorts the reader with phrases like “what! Would you not reason out?” or “They might perchance reflect!” or “perhaps you may exert your mind!” Argument abounds in the verses or ayat as they are called. And the term “ayat” also means “sign”, a double meaning that is no accident. For act of reading the Quran was to be an exercise in discerning the sign of the Divine, unraveling the truth in the ayat. The invitation to “Read” then, was emphatically not the kind of exercise to be pursued without the fullest acuity or proper engagement of human intellect.”
The author then gives the detailed analysis of Muslim societies or Umma who flourished for centuries with the values of integrity, generosity, solidarity and forbearance in both areas of religious and civic arenas, with the underpinning foundation of human reason. This benefited the society in many scientific inventions and discoveries like paper making, Arabic numerals drawing on Indian innovation, and earliest system of commercial credit. There are always people in all civilizations which go against rationality, but relating them to any religion especially the one (Islam) whose historical records prove free thinking, rational reasoning and intellectual contribution to the human society, is the work of unsophisticated commentators like Lewis or Huntington (author of “Clash of Civilization”) and their like minded people who lack the clear understanding of Islam and who want to be “politically correct” rather than “ethically correct.”
It is better to see “Islam and the West” instead of “Islam versus West”. We need to remember that when we are talking about Islam then we are actually talking about Muslims who are individuals and communities and not objective figures. These individuals have their own identities which are as pluralist as the world itself. This notion of understanding may not please the clash-of-civilization warriors or those who persist in clinging to fixed images of the others. But it would be “ethically” as opposed to “politically” correct.
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In third chapter “Humanist Ethos”, Amyn Sajoo talks about how terrible and sad event of 9/11, which was an act of some irrational militants was taken as a religious obligation of Islam. How Islamic term “Jihad” was manipulated and Quran Ayats related to jihad were quoted out of context to explain the causes of 9/11. Huntington’s “Clash of Civilization” which claims underlying problem of west is not Islamic fundamentalism but Islam itself which is a different civilization and is in clash with western civilization. Huntington undermines all rational, scientific and ethical contributions of Muslim and limits Islam to a traditional religion which is lacking modernity’s vital attachment and civic rationality, thus becoming a focus of all western media. The religion of 1/5 of world’s population (Muslims), is seen as harboring terrorists. Irony of the matter is where liberalism sees Islam as lacking rationality, whereas opposite is true for the majority of Muslims all over the world. First revelation of Quran talks about this matter in detail which was quoted and explained by Amyn Sajoo which condemns all the claims that Islam lacks rationality and believes in rigid and stagnant law. A quote from the book is worth referring here:
“The opening word of the Quranic revelation dating to the year 610 CE, enjoins the prophet – and by extension all who encounter the text – to “Read” in the name of a God “who teaches humanity by the pen ---- the which it knew not” (96:1-5). Thereafter, the text repeatedly exhorts the reader with phrases like “what! Would you not reason out?” or “They might perchance reflect!” or “perhaps you may exert your mind!” Argument abounds in the verses or ayat as they are called. And the term “ayat” also means “sign”, a double meaning that is no accident. For act of reading the Quran was to be an exercise in discerning the sign of the Divine, unraveling the truth in the ayat. The invitation to “Read” then, was emphatically not the kind of exercise to be pursued without the fullest acuity or proper engagement of human intellect.”
The author then gives the detailed analysis of Muslim societies or Umma who flourished for centuries with the values of integrity, generosity, solidarity and forbearance in both areas of religious and civic arenas, with the underpinning foundation of human reason. This benefited the society in many scientific inventions and discoveries like paper making, Arabic numerals drawing on Indian innovation, and earliest system of commercial credit. There are always people in all civilizations which go against rationality, but relating them to any religion especially the one (Islam) whose historical records prove free thinking, rational reasoning and intellectual contribution to the human society, is the work of unsophisticated commentators like Lewis or Huntington (author of “Clash of Civilization”) and their like minded people who lack the clear understanding of Islam and who want to be “politically correct” rather than “ethically correct.”
It is better to see “Islam and the West” instead of “Islam versus West”. We need to remember that when we are talking about Islam then we are actually talking about Muslims who are individuals and communities and not objective figures. These individuals have their own identities which are as pluralist as the world itself. This notion of understanding may not please the clash-of-civilization warriors or those who persist in clinging to fixed images of the others. But it would be “ethically” as opposed to “politically” correct.
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas - review continued (Chapter 2)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the second chapter, “Civility and its Discontents” he addresses how modern concept of civil society and basic practice of Ummah differ on their fundamental perceptions, which creates discontent or uneasiness in Muslims. In this explanation of differences he mentions that modern concept of civil society must have three required elements that are rule of law, equal citizenship and participatory politics with accountability to state in civic sphere. These pre-requisites separate state and church and promote the concept of dualism. It generalizes all civil societies irrespective of diversity and historical and cultural realities. So it limits the modern public sphere to serve contemporary diversities of ethnicity, culture, religion, politics and individual purpose. Where as perception of Muslim civil society for Muslims is very unique in its roots and I quote, “The world’s 1.2 billion Muslims are diverse in their cultures and understanding of Islam. But they share a weltanschauung in which din and dunya (but not the modern dawla) are merged, so that both secular and sacred resonate in the public domain. Far from precluding the institutional separation of mosque and state, this perspective takes no ideological position in that regards; the umma can thrive in a plurality of political arrangement.”
This drift in perception in civil society between liberal approaches which talks about human rights between state and society but marginalize ethics in civil domain and Muslim pluralist society where the identities and practices have deep roots in religion, create a debate in which liberal approaches have prevailed. So “appropriate conduct” and rational conduct was substituted by ethic norms and functions creating uneasiness and discontent in civil society of today’s time.
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the second chapter, “Civility and its Discontents” he addresses how modern concept of civil society and basic practice of Ummah differ on their fundamental perceptions, which creates discontent or uneasiness in Muslims. In this explanation of differences he mentions that modern concept of civil society must have three required elements that are rule of law, equal citizenship and participatory politics with accountability to state in civic sphere. These pre-requisites separate state and church and promote the concept of dualism. It generalizes all civil societies irrespective of diversity and historical and cultural realities. So it limits the modern public sphere to serve contemporary diversities of ethnicity, culture, religion, politics and individual purpose. Where as perception of Muslim civil society for Muslims is very unique in its roots and I quote, “The world’s 1.2 billion Muslims are diverse in their cultures and understanding of Islam. But they share a weltanschauung in which din and dunya (but not the modern dawla) are merged, so that both secular and sacred resonate in the public domain. Far from precluding the institutional separation of mosque and state, this perspective takes no ideological position in that regards; the umma can thrive in a plurality of political arrangement.”
This drift in perception in civil society between liberal approaches which talks about human rights between state and society but marginalize ethics in civil domain and Muslim pluralist society where the identities and practices have deep roots in religion, create a debate in which liberal approaches have prevailed. So “appropriate conduct” and rational conduct was substituted by ethic norms and functions creating uneasiness and discontent in civil society of today’s time.
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - (review continued - chapter 1)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the first chapter, “Taking Ethics Seriously” he discusses the concept of Maslaha (human welfare) and Istihsan (equality) in relation to today’s realities, especially from the field of biomedical, ecological and developmental issues. He gave many examples such as abortion, human genetic intervention and euthanasia to give clearer reasoning for ethical understanding in those matters, especially the fine line which changes Maslaha (human welfare) into pure science with the motives of profit and publicity and touches on the very foundation of birth and death.
In his explanation of taking ethics seriously he mentioned that ethical choices are not forced by the outside agents, instead it is demanded by person himself as he/she is the part of a whole and hurting others will result in hurting himself in the end. He quotes Williams from “Ethics and Limits of Philosophy” as follows:
“Moral choices have to do with the deliberative priority that is accorded to specific courses of action, and this priority in turn relates to a whole range of possible motivations, of which obligation is only one. Ethically outstanding choices may not be a matter of obligation at all, in that they cannot be demanded or the actor subjected to blame for not doing them: instead they may be done because the actor feels there is no alternative for him personally, while recognizing that this could not be demanded of others.”
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the first chapter, “Taking Ethics Seriously” he discusses the concept of Maslaha (human welfare) and Istihsan (equality) in relation to today’s realities, especially from the field of biomedical, ecological and developmental issues. He gave many examples such as abortion, human genetic intervention and euthanasia to give clearer reasoning for ethical understanding in those matters, especially the fine line which changes Maslaha (human welfare) into pure science with the motives of profit and publicity and touches on the very foundation of birth and death.
In his explanation of taking ethics seriously he mentioned that ethical choices are not forced by the outside agents, instead it is demanded by person himself as he/she is the part of a whole and hurting others will result in hurting himself in the end. He quotes Williams from “Ethics and Limits of Philosophy” as follows:
“Moral choices have to do with the deliberative priority that is accorded to specific courses of action, and this priority in turn relates to a whole range of possible motivations, of which obligation is only one. Ethically outstanding choices may not be a matter of obligation at all, in that they cannot be demanded or the actor subjected to blame for not doing them: instead they may be done because the actor feels there is no alternative for him personally, while recognizing that this could not be demanded of others.”
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas
Muslim Ethics
Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In this book Amyn Sajoo has undertaken a detailed analysis of Muslim Ethics and its impact on society in past and present. The focus of his studies is on practical implementation of ethics which reflects Islam as a way of life. His reasoning on ethics was not based only on good or bad, rather he uses his intellectual energy in exploring the question “Why act ethically?” His study is based on very nature of pluralistic Islamic society which is very different from those portrayed by fundamentalist persuasions or better referred to as political Islamists.
He concentrated his thoughts on practical applications of Islamic ethics, which requires balance between material and spiritual life; and all definitions of good and bad lie on that balance. He very intelligently defined ethics and morals and the fine line between them; an how it defines individual identity and its impact on society.
I quote:
“….In formal disclosure, however, ethical perspectives are about what guides an individual or a community in choices that concern the “good” relating closely to perception of who one is and how best to live in one’s universe. Moral, on the other hand, are more specifically about rules that concern what is right and wrong, whether for individual or society.”
Certainly, ethics and moral overlap each other. As the social fabric of Muslim society is woven by those threads of ethics and morals, Muslims see Islam as a way of life.
Amyn Sajoo sees ethics as a common thread between all the ethics based religions. This thread ties all human beings and connects them to work in unity for the betterment of all mankind. This view was depicted by the illustration on cover page of his book, which is Noah’s Ark painting from Mughal period.
He explains this painting as follows:
“…consider the sheer diversity of life in the vessel where humans are far outnumbered by the birds and animals, and human themselves come from various walks of life. No overt religious symbol appear in their midst, even though the depiction stems from a scriptural narrative: God’s message to the Prophet Nuh (Noah) to salvage life from the flood (detailed in the Quran 11:25-49). Rather, secular and sacred are in easy confluence. The dragon-motif of the vessel itself is a popular borrowing from Chinese tradition, recalling a pluralist impulse that imbues Islamic Art.”
Amyn has divided his book into four chapters:
- Taking Ethics seriously: Adab to Zygotes
- Civility and its Discontents
- A Humanist Ethos: The Dance of Secular and Religious
- Pluralist Governance
I will tackle each chapter separately for easy reading.
Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In this book Amyn Sajoo has undertaken a detailed analysis of Muslim Ethics and its impact on society in past and present. The focus of his studies is on practical implementation of ethics which reflects Islam as a way of life. His reasoning on ethics was not based only on good or bad, rather he uses his intellectual energy in exploring the question “Why act ethically?” His study is based on very nature of pluralistic Islamic society which is very different from those portrayed by fundamentalist persuasions or better referred to as political Islamists.
He concentrated his thoughts on practical applications of Islamic ethics, which requires balance between material and spiritual life; and all definitions of good and bad lie on that balance. He very intelligently defined ethics and morals and the fine line between them; an how it defines individual identity and its impact on society.
I quote:
“….In formal disclosure, however, ethical perspectives are about what guides an individual or a community in choices that concern the “good” relating closely to perception of who one is and how best to live in one’s universe. Moral, on the other hand, are more specifically about rules that concern what is right and wrong, whether for individual or society.”
Certainly, ethics and moral overlap each other. As the social fabric of Muslim society is woven by those threads of ethics and morals, Muslims see Islam as a way of life.
Amyn Sajoo sees ethics as a common thread between all the ethics based religions. This thread ties all human beings and connects them to work in unity for the betterment of all mankind. This view was depicted by the illustration on cover page of his book, which is Noah’s Ark painting from Mughal period.
He explains this painting as follows:
“…consider the sheer diversity of life in the vessel where humans are far outnumbered by the birds and animals, and human themselves come from various walks of life. No overt religious symbol appear in their midst, even though the depiction stems from a scriptural narrative: God’s message to the Prophet Nuh (Noah) to salvage life from the flood (detailed in the Quran 11:25-49). Rather, secular and sacred are in easy confluence. The dragon-motif of the vessel itself is a popular borrowing from Chinese tradition, recalling a pluralist impulse that imbues Islamic Art.”
Amyn has divided his book into four chapters:
- Taking Ethics seriously: Adab to Zygotes
- Civility and its Discontents
- A Humanist Ethos: The Dance of Secular and Religious
- Pluralist Governance
I will tackle each chapter separately for easy reading.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
I Heard God Laughing
I Heard God LaughingPoems of Hope and Joy
Renderings of Hafiz
By: Daniel Ladinsky
Published by: Penguin Books
This thin book of poems of hope and joy is a treasure of spiritual assets. This selection of Hafiz's poems, by Daniel Ladinsky, is certainly marvelous. Hafiz, whose real name was Shams-ud-din, was born in Shiraz, Persia. He was gifted with natural poetic talent. Hafiz was a student of sufi teacher Muhammad Attar till the age of 60, and was guided by him through different spiritual stages of understanding of divine love. Later on he himself became a sufi master.
In his poem, and his experiences, Hafiz uses symbolic numbers or words which need to be understood to get the inner meaning of his poems before reading them. For example, the number forty is used on multiple occasions as a symbol of learning and change. I will quote the significance of this number direct from the book, "I Heard God Laughing":
"....forty is often used to indicate a term of learning and change, such as the "forty days and forty nights" of Noah's flood. Forty is also called "the number of perseverence" marking a period of growth through testing, trial and purification. After the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites endured "forty years of wandering" in the wilderness before they were ready to enter the Promised Land. Jesus, following the ancient practice of the prophets, went into the desert for a great seclusion of forty days, which he described as a period of purification and preparation for the next stage of his work. The Buddha attained final enlightenment after forty days of continuous meditation. Or the words like "aged wine" are used to represent the purified (distilled) essence of knowing of love."
I would suggest the reader should first read "The Life and Work of Hafiz" by Henry S. Mindlin, towards the end of the book before reading the poems. This will give the reader a deeper meaning and understanding of poems selected by Daniel Ladinsky.
Ladinsky has presented the poems under seven headings, each with a specific theme.
1. "You are with a friend now" has those poems which talk about those preparations which are needed before begining the journey of love.
2. "Come to My House" is the part where Hafiz introduces himself as a Guide, Friend and Lover who invites us to share his life and see the world through his eyes.
3. "We All Sit in God's Classroom" consists of all those poems that unfold the journey of love through process of life, not by talking but by experiencing love.
Renderings of Hafiz
By: Daniel Ladinsky
Published by: Penguin Books
This thin book of poems of hope and joy is a treasure of spiritual assets. This selection of Hafiz's poems, by Daniel Ladinsky, is certainly marvelous. Hafiz, whose real name was Shams-ud-din, was born in Shiraz, Persia. He was gifted with natural poetic talent. Hafiz was a student of sufi teacher Muhammad Attar till the age of 60, and was guided by him through different spiritual stages of understanding of divine love. Later on he himself became a sufi master.
In his poem, and his experiences, Hafiz uses symbolic numbers or words which need to be understood to get the inner meaning of his poems before reading them. For example, the number forty is used on multiple occasions as a symbol of learning and change. I will quote the significance of this number direct from the book, "I Heard God Laughing":
"....forty is often used to indicate a term of learning and change, such as the "forty days and forty nights" of Noah's flood. Forty is also called "the number of perseverence" marking a period of growth through testing, trial and purification. After the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites endured "forty years of wandering" in the wilderness before they were ready to enter the Promised Land. Jesus, following the ancient practice of the prophets, went into the desert for a great seclusion of forty days, which he described as a period of purification and preparation for the next stage of his work. The Buddha attained final enlightenment after forty days of continuous meditation. Or the words like "aged wine" are used to represent the purified (distilled) essence of knowing of love."
I would suggest the reader should first read "The Life and Work of Hafiz" by Henry S. Mindlin, towards the end of the book before reading the poems. This will give the reader a deeper meaning and understanding of poems selected by Daniel Ladinsky.
Ladinsky has presented the poems under seven headings, each with a specific theme.
1. "You are with a friend now" has those poems which talk about those preparations which are needed before begining the journey of love.
2. "Come to My House" is the part where Hafiz introduces himself as a Guide, Friend and Lover who invites us to share his life and see the world through his eyes.
3. "We All Sit in God's Classroom" consists of all those poems that unfold the journey of love through process of life, not by talking but by experiencing love.
"Someone Should Start Laughing"
I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
How are you?
I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
What is God?
If you think that the truth can be known
from words,
If you think that the sun and the ocean
can pass through that tiny opening
called the mouth
O someone should start laughing
someone should start wildly laughing
now
4. "Set this Dry, Boring Place on Fire" consists of selected poems that deepen the understanding of real love. Hafiz challenges the love to reach its extreme intensity and then experience the divine love.
"
Spill the Oil Lamp!
Set this dry boring place on fire!
If you have ever
Made wanton love with God,
Then you have ignited that brilliant light inside
That every person needs
So ____
Spill the Oil
5. "Let Me Near You Tonight" describes the relationship between spiritual teacher and student. It talks about the bond between master and disciple (teacher and student).
"Something Invisible"
Once I asked my Master,
"What is the difference
Between you and me?"
And he replied,
"Hafiz, only this:
If a herd of wild buffalo
Broke into our house
And knocked over
Our empty begging bowls,
Not a drop would spill from yours
But there is something invisible
That God has placed in mine
If that spilled from my bowl,
It would drown the whole world."
6. "May be I could become a poet" is the section that consists of all those poems that reflect why Hafiz chose to be a poet to express the divine beauty and love.
"Your beautiful parched, holy mouth
A poet is someone
Who can pour light into a spoon,
Then raise it
To nourish
Your beautiful parched holy mouth
7. "God's Laughter" is the last section consisting of those poems that talk about God's laughter. This laughter, which is pure joy, can be heard through His closeness and the reader can feel the joy. This laughter is a music of love on which you can dance with God.
"Forever Dance"
I am happy even before I have a reason.
I am full of light even before the sky
Can greet the sun or the moon
"Dear Companions"
We have been in love with God
For so very very long
What can Hafiz now do but Forever dance!
This beautiful book is definitely worth reading. It's tickling poems trigger the rythem in soul and give smile to my lips. Melodious words of these poems made my soul dance and my inquisitive being is trying to hear the God's laugh to eliminate my sorrows and enlighten my heart with joy.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Conference of the Birds
By: Farid ud-din Attar
Translation and introduction by: Afkham Darbandi and Dick Davis
Published by: Penguin Classics
The book "Conference of the Birds' highlights the disciplines of life which are required by a Sufi to reach the stage of baqa means everlastingness. This poem starts with a allegoric form in which birds of the world were told by Hoopoe that they have a king - The Simorgh - but he lives far away and to reach him they have to travel seven valleys. Those valleys are Search, Love, Mystic Apprehension (understanding), Detachment/Independence, Unity, Bewilderness (confusion) and Fulfillment in Annihilation (destroying lower self to achieve higher and complete life).
Initially birds were very excited to go in search of Simorgh but when they realize how difficult the journey would be they started to make excuses. Hoopoe answers those excuses with beautiful small stories.
In this poem birds are identified by their species and each specie clearly indicates a human type. Such as Nightingale is a lover, the Finch is the coward etc. Each of them makes excuses according to their type, for not going on the journey. Once the journey began, the birds started asking questions about the path or the way and why a certain way was taken; just like a beginner asks question to the Sheikh in the spiritual search.
All the excuses which the birds initially used for not going on the journey are very close to human excuses for not leaving material luxuries for the sake of the soul. For example, Nightingale says she loves roses and roses love him. Anyways, Nightingales are not very strong and cannot take the pains of travelling very far in the search of Simorgh; and besides that if he will leave the roses and not sing for them then how roses will blossom. Hoopoe answered this question and said to him that the rose's superficial love is not real. Rose does not love you.
"...Forget the rose's blush and blush for shame.
Each spring she laughs, not for you, as you say,
But at you - and has faded in a day."
Then to support his answer he says the story of a dervish and a princess. There was a beautiful princess and anyone who saw her once would fall in love with her. A dervish accidentally saw her while she was giving bread to the poor. He was in line to recieve a piece of bread from her. When she came closer he almost dropped the plate in nervousness. Princess smiled when she saw that and he dervish thought that she is also in love with him. He waited outside her palace gate for seven years and cried every day to see her again. Everybody told him to leave the gate and move forward for whatever he thought was not true. He, however, stayed there and kept on crying. Finally the servant of princess got tired and decided to kill him. Princess felt sorry for him and came out and told the dervish to go away otherwise her men will kill him. He replied that he would give away his life for her love. Princess was surprised to hear that and asked who told him that she loved him. "You and I have no match" she said. The dervish said that when she gave him the bread that day she smiled at him. Princess responded:
""Poor fool, I smiled from pity, almost ridicule - your ignorance provoked that smile." She spoke and vanished like a wisp of strengthless smoke."
There were plenty of such stories. Another story which I liked about obedience is when birds were convinced to go for the search of Simorgh and they accepted Hoopoe as their guide by a bird saying that "I am ignorant of right and wrong. I'll wait for any orders that you stipulate. Whatever you command I'll gladly do, delighted to submit myself to you."
Hoopoe was happy to take the birds under his guidance and promised to give a refuge and lead the way.
Then he told the story of a king who stopped at the prison gates; The king was returning to his capital and his subjects prepared a festival to pay him the homage. Whole towns participated in festivities. Prisoners who were in chains (in the jails) had nothing to decorate so they came near the gate with the chained hands and racked limbs and their ruined lives, to greet the king. The king stopped and met them and told them that they are free and would be paid in gold. The courtier asked the king that the whole town prepared to pay him homage with beautiful decorations and dances and the king did not stop to reward them, what was so special in those prisoners that he chose to reward them. The king answered that the rest of the people were like rowdy children who were playing with new toys and participating in festivities to please themselves and the king whereas the prisoners came near the gate purely to pay homage to the king. The king said: "I see the obedience here. They bow to my commands through good and ill. They know they will die in prison but they still took the pain to come near the gate to pay me the homage. So I will use my authority to reward their wisdom by giving them the freedom and paradise."
This book is definitely worth a read. The translators have done well in retaining the poetic expressions of Attar's work.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Knowledge and Liberation - Review
Nasir Khusraw
Knowledge and Liberation
A Treatise on Philosophical Theology
Edited and Translated by Faquir M. Hunzai
Introduced by Parviz Morewedge
Published by I.B.Tauris Publishers in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies
This book is the English translation of Nasir Khusraw's "Gushayish wa Rahayish." Nasir Khusraw was a leading Ismaili poet and theologian philosopher of 11th century. In "Gushayish wa Rahayish" Nasir Khusraw addressed some philosophical and theological issues of tht time from Ismaili perspective. All these issues are addressed in the form of questions and answers. These inquiries are ranging from creation of the world to responsibility of human being. There were all together 30 questions which Faquir M. Hunzai (Editor and Translator) divided beautifully into five parts. Each part is made of a central focus theme and questions are based on those themes, such as:
1. Cosmogomy - Under this title, questions (1-5) are answered which are related to creation of the world or universe.
2. Ontology - This heading examines those questions (6-11) which deals with the meaning of existent, not being and mind sould problem.
3. Physics - This heading explores the natural and material world and its phenomenon (12-20)
4. Theology - (21-25) Deals with the study of God with some silent question such as the Quran being created or eternal, the Divine Word, and the Unity of God.
5. Theodicy - In this topic all those questions (26 - 30) were answered which provide justification of God's goodness and justice in the face of existence of evil.
This is a complex book but I couldn't avoid reading it because it deals with soul searching questions and when I started reading I felt I was getting answers of those questions that occupied my mind since a long time. Even with all its complexity this book has the power to get you completely involved in it. I experienced a paradigm shift in my understanding. Nasir Khusraw is really very good in relating difficult philosophies and theologies to every day material to clear the understanding. Here I will give some examples under the title of "Sneak Preview" of these concepts, which will give an idea to the readers about what kind of secret treasure Nasir Khusraw has to offer in this book.
Knowledge and Liberation
A Treatise on Philosophical Theology
Edited and Translated by Faquir M. Hunzai
Introduced by Parviz Morewedge
Published by I.B.Tauris Publishers in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies
This book is the English translation of Nasir Khusraw's "Gushayish wa Rahayish." Nasir Khusraw was a leading Ismaili poet and theologian philosopher of 11th century. In "Gushayish wa Rahayish" Nasir Khusraw addressed some philosophical and theological issues of tht time from Ismaili perspective. All these issues are addressed in the form of questions and answers. These inquiries are ranging from creation of the world to responsibility of human being. There were all together 30 questions which Faquir M. Hunzai (Editor and Translator) divided beautifully into five parts. Each part is made of a central focus theme and questions are based on those themes, such as:
1. Cosmogomy - Under this title, questions (1-5) are answered which are related to creation of the world or universe.
2. Ontology - This heading examines those questions (6-11) which deals with the meaning of existent, not being and mind sould problem.
3. Physics - This heading explores the natural and material world and its phenomenon (12-20)
4. Theology - (21-25) Deals with the study of God with some silent question such as the Quran being created or eternal, the Divine Word, and the Unity of God.
5. Theodicy - In this topic all those questions (26 - 30) were answered which provide justification of God's goodness and justice in the face of existence of evil.
This is a complex book but I couldn't avoid reading it because it deals with soul searching questions and when I started reading I felt I was getting answers of those questions that occupied my mind since a long time. Even with all its complexity this book has the power to get you completely involved in it. I experienced a paradigm shift in my understanding. Nasir Khusraw is really very good in relating difficult philosophies and theologies to every day material to clear the understanding. Here I will give some examples under the title of "Sneak Preview" of these concepts, which will give an idea to the readers about what kind of secret treasure Nasir Khusraw has to offer in this book.
Sneak Preview - "TIME"
In one of the questions it was asked what was the time distance between Creator and creation. To answer this question he explained in detail what is time. Not to take the beauty of illustration from words, I will quote.
"We say that first it is necessary to know what time is so that this knot can be untied. It should be known that in reality time is [contained in] the act of an agent, because it is [a measure of] the movement of the [celestial] sphere. Thus when a measure [equal to] a constellation passes from the sphere, we say that two hours from night or day have elapsed, and when a half of the sphere pases we say twelve hours of time from day or night have elapsed. [However], if you take away from the sphere from [your] imagination, nothing remains of time. When the existence of a thing depends on another thing, then if you remove the later, the former which had come into existence through the later [also] disappears. For instance, if we remove the sun from [our] imagination, the day would be removed. From this demonstration it is evident that if from the imagination you remove the sphere, time [too] would be removed. [In reality], since the rotation of the sphere is the act of an agent by the command of the Creator, Time is [caused by] the act of the Creator Himself.
In this connection, those in possession of wisdom have also said that time is nothing but [a measure of] change in the condition of body, one after the other. This view is the same as that of time being [contained in] the act of an agent, because the totality of [the world's] body is within the vault of the spheres, and when the spheres rotate its condition changes as every point of it moves from its existing place to another place. [Furthermore], the rotation of the spheres does not stop because of its time is never ending.
It is inconceivable for a simple [person] that time can be removed from the imagination. This is because of the fact that since the human soul is linked with a body which is under time, it cannot go beyond [time and space] without being nurtured with the knowledge of the truth. As God says: "O assembly of jinn and men, if you can penetrate the bounds of the heavens and the earth, do so, but you cannot without the proof" (55:33) - that is, jinn and men cannot conceive anything in their souls other than what they see in the heavens and the earth, and they cannot go beyond what is under the heavens and time unless they receive nurture [of true knowledge] from the Imam of the Time who is the proof of God [hujjat-e-khuda] on earth."
Sneak Preview - "Sirat" (Path, Bridge)
"...When we come to know that the "Sirat" is the path of the soul not a path for body, and with regards to what has been said that it stretches over hell, that it is thinner than an hair and sharper than a sword, that people have to traverse it in order to reach paradise, and if they fall from it they reach the eternal fire - all this is correct, but it is necessary to know its esoteric meaning (ta'wil) not [merely] the exoteric description. Thus, we say that the "siraat" has the status of man, [who is positioned] between animality and angelicity, and is required to walk on it straight because unless he traverses it he will be unable to reach paradise. Paradise is the higher [spiritual] world and hell is the fire which surrounds this lower [material] world. The Ta'awil of this statement is that paradise means our liberation from the world of animality, and hell means to remain in that [animal] nature. If man practices the "Shariat" without [understanding] it's ta'wil, then he makes himself into an animal, he inclines toward the left hand and falls into hell from the sirat. If he acquires [esoteric] knowledge, but does not practice the shariat while claiming angelicity he inclines towards the right hand and falls into hell from sirat. However, when man walks on the path of humanity, in which he has a share from both animality and angelicity - that is he does the work which is the share of his body and acquires knowledge which is the share of his soul - he walks on the straight path (sirat-i-mustaqim); then when he traverses the sirat he is said to have reached paradise. This is so because having walked on the straight path using both knowledge and practice, when his soul leaves the body which is his sirat, he reaches the higher world, the place of angels and the true paradise."
Such a beautiful and full of wisdom explanation of sirat changed my understanding of Surah Al Hamd, or Surah Fateha (which is the begining of every prayer). Now it is very clear in my mind why balance between Deen and Duniya is important for the salvation of our soul.
There are plenty of detailed explanations of many Quranic verses, or ayats, in which Nasir Khusraw helped me in searching my sould and exploring the world unseen. This book is definitely worth reading for those readers who are curious about understanding their own soul, their role in the world, their obligation toward body and soul and how knowledge is required for liberation of soul.
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