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رموز بی خودی
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That the Purpose of Muhammad’s Mission was to found
Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood among all Mankind
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Throughout the world man worshipped tyrant man,
Despised, neglected, insignificant;
Caesar and Chrosroes, highwaymen enthroned, [37]
Fettered and chained their subjects, hand and foot.
High Priest and Pope, Sultan and Prince – for one
Poor prey a hundred huntsmen took the field;
The sceptered monarch and the surpliced priest
Each claimed his tribute from the wasted fields;
The bishop, eager for this abject game,
Bartered God’s pardon with the penitent.
The Brahman from his garden raped his blooms,
The Magian fed his harvest to the fire. [38]
Serfdom debased man’s nature; while his reed
Throbbed with the threnody of his heart’s blood.
Until one faithful reassigned their rights
To those whose rights they were, the Khaqan’s throne [39]
Delivering into his subject’s hands;
Fanned their dead embers into flame anew;
Raised up Farhad, poor hewer of the rocks, [40]
To Parwiz’ royal height; brought dignity
To honest toil, and robbed the taskmasters
Of tyrant overlordship. By his might
He shattered every ancient privilege,
And built new walls to fortify mankind.
He breathed fresh life in Adam’s weary bones,
Redeemed the slave from bondage, set him free.
His birth was mortal to the ancient world,
Death to the temples of idolatry.
Freedom was born out of his holy heart;
His vineyard flowed with that delightful wine.
The world’s new age, its hundred lamps ablaze,
Opened its eyes upon his loving breast.
He drew on Being’s page the new design,
Brought into life a race of conquerors,
A people deaf to every voice but God’s
A moth devoted to Muhammad’s flame;
The fire of God was glowing in their breasts,
Their motes were radiant in the brilliance
Of the Sun’s sanctuary. His fervour flushed
Creation all with joy; new Kaabas rose
Where China’s temples once with idols stood.
All prophets and apostles were his sires,
And in the order of his chivalry
They were -most noble who feared God the best-. [41]
-Believers all are brothers- in his heart, [42]
Freedom the sun and substance of his flesh.
Impatient with discrimination all,
His soul was pregnant with Equality.
Therefore his sons stand up erect and free
As the tall cypresses, the ancient pledge.
In him renewing, -Yea, Thou art our Lord-. [43]
Prostration unto God had marked his brow;
The moon and stars bow down to kiss his feet.
*
The story of Bu Ubaid and Jaban, in Illustration
of Muslim Brotherhood
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A certain general of King Yazdajird [44]
Became a Muslim’s captive in the wars;
A Guebre he was, inured to every trick
Of fortune, crafty, cunning, full of guile.
He kept his captor ignorant of his rank
Nor told him who he was, or what his name,
But said, “I beg that you will spare my life
And grant to me the quarter Muslims gain.”
The Muslim sheathed his sword. “To shed thy blood”,
He cried, “were impious and forbidden sin.”
When Kaveh’s banner had been rent to shreds, [45]
The fire of Sasan’s sons turned all to dust, [46]
It was disclosed the captive Jaban was,
Supreme commander of the Persian host.
Then was his fraud reported, and his blood
Petitioned of the Arab general;
But Bu Ubaid, famed leader of the ranks
From far Hejaz, who needed not the aid
Of armies to assist his bold resolve
In battletide, thus answered their request.
“Friends, we are Muslims, strings upon one lute
And of one concord. Ali’s voice attunes
With Abu Dharr’s, although the throat be that
Of Qanbar or Bilal. Each one of us [47]
Is trustee to the whole Community
And one with it, in malice or in truce.
As the Community is the sure base
On which the Individual rests secure,
So is its covenant his sacred bond.
Though Jaban was a foeman to Islam,
A Muslim granted him immunity;
His blood, O followers of the best of men,
May not be spilled by any Muslim sword.”
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The Story of Sultan Murad and the Architect,
in Illustration of Muslim Equality
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An architect there was, that in Khojand
Was born, a famous craftsman of his kind,
Worthy to be an offspring of Farhad.
Sultan Murad commanded him to build
A mosque, the which pleased not his majesty,
So that he waxed right furious at his faults.
The baleful fire flared in the ruler’s eyes;
Drawing his dagger, he cut off the hand
Of that poor wretch, so that the spurting blood
Gushed from his forearm. In such hapless plight
He came before the cadi, and retold
The tyrant’s felony, that had destroyed
The cunning hand which shaped the granite rock.
“O thou whose words a message are of Truth,”
He cried, “whose toil it is to keep alive
Muhammad’s Law, I am no ear-bored slave
Patient to wear the ring of monarchs’ might.
Determine my appeal by the Koran!”
The upright cadi bit his lips in ire
And summoned to his court the unjust king
Who, hearing the Koran invoked, turned pale
With awe, and came like any criminal
Before the judge, his eyes cast down in shame,
His cheeks as crimson as the tulip’s glow.
On one side stood the appellant, and on one
The high exalted emperor, who spoke.
“I am ashamed of this that I have wrought
And make confession of my grievous crime.”
“-In retribution-”, quoth the judge, “-is life-, [48]
And by that law life finds stability.
The Muslim slave no less is than free men,
Nor is the emperor’s blood of richer hue
Than the poor builder’s.” Listening to these words
Of Holy Writ, Murad shook off his sleeve
And bared his hand. The plaintiff thereupon
No longer could keep silence. “-God commands- [49]
-Justice and kindliness-,” recited he.
“For God’s sake and Muhammad’s,” he declared,
“I do forgive him.” Note the majesty
Of the Apostle’s Law, and how an ant [50]
Triumphantly outfought a Solomon!
Before the tribunal of the Koran
Master and slave are one, the mat of reeds
Coequal with the throne of rich brocade.
*
Concerning Muslim Freedom, and the Secret of
the Tragedy of Kerbala
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Whoever maketh compact with the One
That Is, hath been delivered from the yoke
Of every idol. Unto Love belongs
The true believer, and Love unto him.
Love maketh all things possible to us.
Reason is ruthless; Love is even more,
Purer, and nimbler, and more unafraid.
Lost in the maze of cause and of effect
Is Reason; Love strikes boldly in the field
Of Action. Crafty Reason sets a snare;
Love overthrows the prey with strong right arm.
Reason is rich in fear and doubt; but Love
Has firm resolve, faith indissoluble.
Reason constructs, to make a wilderness;
Love lays wide waste, to build all up anew.
Reason is cheap, and plentiful as air;
Love is most scarce to find, and of great price.
Reason stands firm upon phenomena,
But Love is naked of material robes.
Reason says, “Thrust thyself into the fore”;
Love answers, “Try thy heart, and prove thyself.”
Reason by acquisition is informed
Of other; Love is born of inward grace
And makes account with Self. Reason declares,
“Be happy, and be prosperous”; Love replies,
“Become a servant, that thou mayest be free.”
Freedom brings full contentment to Love’s soul,
Freedom, the driver of Love’s riding-beast.
Hast thou not heard what things in time of war
Love wrought with lustful Reason? I would speak
Of that great leader of all men who love
Truly the Lord, that upright cypress-tree
Of the Apostle’s garden, Ali’s son [51]
Whose father led the sacrificial feast
That he might prove -a mighty offering-; [52]
And for that prince of the best race of men
The Last of the Apostles gave his back
To ride upon, -a camel passing fair-. [53]
Crimsoned his blood the cheek of jealous Love
(Which theme adorns my verse in beauty bold)
Who is sublime in our Community
As -Say, the Lord is God- exalts the Book. [54]
Moses and Pharaoh, Shabbir and Yazid – [55]
From Life spring these conflicting potencies;
Truth lives in Shabbir’s strength; Untruth is that
Fierce, final anguish of regretful death.
And when the Caliphate first snapped its thread
From the Koran, in Freedom’s throat was poured
A fatal poison; like a rain-charged cloud
The effulgence of the best of peoples rose
Out of the West, to spill on Kerbela,
And in that soil, that desert was before,
Sowed, as he died, a field of tulip-blood.
There, till the Resurrection, tyranny
Was evermore cut off; a garden fair
Immortalizes where his lifeblood surged.
For Truth alone his blood dripped to the dust,
Wherefore he has become the edifice [56]
Of faith in God’s pure Unity. Indeed
Had his ambition been for earthly rule,
Not so provisioned would he have set forth
On his last journey, having enemies
Innumerable as the desert sands,
Equal his friends in number to God’s Name.
The mystery that was epitomized
In Abraham and Ishmael through his life
And death stood forth at last in full revealed.
Firm as a mountain-chain was his resolve,
Impetuous, unwavering to its goal.
The Sword is for the glory of the Faith
And is unsheathed but to defend the Law.
The Muslim, servant unto God alone,
Before no Pharaoh casteth down his head.
His blood interpreted these mysteries,
And waked our slumbering Community.
He drew the sword -There is none other god-
And shed the blood of them that served the lie;
Inscribing in the wilderness -save God-
He wrote for all to read the exordium
Of our salvation. From Husain we learned
The riddle of the Book, and at his flame
Kindles our torches. Vanished now from ken
Damascus’ might, the splendour of Baghdad,
Granada’s majesty, all lost to mind;
Yet still the strings he smote within our soul
Vibrate, still ever new our faith abides
In his -Allahu Akbar-. Gentle breeze, [57]
Thou messenger of them that are afar,
Bear these my tears to lave his holy dust.
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Legendă:
[37] Împărații persani (sasanizi) erau numiți Chosroes.
[38] Magii sunt un alt nume pentru zoroaștrii veneratori ai Focului.
[39] Khaqan era un titlu purtat de regii Tătariei.
[40] Farhad, renumitul arhitect îndrăgostit de prea-frumoasa Shirin; rivalul său în dragoste era Khusrau Parwiz, împăratul Persiei. Farhad își croiește o cărare prin munți pentru a ajunge la Shirin dar piere la auzul veștii neadevărate că ea a murit; epopee scrisă și povestită în numeroase lucrări de artă.
[41] Hujurāt, 13: Voi oameni! Noi v-am creat dintr-un bărbat şi o femeie şi v-am făcut popoare şi triburi ca voi să vă cunoaşteţi unii pe alţii. Cel mai cinstit dintre voi înaintea lui Allah este cel mai conștiincios. Allah este Ştiutor, Cunoscător.
[42] Hujurāt, 10: Credincioşii sunt fraţi. Împăcaţi-i pe fraţii voştri! Temeţi-vă de Allah! Poate veţi fi miluiţi!
[43] Arāf, 171: Amintiţi-vă! Noi am ridicat Muntele deasupra lor precum un nor. Ei îşi închipuiau că va cădea peste ei: Luaţi cu încredere ceea ce vă Dăruim, amintiţi-vă de ceea ce este în aceasta. Poate vă veţi teme!
[44] Yazdajird a fost ultimul rege sasanid al Persiei.
[45] Kaveh, fierarul din Isfahan, a înălțat stindardul răzvrătirii împotriva tiranului uzurpator Zahhak și l-a înscăunat pe Feridun pe tronul Persiei.
[46] Sasan este fondatorul dinastiei sasanide răsturnate de cucerirea arabă a Persiei.
[47] Qanbar, un rob eliberat, era slujitorul califului Ali; similar, Bilal, un sclav abisinian, a fost eliberat și numit muezin al Profetului ﷺ.
[48] Baqara, 175: Cei care ascund ceea ce Allah a pogorât din Carte şi vând apoi pe un preţ mărunt, aceia nu vor înghiţi în măruntaiele lor decât foc. Allah nu le va vorbi în Ziua Învierii şi nici nu-i va curăţi, ci, de o osândă dureroasă, vor avea parte.
[49] Nahl, 16: Nu fiţi asemenea celei care-şi destramă urzeala după ce o țese cu migală. Nu vă faceţi din jurăminte o înşelăciune între voi, crezând că un popor este deasupra celuilalt. Allah vă pune astfel la încercare. În Ziua Învierii El vă v-a desluşi pentru ce vă învrăjbeaţi.
[50] Naml, 18: Când ajunseră în Valea Furnicilor, o furnică spuse: Voi furnici! Intraţi în lăcaşurile voastre ca să nu vă strivească Solomon şi oştirile sale fără să-şi dea seama.
[51] Fiul lui Ali, Husain, a îmbrățișat martiriul la Kerbala în anul 680; capul său a fost trimis califului Yazid împotriva căruia el (pacea fie asupra lui) se revoltase.
[52] Sāffāt, 107: Noi l-am răscumpărat printr-o jertfă măreaţă.
[53] se referă la o spusă a Profetului ﷺ.
[54] Ikhlās, 1: Spune Allah este Unic.
[55] Shabbir este un nume atribuit de Profet ﷺ nepotului său Husain.
[56] Iqbal îl citează pe Mu’in al-Din Chishti (1236).
[57] Allahu Akbar (Allah este Măreț) alcătuiește chemarea islamică la Rugăciune.
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Stray thoughts Reflections
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LIFE AS CRITICISM OF POETRY
Matthew Arnold defines poetry as criticism of life. That life is criticism of poetry is equally true.
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EUROPEAN CHRISTIANITY
In the sphere of human thought Muhammad, Buddha and Kant were probably the greatest revolutionaries. In the sphere of action Napoleon stands unrivalled. I do not include Christ among the world’s revolutionaries, since the movement initiated by him was soon absorbed by pre-Christian paganism. European Christianity seems to be to be nothing more than a feeble translation of ancient paganism in the language of Semitic theology.
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CHRIST AND SPINOZA
The Jewish Race has produced only two great men – Christ and Spinoza. The former was God incarnated in the Son, the latter in the universe. Spinoza was only a completion of the greatest teacher of his race.
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ARISTOTLE
I have the greatest respect for Aristotle, not only because I (living in the twentieth century) know him much better than the older generations of my community, but also because of his vast influence on the thought of my people. The tinge, however, of ingratitude revealed in his criticism of Plato’s doctrine of Ideas withholds me from giving him my fullest admiration. I do not deny the truth contained in his criticism of his master’s views; but I detest the spirit in which he chooses to approach them.
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THE MADNESS OF NIETZSCHE
There are strange inconsistencies in the nature of man. If I marry a prostitute I indicate thereby that I do not object to such nasty alliances. But if you make my conduct the subject of a story I take it ill – I condemn in theory what I permit in practice. The philosophy of Nietzsche – at least in the domain of ethics – is an attempt rationally to justify the conduct of Europe, yet this great prophet of aristocracy is universally condemned in Europe. Only a few have realised the meaning of his madness.
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