A Little Inspiration

NUN WA AL-QALAM

Analysis

This work was made in response to the reading “Calligraphy and Islamic Culture” by A. Schimmel. Specifically, the work was inspired by the section of the reading that deals with the relation of calligraphy and mysticism. The response has been done in soft pastel, and depicts a deep blue background on which a tablet of sandstone floats mystically. Next to the tablet is the letter Nun, which acts as a holder for a scribe’s pen. The work is a visual representation of the mythical origins of the written word, the scripture and divine predestination and decree. Schimmel explores a side of the Islamic origin myth that tries to explain not just human existence, but the more essential idea of primordial existence itself. Sura 68 begins with the verse “Nun, and the pen…” The meaning of this beginning, as Schimmel points out (78), has never been clear. According to a prominent tradition of the Prophet that Schimmel quotes, however, the pen (al-qalam) was the first thing that God created. It was capable of writing on the Lauh-e-Mahfooz, the well preserved tablet. According to one tradition, the pen has already dried up and therefore man can do nothing to change his fate or destiny. It is this notion of a pre-written fate that is depicted in the work, where the words “Al Naseeb”, “Al Maktub”, “Al Qismah”, and “Al Qudra” are written, each of them pertaining to the idea of predestination and fate. Specifically, “Al Maktub” means “that which is written”, and as such, cannot be changed.

The Nun serves a great symbolic purpose in the work. Ibn Arabi related one tradition according to which the Nun is associated with an angel, An-Nuni, who is the representation of the First Intellect, and is distinctive in its ability to “contain” knowledge. As Schimmel points out so accurately, the shape of the letter recommends its use as the ‘primordial inkpot’ (79) and it is this notion that is represented in the work. The two tradtions have been mixed together in the work: the Nun, representing the inkpot, is shown as being empty, and so the pen has dried up.

To read the original Urdu text of the naat, click on the image below to enlarge it, and then click on it again to magnify further.

Transliteration:

Khuda’ay Raheem o Kareem nay bakhsha humain
Ik insaan banaya jis nay banaya insaan humain
Hataya jiss nay humain buton say paray
Aur ik khuda ka batay humain

Khuda ka jo paigham tha, sikhaya humain
Muhabbat ka, ulfat ka paigham tha, sikhaya humain
Qabeelon qafilon main jo batay thay hum
Dar-e-khuda pay la kay bithaya humain

Soch samajh kay Buraq par bithaya humain
Hum jo bigray thay, mi’raj par bithaya humain
Haqeeqat-e-Muhammad yehee hai, pehen lo burda-e-Muhammad
Un pay qurban yeh sab, Sale-Allah nay sikhaya humain

Translation

God, in his mercy and benevolence, granted us a treasure,
In creating a man, to give mankind it’s meaning,
A man that rid us of the idols that plagued us,
And spoke of the One God, such was he

The message of God, he taught us
Of love, of passion, he taught us
Broken into fragments, tribes and castes were we
Until in in the House of God he united us

With wisdom did he show us Buraq
Spoilt and rotten we were, until he shared the Miraj
The reality of Muhammad is plain: seek comfort below his mantle
For his sake all my world is naught, such was the love of the Beloved

Analysis

This na’t was inspired by our reading In Praise of Muhammad: Sindhi and Urdu Poems, by Professor Asani. The poem is written in the Rubay’i format, which as the reading explains (p173) is a poetic form composed of quartets that follow the rhyme pattern aaba. The na’t is composed as a tribute to the prophet, and as the reading makes clear, it has certain characteristic elements that make it a distinguished style in and of itself.

This na’t begins with an affirmation. The first verse, when translated, speaks of how God has “granted” us “a mercy”.  The use of the Urdu verb ‘baksha’ here is deliberate, as this carries two distinct meanings in the language. The first, that of granting someone something, and the second, that of forgiving someone. The verse therefore has a subtle complexity which might at first be missed. In ‘granting’ Muslims the figure of Muhammad as a guide, God has in effect forgiven them for their sins because they are now guaranteed his intercession on the Day of Judgment.  The na’t continues with praise of the Prophet, referencing in the first quartet the historic occasion after the Conquest of Makkah when Muhammad removed the pagan idols in the ka’bah. In the second quartet, the poem refers to love and passion, and the Urdu terms used are “muhabbat” and “ulfat”. The use of these words is a deliberate nod to Urdu love poetry and, as the Asani reading makes clear through the example of Firaqi’s na’t (p179), there is a custom amongst Urdu poets of mixing the traditions of love-poetry and na’t. In Firaqi’s case, he refers to the epic romance of Laila and Majnu, incorporating this typical element of the Urdu love poem into na’t writing as well.

The final quartet is filled with more imagery from the Islamic tradition, but with a pronounced Sufi feel. The idea that the reader too was show Buraq, and taken on the mi’raj is reminiscent of the Sufi belief that the mi’raj is/was a spiritual journey that all people make in their lives. In the final lines, another Sufi symbol of the ‘haqeeqat-e-Muhummad’ appears and reference is made to the ‘burda’ (mantle) of the Prophet as a sanctuary. This final reference was inspired by the Quranic verse in which Muhammad is called upon with the words “O thou wrapped up in the mantle!” (Quran 74:1).

This was a joint project done in collaboration with fellow student, Nikhat Dharani
Please click here to see our rendition of The Final Battle at Karbala

 Analysis

Our response was to Sir Lewis Pelly’s The Miracle Play of Hassan and Husain. Imam Husain was portrayed as courageous and righteous but also more than willing to embrace martyrdom, a concept we found interesting. Why would someone with so much to give to his community and his family desire death? Just as the Prophet Muhammad is both a historical figure and a religious figure, Imam Husain has multiple roles. In our taziya, we incorporated the role of Imam Husain as the willing hero and martyr that Shia Muslims needed to see him as through moments where Shimar used his weapons to bring in a Husain who tried to fight the attraction. Throughout the taziya there are moments where Husain and Shimar are drawn together and pushed apart, signifying the unseen forces that our hero faces.

In continuing with the courage that Imam Husain displays, he enters the scene without weapon while Shimar is armed. We used dandiya sticks as weapons as one way to emphasize the storytelling in dance. Dandiya sticks cater to the visual and aural senses of the audience. Eyes and ears follow the sticks as they clash. In our reenactment of the battle at Karbala, Husain is without weapon, and Shimar, with his dandiyas, is a foil to Husain, highlighting Husain’s courage by repeatedly attacking him from behind. The struggle we reenact is meant to be seen and heard up close. We are surrounded by armchairs and couches, representing our audience, who can tell that Nikhat is playing Imam Husain because of the green she wears and that Sherry is playing Shimar because of the red he wears. The audience is supposed to be completely aware of what will happen, and at the same time, we want people to remember the parts of history that, for socio-political reasons, are not highlighted. Hazrat Fatima is the direct link for the Imams to the Prophet Muhammad, and we chose Nikhat to play his role because of the pivotal role that Hazrat Fatima had.