“Does not the Qur’an challenge the artist, as much as the mystic, to go beyond the physical - the outward - so as to seek to unveil that which lies at the center but gives life to the periphery?” Mawlana Hazar Imam, at the International Colloquium, Word of God, Art of Man: Qur’an and its Creative Expressions, organized by the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London.
In a speech at the International Colloquium in London, the Imam invites both artists and mystics to explore the Qur’an, stating that it is a challenging piece of literature, one that can be ‘unveiled’ for a deeper meaning. It is up to the artist or the mystic to go beyond that which is physical (zahir) to that which is spiritual (bāṭin). He further shares that the Qur’an-e-Sharif is rich in metaphors and parables. While it has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for artists worldwide, it can also be interpreted in many different ways.[1]
The modern art critic evaluates art based on their understanding of the artists who have come before, as well as the judgments of critics whose footsteps they are following. [2] It is often said that a painting can be viewed in an endless number of ways and the historical significance of a piece of art is attached to the time period in which it was created. Muslim literature can be viewed in a similar vein; the beauty of which originates from the zahir (body) which the author creates. From that point onwards, it is the interlocking relationship the reader has to the literature, their understanding of the writers who have come before them, as well as the judgments of the critics whose footsteps they follow, that dictate the knowledge (bāṭin) that is imparted to them.[3]
Rasāʾil Ikhwân al-Safâ’ (Epistles of the Brethren of Purity) Epistle 22: The Case of Animals versus Man before the King of the Jinn
Similarly, the human and animal rebuttal in Ikhwân al-Safâ’a in Epistle 22, can be viewed in many different ways. A similar rebuttal can be written between the people of different religions or people of different creeds or even people of different generations.[4] As the reader reflects on their understanding of the poem, they are confronted by the bāṭin or the soul of the poem.
The authors of Ikhwân al-Safâ’, take us on a spiritual journey into a remote time in the past where humans are talking to animals. The humans are convinced that Allah has made them superior to the animals; however, the animals disagree on moral and ethical grounds.[5] Humans refer to Qur’anic verses to support their argument of being superior to animals and animals give their rebuttal, quoting either different passages from the Qur’an or pointing out logical fallacies in the arguments that humans present.
The authors also allude to various admirable qualities found in different animals. For example, the camel is appreciated for his ability to find his way even in the dark, the cow for her ability to find her way back to her owner, and the lamb for his ability to recognize his mother. [6]
The lion roars. He seemed quite bothered by the humans' claim of superiority. “Are they better than us in strength or courage or in bold hunting? Do they have the power to spring and hold their prey with an iron grip? Can they remain unshaken in battle, whether in attacking or defending themselves?’’[6]
When the King of the Jinns asked humans for their response, the latter argued that they were better than their animal counterparts, for they had kings, caliphs and sultans amongst them, orators, poets and theologians amongst them, philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers amongst them.[5]
The parrot protests that for every praiseworthy human there is also an opposite kind, one who is mean and disgusting. “You have your pharaohs, nimrods, tyrants, and unbelievers, your scoundrels, rogues, hypocrites and traitors, your thieves, robbers and swindlers. Among you are the cheats, fools and numbskulls, halfwits and other similar types.” The parrot then quickly dissociates with these traits and claims to be completely removed from them.[6]
This allegorical fable can have numerous interpretations that provide us with a mirror into understanding ourselves as well as the people around us. The Epistle uses language to influence our worldview by expressing the need for a kind of social justice that is based on rational arguments and sound moral reasoning; however, it also helps us understand that a Qur’anic verse can have many different interpretations, and that engaging with the text could be a way to get us closer to the ethical underpinnings of the Qur’an.[6]
It is said that one day Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq, the founder of Jaʿfari school of Islamic jurisprudence, was asked about the interpretation of a Qur’anic verse. When he responded, he was confronted by a listener who said that his interpretation was different on a previous occasion. Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq said, “We can speak about a word in seven different ways.” The listener was surprised, exclaiming, “Seven!” The Imam reiterated, “Yes, even seventy. If you ask us more we can increase it even more.”[3]
Therefore, Ismaili medieval scholars, bāṭinīya (esotericists) were interested not so much in the literal interpretation (tafsir) which was a thriving genre. They were interested in deciphering the metaphors and parables of the written text. Among such entities we find the likes of Abū Ya‘qūb al-Sijistānī, Al-Qāḍī Abū Ḥanīfa al-Nuʿmān and Nāṣir-i Khusraw.
Abū Ya‘qūb al-Sijistānī (d.ca. 361 AH/972 CE) in his Kitāb al-Maqālīd al-Malakūtiyya (Book of Keys to the Kingdom)
Al-Sijistānī, was probably a high ranking official in the Ismaili dawa for areas of Iraq and Iran. Some scholars have identified “cotton-seed'' as his nickname: in
Arabic, khayshafuj and in Persian, pamba-danah. Al-Sijistānī has written extensively on Islamic philosophy. Among his prominent works, we can recall the Book of Keys (Kitāb al-Maqālīd), The Ladder of Salvation (Sullam al-Najāt), The Book of Boasting (Kitāb al-Iftikhār), The Book of the Wellsprings (Kitāb al-Yanābīʿ ), Revealing the Concealed (Kashf al-Maḥjūb) and Prophecy’s Proof (Ithbāt al-Nubuwwāh).[7]
In his Kitāb al-Maqālīd (Book of Keys), a manuscript said to have never been published, he shares that the tanzil or translation of a verse is similar to the raw material, whereas the taʾwīl or interpretation resembles the manufactured goods and unless a practitioner extracts the intended meaning from each word, the utility remains hidden.[3]
“For example, nature produces various types of woods, but unless a craftsman works on them and gives them a specific shape, such as a door, a chest or a chair, the wood is not worth more than fuel (to be consumed) by the fire. The wood’s worth and benefit become manifest only after it receives the craftsman’s craftsmanship. The craftsmanship (is an art which) puts everything in its proper place. Likewise is the case of other raw materials, such as iron, gold, copper and silver. Unless a craftsman works on them, their worth and utility remain hidden." Al-Sijistani, Kitab Al-Maqalid 52, iqlid translated by Ismail K. Poonawala in his essay Ismaili Taʾwīl of the Qur’an.[3]
Al-Qāḍī Abū Ḥanīfa al-Nuʿmān (d. 363/974) in his Kitāb Asās al-taʾwīl (The Foundations of Spiritual Hermeneutics)
Al-Qāḍī Abū Ḥanīfa al-Nuʿmān, a Fatimid jurist well known for his contributions to jurisprudence, also wrote about esoteric matters and affirmed that the Qur’an and prophetic traditions have both an exoteric and an esoteric dimensions.[8] In his Asās al-taʾwīl (The Foundations of Spiritual Hermeneutics), he concludes that the explanation and interpretation of a Qur’anic verse is based on the hadd or rank of the practitioner. The higher the rank, the higher the number of interpretations.
What is interesting about the views of Muslim scholars such as Qadi al-Nuʿmān, Al- Sijistani and the likes is the sophistication with which they approach the written text; their acknowledgement of the complexities of how language is perceived by individuals in any given time period highlights the importance of the historical context of both the author as well as the interpreter. They remind us that understanding complex ideas is possible by those that have prior knowledge, that are high in hadd or rank. They further recognize that we as individuals are all holders of incomplete knowledge and beg us not only to acknowledge people who are different from us -the other - rather it holds us hostage to our own dogmatic views unless we give others the opportunity to express their ideas.
In Qur’an-e-Sharif Allah says,
Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fine exhortation; and hold discourse with them (the People of the Book) in that which is finest (16:125).
Dr. Reza Shah-Kazemi at the Milad al-Nabi celebrations held in Atlanta and San Francisco, in 2007, reminds us of this beautiful verse of the Qur’an-e-Sharif on discourse with the ‘other.’ He invites us to view the other with dignity and respect and not allow any differences to undermine what is most noble in the other. In this way, we can encourage the other to view our own position with a reciprocal recognition, a mutual respect that can be
cultivated between two or more people.[9]
Conclusion
For the art critic this is quite a tall order. On one hand they are asked to analyze Muslim literature using the methods well known in the art World and on the other there needs to be a commitment to learn newer ways of engaging with the text. For Sijistani, the way of engaging with the text neither has a proper method, nor does interpretation itself has any strict rules. Rather, it is through guidance and consultation that one can unfold the intended meaning of a text. [10]
Walker explains that the search for the truth goes deeper and deeper as the layers of the exterior are washed away. Therefore, the average person while having access to merely a partial reality would need verification of the truth or taḥqīq, which is possible through inquiry and investigation.[10]
While the tafsir genre gives us insight into the literal interpretation of the Quran-e-Sharif, manuscripts from medieval scholars such as Sijistānī and Qāḍī al-Nuʿmān help us reflect on our own limitations in understanding the inner meaning of the text and invite us to engage with each other in a quest to unfold the mysteries of the World.
Today, this bāṭini (esoteric) interpretation of Muslim literature is well within the grasp of the modern art critic, perhaps more than it has ever been. Globalization and technological advances have led us into an interconnected world where we are confronted by radically differing views.[11] Therefore, we must find new ways of building bridges with people that might not think like we do, share our ideas of what we understand or what we don't understand and be open to new ways of thinking.
References
- Mawlana Hazar Imam. (2021, May 7). Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur’an and its Creative Expressions. International Colloquium organized by The Institute of Ismaili Studies click here
- Kuspit, D. B. (2022). Art Criticism. In Encyclopædia Britannica. click here
- Poonawala, I. (1988). Ismāʿīlī Taʾwīl of the Qu’ran. In Approaches to the History of the Interpretation of the Qur’an (pp. 197–220). Oxford Press. pp. 200- 206. click here
- Goodman, L. E., & Mcgregor, R. (2010). Ikhwān Al-Ṣafāʼ: The Case of the Animals versus Man Before the King of the Jinn : an Arabic Critical Edition and English Translation of Epistle 22. Oxford University Press. pp. 113-114. click here
- Institute of Ismaili Studies. (2020). Secondary Curriculum: Muslim Devotional and Ethical Literature (Student Reader). Islamic Publications Limited. pp. 68-73. click here
- Unzaga, O. A. (2020, June 23). Nourishment of the Mind: An Introduction to the Rasa’il Ikwan Al-Safa . The Ismaili TV: Islamic Publications Limited. click here
- Walker, P. E. (1994). The Wellsprings of Wisdom: A Study of Abu Yaqub Al-Sijistani’s Kitab Al- Yanabi: Including a Complete English Translation With Commentary and Notes. University of Utah Press. pp. 8-16.
- Landolt, H., Sheikh, S., & Kassam, K. (2008). An Anthology of Ismaili Literature. I.B. Tauris. pp.192. click here
- Shah-Kazemi, R. (2011). Pluralism and the Qur’an. Institute of Ismaili Studies. pp. 2-3. click here
- Walker, P.E. (1996). Abu Ya’qub al-Sijistani: Intellectual Missionary. I.B. Tauris. pp. 55-56. click here
- National Geographic Society. (2022, May 20). Globalization. National Geographic. click here
