The Spirit Of A Creation

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 20 October 2025 I've always pondered Henry Ward Beecher's famous quote, "We must pass from believing in books, to believing in the Spirit from which books come." This emphasizes the evolution of faith and knowledge. He urges individuals to transcend the mere belief in books and embrace the deeper essence they originate from, the spirit. Recognizing that books are the vessels through which knowledge is shared, Beecher encourages us to move beyond simply placing our trust in written words and instead cultivate a belief in the intangible wisdom and inspiration that gave birth to those texts. By embracing the spirit from which books emerge, we develop a more profound and enlightened perception of the world, allowing us to seek wisdom beyond what is merely written on paper. This quote encourages us to delve deeper, embrace the unknown, and harness the limitless potential of the spirit. One example will make it clear. If you read, nay pore over, Coleman Barks' immensely popular book on Jalaluddin Rumi, "The Essential Rumi' and William Chit-tick's 'Me & Rumi: The Autobiography of Shams-e-Tabriz', you'll feel the lack of spirit in Barks' book " The Essential Rumi " despite having no knowledge of Persian, Islamic Tasawwuf or Rumi's mysticism. But when you read Chit-tick's 'Me & Rumi', you can feel the spirit of Rumi and Shams. William Chit-tick's masterful translation of the Maqalat of Shams-i Tabrizi moves Rumi's beloved mentor, Shams, from the shadows into the light and restores him (Shams) to the central position of prominence that he so richly deserves. This work immediately joins the indispensable shortlist of scholarly works on Rumi and his community. Highly recommended for all scholars and students of Sufism, Islamic Philosophy, Persian literature, and of course for all the legions of Rumi fans. While Barks' book on Rumi is for the general readers because Coleman simplified English translations of Rumi's works as he cannot read and write Persian, Chit-tick is the scholar of Persian and studied Islamic mysticism very deeply. The spirit of a book is judged by the author's involvement and investment in his or her characters. You needn't know the language of your character, but you need to have the neck-deep involvement in the character you're depicting and delineating in your book or work/s. Dr Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' wrote a poetic work, Rashmirathi on the life of Karna, a lofty character from the Mahabharata. Dinkar's spirited involvement in his character Karna made it one of the finest creations in the annals of Hindi literature. A book doesn't contain mere words. It contains the spirit of the writer/author and the spirit of the character/s. Why is Shakespearean oeuvre still relevant even after 400 years? Shakespeare lived from 1567 to 1616. Because of the spirit he could infuse into his 37 or 38 plays and innumerable sonnets (154 precisely), his exceptional works are still alive and read across the globe. American poet Walt Whitman wrote in his very famous poetry collection 'Leaves of Grass' (1855) that his poem must be read with spirited enthusiasm that can sync with the overall spirit of the book. Read Ghalib's 235 Urdu Ghazals. Not a single Ghazal appears to be written perfunctorily. Every Ghazal has a spirit of creative involvement and the honesty of a poet. When the spirit of the book/work/poem gels with the honesty and integrity of the creator, the outcome is extraordinary. You still read Ghalib and marvel at the poet's genius. But we often ignore the spirited involvement of the writer to make his/her work everlasting. To quote Sahir, "Jo Taar Se Nikli Hai Woh Dhun Sab Ne Suni Hai/ Jo Saaz Pe Guzri Hai Woh Kis Dil Ko Pata Hai" (The tune emanating from the strings appeals to all/ But who knows what befell the instrument or the instrumentalist?). W H Longfellow described it in his inimitable manner, " The heights by great men reached and kept/ Were not attained by sudden flight/ But they while their companions slept/ Were toiling upward in the night." Any great work, whether a book or a monument, has the spirit of its creator. When you look at the Taj Mahal and wonder at its magnificence, don't forget that scores of nameless labourers and masons poured their hearts outs. "Dil Jhonk Diya Ik Maqbara Banane Mein/ Zindagi Luta Di Kisi Ki Turbat Sajane Mein" (Hearts were poured out in building a mausoleum/ Lives were spent in embellishing someone's tomb). The Taj Mahal was built over a period of approximately 22 years, from 1632 to 1653. The spirit of those nameless men appears on every nook, cranny, alcove and wall of Taj Mahal. By the way, hands of the artisans were never cut or amputated at the behest of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, though it's a widespread belief in India and is now taught at schools that this indeed happened! Jay Hindu Rashtra! ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URl: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/spirit-creation/d/137314 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism