We Don't Require Divided and Cerebrally Fractured Humans

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 20 October 2022 Expand Your Wings Wide and Fly Beyond Firmament; Don't Remain Stuck In Things Petty And Impermanent Persian poet Anwari, translated by the writer There was once a candy maker who made candies in the shapes of animals and birds of different colours and sizes. When he sold his candies to children, they would begin to quarrel with words such as these: “My rabbit is better than your tiger.....My squirrel may be smaller than your elephant, but it's tastier..." And the candy maker would laugh at the thought of grown-ups who were no less ignorant than the children, when they thought that one person was better than another. Enlightenment knows that it's our culture and conditioning, not our nature that divides us. We are indeed no less than the children in ignorance and follies. We are constantly conditioned and indoctrinated to liking and disliking a person, object or a different culture from ours. It's because of our conditioning and cultural influence that we tend to generalise that all blacks (I should be using a morally more correct term like non-white) are criminals and even begin to erroneously believe that they are sub-humans and Neanderthals. We never take into consideration that three of the most sublime human beings in the last century have been coloured: Dr Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu (you can include India's M K Gandhi as well). It's our cultural conditioning that an average Maharashtrian labours under the belief that all Biharis and North Indians are inferior people and Bengalis fallaciously think that they have a genetic hold over literature and fine arts. The followers of one religion (esp. Muslims) think themselves to be superior to the followers of other faiths and this nonsense goes on. This conditioning and slow indoctrination create differences, discrimination and divisions. It's because of our cultural upbringing that we still follow the caste system and proudly proclaim that we are Brahamins and others are shudras or untouchables. We are still so conditioned that father and brothers rape a poor girl before hacking her to pieces because of her ' unpardonable crime ' of eloping with a boy of a lower caste. We were basically created without any distinction of colour, class, creed, culture, civilization and country. It's what's inside that makes us rise. When I was a child, I read a beautiful story that has always stayed in the depth of my conscience and consciousness: A little black boy was watching the balloon man at the Country Fair. The man was evidently a good salesman, because he allowed a red balloon to break loose and soar high up in the air, thereby attracting a crowd of prospective young customers. Then he released a blue balloon, then a yellow one and a white one. They all went soaring up into the sky until they disappeared. The little black boy stood looking at the black balloon for a long time, then asked, “Sir, if you sent the black one up would it go as high as the others? " The balloon man gave the kid an understanding smile. He snapped the string that held the black balloon in place and, as it soared upwards, said, " It isn't the colour, son. It's what's inside that makes it rise." 'Man is known by his inner essence,' wrote the US President Abraham Lincoln to his white friend who was in favour of retaining the abominable practice of slavery. When that inner essence is realised and empathised, we start looking at everyone equally. 'Har Zarra Chamkta Hai Anwaar-E-Ilahi Se/Har Shai Ye Kahti Hai Main Hoon Toh Khuda Bhi Hai' (Every particle is effulgent with the Almighty's pulchritude/everything says that I exist. So does god). Human existence requires sublimity of vision, munificence of emotions, generosity of ideas and broadness of sensibilities. Then only the whole world can become one, sans any difference and discrimination. Though it seems and sounds a tad un-pragmatic in this violently debased world, it ain't impossible. Allama Iqbal so succinctly said, 'Haqeeqat Ek Hai Har Shai Ki, Khaaki Ho Ya Noori/Lahoo Khursheed Ka Tapke, Agar Zarre Ka Dil Cheerein' (The truth of all things is same, whether ordinary or extraordinary/A tiny particle will ooze the blood of the sun when its heart is cut open). The egalitarianism in heart enables us to see the world as our extension. We all need to keep stoking and stroking that innate sense of equality all human beings are imbued with. The world will soon be a paradise. We don't require a mosaic of countries, religions, sects and their imaginary gods. Rather, we need a uniformity and seamlessness in humanity. We don't need divided and cerebrally fractured humans. We need transformed and evolved souls. Do I sound too utopian? Sorry, no condescension, but those living in the cesspool of differences and discriminations for ages and generations, will never comprehend me and my all-encompassing and liberal vision. ----- 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 world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/divided-cerebrally-fractured-humans/d/128220 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