Humans Are Slaves To Their Basic Temperament

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 16 February 2024 Buri Sarisht Na Badli Jagah Badalne Se Chaman Mein Aa Ke Bhi Kaanta Gulaab Ho Na Saka Arzoo Lakhnavi (The basic nature doesn't change with the change of place/ The thorn couldn't become a rose despite coming to the garden) Arzoo Lakhnavi was born on February 16. ----- By the way, from the perspective of etymology, Persian word Sarisht is somewhat similar to Sanskrit word Srishti (Origin/ Base/ The root/ Cosmos) in sound and meaning/s. Persian and Sanskrit are sister tongues. I still remember this couplet that I heard for the first time in my Urdu class. When I started reading Arzoo Lakhnavi's poetry, I stumbled upon yet another almost similar couplet that he wrote when he was 22-yr-old: Jis Ka Jaisa Zarf Hota Hai/ Taaumra Insaan Use Nahin Khota Hai (One never loses one's basic nature: Khameer-o-Khaslat in Arabic). Humans are slaves to their basic constitution and temperament. While education and upbringing can bring about certain changes, complete transformation of an individual is often not possible. There's an Urdu proverb, 'Chor Chori Se Jaye, Hera Pheri Se Na Jaaye' (Old habits die hard). Kirdaar Badalta Nahin, Laakh Kaavish Keejiye/ Darakht-E-Babul Pe Gulaab Aata Nahin, Laakh Seenchiye (The character never changes, however hard you may try/ A rose will not embellish a gum Arabic tree despite irrigating it continuously). Humans tend to revert to their original nature. Two English idioms illustrate this quite aptly: Can a leopard change its spots? and Can an Ethiopian change his colour. I'm dropping the second one because of its outright racist tone. But there's no gainsaying the fact that what one's born with remains till the end. An Aesop's famous tale is known to all, how a saint tried to save a drowning scorpion and every time he'd lift the creature up, it'd sting him. Someone asked him, why doesn't he let it drown when it stings all the time? The saint said that stinging is its nature and saving is his fundamental disposition. Let it sting. Yet, he'll continue to try to save it. Chalk from the cheese and crass from the class shall always remain obvious. Yours truly experienced this in his observations and interactions with a wide spectrum of people across the countries and continents. Once in Poona, I saw a petty corporator-level politician speak with the waiter in an extremely derogatory manner. I later came to know that he was a goon (all politicians are goons). But I also saw a poor Muslim man at Khidirpur, Calcutta who spoke with the owner of a tea stall so nicely and in such an impeccable Urdu that I was really astonished. That tea stall owner later told me that the man was the direct descendant of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Class never goes. If that hooligan-turned-politician couldn't talk nicely, that poor man in Calcutta mesmerized me with his refined behaviour and exquisite language. Their behaviour revealed their intrinsic character. American novelist and Nobel laureate Pearl S Buck wrote tellingly that a person's basic nature surfaces even when he or she is not talking and sitting still. Ismat Chughtai also said the same thing, 'Zubaan Khulne Se Pahle, Ishare De Dete Hain Suraagh-E-Auqaat-E-Insaan' (Before a person can speak, his/her actions reveal the status). One may find it a tad too much and also slightly condescending, but it's true. Your basic nature is a barometer of your (social) stature. ------ 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://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/humans-slaves-temperament/d/131728 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