"You Needn't Accept All That I Say. At Least, Let Me Finish My Sentence"

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 27 February 2024 "You don't have to love me but please throw yourself into the world with me." Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet "You needn't accept all that I say. At least, let me finish my sentence...." Sappho, Greek poetess "Zamana Meri Har Baat Maane, Ye Zaroori Nahin Meri Baat Suni Jaaye, Faqat Itni-Si Iltija Hai" (It's not incumbent upon the world to agree with whatever I say in my speech / Just listening to me is what I beseech)......yours truly's shadow-translation Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, legendary Pakistani Urdu poet I just finished reading Hikmet's two compilations of poetry in Turkish, Sappho's 'Fragments' in Greek and Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi's poetry in Urdu. Strangely, I came across the aforementioned thoughts which, though similar, are expressed in a very unique manner by the three greats of world literature. In this quote, Nazim Hikmet beautifully encapsulates the essence of true companionship and shared experiences. He acknowledges that love may not always be guaranteed, but he implores others to embark on life's journey alongside him. Hikmet's words emphasize the importance of forming bonds and connections with one another, transcending the bounds of individual desires and instilling a sense of unity. By inviting others to throw themselves into the world with him, Hikmet beckons them to embrace all that life has to offer, together. This quote reflects the poet's yearning for genuine human connections and highlights the power of collective experiences in enriching our existence. When Sappho implores 'Let me finish my sentence' and Qasmi requests that he should at least be heard, we all find ourselves agreeing with both the greats. We may disagree with the speaker, but we must be polite as well as generous to let others present their versions of truth. All the conflicts in the world are because we're not ready to listen to the entire viewpoints of others. We butt in with our subjective perceptions of a situation or issue. Ludwig Wittgenstein says, "Truth surfaces only when you finish your whole sentence." Listening to others is an exercise in patience and compassion. You needn't agree with what others say and vice versa but you can at least show a modicum of respect, courtesy and decorum to conflicting views. To respect contrasting and contradicting views is to be respectful of people. Humanity thrives in a non-confrontational set-up. Vulgar and violent disagreements are always the wet-blankets. What a nudge serves, a knock doesn't. Too much assertiveness leads to bitterness and bad-blood. Poet Derek Walcott puts it so sublimely, "Mankind has a common destiny. When you suffer, the world suffers with you. When you rejoice, everyone rejoices with you." This brings all of us together regardless of caste, class, creed and complexion. It may sound utopian but it can be a universal reality in future when evolved humans will learn to live harmoniously, something that's not happening at the moment and we're all sparring over petty issues of religion, god, temple, politics, nation and nationalism. When people of all hues, shades and views will be able to come together, shelving all their differences and prejudices, what Hikmet, Sappho and Qasmi stated long ago, will be a reality. I'm hopeful. Aren't you? ------ 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/hikmet-sappho-qasmi/d/131808 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