Linguists and philologists worldwide have come to the unanimous conclusion that one of the most beautiful words in all languages is ‘empathy’. In Persian, ‘empathy is called taghayyun, jazb-e-makhsoos, yakdali or yaksimt tasavvur’. Now the question is: What exactly is empathy?
Let me define it in the words of English poet William Blake, “Empathy is when you and me are no different/ Each soul is me, each man’s my friend.” It’s a sublime sense of inter-connectivity. Empathy is far greater than sympathy. The latter is more of a lip-service whereas the former is emotional merging.
A close study of Persian mysticism of Attar, Rumi, Hafiz, Sanai, Khaqani, Nizami, Urfi, Anwari, Jami and Khusro among others, reveals that the recurrent theme, the leit motif of Persian mysticism, is empathy: Yak jazba shazaaful riftan ke aaz nizaaq-e-kaaynaat – one spirit of universal connectivity runs through all creatures, living or non-living – wrote Hafiz Shirazi when this lofty realisation dawned on him at the age of 18.
In fact, empathy is not just the spirit of Persian mysticism but also of the whole Islamic theology (tasawwuf). Leonard Lewisohn writes in ‘An Introduction to the History of Modern Persian Mysticism’ that “Empathy is the corner-stone of Persian and Islamic mysticism.” All Persian and Arab mystics might have been inspired by the idea of empathy in Upanishadic universality. The concept of Aham Brahmasmi – I am Truth – became An-Al-Haq in Islamic tasawwuf of Mansoor Al-Hallaj. And what’s An-Al-Haq or Aham Brahmasmi? It’s the merging of an individual’s soul into the Universal Being. This is spiritual empathy or Khaqani’s ‘Varzad Al-Meena’, the uniformity of Oneness.
The very notion of tauheed, Oneness or Wahad-tul-wajood in Arabic, is the spiritual manifestation of empathy. Mystics, especially Iranian mystics, believed that the whole of humankind is interrelated on an emotional plane with just one predominant craving regulating all lives on earth. That cementing bond is empathy. Amir Khusro defines it thus: “When there’s one universal chetna, life-spirit or consciousness, that you and I are blessed with, it’s useless to distinguish among humankind.” In other words, we’re all the same; offshoots and branches of the same tree.
Empathy provides a universal vision and profound insights into mind and matter. Coleman Bark writes in his book ‘Rumi’ that the great mystic wouldn’t even kick a piece of stone because he believed that even a stone had a level of consciousness and it, too, deserved respect! Compare it with Allama Iqbal’s couplet in ‘Payaam-e-Mashriq’, The Message from the East, “Sang ke bhi hota hai dil/ Kisi soorat ise na samajh mahmil” – Even a stone has a heart/ So, never consider it to be useless.
Elsewhere Rumi wrote, “Ya intiha-e-taghyyun mee azbaq/ Sang-e-qifaar na mizdeen kavaq” – I feel the same degree of love even for a stone as I believe that it also belongs to me.
Universal empathy sublimates into bekhudi, state of self-immersion and the whole of humankind appears to be a big family, felt Khaqani. One can clearly hear and discern the echoes of the Upanishadic philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in Khaqani’s exalted observation.
In this age of differences and worldwide turmoil, the imbibing of empathy and acceptance of universal sameness can save all of us. Otherwise, we are likely to be condemned to be doomed.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article
Courtesy:Times Of India,S.T ,April 27 ,2019
Linguists and philologists worldwide have come to the unanimous conclusion that one of the most beautiful words in all languages is ‘empathy’. In Persian, ‘empathy is called taghayyun, jazb-e-makhsoos, yakdali or yaksimt tasavvur’. Now the question is: What exactly is empathy?
Let me define it in the words of English poet William Blake, “Empathy is when you and me are no different/ Each soul is me, each man’s my friend.” It’s a sublime sense of inter-connectivity. Empathy is far greater than sympathy. The latter is more of a lip-service whereas the former is emotional merging.
A close study of Persian mysticism of Attar, Rumi, Hafiz, Sanai, Khaqani, Nizami, Urfi, Anwari, Jami and Khusro among others, reveals that the recurrent theme, the leit motif of Persian mysticism, is empathy: Yak jazba shazaaful riftan ke aaz nizaaq-e-kaaynaat – one spirit of universal connectivity runs through all creatures, living or non-living – wrote Hafiz Shirazi when this lofty realisation dawned on him at the age of 18.
In fact, empathy is not just the spirit of Persian mysticism but also of the whole Islamic theology (tasawwuf). Leonard Lewisohn writes in ‘An Introduction to the History of Modern Persian Mysticism’ that “Empathy is the corner-stone of Persian and Islamic mysticism.” All Persian and Arab mystics might have been inspired by the idea of empathy in Upanishadic universality. The concept of Aham Brahmasmi – I am Truth – became An-Al-Haq in Islamic tasawwuf of Mansoor Al-Hallaj. And what’s An-Al-Haq or Aham Brahmasmi? It’s the merging of an individual’s soul into the Universal Being. This is spiritual empathy or Khaqani’s ‘Varzad Al-Meena’, the uniformity of Oneness.
The very notion of tauheed, Oneness or Wahad-tul-wajood in Arabic, is the spiritual manifestation of empathy. Mystics, especially Iranian mystics, believed that the whole of humankind is interrelated on an emotional plane with just one predominant craving regulating all lives on earth. That cementing bond is empathy. Amir Khusro defines it thus: “When there’s one universal chetna, life-spirit or consciousness, that you and I are blessed with, it’s useless to distinguish among humankind.” In other words, we’re all the same; offshoots and branches of the same tree.
Empathy provides a universal vision and profound insights into mind and matter. Coleman Bark writes in his book ‘Rumi’ that the great mystic wouldn’t even kick a piece of stone because he believed that even a stone had a level of consciousness and it, too, deserved respect! Compare it with Allama Iqbal’s couplet in ‘Payaam-e-Mashriq’, The Message from the East, “Sang ke bhi hota hai dil/ Kisi soorat ise na samajh mahmil” – Even a stone has a heart/ So, never consider it to be useless.
Elsewhere Rumi wrote, “Ya intiha-e-taghyyun mee azbaq/ Sang-e-qifaar na mizdeen kavaq” – I feel the same degree of love even for a stone as I believe that it also belongs to me.
Universal empathy sublimates into bekhudi, state of self-immersion and the whole of humankind appears to be a big family, felt Khaqani. One can clearly hear and discern the echoes of the Upanishadic philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in Khaqani’s exalted observation.
In this age of differences and worldwide turmoil, the imbibing of empathy and acceptance of universal sameness can save all of us. Otherwise, we are likely to be condemned to be doomed.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article
Courtesy:Times Of India,S.T ,April 27 ,2019