A Literary Journey to the Northern Parts of Pakistan
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Literary World, The Daily Jang, Rawalpindi Reporter: Sacadat cAli Mujahid
Spiritual Exercise has Primary Importance in Sufism Jang Panel: Altaf Pirzadah, Shahid Mahmud, Ghulam Qadir
cAllamah Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai is not only a distinguished scholar, poet and researcher of the Northern Areas of Pakistan, but he also has a unique position on an international level due to his scholarly research. To date, he has written around 100 books, of which forty have been translated into English and several others into French, Swedish, Persian, Turkish and Gujarati languages. He has worked on the Burushaski language, its grammar, dictionary and history and thus opened new doors of research for foreign universities. He has collaborated with Heidelberg University in the compilation of the first Burushaski-German Dictionary. Due to his 62 years of service in letters and research he has been conferred with such titles as "Baba-i Burushaski", (Father of Burushaski), "Lisan al-Qawm (Tongue of the Nation), and "Hakim al-Qalam" (Sage of the Pen). He is the first Sufi poet to have a Diwan (collection of poems) in Burushaski, the ancient language spoken in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. cAllamah Nasir al-Din Hunzai was interviewed in Gilgit about his poetry and other literary subjects, the details of which are presented in the following:
Altaf Pirzadah: cAllamah Sahib! We are grateful to you from the depth of our hearts that, despite your numerous engagements, you have spared these precious moments for us and our esteemed readers. The scholarly aspects of your personality are not hidden
from the learned people. However, our general readers would like to know about your childhood, youth and later circumstances, if you would kindly shed some light on them.
A. cAllamah Nasir: Mr. Altaf Pirzadah! It is your immense kindness that you have availed me this opportunity to say a few words about myself. I was born on 15th May, 1917 A.D. in the village of Haydarabad, Hunza. Since, for centuries only the interests of autocratic rule were sought in Hunza, it was not possible for the public to send their children to school and give them (even) primary education. In the entire state, except for the government primary school in Baltit, there was no other school, nor was there a qualified teacher to benefit people with his knowledge, nor was there a religious school. Ignorance prevailed everywhere. Except for the families of the Mir and Wazir it was customary among the public to get their children to look after sheep and goats. In addition, it was also necessary for them to bring a load of sticks for fuel, from the mountain everyday.
It was an extremely hard time, in which no individual could step out of the boundaries of the state. If someone badly needed to go to Gilgit, he had to go to the threshold of the Mir with a present of fresh or dried fruits and verbally request him through a confidant for a temporary passport (rahdari). If the request was accepted, he was given a piece of paper on which the secretary (munshi) used to stamp a seal with the Mir's name and nothing else. What could be the purpose of this policy of the autocratic rule except that no individual should be able to go out of the state in order to acquire knowledge.
Among the thousands even if a teacher was found with great difficulty, he would not to be a qualified one. Yet, some youths used to go to him in order to gain some knowledge. But consider
the irony of the time that such innocent pupils were used as servants! From this you may well have estimated how difficult the social conditions of the people of Hunza were in my childhood and youth and what kind of obstacles and difficulties there were in the path of knowledge.
Sacadat cAli Mujahid: Although we know that for the aspiring people even the adverse conditions become favourable, yet as it is said "the lamp of the tulip has not been lit without struggle", our curiosity compels us to ask about yourself as has been said: "see what happens to the drop until it becomes a pearl" and know what kind of difficult stages you passed through to reach this enviable destination of knowledge and letters in this far-flung area such as the Northern Areas of Pakistan, despite the absence of any educational institutions and literary centres?
A. cAllamah Nasir: It is true that Divine power and wisdom provided means for me in strange ways. I am the youngest son of a Khalifah (representative of a pir), but the most yearning for and ardent lover of knowledge. In other words, I was among the natural lovers of knowledge and still am. This blessed love was appointed as a guardian angel and entrusted with the duty not to allow me to sit in peace without seeking knowledge. As a result I continued to acquire the knowledge which my esteemed father had and made a habit of referring to the dictionary. I acquired some knowledge from the outside too. When I used to take the goats to pasture, I used to take a book "Panj Ganj" with me, and when I used to take them to the summer pasture on the mountain for some months, I used to take the Holy Qur'an to study.
In my youth I went to the government primary school, Baltit, for ten months, during which I studied the third and fourth classes and then I could not continue and therefore, more and more I
emphasized self study. I think that in my life the experience of military life was also important. On 8th April, 1939 I was recruited in the Gilgit Scouts. During that time I experienced a whole world of observation and learning. On 1st September, 1943, I resigned from the Gilgit Scouts and joined the army on 5th October, 1943. Now, the field of my life had extended amply for observations and experiences. By the grace of God I had become habituated to searching for knowledge in all things, in addition to studying books. On 7th February, 1946, I was released from the army at my request. Although knowledge is the name of a luminous reality which is free and far removed from every kind of materiality, yet among physical and material things there is nothing which does not represent knowledge. Therefore, it is a dire need for everybody to have insight or the inner eye to be able to observe the manifold manifestations of the light of knowledge.
Shahid Mahmud: Your research consists of three fields of knowledge. Qur'anic knowledge and wisdom, poetry and (compilation of) dictionary, grammar and other aspects of the Burushaski language. Please tell us about your struggle and what kind of resources and means became available to you in order to simultaneously dive into these three kinds of oceans and bring out precious pearls?
A. cAllamah Nasir: Qur'anic knowledge and wisdom is that supreme heavenly miracle by the blessings of which the talent of a person actualises and thereby he can accomplish many feats very easily. There are two types of riyazat (spiritual exercise). The riyazat imposed by God and the riyazat which man exercises on his own. There is a world of difference between the two. Human riyazat is done by oneself, but is incomplete and not useful and Divine riyazat is imposed in the form of calamities and afflictions,
the results and fruits of which are extremely useful. Every mu'min should have the means of abundant remembrance of God in addition to other obligatory duties. By supplication in the presence of God, the Purveyor of all needs, and giryah-u zari (weeping and shedding tears) every difficult task becomes easy. It is also important to have vigils and extended cibadat. Every successful salik (spiritual traveller) keeps his heart clean from every kind of rancour and ill-will. The intense love for God, which is mentioned in the Qur'an and the Hadith, is the heavenly prescription for every ethical and spiritual disease.
As for poetry, there is pain in "artificial versification (award)", but in "inspirational poetry (amad)", there is nothing but comfort, because in the latter case the dominant element is that it comes automatically to the heart and tongue. That is, such poetry is by Divine ta'yid (help) and thus it is a branch of spiritual knowledge. Similarly Divine help dominates in the compilation of the Burushaski dictionary and grammar as well, for the structure and completion of every language is among the signs of God (30:22) and the light of recognition is going to be shed on all the signs of God which are in the external and internal worlds (41:53).
Ghulam Qadir: From your works and Burushaski poetry, one gets the impression that the given (ta'yidi) knowledge which you have received has a deep and logical link with those difficulties which you faced approximately 40 years ago in China. Would you kindly tell us what has been the role of these extraordinary events in creating a revolution of knowledge and recognition in your life?
A. cAllamah Nasir: In Sufism riyazat has paramount importance, but the greatest and the most useful riyazat, as mentioned earlier, is one which God Himself imposes on one of His servants. That is, He imposes on him wisdom-filled calamities so that during, as well
as after the God-imposed riyazat, the chain of spiritual knowledge and wisdom may continue. Thus I salute that country, that city and those places with gratitude and appreciation where such a magnificent, unique and miraculous riyazat was imposed upon me. The Holy Prophet has said: "Seek knowledge even if you have to go to China".
This good luck was amazing in my case, that the great secret of this holy Hadith was disclosed to this humble servant. It was the blessing of that extremely arduous riyazat which was imposed on me by the command of the Causer of the causes, so that I may be able to see the wonders and marvels of knowledge and the recognition of the light of Islam.
Altaf Pirzadah: What are the basic principles of the universal teachings of knowledge, recognition and Qur'anic wisdom, the lesson of which you have given, and what method have you used for their progress and what are the means of imparting this lesson?
A. cAllamah Nasir: The universal teachings of knowledge, recognition and Qur'anic wisdom are gradual, and according to the effort and capacity of every individual, because people are not equal in intellect and awareness. Therefore, one basic principle of my teaching is that I present it on different levels so that each individual may benefit according to his intellect. Besides, I do not have a particular class, but a small group of people who are on different levels of knowledge and wisdom. Now, it is these people who are the basis as well as the standard for my teachings. According to me the progress of this principle of teaching is possible by spreading books and audio cassettes in great numbers in the East and in the West, and by preparing many scholars. These are the matters which are principles as well as means.
Sacadat cAli Mujahid: You have written about 100 books. When did you start to write and what was the zeal which induced you to enter the world of writing?
A. cAllamah Nasir: It was 1957, and I had completed 40 years of my life, when I wrote my first book. I was convinced that I had been given a great trust of the recognition of self and it became necessary for me to transfer it from the heart to the book and the ardent love which I had for knowledge also urged me to write some books. The books of the dignitaries of religion, in a way, also used to tell me (urge me) everytime: Try and write something, write something.
Shahid Mahmud: By analysing your works it becomes conspicuous that there are certain subjects which the world of knowledge and letters including science, has pronounced to be among "the unidentified objects" and has expressed its incapacity of doing research in fields, such as, U.F.O.s and their coming to the earth again and again, spiritual science, subtle body, existence of subtle creatures on planets. We would like to request you to kindly shed some light in this connection.
A. cAllamah Nasir: It is true that I have discussed U.F.O.s in my writings, particularly in "Mizanu'l-Haqa'iq" (Balance of Realities), because I am extremely interested in such subjects, the reason for which is observation and the purpose being to provide information. It is very strange that according to the general public jinn, fairy, subtle body, flying saucers, etc., are different creatures, whereas in reality it is one subtle creature, which has the capability of manifesting itself in different forms and hence has many names. Thus during the spiritual revolution the single creature which I had seen has been mentioned by many names: Sometimes it is called jinn, sometimes subtle body, sometimes ibdaci body, sometimes
flying saucers, sometimes body of similitude, etc., whereas in reality it is the same thing. Spiritual science is in spirituality and the Qur'an, an appropriate example of which is:
By the special grace of God, when someone wears that heavenly shirt which is mentioned in the Qur'an (16:81), then he can fly on the stars and planets like jinn, angel, flying saucers, subtle body, etc. By this he comes to know that every star is a world of subtle creatures. See verse (42:29) where God says: "And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the living things He has spread forth in both of them".
Ghulam Qadir: Referring to the Holy Qur'an as the fountainhead of knowledge and wisdom you have written "Qur'ani cIlaj" (Qur'anic Healing), "cIlmi cIlaj" (Healing through Knowledge) and "Ruhani cIlaj" (Spiritual Healing) and have given the beautiful concept of the Qur'anic hospital and heavenly physician. However, would you kindly furnish us some arguments through which we may be able to convince those who, due to the influence of materialism, distance themselves from this concept.
A. cAllamah Nasir: Numerous arguments can be presented as proof of healing through the Qur'an, knowledge and spirituality and such arguments have been presented in the above-mentioned books. Nonetheless, here are some additional examples of such arguments:-
We have to see whether, besides material medicine, the human heart, mind, body and soul are affected by ethical and psychological means, or not? Everybody knows that sometimes a person drips with sweat owing to shame. This is merely a sign of the influence of psychological effects.
Similarly, there is a great impact of fear on human beings. Most people undergo change due to their own ire and fury. It is also human nature that the burden of grief becomes very heavy upon one. Sometimes intense grief or happiness proves to be fatal to human beings. Due to despondency the human mind and heart become half-dead. The effect of ardent love is also very intense on mankind.
These examples show that man has, not only the characteristic of being affected by others, but also of affecting himself. Thus those who, without completing the course of the medicines of the Qur'an, knowledge and spirituality, say that there is no healing in them, are utterly wrong and are sick intellectually and logically, but this sickness is hidden.
Altaf Pirzadah: Your book "What is Soul?" is by no means less than a "scientific discovery" in the field of modern research. Therefore, in view of the interest of readers, we would like to request you to shed more light on this subject.
A. cAllamah Nasir: The knowledge of soul is as sublime and difficult, as its recognition is necessary, because any level of the recognition of God is possible only through the recognition of soul. It is of paramount importance in Islamic mysticism or Sufism that, in order to attain the recognition of one's own soul, one should strictly adhere to riyazat and additional prayers (nawafil). Besides, the permission and blessings of the Perfect Murshid are a pre-requisite. It is obvious that such a task is not possible without the Supreme Name (ism-i aczam), which is from among the beautiful names of God and which the Murshid himself decides to grant.
Now, it should be known that this is not an exercise of chillah (forty days), but it will be the beginning of the chain of nawafil. Vigil is an essential part of this exercise. In order to pave the path for Divine remembrance it is very useful to do giryah-u zari (shedding tears) and supplication. Details of this sacred work are very extensive, but briefly speaking, if a spiritual traveller in his life-time enters the door of death and Hazrat cIzra'il imposes on him the extraordinary riyazat of life and death for approximately a week, then God willing, this new-born baby of spirituality will progress gradually and advance in spiritual stages until he will find himself a new-born baby at the station of intellect as well.
Sacadat cAli Mujahid: Allah has ninety-nine names. One is essential or personal and the rest are attributive. Do they, according to you, have gradational knowledge and recognition with respect to human ascension and elevation at the levels of soul and intellect?
A. cAllamah Nasir: The Hadith in which this is mentioned is: "Allah has ninety-nine names - a hundred less one." (Bukhari, III, Kitabu'd-dacwat, Bab, 805). This Hadith indicates that Allah's names are ninety-nine, a hundred as well as one. Where they are ninety-nine, they are attributive names, and where they are a hundred, His essential or personal name is included in them, and where there is only one name, it is His essential or personal name, also called the Supreme Name. Each of these names is a treasure of knowledge and wisdom and the essential or Supreme Name is the treasure of treasures. That is, all the names and their treasures are contained in it. All these names have gradational knowledge and wisdom for the people.
Shahid Mahmud: What role can poetry which is related to Sufism and recognition of God play in the ethical and spiritual
upbringing of the nations and their social awakening? In this connection, in how many languages have you composed poetry and what are its impact and results?
A. cAllamah Nasir: In the wisdom-filled poetry of a Sufi and an cArif (one who has recognised God) there are extremely effective parts of the minor sur and minor resurrection, because the things of every kind have a whole and every whole consists of parts. According to the purport of a Prophetic Tradition, a part of poetry consists of wisdom and the wisdom according to the Qur'an is: "And he who is granted wisdom, has been granted abundant good" (2:269). Indeed, poems related to spiritual purification and the recognition of God are the soul of nations.
I have composed poems in Burushaski, Persian, Urdu and Turkish and by the grace of Allah, their collective effects and results are very good. They work as an automatic open university, particularly the poems in Burushaski, Al-hamdu li'llah! (Praise belongs to Allah).
Ghulam Qadir: The different branches of science have established the fact that the principle of unity reigns over the collective system of the universe or universes. What is your view regarding human unity and integrity with reference to Qur'anic teachings? Is it possible for mankind to be completely united at a certain time? If yes, when?
A. cAllamah Nasir: Yes, it is true that there are traces of eternal unity and integrity in the things of the universe, because the universe is created by one God. Similarly, all human beings have spread from the loins of one father. In the Holy Qur'an there are many prophecies concerning the togetherness of all human beings. And whatever is said in the Qur'an and Islam is true and therefore,
with reference to the wise Qur'an, I would like to say that the example of the togetherness of the creation and resurrection of all people is the Single Soul (31:28). In connection with spiritual wonders and marvels all people also become a Single Soul.
In Sufic terminology the external world is a macrocosm and man a microcosm. The new term for man is personal world, because the external world is contained in man. This means that all individuals and all things are represented in every individual in the form of particles. This is the reason that man, in his physical and spiritual existence, is a combination of countless particles: Countless cells of body, countless particles of vegetative soul, countless particles of animal soul and countless particles of human or rational soul. If this world of particles is in front of the eye of certainty (caynu'l-yaqin), it is called the world of particles (calam-i dharr). Thus in every individual the unity of the world of humanity exists potentially.
Altaf Pirzadah: The services which you have rendered for the Burushaski language are not confined to regional and national levels, but also in the form of co-operation with foreign universities. Kindly introduce yourself to our readers concerning your services to the structure, growth, grammar, dictionary and history of Burushaski. How did you accomplish this difficult task on the basis of self-help?
A. cAllamah Nasir: It is my conviction that every good deed is accomplished by the grace of God, otherwise, there were immense difficulties in the path of Burushaski poetry. The impressions of some local people about it were not favourable. They used to say that "it is entirely a language of bickering". The reason for this was that certain vulgar words had dominated its countless beauties, as if a dragon was sitting on the treasure of precious pearls or as
though the princess bride was hiding her face in a tattered veil, in order to test people. Due to all these reasons some local people, neglecting it, had started to compose poetry in Persian.
According to one analysis there are names of animals which do not exist in this region, such as hasto (elephant), galjo (jackal), shadi (monkey) in this language. This means that ancient Burusho came from a great country where there were all these things. When those people came here, they brought with them only their language and words and the actual things were left behind. Another analysis shows that infinitives such as "girminas (to write)", ghatanas (to read)" are primary infinitives, therefore, it is proper to say that ancient Burushaski was the language of a nation among whom writing and reading were in vogue. A third analysis shows that: kar, karkar, kakar, kirkar, kirkir, kikir, kar, kirkar, karkar, karkÚr, kor, korkor, kokor, kirkÚr, kirkor, all these words which derive from the same root, have the varying meanings of walking and strolling. The root of most Burushaski words has a meaning, such as "kar (strolling)" which is of the stock of biliteral words, which is a very great stock.
A fourth analysis shows that: from the word "har (ox)" are derived the following words: Hars (plough), harcum (yoke), harki (tillage), haris (wooden spade), harkay (to plough by men instead of oxen), halagon (the line drawn by plough), etc. These are ancient, primary and unaffected words which can be traced.
Burushaski is spoken in Hunza, Nagar and Yasin. If there is any difference in the accent and words of these areas, it is the indication of its vastness. For instance, shakl (face) is an Arabic word from which in the old times the Burushaski word "ishkil (his face)" is formed, which is reserved in its original form in Nagar, but in Hunza there has been some modification, which is "iskil". In
the same manner some more problems of the origin of the language can be solved from the dialect of Yasin. God willing, in the near future there will emerge qualified scholars from Hunza, Nagar and Yasin, who by mutual cooperation will compile a common dictionary and grammar. It is also possible that a non-Burushin or non-Burusho may be whole-heartedly interested in this research project. In any case there is glad news, because the coming age is the age of peace, security, compromise, harmony, knowledge and letters.
Sacadat cAli Mujahid: Are your translated works taught in vocational or educational institutions of the western countries? If yes, which ones?
A. cAllamah Nasir: In today's scientific world where there is a flood of progress everywhere, the introduction of a work of a humble person in an educational institution is tantamount to accomplishing the impossible. Yet, abundant thanks to Allah, Who is the Causer of causes, that by His grace, some of my books are in the department of philology, University of Montreal for research. Recently Prof. E. Tiffou has published a book by the name of "Hunza Proverbs", which consists of 252 pages, on the inside title page of which my name is included among the names of other co-authors, such as:
(1) E.Tiffou, University of Montreal, (2) Y. Ch. Morin, University of Montreal, (3) H. Berger, University of Heidelberg, (4) Late Lieutenant-Colonel D.L.R. Lorimer, (5) Nasiruddin Hunzai, Khanah-yi Hikmat, Karachi.
I think that it is a source of repute and honour to participate in the compilation of a book with eminent professors. Now this book will be used not only in the university but also outside it. The same is
the position of the Burushaski-German dictionary, which is going to be published by Prof. H. Berger from Heidelberg University.
Dr. Bostan Hirji, who is a very talented personality in the field of knowledge and letters, has used "Qur'anic Healing" successfully in the clinical pastoral education at the Washington Hospital Centre, Washington D.C, U.S.A. She has mentioned this in her review which is included at the end of its second edition.
Shahid Mahmud: Have you established any organizations for the promotion of knowledge and letters? If so, please tell us what is their collective activity and future programme? Also kindly tell us what were the means and factors in extending the circle of your activities to spread knowledge to the international level, particularly western countries and who were the persons who have played a primary role in it?
A. cAllamah Nasir: We have three organizations: Khanah-yi Hikmat, Idarah-yi cArif and Burushaski Research Academy. Their collective performance has been enviable. At present by the grace of Allah there are forty office-bearers and scholars among my students in the East and in the West who will work together and make a programme for the future. All of them are always ready in order to extend the circle of my many-sided services for knowledge in the world. Day and night they demonstrate their high ambition. It is true that had the present zeal of devotion not been there in translation and other matters, the circle of our service would have been very limited, nor would we have been recognized by others. In this I am referring to Dr. Faquir Muhammad Hunzai, his colleagues and other translators.
Ghulam Qadir: Would you like to give an important message to our readers?
A. cAllamah Nasir: Yes, God willing: (1) Just as all Muslim leaders and culama' had become united and unanimous for the creation of Pakistan, it is necessary for all of us to be united and unanimous for its unity, integrity, protection and progress. (2) The people of letters in their vast fields can demonstrate their best services for the country, nation and humanity. (3) Every Muslim must be enraptured with the zeal of well-wishing, because according to a holy Hadith religion is defined as well-wishing. (4) I believe that after the material science, the age of spiritual science is going to come, therefore, this definitely calls for ethical and spiritual preparation. (5) May Almighty Allah, for the sake of His beloved Holy Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him and his progeny) grant us all success, so that we may sincerely and courageously fulfil the rights of Allah and the rights of His servants. Amin!
cAllamah Sahib! The circle of the great service which you conscientiously render for the promotion of knowledge, encompasses the levels of Islam, country and humanity at large. The spiritual symbols and secrets of knowledge which you make public gradually are free from any artificiality and ostentation and are the preservers of truth. Despite this eminence in knowledge your adherence to the principle of true darwishi is the proof of the fact that you, your pen and works are great, dignified, balanced and steadfast.
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