A debate on sculpture, idol and statue

Idol and sculpture are different things. Idol creates a concept related to worship. Worship carries a sense creating a sentiment of religiosity. Sculpture always stands as a figurative silent spokesman of culture, history and heritage. So the image of an Idol and the figure of a sculpture always sense us a different entity. If an individual does not have the ability to differentiate between an idol and a sculpture, he will be confused with a confounding prejudice about an Idol and a sculpture.
 The capital city Dhaka has taken a picture of agitation and debate on the removal of the sculpture, a figurative symbol of justice from the frontal premises of Bangladesh supreme court. Hefazat-e-Islam, an ecclesiastical Muslim community demanded the removal of this sculpture. The miscellaneous reactions and repercussion has been created over this issue. Now the question which has arised why this sculpture, the symbol of justice should be removed? What compulsion has made the authority compelled to execute this removal? We have to go to the depth to make the clarification of this issue of grievance. Any superficial explanation of the creed of Islam cannot provide the nation with sufficient interpretations to emancipate the society from this controversy.    
In Islam idolatry is not merely an issue of discouragement. Idolatry is absolutely  forbidden in Islam. According to Islam a complete surrender to the Almighty is the real salvation of soul. Since any kind of Idolatry is a negation to monotheism, the belief in existence of one God, Islam holds an uncompromising sentiment against  any effigitic worship.  
The statue of Themes installed in the premises of the highest judicial building of the republic was not an effigitic figure carrying a sentiment of Idolatry. It stood as a figurative projection of justice though this kind of figurative projection is not necessary to demonstrate the idea of justice.  I have seen the deity Themes, godess of justice having the costume of a Bengali woman. Perhaps sculptor Mrinal Haque with his roaming mind traveling over the realm of classic Rome and Greece had chosen Themes from mythological tome. Aesthetic and manifestating concept of sculpture-culture basically came from ancient Greece and Rome though Indian sub-continent also was the tradition of sculpture-culture but with a distinction of structural usage. Mohenjudaro, Taksilla, Nalanda, Kanchi, Paharpur, Mainamati, Mohastangar are still remaining as the ancient sites of historical interest for leaving ancient historical ingredients including sculptures and sculpture-culture is a movable phenomenon. The nature of culture does not allow it to be confined in a particular geographical periphery. Sculpture is a strong component of culture. So sculpture Mrinal Haque is always in the line of previllege of being exempted from being accused of using the physic of Greek mythological deity Themes, the godess of justice in his sculptural design. Question has been arised whether the statue of Themes installed before the supreme court building is justified. I think that any physical projection for manifestating the idea of justice before the court is not necessary. But it does not mean that the sculpture should be eliminated from the periphery of our country. Any sculpture, if it does not have the use of worshiping can not be injurious to the religious sentiment of the Muslim community anywhere in the world.  
Islam in India took its root by the mission of the followers of Sufism. Sufism conquered the hearts of millions of people in Indian sub-continent by creating open space of dialogues and discourses for the followers of various ecleciastical creeds. The philosophy followed by Hazrat Kaja Mainuddin Hassan Chesti Khorasani, Hazrat Nizam Uddin Awolia, Hazrat Kutubuddin Mohammad Baktier Kaki Hazrat Sayed Ahmed Sirhind Mujuddadi, Hazrat Shabas Kalander, Hazrat Shah Jalal, Shah Paran, Shah Makhdom, Baizid Bustami all came to India from different parts of Asia minor i.e Middle east bearing the message of Islam where  the door was open to all to be inundated by the beauty of Islam where no disparity among mankind is encouraged. Indian sub-continent before the advent of Islam was denched with the principles of Sonatana religion and Bhuddism. Despite very attractive opopthegm of Buddha, Verse of Lord Krishna in Bhagabat Gita and the aphorism of king Yodhisti (Jodhisti), Islam had been able to create a space for the followers of different paths and approbation. Because who shouldered the mission of preaching Islam in India were very profound and farsighted to interpret the inherent magnanimity and shrine of this religion.  
A few respected leaders from Muslim Community of Bangladesh in their discourses in TV talk-show argued infavoure of confining the worship in domestic  selected room particularly for the minority worshiping idol. In this respect it is my humble request to those revered religious leaders to think that we are the citizens of a country having a secular constitution declaring the equal rights of every citizen in respect of casts, creed, colour and religion, If a Muslim can perform his religious rituals in open space of witness, the followers of other faiths in Bangladesh should have the similar position and right to perform their piety- functions and activities. The inherent spirit of Islam has always a combating message against niggardliness. Our Prophet Hazrat Mohammd (S) (Piece be upon him) did not impose any intervention or impediment on Jewish and Christian community to go to their prayer houses or to perform their religious rituals publicly rather our Prophet (s) took the responsibility of the custodian to protect the lives and properties of the citizens of different faiths and beliefs in his realm. The Charta of Madina is not only the first written constitution of the world but also a unique document of governing a state with the spirit of liberalism and democratic rights. We, the Muslim community of Bangladesh should not be oblivious to the principles of tolerance which our beloved prophet left to us to be followed.  
We are the successors of the glorious past of communal harmony prevailing in Bengal and in a large scale in Indian Sub-continent even in many cases ignoring the devide and rule policy of colonial power.
 It will not be unwise to mention two unique paradigms of communal harmony in India. Sarwarpur, a village ten kilometers from Samrala town in Panjab has a sizeable Muslim population. In the communal civil strife which accompanied the partition of Panjab in August 1947, most of the Muslim fled to Pakistan and the mosque was demolished by rampaging mobs of Hindus and Sikhs. But later on the skihs and the Hindus of the village realised their mistakes of frantic sentiment due to the situation arised during the parititon of India. Then they rebuilt the mosque and Jathedar Kirpal Singh of Shiromoni Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee and the MLA of the village Jagibwan Singh including all villagers welcomed Maulana Habibur Rahman Sani Ludhianvi and presented the key of the mosque to the oldest villager Dada Mohammad Tufail. There were  triumphant cries of Allah-ho-Akbar (God is great). Guru Nanak’s first disciple Bhai Mardana remained Muslim to the end of his life. Another example of unique communal harmony had been set up where Sufi Saint Hazrat Mian Mir of Lahore was invited by fifth Guru Arjun, compiler of Adi-granth to lay down the foundation of Harmondir (to-day’s Golden temple). Another example of communal harmony we can cite here that one of the Queens of Maghraja Ranjit Singh built the white marble Dargah of Data Ganj Baksh, the popular Sufi shrine in Lahore to-day.
Bengal is the homeland of Lalon, Sree Chaitannya Deb, Hasan Raja and the latest Shah Abdul Kaim who were the proclaimers of conquiring hearts of mankind by love, affection and affinity through their lyrics. The secular sentiment found in the behaviour pattern of Bengal and other parts of India is the contribution of those Sufi saints who propagated love for mankind through their messages and lyrics.  
The removal of the statue of Themis by the decision of the highest Judiciary of the country has created a debate which is stretching the nation to a wrangling whether the culture of sculpture will remain or not in Bangladesh. A few respected annotaters have opined against the existence of any kind of statue whether Idol or sculpture in Bangladesh. It is my appeal to the revered religious leaders to caste a peep on the pages of history of our nation which are full of description of the heritage regarding our heroic achievements of remote and recent past considering sculptures as the authentic materials and ingredients to constitute the history of a nation recording the antecedents and activities of lineal ancestors. It is the history even less then half a century that we achieved our independence through a battle shading huge blood of more than 3 millions patriots known and unknown. On the basis of the highest and peakable achievement of Bengali Nation that is independence achieved in 1971 having supreme sacrifice of lives and properties, many sculptures have already been installed as monuments in different spaces of the country. These sculptures bearing the testimony of the glorious past are no-doubt the zeal of inspiration to our young and impending generation who will be the spokesmen of our heritage to the world community in the days to come.
Iran defeated Reza Shah Pahlavi, the crested figure of dynastic rule by a popular Islamic revolution triggered by an old man Aetullah Khumini. Soon after the revolution, the Islamic Republic Iran could have demolished and eliminated all sculptures discriminately installed all over the terrain of that vast country. But the pro-Islamist Government of Iran did not show any frantic sentiment on the issue of erasing statues and sculptures of pre and post Islamic period as the incarnations of idolatry. The Persian are one of the oldest civilized nations of the world. A wonderful civilization was flourishing in present Iran before many years of the advent of Islam which attracted many schoolars and Abul Kasem Ferdusi the great poet of post Islamic period felt a great zeal which made him compulsive under a strong passion to move his mighty pen to record the pre-Islamic heroism of Iran by writing Shahnama.  
Among the dominant post Islamic schoolars in Iran Sheikh Sadi and Jalaluddin Rumi palyed an important role in interpreting the inherent teaching and learning of Islam through writing prolonged lyrics in Gulista, Busta and Masnavi. The lyrics in the mentioned scripts are the comprehensive interpretations of the  Holy Quran, Hadith and the Iranians have been found deeply committed to restoring their traditions and culture. In this respect there is a strong consensus of the secular approach among all Iranians. Even during Islamic revolution in Iran, no question was arised on the elimination of any sculpture. The sculpture of Sheikh Muslehuddin bin Sadi Shiraji and Jalaluddin Rumi are still standing in the city of Shiraj, the birth place of Sadi and Rumi in Rumi District of Tajikistan, the birth place of the later. When we recite Durud on our holy Prophet, we read
“Balaghal Ula bi Kamalihi
Kashafad-duja bi- Jamaalihi
Hasunat jamieu Khisaalihi
Sallu alaihi wa aalihi.
to draw the attention of Muslim to the credibility on ‘Miraj’ the meeting between the Almighty Allah and our Prophet Mohammad (S).  This wonderful lyrics was written by Moulana Sheikh Sadi.  
In summing up, we should keep in mind that the tolerance of the citizens towards the people of diversified culture, heritage, history and religion is always a directrix  of a strong nation.
 
The writer is Chairman of English department, Mohammadpur Central University College, Dhaka.

 

A debate on sculpture, idol and statue

Idol and sculpture are different things. Idol creates a concept related to worship. Worship carries a sense creating a sentiment of religiosity. Sculpture always stands as a figurative silent spokesman of culture, history and heritage. So the image of an Idol and the figure of a sculpture always sense us a different entity. If an individual does not have the ability to differentiate between an idol and a sculpture, he will be confused with a confounding prejudice about an Idol and a sculpture. The capital city Dhaka has taken a picture of agitation and debate on the removal of the sculpture, a figurative symbol of justice from the frontal premises of Bangladesh supreme court. Hefazat-e-Islam, an ecclesiastical Muslim community demanded the removal of this sculpture. The miscellaneous reactions and repercussion has been created over this issue. Now the question which has arised why this sculpture, the symbol of justice should be removed? What compulsion has made the authority compelled to execute this removal? We have to go to the depth to make the clarification of this issue of grievance. Any superficial explanation of the creed of Islam cannot provide the nation with sufficient interpretations to emancipate the society from this controversy. In Islam idolatry is not merely an issue of discouragement. Idolatry is absolutely forbidden in Islam. According to Islam a complete surrender to the Almighty is the real salvation of soul. Since any kind of Idolatry is a negation to monotheism, the belief in existence of one God, Islam holds an uncompromising sentiment against any effigitic worship. The statue of Themes installed in the premises of the highest judicial building of the republic was not an effigitic figure carrying a sentiment of Idolatry. It stood as a figurative projection of justice though this kind of figurative projection is not necessary to demonstrate the idea of justice. I have seen the deity Themes, godess of justice having the costume of a Bengali woman. Perhaps sculptor Mrinal Haque with his roaming mind traveling over the realm of classic Rome and Greece had chosen Themes from mythological tome. Aesthetic and manifestating concept of sculpture-culture basically came from ancient Greece and Rome though Indian sub-continent also was the tradition of sculpture-culture but with a distinction of structural usage. Mohenjudaro, Taksilla, Nalanda, Kanchi, Paharpur, Mainamati, Mohastangar are still remaining as the ancient sites of historical interest for leaving ancient historical ingredients including sculptures and sculpture-culture is a movable phenomenon. The nature of culture does not allow it to be confined in a particular geographical periphery. Sculpture is a strong component of culture. So sculpture Mrinal Haque is always in the line of previllege of being exempted from being accused of using the physic of Greek mythological deity Themes, the godess of justice in his sculptural design. Question has been arised whether the statue of Themes installed before the supreme court building is justified. I think that any physical projection for manifestating the idea of justice before the court is not necessary. But it does not mean that the sculpture should be eliminated from the periphery of our country. Any sculpture, if it does not have the use of worshiping can not be injurious to the religious sentiment of the Muslim community anywhere in the world. Islam in India took its root by the mission of the followers of Sufism. Sufism conquered the hearts of millions of people in Indian sub-continent by creating open space of dialogues and discourses for the followers of various ecleciastical creeds. The philosophy followed by Hazrat Kaja Mainuddin Hassan Chesti Khorasani, Hazrat Nizam Uddin Awolia, Hazrat Kutubuddin Mohammad Baktier Kaki Hazrat Sayed Ahmed Sirhind Mujuddadi, Hazrat Shabas Kalander, Hazrat Shah Jalal, Shah Paran, Shah Makhdom, Baizid Bustami all came to India from different parts of Asia minor i.e Middle east bearing the message of Islam where the door was open to all to be inundated by the beauty of Islam where no disparity among mankind is encouraged. Indian sub-continent before the advent of Islam was denched with the principles of Sonatana religion and Bhuddism. Despite very attractive opopthegm of Buddha, Verse of Lord Krishna in Bhagabat Gita and the aphorism of king Yodhisti (Jodhisti), Islam had been able to create a space for the followers of different paths and approbation. Because who shouldered the mission of preaching Islam in India were very profound and farsighted to interpret the inherent magnanimity and shrine of this religion. A few respected leaders from Muslim Community of Bangladesh in their discourses in TV talk-show argued infavoure of confining the worship in domestic selected room particularly for the minority worshiping idol. In this respect it is my humble request to those revered religious leaders to think that we are the citizens of a country having a secular constitution declaring the equal rights of every citizen in respect of casts, creed, colour and religion, If a Muslim can perform his religious rituals in open space of witness, the followers of other faiths in Bangladesh should have the similar position and right to perform their piety- functions and activities. The inherent spirit of Islam has always a combating message against niggardliness. Our Prophet Hazrat Mohammd (S) (Piece be upon him) did not impose any intervention or impediment on Jewish and Christian community to go to their prayer houses or to perform their religious rituals publicly rather our Prophet (s) took the responsibility of the custodian to protect the lives and properties of the citizens of different faiths and beliefs in his realm. The Charta of Madina is not only the first written constitution of the world but also a unique document of governing a state with the spirit of liberalism and democratic rights. We, the Muslim community of Bangladesh should not be oblivious to the principles of tolerance which our beloved prophet left to us to be followed. We are the successors of the glorious past of communal harmony prevailing in Bengal and in a large scale in Indian Sub-continent even in many cases ignoring the devide and rule policy of colonial power. It will not be unwise to mention two unique paradigms of communal harmony in India. Sarwarpur, a village ten kilometers from Samrala town in Panjab has a sizeable Muslim population. In the communal civil strife which accompanied the partition of Panjab in August 1947, most of the Muslim fled to Pakistan and the mosque was demolished by rampaging mobs of Hindus and Sikhs. But later on the skihs and the Hindus of the village realised their mistakes of frantic sentiment due to the situation arised during the parititon of India. Then they rebuilt the mosque and Jathedar Kirpal Singh of Shiromoni Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee and the MLA of the village Jagibwan Singh including all villagers welcomed Maulana Habibur Rahman Sani Ludhianvi and presented the key of the mosque to the oldest villager Dada Mohammad Tufail. There were triumphant cries of Allah-ho-Akbar (God is great). Guru Nanaks first disciple Bhai Mardana remained Muslim to the end of his life. Another example of unique communal harmony had been set up where Sufi Saint Hazrat Mian Mir of Lahore was invited by fifth Guru Arjun, compiler of Adi-granth to lay down the foundation of Harmondir (to-days Golden temple). Another example of communal harmony we can cite here that one of the Queens of Maghraja Ranjit Singh built the white marble Dargah of Data Ganj Baksh, the popular Sufi shrine in Lahore to-day. Bengal is the homeland of Lalon, Sree Chaitannya Deb, Hasan Raja and the latest Shah Abdul Kaim who were the proclaimers of conquiring hearts of mankind by love, affection and affinity through their lyrics. The secular sentiment found in the behaviour pattern of Bengal and other parts of India is the contribution of those Sufi saints who propagated love for mankind through their messages and lyrics. The removal of the statue of Themis by the decision of the highest Judiciary of the country has created a debate which is stretching the nation to a wrangling whether the culture of sculpture will remain or not in Bangladesh. A few respected annotaters have opined against the existence of any kind of statue whether Idol or sculpture in Bangladesh. It is my appeal to the revered religious leaders to caste a peep on the pages of history of our nation which are full of description of the heritage regarding our heroic achievements of remote and recent past considering sculptures as the authentic materials and ingredients to constitute the history of a nation recording the antecedents and activities of lineal ancestors. It is the history even less then half a century that we achieved our independence through a battle shading huge blood of more than 3 millions patriots known and unknown. On the basis of the highest and peakable achievement of Bengali Nation that is independence achieved in 1971 having supreme sacrifice of lives and properties, many sculptures have already been installed as monuments in different spaces of the country. These sculptures bearing the testimony of the glorious past are no-doubt the zeal of inspiration to our young and impending generation who will be the spokesmen of our heritage to the world community in the days to come. Iran defeated Reza Shah Pahlavi, the crested figure of dynastic rule by a popular Islamic revolution triggered by an old man Aetullah Khumini. Soon after the revolution, the Islamic Republic Iran could have demolished and eliminated all sculptures discriminately installed all over the terrain of that vast country. But the pro-Islamist Government of Iran did not show any frantic sentiment on the issue of erasing statues and sculptures of pre and post Islamic period as the incarnations of idolatry. The Persian are one of the oldest civilized nations of the world. A wonderful civilization was flourishing in present Iran before many years of the advent of Islam which attracted many schoolars and Abul Kasem Ferdusi the great poet of post Islamic period felt a great zeal which made him compulsive under a strong passion to move his mighty pen to record the pre-Islamic heroism of Iran by writing Shahnama. Among the dominant post Islamic schoolars in Iran Sheikh Sadi and Jalaluddin Rumi palyed an important role in interpreting the inherent teaching and learning of Islam through writing prolonged lyrics in Gulista, Busta and Masnavi. The lyrics in the mentioned scripts are the comprehensive interpretations of the Holy Quran, Hadith and the Iranians have been found deeply committed to restoring their traditions and culture. In this respect there is a strong consensus of the secular approach among all Iranians. Even during Islamic revolution in Iran, no question was arised on the elimination of any sculpture. The sculpture of Sheikh Muslehuddin bin Sadi Shiraji and Jalaluddin Rumi are still standing in the city of Shiraj, the birth place of Sadi and Rumi in Rumi District of Tajikistan, the birth place of the later. When we recite Durud on our holy Prophet, we read Balaghal Ula bi Kamalihi Kashafad-duja bi- Jamaalihi Hasunat jamieu Khisaalihi Sallu alaihi wa aalihi. to draw the attention of Muslim to the credibility on Miraj the meeting between the Almighty Allah and our Prophet Mohammad (S). This wonderful lyrics was written by Moulana Sheikh Sadi. In summing up, we should keep in mind that the tolerance of the citizens towards the people of diversified culture, heritage, history and religion is always a directrix of a strong nation. The writer is Chairman of English department, Mohammadpur Central University College, Dhaka.