Remembering the Rebel Poet
On the auspicious occasion of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s birthday, it would be fitting to take a look at his opinion on religion as practiced in the society:
“No prophet has said, ‘I have come for Hindus/ I have come for Muslims/ I have come for Christians.’ They have said, ‘I have come for the humanity for everyone, like light’. But the devotees of Krishna say, ‘Krishna is for Hindus.’ The followers of Muhammad ,[pbuh] say, ‘Muhammad [pbuh] is for Muslims.’ The Disciples of Christ say, ‘Christ is for Christians’. This is the root of all trouble. Men do not quarrel for light but they quarrel over cattle.” (Excerpts from Kazi Nazrul Islam’s article titled ‘Hindu Mussalman’, published in ‘Ganabani’ on September 2, 1922).
Nazrul’s comments are as relevant today as they were back then. Unless the world learns to draw inspiration from great humanitarians like Nazrul Islam, we are indeed on the way to very dark days ahead.
Kajal Chatterjee
Through email
