(Sabir’s Philosophy in the eyes of the intellectuals)
Advisory Editor: Professor AMS Arefin Siddique, former Vice-Chancellor, Dhaka University. Editor: MR Mahboob. Cover Design by Samar Majumdar. Published by Gourob Prokason on January, 2018, Bangla Ashween 1424. Price: BDT. 2500/- US$ 50 only.
A book, the 800-page volume is, as it appears, absolutely a wonder of the day. Sabir’s art of poetry/ song is as much as the spirit of life along with a sort of mysticism. As far as I have gone through his poems while I endeavored rendering some of them into English language titled, ‘The Mystic Bard : Songs of Sabir Ahmed Choudhury’ I was highly acclaimed at home and abroad immediately after its publication in 1999.
Sabir Ahmed Choudhury’s voluminous works on mystic poetry as well as other prose works have been discussed in the first chapter, ‘Sudhi Drishtitey Sabir Darshan’ and the second chapter ‘Sabir’s Philosophy in the eyes of intellectuals’ written in Bengali, and English.
In this world of ours human destiny is at stake socially, economically and politically due to social degeneration, economic imbalance among the people, moral bankruptcy and inhuman communalism.
Everyone should know that in the eyes of the Creator of the universe; say that Allah, God, Bhogowan or else, all human being are equal. But this system of equality seldom stands on account of human folly or selfish ends.
There were Prophets, sages, philosophers and poets who preached thematically or poetically for the people of the world to stay balanced on equal terms and conditions peacefully without wrangles on personal interests rather understand that we are to live ‘Under the same sky and Under the same sun’ – (an anthology of poems by M Mizanur Rahman) having equal status as mankind. The Mystic poet Sabir sings his universal song as follows –
The sky is the canopy of my house
While this world is the house of mine
Where I feel every human is my relation.
I do not distinguish between castes
and creed or faith.
Irrespective of different languages
Every human is equal in the society
that’s my belief.
I am an indivisible part of humanity.
Because love and kindness of God
exist in me.
Because my heart cries out
for human suffering.
While I become happy
at the happiness of others
And as for the suffering of them
I feel extremely unhappy.
(The Mystic Bard… Tr by MM Rahman)
Many authors have discussed on Sabir Ahmed Chowdhury’s philosophical aspects of poems and composed songs published so far. Some educationists and researchers have done some splendid works on this humanist mystic poet.
Dr Khondokar Reazul Hoque earned his D.lit Degree from Rabindravarati University, Kolkata on Sabir. His thesis is, ‘Chaitonya-Lalon-Rabindra Moromi Oitijyo Sonkromon’ in 2001. Dr Shahjahan Kabir earned his doctoral degree PhD. on his research works, ‘Sabir Sahittye Islami Mullyobodh’ from Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh. On the literary works, viz, of Sabir Ahmed Chowdhury some 23 books have so far been published by the authors on different languages at home and abroad.
This eminent mystic poet composed more than two thousand popular mystic songs and is still with us. He was born on 15th July, 1924. We pray Almighty Allah to keep him rejuvenated doing his creative works for us. n
Advisory Editor: Professor AMS Arefin Siddique, former Vice-Chancellor, Dhaka University. Editor: MR Mahboob. Cover Design by Samar Majumdar. Published by Gourob Prokason on January, 2018, Bangla Ashween 1424. Price: BDT. 2500/- US$ 50 only.
A book, the 800-page volume is, as it appears, absolutely a wonder of the day. Sabir’s art of poetry/ song is as much as the spirit of life along with a sort of mysticism. As far as I have gone through his poems while I endeavored rendering some of them into English language titled, ‘The Mystic Bard : Songs of Sabir Ahmed Choudhury’ I was highly acclaimed at home and abroad immediately after its publication in 1999.
Sabir Ahmed Choudhury’s voluminous works on mystic poetry as well as other prose works have been discussed in the first chapter, ‘Sudhi Drishtitey Sabir Darshan’ and the second chapter ‘Sabir’s Philosophy in the eyes of intellectuals’ written in Bengali, and English.
In this world of ours human destiny is at stake socially, economically and politically due to social degeneration, economic imbalance among the people, moral bankruptcy and inhuman communalism.
Everyone should know that in the eyes of the Creator of the universe; say that Allah, God, Bhogowan or else, all human being are equal. But this system of equality seldom stands on account of human folly or selfish ends.
There were Prophets, sages, philosophers and poets who preached thematically or poetically for the people of the world to stay balanced on equal terms and conditions peacefully without wrangles on personal interests rather understand that we are to live ‘Under the same sky and Under the same sun’ – (an anthology of poems by M Mizanur Rahman) having equal status as mankind. The Mystic poet Sabir sings his universal song as follows –
The sky is the canopy of my house
While this world is the house of mine
Where I feel every human is my relation.
I do not distinguish between castes
and creed or faith.
Irrespective of different languages
Every human is equal in the society
that’s my belief.
I am an indivisible part of humanity.
Because love and kindness of God
exist in me.
Because my heart cries out
for human suffering.
While I become happy
at the happiness of others
And as for the suffering of them
I feel extremely unhappy.
(The Mystic Bard… Tr by MM Rahman)
Many authors have discussed on Sabir Ahmed Chowdhury’s philosophical aspects of poems and composed songs published so far. Some educationists and researchers have done some splendid works on this humanist mystic poet.
Dr Khondokar Reazul Hoque earned his D.lit Degree from Rabindravarati University, Kolkata on Sabir. His thesis is, ‘Chaitonya-Lalon-Rabindra Moromi Oitijyo Sonkromon’ in 2001. Dr Shahjahan Kabir earned his doctoral degree PhD. on his research works, ‘Sabir Sahittye Islami Mullyobodh’ from Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh. On the literary works, viz, of Sabir Ahmed Chowdhury some 23 books have so far been published by the authors on different languages at home and abroad.
This eminent mystic poet composed more than two thousand popular mystic songs and is still with us. He was born on 15th July, 1924. We pray Almighty Allah to keep him rejuvenated doing his creative works for us. n
Reviewed by M Mizanur Rahman
