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LETTER TO ABRAR HASSAN
Dear Abrar,
This morning I was reading your first
collection of poems and wondering why the
readers, writers and critics have not discussed
your book. Do you know why it was ignored?
I wonder whether the reason of
ignoring your poems was because of their
non-traditional character. Most poets use poetry
to express and communicate their feelings.
Wordsworth stated that poetry was overflow of
emotions. But in your case you write poems to
share your thoughts and ideas. Your poems are
mostly philosophical. Most writers use prose to
share their philosophy and write essays. So you
use poems to share what others use essays to
communicate. Do you think that might be one
reason why readers and writers and critics do
not know how to respond to your poems.
When I read the introduction of your
book I realized that you had tried to
communicate different stages of the growth of
human mind and personality. Being a
psychotherapist I have great interest in that
aspect of human growth. If I understood you
correctly you have mapped out different stages
of human growth.
The first stage is of blind faith.
People are born in a family, community and
culture and accept the values of their culture
without questioning them and go through cultural
conditioning.
The second stage makes them question
and challenge the traditional values. But to do
that they need a certain stage of maturity and
growth. Some people never question the values of
their culture and die with the beliefs of their
parents.
The third stage is of confusion and
isolation and alienation. In this stage people
know what they do not want but are not sure of
what they want and believe in. Such confusion
can be short lived or people can spend years and
decades in that confusion.
The fourth stage is of enlightenment.
People discover their own truth that is
different than the traditional truth. Such
personal truth helps them find a set of values
that makes their lives meaningful. There are
only few who are lucky enough to reach that
stage.
Dear Abrar, I wonder whether you have
reached that stage of enlightenment. If you have
can you share with me how your values are
different than the values you grew up in and how
those new values have changed your lifestyle and
how do you deal and cope with those friends and
relatives who still maintain their conservative
and traditional values. What is your
philosophical position now about Religion,
Scriptures, Prophets and Life after Death? What
are your views about Time. Do you think human
mind can capture the bigger truth? Do you still
believe in God? If not what do you think of
billions who believe in Him?
Do you consider yourself an atheist,
humanist, agnostic or free thinker? Your article
Confessions of a Religious Fundamentalist
in published on chowk website today. What
inspired you to write that essay or fictional
story? What do you think of religious
fundamentalists?
Looking forward to your response.
Affectionately,
Sohail
May 27th, 2008 |