(No longer blue) Fragments scatter from a mirror’s fall,
Arab philosophy, lost in the void’s call.
Firstly, we would like to congratulate you on the publication of your new collection, No Longer Blue. We would be delighted if you could provide us with some insights into the atmosphere of the collection and how it sets itself apart from your previous three works.
In this collection, I aimed to remain true to the concept of self-experience. The work as a whole is an emotional reflection of the profound impact a specific experience had on me. The collection was crafted with a coherent soul, and as a result, its texts, despite covering diverse topics, are centered around a unified essence. It felt like gathering all the shattered fragments resulting from the fall of a single mirror. I strongly believe that this singular and intricate character is what distinguishes this collection the most from my previous works, which adhered to the conventional function of a poetry collection, where different texts are arranged side by side after multiplying.
The entire collection was written during your time in New York. Did your experience in New York, or in America in general, directly influence this work?
No, there is no direct presence of New York in this work. New York simply provided me with the space and opportunity to fully immerse myself in summoning the echoes and shadows of a personal experience that predates my arrival in America. On the other hand, I don’t believe that the influence of the new environment could have quickly found its way into my writing. There is a necessary time interval for a rose’s fragrance to travel from the garden to the poem. Only through contemplation and reflection does an abstract idea transform into a poetic one. Personally, I did not feel the idea of America fermenting within me until after I had completed writing No Longer Blue, so I believe that these influences may become evident in future texts.
I would be happy if you could shed some light on your relationship with poetry written in English and the concept of poetic translation.
After an extensive period of exploring the works of poets who write in English, I consistently find myself returning to the writings of Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, Yeats, and W. H Auden. What captivates me about Whitman is his boundless and inclusive spirit, which reconciles contradictions and encapsulates the entire history of the sea in a single droplet. Frost, however, impresses me as the most astute observer of nature, elevating his observations to pure wisdom. As for Yeats, I am drawn to the unrestrained rush of life in his poems, and I am struck by how this unleashed energy, stemming from his passionate Irish heritage, never neglects its aesthetic condition. In the case of Auden, I admire his skill in effortlessly weaving together a multitude of styles, which in turn allows him to explore a vast array of subjects with remarkable breadth. Of course, there are numerous poems that I adore from a wider range of English poets. However, if we focus on the poets themselves and not individual poems, these four are the ones with which I feel the greatest sense of identification. Their unique language, profound thoughts, and rhythm that becomes clear and intensified in accordance with their suggestions and emotions all contribute to this connection.
When it comes to poetic translation, I believe it is very important due to the exchange of ideas between different poetic traditions, despite its inherent structural imperfections. While I agree with the commonly held belief about the inherent betrayal involved in poetic translation, as famously summarized by Frost’s saying, “Poetry is what gets lost in translation,” I also believe that this perception is incomplete and flawed. Translation, while it may obscure poetry in some cases, can also reveal it. Authentic poetry is fundamentally composed of two elements: firstly, a certain understanding of the world (often vague and intuitive), and secondly, the method through which this understanding is expressed. While it is true that style may be lost in translation, we must recognize that poetic knowledge, in its essence, endures. In fact, translation can provide a crucial test for differentiating between poets when their stylistic similarities make it challenging to distinguish them. By translating their works into our own language, we can observe that while the style may be compromised, the knowledge is more likely to survive, thus highlighting the distinctions between the two poets. Translation also has the power to invigorate the reader’s perspective and remove the veil of familiarity. For instance, readers familiar with Al-Mutanabbi’s work may experience a sense of renewal when reading a brilliant translation of his poetry, such as Arbery’s rendition.
Certainly, this general response pertains to the concept of poetic translation as an idea or principle, and it does not aim to touch the practical reality of translation, where attempts can vary in terms of both failure and success.
Based on my understanding of your interests, I have noticed your strong fascination with comedy. Aside from your ever-present sense of humor, you also view comedy as an art form. I have had the chance to accompany you to comedy clubs in New York many times. Why do you place such great emphasis on laughter?
For me, there is no talent equal to wit. I recognize it as a serious talent that extends beyond its lighthearted appearance. Within every joke lies an essential existential stance that challenges the notion of taking the world too seriously. Moreover, if we analyze the structure of a joke, we can observe a complex blend of talents, including linguistic intelligence, astute observation, and the ability to analyze and make connections. Additionally, growing up in a popular neighborhood in Hawari, Riyadh, laughter was an integral part of the general atmosphere. In our childhood, we even engaged in sarcasm competitions, which we affectionately referred to as ‘hashish’ at the time. This early exposure led me to delve into the rich heritage of laughter within Arab culture—an inheritance that encompasses satires, clever retorts, and anecdotes, extending beyond mere mockery of fools and jesters to encompass various aspects of society.
In America, laughter has assumed even greater significance for me. This is not solely due to America being considered the land of laughter, with all the innocent and intentional connotations associated with that label, nor solely because comedy has become a thriving industry here (with New York playing a central role in this industry). It is because, amidst the prevailing heavy cloud of political correctness, laughter has become a refuge for truth. I believe you recall how we used to visit comedy clubs together, with two goals in mind: to laugh and to gain a deeper understanding of the true nature of America. We often returned together at the end of the night, enriched by the experience.
You have a strong interest in various fields of knowledge, but philosophy holds a special place in your heart as it comprises the majority of your reading material. Currently, you are even pursuing a doctorate in philosophy. Could you elaborate on when and how this connection with philosophy began, and why it continues to dominate your reading choices compared to other disciplines?
I cannot recall precisely when my engagement with philosophy began. What I do remember is that from a young age, my foundational readings expanded into linguistics and religious sciences. These subjects, with their philosophical aspects, ultimately led me to dive into purely philosophical texts. My readings progressed from simpler to more complex works, spanning from ancient to contemporary philosophers. Additionally, there is a matter of temperament. Since my early youth, I have cultivated a predilection for abstraction and a natural inclination to engage with the broader aspects of issues rather than their specific details. These two inclinations, as you may be aware, are the fundamental pillars of philosophical inquiry.
Philosophy continues to occupy my time not only because it lies at the core of my academic specialization but also because it remains a source of creative inspiration that I encounter in thought, literature, mysticism, and even the natural sciences. It provides me with a marvelous energy, an illuminating force that enhances both my intellect and my soul.
Philosophy encompasses various specializations and trends. Which of these trends excites and captures your interest? Is there a particular philosophical issue that concerns you, and can we expect to see you contribute to it in the near future?
In essence, I don’t have a preference for one trend or branch of philosophy over another. Given the comprehensive nature of philosophical inquiry, it is difficult for me to separate the branches of philosophy. While I understand the practical and educational reasons for categorizing philosophical activities, we should not assign them an existence beyond their educational or organizational nature. For instance, a deep exploration of epistemology may inevitably lead the author to grapple with the most challenging questions of metaphysics, and vice versa (to provide an example, but not an exhaustive one). The interconnectedness between knowledge, existence, and metaphysics can be demonstrated in works such as Al-Farabi’s Book of Letters, which cannot be exclusively classified under one branch without considering the other.
Regarding practical considerations, I have dedicated significant attention to the theory of knowledge (epistemology) for many years. My focus stems from a pursuit of an idea that may unveil a unified cognitive mechanism that the Arab mind has employed to generate its philosophical, religious, linguistic, and even natural scientific achievements. This mechanism could contribute to answering the fundamental human question: how do we acquire knowledge and perceive the world? If things progress as planned, this will be my first written philosophical contribution. The project’s scope is substantial, necessitating division and gradual stages of completion. Consequently, I have made sure to condense my readings on the subject spanning the extensive history of philosophy, both ancient and modern. Furthermore, I have aligned my academic trajectory to align with this pursuit. I have already completed my master’s thesis on a related topic and am currently addressing another aspect of the issue in my doctoral thesis. While the foundational readings within the philosophical tradition, including synopses of my master’s and doctoral work, will form the core of my project, they will not be the sole focus. I intend to engage with the question not only through the lens of traditional theological encyclopedias, principles of jurisprudence, rhetoric, and criticism but also by establishing connections with contemporary cognitive sciences. Given the inherent ramifications and extensions of the topic, it is necessary to explore disciplines such as psychology, neuroscience, and anatomy. This comprehensive approach reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the issue at hand. This philosophical inquiry currently occupies my thoughts, and I am determined not to waver in my resolve or lose my dedication to it.
How do you perceive the philosophical legacy within Arab-Islamic civilization, and how do you assess its contributions in the context of the overall history of philosophy?
I perceive the philosophical heritage in Arab-Islamic civilization from two perspectives. Firstly, in response to the second part of your question, it is evident that the contributions of this heritage, when compared to the broader history of philosophy, remain largely unexplored. The Arab-Islamic philosophical heritage suffers from a lack of direct engagement, often being read about rather than read. This disparity between the creators of these achievements and those who discover them is exemplified by the ongoing efforts of contemporary scholars who continue to unearth valuable elements from this heritage, deserving of recognition within the broader narrative of philosophical history. Unfortunately, it is regrettable that these endeavors within the Western context are more active and successful than their counterparts in the Arab context.
My second perspective, when examining this heritage, evaluates what has been accomplished in comparison to what could have been accomplished. From this viewpoint, it becomes clear that despite the many achievements throughout its extensive journey, the Arab-Islamic philosophical heritage has not fully realized its potential. To illustrate this, let us consider the Western philosophical tradition in two stages: the pre-Christian era, which drew from pagan and mythological sources, and the post-Christian era, influenced by Abrahamic sources. In both stages, elements such as language, religion, rituals, and social and political climates provided the foundation upon which philosophical minds worked, refining and deriving new ideas. (This connection between the environment and thought is what led Heidegger, in his final interview with Der Spiegel magazine, to emphasize that genuine original thinking cannot emerge without engaging with its surroundings.) Applying the same metaphor, it can be said that the vast raw material in the Arab-Islamic context, be it linguistic, religious, political, or social, was not fully utilized in terms of refinement and derivation. Consequently, we can argue that language, religion, and the specific temporal and spatial characteristics were not optimally utilized in our philosophical heritage. Of course, there are exceptions, and we can highlight Ibn Sina as a prime example of someone who recognized the significance of philosophical events within our heritage. Ibn Sina fulfilled three interrelated conditions, which we find in all exceptional philosophers: an exceptional ability to abstract, a deep awareness of the subject of philosophy and its history, and intellectual independence. While other philosophers may share the first two conditions with Ibn Sina, he stands out in his application of the third condition. Ibn Sina’s independence propelled him beyond merely engaging with Aristotelian ideas; he went on to challenge them. Unfortunately, his premature death prevented the completion of this revolution, even though he had outlined its broad contours in the manifesto that was prefixed to his book, The Logic of the Orientals. This independence exhibited by Ibn Sina provoked the spirit of discipleship in Ibn Rushd, with Averroist criticism sparing no effort in highlighting Ibn Sina’s divergence from Aristotle. However, Ibn Rushd failed to recognize that this very deviation allowed Ibn Sina to imbue his extensive philosophical efforts with unparalleled originality. This originality, in turn, made him the most influential philosopher among his successors and the most innovative in producing concepts, solutions, and proposals that drew inspiration from his Arab-Islamic environment. While Ibn Rushd desired for Ibn Sina to echo Aristotle’s teachings, Ibn Sina sought to forge his own path, akin to Aristotle being the originator of his subject matter, independent from his predecessors and teachers.
Hence, the act of philosophizing requires internal sources of thought, and disregarding these personal sources has hindered the development of our philosophical heritage. It is crucial to emphasize that investing in these unique sources of philosophizing does not entail blindly adopting or opposing their concepts. Instead, it involves transcending these concepts to broaden the scope of our thinking, which is the idea that motivated Paul Ricoeur’s concept of the horizon of atonement. Interestingly, Nietzsche, despite his well-known animosity towards Christianity, is recognized, and brilliantly so, as a Christian philosopher.
What is your assessment of the state of philosophy in the Arab world today? How do you view the recent increasing interest in the necessity of teaching philosophy in our schools?
Philosophy, as a valuable addition rather than a redundancy, is virtually non-existent in the Arab world today. This absence, with only a few exceptions, is widely acknowledged and hardly needs to be pointed out.
Regarding the teaching of philosophy, I fully support the calls to include it in school curricula. I believe that such inclusion would bring numerous benefits, the most significant of which is dispelling the notion that philosophy possesses a mystical power to solve all the challenges and obstacles of reality. This notion itself arises as a byproduct of philosophy’s absence from academic curricula.
What are you currently reading and what are the most important books you have read recently?
Currently, I am reading a book called The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel. In this book, the author explores the concept of time from the perspective of Jewish tradition, offering a contemporary interpretation.
As for the most significant books I have recently read, they include:
- Poetry: Talking about Shiva by four Indian monks from the tenth century.
- Language: Lisan Al-Arab by Ibn Manzur, The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendriksen.
- Physics: The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli.
- Philosophy: The philosophical writings of Leibniz, Heidegger’s On Time and Being.
- Biography: Darwin’s autobiography, Memories, Dreams and Reflections by Carl Jung.
- Theory: Marxism and Literature by Raymond Williams.
- Literature: Al-Khatib al-Tabrizi’s commentary on Abu Tammam, Conversations of Goethe by Eckermann.
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