The Visit Our decisions to visit places, people, or even things – to experience them first-hand rather than simply observe them from afar – frequently lead to shifts in perception. These shifts are as unique to the visitor as a reader’s interpretation is to the reader themself. Poet Haider Al-Abdullah, unlike Roland Barthes who declared himself “a reader, not a visitor” in his book Empire of Signs after three visits to Japan, took a different approach. Al-Abdullah viewed himself as both visitor and reader, a perspective reflected in his remarkable book, Haikuization of Dhû l-Rumma: The Arabic Haiku Thesis (Muhākāt Dhī alrummh: uṭrūḥat alhāykw al-ʻArabī), published by Dar Adab for Publishing and Distribution in 2022. One of the signs of a serious engagement with a place and its culture is seeking to link it to oneself, both culturally and aesthetically. This involves searching for the secret of the connection to its aesthetic that resonates within us, especially when our relationship with the place and its people is one of reconciliation and tolerance, untainted by a history of conflict – as Japan is for an Arab. This is precisely what the author attempts to clarify in the first chapter of the book, Bridges (Al-Qanāṭir). Here, the levels of connection become evident. The most profound connection, however, is between Bashō’s pond and Dhû l-Rumma’s home of Hezwa. The author brings together the viewpoint of Bashō, the greatest Haiku poet who established the relationship of those in tolerance with nature in poetry, and Dhû l-Rumma, the unique Arab poet who, as Shawqi Deif observed, devoted himself to nature. Through this clever pairing, the author employs the tolerance and breadth of the American theory of comparative literature to unite two cultures that are not easily combined, neither temporally nor spatially. In this chapter, the author explores the essential foundations of the connecting bridge he perceives between the principles underlying the haiku form and the potential relationships found in Arabic poetry, exemplified by Dhû l-Rumma’s work. The author suggests that only a reader deeply familiar with both the extensive Japanese haiku tradition and the expansive corpus of Arabic poetry would fully recognize the parallels he identifies. This observation allows him to capture the essence of Dhû l-Rummah’s poems, particularly from this substantial collection, in both quantity and quality. To ensure a natural flow and avoid any sense of artificiality, the writer first introduces the reader to Haiku’s history and his own perspective on it. He then demonstrates how Dhû l-Rumma, though not influenced by Japanese culture, can also be considered a ‘haiku poet’ due to a common wellspring of human experience shaped by the natural world. Haider Al-Abdullah admirably departs from tradition, embracing the path of the adventurous poet. He strikes a beautiful and wondrous balance, wielding both poetic language and methodological foundation. While his approach to certain topics might seem extreme, it’s worth considering the book’s companion title, which suggests a thesis or an aesthetic proposal. This underlying framework ensures a serious approach backed by strong methodological tools. The adventurous spirit lies in Al-Abdullah’s unique viewpoint. Yet, this viewpoint is easily tolerated due to the pleasure and intellectual stimulation it brings. The first chapter, in particular, offers a rare space for intellectual and aesthetic dialogue, something rarely seen in critical theses. I use “critical” cautiously, for this book defies easy categorization. It straddles the line between a critical work – due to its methodology and organization – and something altogether different, thanks to its linguistic beauty and expansive perspective. The Thesis The book’s thesis unfolds across the first two chapters, Bridges (Al-Qanāṭir) and The Arabic Haiku Thesis. In the first chapter, the author establishes his motivations and methodology. Notably, he develops Arabic terms for haiku based on triconsonantal roots: هكا (haka) and يهكو (yahku) for writing haiku (infinitive/past and present forms, respectively), هكواً (hakwan) and هكاءً (hakāʾan) for the process of haikuization, and هكاء (hakkāʾ) and هكاة (hukāt) for the practitioner, a “haikuizer.” He then challenges the Arabic reader and established Arab haiku poets (active since the 1960s). Rejecting most existing approaches, he argues these poets have strayed from the technical core of the Japanese model. Instead, he proposes an Arabic model based on the poetry of Dhû l-Rumma, highlighting the intersection of his work with the essence of haiku. In the charming and important chapter titled ‘The Thesis of the Arabic Haiku,’ the author guides us through Arabic-Islamic Sufism, drawing our attention to the spiritual connections between the Sufi state and Zen, a central influence in Japanese haiku. The chapter oscillates between the refined poetic glimmers of Arabic-Islamic Sufism, presented through a methodology based on successive formations (asceticism – contemplation – ecstasy – annihilation – contentment), and the unique style of the Japanese haiku, both seen as states of manifestation and dissolution. This approach imbues the chapter with elegance and delight, making engagement with its proposal feel like a necessary act, not a fleeting thought in a larger work. It reveals an organized aesthetic vision within an inclusive context, one that disrupts traditional or hasty views of this small yet impactful genre. The Example After Haider Al-Abdullah’s persuasive haiku thesis, meticulously built across the first two chapters using every methodological and aesthetic argument, he dives into the mysteries of Arabic-Islamic Sufism. Drawing comparisons between Sufism and Zen in terms of composition, vision, sense, and rhythm, he arrives at the third chapter, ‘The Haiku Notebook,’ to present his proposed poetic example. Al-Abdullah draws not only on the poetics of Dhû l-Rumma but also on the foundations he established in the previous chapters. Here, the poet truly emerges, distinct from the writer. While I have reservations about including this chapter in the book, it does possess a certain poetic aesthetic. My reservations stem from Al-Abdullah’s seemingly unshakeable confidence in this chapter. In my view, creating a poetic example within an intellectual proposal is misplaced. Poetry thrives under specific conditions, and its presentation to the reader demands a strong aesthetic justification. Undoubtedly, the book has a clear aesthetic component, but it falls short of fully embodying the proposed poetics. Consequently, the book leans towards a more educational approach, which is acceptable in this context. However, this might not align with the ambitions of Haider Al-Abdullah, the experimental poet. Having previously critiqued existing Arabic Haiku experiences and rejected their artistic and aesthetic proposals, his own Haiku poem would be subject to intense scrutiny. I had hoped he would take his time with his poetic exploration, perhaps delaying its presentation. Ideally, he could have written it in a separate book or volume, allowing for deeper reflection. After all, he himself acknowledges the difficulty of crafting haiku for other poets, yet finds the process strangely effortless. While I find the concept of dividing the notebook into seasons beautiful and compelling, there’s a noticeable disparity between the poems’ inherent poetics and their complete dependence on the aesthetics of Dhû l-Rumma’s work. It’s as if there’s an implicit invitation to rely solely on this singular style. However, the thesis presentation does draw attention to Dhû l-Rumma’s poetics, and by extension, the nature of the Arabian Desert. This isn’t necessarily a call for imitation, weaving the details solely through Dhû l-Rumma’s vision and experience. I doubt the writer intended such blind imitation; any poet, regardless of talent level, would likely reject such a limiting proposal. The Evidence The seriousness of the thesis and the clarity of its central idea are evident in the final chapter, titled ‘The Arabic Poetic Evaluation.’ This evaluation is crucial, as poetry is inherently suggestive, rich in metaphor rather than plain statement. The project recognizes this very imperfection and works to address it. The author, from the outset, sensed a deviation from the true nature of haiku in the Arab mindset. He meticulously brought it closer to the proper conceptualization, first by proving its existence and intersection with Arabic forms, and then by providing concrete examples and evidence. Here, in the last chapter, he completes this approach by combining and condensing these methods. Much like Haiku’s reverence for nature and its inherent connection, the author embarked on a dedicated effort to gather its essence. This mirrored the originators of Haiku, who utilized the ‘Sajiki’ method, a Japanese system dividing the solar year into four seasons, to collect nature’s clues. Employing similar creativity, the author, seeking to incorporate Arabic specificity, categorized the environmental clues within Arab culture into five distinct themes: Stars, Seasons, Humans, Animals, and Plants. This is how the thesis seemed to have been completed. It begins with proper conceptualization and course correction, then moves on to prove intersections and commonalities. Next, it proposes a possible form through example and witness. Finally, it culminates in an approach that bridges the rich poetic lexicon, thus forming an aesthetic and cognitive loop. Having read and delved into it, I find this journey to be both important and worthy of praise. This form of craftsmanship, I am confident, will equip the reader to embark on a new exploration with a visionary and aesthetic understanding of the haiku poem. Imagine the work as a new key to be added to the cognitive and aesthetic haiku reader’s toolkit.
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