Angarey: Nine Stories And A Play by Vibha S Chauhan & Khalid Alvi

Author:Vibha S Chauhan & Khalid Alvi [Chauhan, Vibha S]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9788129134097
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Published: 2014-04-02T04:00:00+00:00

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1Part of a couplet by Ghalib the gist of which is: the jewels have achieved a lofty status by virtue of being affixed on your cap.

2The quoted line is by the poet Insha-allah-khan-insha. He is commenting on poets who start with one metre and slip into another inadvertently.

The Same Uproar, Once Again

~ Sajjad Zahir ~

eligion is a remarkable thing. In grief, in trouble, during letdowns, at times when we are bewildered and at our wits’ end; when, like an injured beast, we look all around with defenceless, fearful eyes, which power is it that sustains our sinking hearts? Of course, it is religion! And religion is rooted in faith—fear and faith. Religion cannot be described in words. We cannot comprehend it thus. It is an internal state ...’

‘What? An internal state?’

‘This is no joke. Religion is a heavenly glow and it is in the radiance of this glow that we gaze upon the spectacle of creation. It is an internal...’

‘For God’s sake, talk about something else. You have absolutely no idea what my internal state is like right now. I have a severe stomach ache and I certainly have no need for any heavenly glow at the moment. What I need is a laxative ...’

I was immersed in a novel one night when somebody padded silently into my room. I looked up to find mian Iblees—the Devil himself—standing before me.

‘Mian Iblees,’ I asked, ‘why do you visit me at this hour? I’m busy with this truly gripping novel. And, once again, you want me to close my book and get into a pointless discussion about religion with you. I think it better to read a book than to stress my mind with religious matters. You will not succeed in sowing the seed of doubt in my heart.’

Just as I uttered these words, Iblees turned around and started to walk out of the room. I had begun to feel guilty for having ill-treated a messenger of God when he turned back towards me and said in a voice heavy with grief, ‘I’m not Iblees, I’m Jibraeel. I brought messages from Khuda to Hazrat Mohammad Saheb. I don’t want to blame you for mistaking me for Iblees. He too, after all, is a messenger of God like me. It’s not just you, people with much better judgement have mistaken me for Iblees and have thrown me out of their homes. Even some apostles have committed this blunder. In truth, I am the messenger of goodness. My countenance exudes purity. Perhaps people would have treated me differently if I had been as good-looking as Iblees. And, by the way, how did you come to the conclusion that I wanted to discuss religion with you? What have I to do with discussion or debate? Every debate, since it is founded on intellect and logic, is an evil thing. Religion is rooted in faith. If your faith is deep-seated, then God himself will support you in religious discussions. And if you have God’s support on your side, why do you need intellect? Religion is truly excellent .

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