The Mystic Mountain Range and Doctor Strange

Before Doctor Strange released in early November, I was already hearing quiet complaints of stereotypes and overuse of the “Mystic Near East” trope. Certainly this isn't the first time Nepal (and often India) had been reduced to gurus and isolated mountain-top monasteries. And while I enjoyed Doctor Strange, I was curious about the use of this trope in the comics and film.

Into India: Spiritual Stereotypes And Mysticism

In the West, it seems that mysticism gave its dying breath eons ago. But is that really true?

Four Myths About Translated Scripture

Still a powerful player in the world at large, religion - and therefore religious texts - takes on quite a bit of scrutiny. And it should, as a sphere of influence. But regardless of whether it affects the globe or the individual, religion (at least in the mainstream) tends to revolve around sacred texts. 

Translated books - even scriptures - are far
more complicated than you think!

Among the Abrahamic religions, we have the Torah, the Bible, the Qu'ran. Hinduism has an even wider variety, among the most important are the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita (one book out of the Mahabharata). Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Shinto - you'll find a central text, perhaps among many others, within each of these sects.

However, it's important to remember that religious scriptures must often be translated in order to be understood - especially for those with an ancient origin. Most people understand the necessity of this - after all, not everyone can understand ancient Greek or Aramaic, Arabic or Sanskrit. Still, it's not something we often think about.

But can you really just pull a Bible from the bookshelf and read it?

My answer certainly shouldn't surprise you, given my past articles. The fact is this: Any translated text contains more context, more culture, and more history than we are aware of as the recipient. A religious text is no different. If the stories read "easy", it's because the translator worked hard to make it so. But don't get comfortable and let yourself be slipped up by these myths:

Into India: Happy Holidays

Nestled at the foot of the Western Gnats, the controversy over at my alma mater, the University of Tennessee appeared pitiful at best. I don’t mean that the students and faculty are wasting their time fighting for a more inclusive environment. But rather that our representatives are making a mockery of the citizenry once again – by claiming that respecting all folks regardless of belief is discriminating against Christen values. I say this, not to be political, but because, quite frankly, from the other side of the globe, the idea that saying “holiday” rather than “Christmas” devalues the latter is absurd. And often “holiday” is the perfect blanket term.

Now In English! Al-Ghazali's “The Beginning of Guidance”

 “Woe to the ignorant one, because he did not seek knowledge, and woe a thousand times to the knowledgeable one who did not act upon his knowledge.”  20, The Beginning of Guidance

Due to the continuing conflict in Southwest Asia, the abuse of Islamic tenants by multiple terrorist organizations, and the general lack of understanding of Islam in the USA, today I will discuss a very different kind of book. Instead of fiction, I'd like to describe and suggest a book that you won't find in many debates about radical Islam, a book that supplements the Qu'ran: The Beginning of Guidance by Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali.

Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (c. 1058–1111), one of the most prominent Islamic theologians in history, penned to one of his students a methodological way to practice God-Consciousness. Translated by Mashhad Al-Allaf, The Beginning of Guidance offers rich advice to the layperson. Although it was originally geared to students of the Qu'ran, the advice given in this work can, at some level, be found across faiths, as well as among atheists and agnostics. 

Cover of The Beginning of Guidance
by Al-Ghazali

This edition in particular is extremely useful for many readers. First, the text itself is easy to read. It includes a translator’s preface, a transcription key, transliterations of the informal prayers (Du'a), and other notes. This makes it easier, especially for those who may be unfamiliar with Islam, to get an idea of the context and the sounds of prayers in Arabic. Second, the translation faces the original Arabic, with vowel marks. For the student of Arabic, this may be an excellent study material – for language as well as religion.

The work itself is divided into three sections – “On Obedience”, “On Refraining from Disobedience”, and “The Etiquette of Companionship with the Creator and with Creation”. I would describe it thus: the first section is about worship, the second on avoiding sin/negative behavior, and the third on how to interact with others. No section is more useful than the other, and I suggest rereading the entire book (some 70 pages for English-only text) to better see the cohesiveness of each section. While the wording is simple, the concepts are profound; therefore, those who wish to glean more should not only reread it but also read it slowly.

Those who come from the Abrahamic faiths, in particular the more orthodox variations, may be the most interested in The Beginning of Guidance. In Al-Ghazali’s work I was reminded of my time in Catholic school, for the most part because of the level or reverence and discipline Al-Ghazali shows through his writing.

In all honesty, it is impossible to better explain or summarize The Beginning of Guidance in a blog post. There is a great risk that I may mangle the original meaning. For anyone interested in Islam, or who wants to go beyond reading the Qu'ran and a 101 book, The Beginning of Guidance should definitely be on your list. Whether you decide to read it to seek out religion, philosophy, or just out of curiosity, it won't disappoint you!

Missed a NIE! Review? Check out last month's Balika Badhu: a Bengali Anthology