... that the above named lad whenever he was at leisure (which was mostly all the year around) gave himself upto reading the books of knight-errantry...
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Jul 29, 2020 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
When asked about the Rushdie case, the Egyptian master Naguib Mahfouz ― who himself was accused of blasphemy over his masterpiece "Children of the Alley" and stabbed while in his 80's ― had this to say:
"Now, I can argue with ideas, but what should I do with insults? ... (1/5)
I found the insults in [his book] unacceptable.
I’ll tell you exactly what I think: Every society has its traditions, laws and religious beliefs, which it tries to preserve. From time to time individuals appear who demand changes. (2/5)
Feb 14, 2020 • 27 tweets • 4 min read
Eqbal Ahmad on his encounters with Frantz Fanon and Malcolm X. Its a long thread so please bear with me.
"When I met Fanon, he didn't know yet that he had leukemia, but he knew that he was not well.
Within months the leukemia was diagnosed, and after that he was racing to eke out the last drops fie could get out of his life. The "Wretched of the Earth" was written in a really great hurry. 10 Algeria transformed Fanon in many ways.
Jan 12, 2020 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
My grandfather once told me a story about how his dada i.e my great-great-grandfather encountered Khawaja Khizr while travelling from our ancestral village to another one on one Thursday night. (1/7)
The incident took place near a stream (in Hindko it is called "katha"). He asked Khizr for imparting him with knowledge and Khizr gave him something to be placed on his tongue. My great-great-grandfather who was reportedly ... (2/7)
Jan 3, 2020 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
When asked "Why is the Middle East in seemingly constant crisis?" Eqbal Ahmad gave the following answer,
"For a number of reasons. First, and it's very important, the Middle East is the world area of convergence. (1/8)
Areas of convergence are always so strategic that nobody leaves them in peace. What do I mean by area of convergence? A lot of things related to world politics come together in the Middle East. Take into account the following: This is the center of energy for the West. (2/8)
Dec 19, 2019 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
In my limited interactions with the rank and file of Army, I've felt that one critical aspect, which is not much looked into, is that many of the problems associated with the institution emanates from its colonial roots.
Eqbal Ahmad's brilliant essays titled "From Potato Sack to Potato Mash: On the Contemporary Crisis of the Third World" and "Post-Colonial systems of Power" sheds ample light on this aspect.
Dec 14, 2019 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
Jaun Elia on Religion, Karl Marx and Western Imperialsim,
"We never feel threatened in admiring Dante. Though he had written offensively against Prophet Muhammad and his son-in-law Hazrat Ali. We are not afraid while writing and teaching the ideas of Lamarck and Darwin. (1/6)
Their ideas are in contradiction to any religion. Discussing Freud and his ideas never make us feel unsafe while his ideas on sexual nature of humans are derogatory to any religion. (2/6)
Oct 20, 2019 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
Jaun Elia once saw Zaryun somewhere after a long time but the poet was unable to recognize his only son. Zaryun had recognized his father but turned away in disgust. Jaun was devastated and in his devastation produced a masterpiece of a poem titled "Darakht-e-Zard". (1/n)
He begins by addressing his son and admitting his negligence towards him:
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