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The God Sonnets: Naskar Art of Theology

Book by Abhijit Naskar · 11 quotes · Social Justice, Fundamentalism, Tolerance

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The God Sonnets: Naskar Art of Theology Quotes

“Over the years, quite a few sonnets never saw the light of day, because every time I write something radical, I always ask myself three questions - first, is it true - second, is it kind - and finally, is it necessary? And often it's at the final question, that I'm reluctantly compelled to press delete on quite a few texts. Yet I don't regret it, in fact, once I do delete that bit of my creation, I feel a huge load off my back - because, my mission is not mindless radicalism, my mission is mindful humanizing of the world. In the absence of heart, even truth becomes mindless - and the mindless never know they're mindless, they feel like it's an act of courage.”

“Over the years, quite a few sonnets never saw the light of day, because every time I write something radical, I always ask myself three questions - first, is it true - second, is it kind - and finally, is it necessary? And often it's at the final question, that I'm reluctantly compelled to press delete on quite a few texts. Yet I don't regret it, in fact, once I do delete that bit of my creation, I feel a huge load off my back - because, my mission is not mindless radicalism, my mission is mindful humanizing of the world.”

“I decide what I am, and I decide the parameters of what I am - for example, I can be a monk and still fall in love, just like, I can be a muslim poet, and still consider the koran to be flawed - I can be a theologian of any faith, and consider all the scriptures to be a mix of good and bad - my mind is the measure, not convention; life is my constitution, not tradition. This is how I created whatever I've created, not in defiance of convention, but indifference - I built my universe, aloof from foolish fractures, to men of ritual it's a terrible sacrilege.”

“30 Days of Ramadan (Sufi Sonnet) On the 1st day of Ramadan I say to thee, celebration of Ramadan is celebration of rahmat. On the 2nd day of Ramadan I say to thee, the greatest iftar is to lift up another. On the 3rd day of Ramadan I say to thee, kindness makes moments holy, not date and time. On the 4th day I say to thee, till we renounce apathy, refusing 'interest' counts for nothing. On the 5th day of Ramadan I say to thee, helping a human is worth a hundred Hajj. On the 6th day of Ramadan I say to thee, service to humanity is service to Allah/God. On 7th I say, true mercy waits for no month. On 8th I say, mercy exclusive to month is fake mercy. 9. There is nothing uglier than happiness hoarded. 10. Light shared, is amplified, when hoarded, it's lost. 11. Breaking fast while the world starves, is no holy. 12. Dua without deeds is dua (prayer) of the dead. 13. Only kafir is the one who lacks kindness. 14. Real divinity knows no distinction of faith. 15. The opposite of sacredness is prejudice. 16. Heart is the first and final mosque. 17. Heart set on prejudice tantamount to Quran set on fire. 18. Abandon fundamentalism, and adopt tolerance. 19. What's fanatic is dead, what's tolerant is alive. 20. Tolerance is the awakening of divine desire. 21. Condemn none, convert none, for all are equal. 22. All streams spring from the human heart. 23. Reflections though vary, the sun is the same. 24. Tolerate no more bigotry to poison the world. 25. Surpass all fear, and share a date. 26. Date shared is bloodshed spared. 27. Dogma deserted is harmony harvested. 28. Ramadan is the end of fear and hatred. On the eve of Eid, I bear reminder - for one who lives with kindness, everyday is Ramadan. On Eid al-Fitr, I stand as a promise - in celebrating each other we rise human.”

“Merhem-e Manavta (Sufi Sonnet) Where there is no muslim, non-muslim - where there is no believer, non-believer - where all distances are conquered by heart, outgrowing myths one emerges Merhem-e Manavta. Compulsion of religion is a thing of the past, conversion of faith, trivial as changing clothes; mark of a holy being is not belief, but behavior - clothes, creed, all wither, not character's glow. Christian on Sunday, Atheist on Monday, Buddhist on Tuesday, Sikh on Wednesday, Hindu on Thursday, Muslim on Friday, Jewish on Saturday, try the rest the next day. Love speaks louder than faith, kindness speaks louder than scripture. Service is sanctity, my Eid al-Adha - tolerance is my azaan, my Eid al-Fitr.”