ANNUAL REPORT ON ACTIVITIES OF PROFESSOR SUHEIL BUSHRUI Prepared by the Staff of the Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace Project The University of Maryland 2008
UK NATIONAL BAHÁ’Í FESTIVAL Date: January 2-4, 2008 Venue: University of Warwick Professor Bushrui was the keynote speaker at the UK National Bahá’í Festival at the University of Warwick. The Festival, which was held from January 2-4, 2008, was attended by approximately 1,500 participants from the United Kingdom and several other countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Dr. Bushrui’s two addresses entitled: “Religion: The Civilizer of Mankind” and “Idle Singer or Prophetic Seer? The Poet’s Vision and the Promise of World Peace” were very well received. THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE LOVE POEMS: VALENTINE’S DAY EVENT Poetry Reading and Book Signing Events Date: Thursday, February 14, 2008 Venue: University of Maryland, and Neyla Restaurant, Washington, DC Two major book signing ceremonies were held on February 14, 2008. The first event was a poetry reading organized at the University of Maryland. Many students and faculty attended this special Valentine’s Day event at which Professor Bushrui read selections from this latest publication, The World’s Favorite Love Poems. That same evening a special Valentine’s Day dinner event was organized by the proprietors of Neyla Restaurant in Washington, DC. The book, The World’s Favorite Love Poems, was included in the menu, and each guest received a signed copy of this latest publication. The restaurant was fully booked with over 400 guests in attendance. As one guest remarked: “This was a unique event. Never before has a book been included in a restaurant’s menu.” The book has also received favorable reviews in the Arab press. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP LECTURE SERIES Inaugural Lecture Date: Thursday, April 10, 2008 Venue: University of Maryland On Thursday, April 10, 2008 Professor David Cadman delivered a lecture entitled: “Leadership in a Global Age: The Thoughts and Work of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.” Nearly 100 guests from the University of Maryland, as well as the Lebanese community of Metropolitan Washington, attended Professor Cadman’s lecture, after which Professor Cadman answered questions from the audience. Professor Cadman’s lecture was subsequently edited and published by the Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace.
1
MEETING WITH POPE BENEDICT XVI Peace Our Hope: An Interreligious Gathering with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI Date: Thursday, April 17, 2008 Venue: The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, Washington, DC On April 17, 2008 Professor Suheil Bushrui, Director of the Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace Project, and former holder of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace, was invited to join a number of active promoters of interreligious and interfaith dialogue selected from Canada and the United States, to an event entitled Peace Our Hope: An Interreligious Gathering with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. This event was organized by His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Approximately 100 religious leaders and scholars were invited – perhaps the smallest group to meet with His Holiness during his apostolic voyage to the United States between April 15-20, 2008. Among this group were representatives from the Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Jain communities. Professor Bushrui was the only Bahá’í invited to this meeting, not as an official representative of the Bahá’í Faith but as a Bahá’í scholar in interfaith studies. The invited group attending the event met from 3:30pm to 8:30pm. There was a lively exchange of ideas and various discussions on the need for further dialogues on interreligious and interfaith matters. His Holiness the Pope met with the group from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, and delivered a message of hope and peace, and emphasized the importance of religious cooperation in today’s world. In his address to the group of invited guests, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI affirmed the great need for interreligious dialogue and considered it “not only as a means of enhancing mutual understanding, but also as a way of serving society at large.” He invited the group to bear “witness to those moral truths which they hold in common with all men and women of goodwill.” His Holiness further asserted that religious groups can “exert a positive influence on the wider culture, and inspire neighbors, co-workers and fellow citizens to join in the task of strengthening the ties of solidarity.” He quoted the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “no greater thing could come to our land today than a revival of the spirit of faith.” From the statement made by the Pope and the discussions among the guests attending the meeting, it was very clear that understanding and preserving humanity’s religious and spiritual traditions is necessary for everyone who aspires to be a citizen of the world. It is fortunate, therefore, that here at the University of Maryland, Professor Bushrui has developed a program promoting both interreligious and interfaith dialogue. This program has been taught for the last 12 years – as an Honors core and diversity course – under the title “The Spiritual Heritage of the Human Race.” Significantly, this course has recently been adopted by the University of Southern Maine (USM) as part of its undergraduate general education curriculum. In addition to this highly popular academic course, a special textbook also entitled The Spiritual Heritage of the Human Race has been prepared as a prescribed text and reference work. The book, which is in the printing press, will be published towards the end of 2008, and an Arabic translation of it will appear in 2009.
2
The invitation to Professor Bushrui was in recognition of the work he has done in the field of interreligious and interfaith understanding. In the early 1980s, he was awarded the Lebanese National Order of Merit in recognition of his distinguished service to cultural and religious reconciliation in Lebanon, and the Silver Medal of Merit of the Vatican-sponsored Military and Religious Order of Constantine and St. George. His most recent award in 2007 was the Interfaith Bridge Builder Award by the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. In addition to his efforts to promote the spirit of interfaith and interreligious reconciliation, Professor Bushrui is also an active participant in several international organizations dedicated to promoting peace and conflict resolution. He is a founding member of the International Dialogue on Transition to a Global Society, and serves as a member of the International Advisory Board of the Al Madad Foundation, a registered charity in the United Kingdom whose aim is to “provide hope and relief to impoverished people throughout the world.” He also serves on the board of Al-Hewar: the Arab-American Dialogue Center; the Board of Governors of The Temple of Understanding, a worldwide interfaith organization which is an affiliate of the United Nations; and he is an International Fellow of the Temenos Academy in London, which is under the distinguished patronage of HRH. The Prince of Wales. In September 1999, he joined the Advisory Council of the International Program on Religion and Conflict Resolution of the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding (located in New York City). GLOBAL LEADERSHIP PORTRAITS: PORTRAITS OF THE PAST, VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE A volume in the International Leadership Association’s Series, “Building Leadership Bridges.” In May 2008, Professor Bushrui was invited to contribute a chapter to Global Leadership: Portraits of the Past, Visions for the Future. This volume is in the International Leadership Association’s Series, “Building Leadership Bridges.” Professor Bushrui’s contribution was entitled “Global Leadership Portraits and Visions for the Future: The Poet’s Vision and the Promise of World Peace.”
INTERNATIONAL PEACE SEMINAR 2008 Organized by the International Academy for Human Sciences and Culture; the Psychology Institute for Peace Research and Peace Education; the Center for Heritage Resource Studies, the Academy of Leadership, and the Center for International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland; the International Association for Justice, Human Rights, Professional Honour and Honour of Office; and the Support Association for the International Academy for Human Sciences and Culture Date: July 5-12, 2008 Venue: The International Academy for Human Sciences and Culture, Walenstadt, Switzerland The International Seminar is an annual scientific and cultural project of the International Academy for Human Sciences and Culture, which has the foremost aim of furthering peace and the oneness of mankind through programs emphasizing intercultural understanding, dialogue, and education of the mind and heart. The Seminar is of interest to professionals and laymen from all backgrounds and walks of life, who value human dignity and human rights, who hold a common appreciation for all peoples,
3
cultures and faiths and are interested in the betterment of the condition of humanity, according to the guiding principle of unity in diversity. The seminar was well attended with representatives from more than twenty countries. It received widespread publicity in radio, television, and press reports. Keynote addresses were given by: Professor Suheil Bushrui, Professor and Director, Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace Project (Center for Heritage Resource Studies), Senior Scholar (James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership), Senior Scholar [Peace Studies] (Center for International Development and Conflict Management), University of Maryland, USA; Dr. Ursula Germann-Müller, Psychotherapist and Therapeutic Education Specialist, University of St. Gallen; The Hon. Balz Manhart, Mayor of Quarten, Former President of the Cantonal Parliament of St. Gallen, Switzerland; Professor Dr. Gerhard Müller, Professor of Physics at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, USA; Dr. Shapour Rassekh, Consultant to UNESCO; The Hon. Rolf Widmer, State Councillor of the Canton of Glarus, Switzerland, Director of the Department of Finance and Health, Dr. oec. HSG, Economist; and Dr. Assad Ghaemmaghami, Psychotherapist, Training Analyst, Director of the International Academy for Human Sciences and Culture.
TEMENOS ACADEMY LECTURE Title: “The Precious Integrity of Religious Experience: A Response to the Neo-Atheist Critique” Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Venue: The Royal Asiatic Society, 14 Stephenson Way, London NW1 Abstract It is out of humanity’s religious and spiritual heritage that moral and ethical systems emerged that allowed for the development of high culture. The author argues that no one addressing this topic can do so without reference to his own spiritual tradition. Consequently, the author makes several references to the Bahá’í concept of religion, and emphasizes the role it plays by quoting the words of Bahá’u’lláh: “…we desire religion to be the cause of amity and fellowship.” The modern attempt at casting notions such as justice, ethics and human rights in secular origins is really a distortion of history. Their roots, in fact, can be found in such ancient texts as the Babylonian code of Hammurabi or the judicial rulings of the Jewish Sanhedrin, which banned torture and limited the use of capital punishment. And it may very well be that no moral code ever truly moves beyond the simple and straightforward teaching of the Prophet Zoroaster-who, a thousand or so years before the coming of Christ, exhorted his follower to maintain good thoughts, words, and deeds. The modern trend of atheistic secularism and materialism, however, presents an increasing danger to limiting discussion of religion to ethics alone - a common practice of social scientists that see religion as merely the deification of the do’s and don’ts of a given society. For what distinguishes religion from secular ideologies is its unflinching commitment to a non-physical, Divine Reality - which is the very ground of all moral imperatives. However, in lieu of historical, Inquisition-like encroachments by religious institutions on independent investigation and freedom of conscience, disbelief, hostility, and ambivalence developed toward religion among many twentieth century Western intellectuals. Over time - among the intelligentsia (the stewards
4
of higher education) - the spiritual view of existence - which is to say metaphysics - was slowly replaced by sole reliance on the means and methods of physical science and positivistic philosophy. In that way, realities not controllable or measurable came to be marginalized, ignored, and finally dismissed. Modern man, in the words of Huston Smith, increasingly “…came to think that what science discovers somehow casts doubt on things it does not discover; that the success it realizes in its own domain throws into question the reality of domains its devices cannot touch. In short, [modern man] came to assume that science implies scientism: the belief that no realities save ones that conform to the matters science works with - space, time, matter/energy, and in the end number - exist.” Unlike scientism however - which denies transcendence or the existence of anything beyond insentient matter - the metaphysics of the great religions posit a wider, more encompassing view of reality. Namely, the physical world is held as contingent, and informed by, a greater, spiritual power that transcends matter and quantification. Similarly, human beings are considered to be endowed with a soul, consciousness, or vital force that is not snuffed out when the physical body perishes. Whereas for materialists death is the final end in an ultimately meaningless existence for religious people physical death is not the end of the life process; this notion entails that the quality of one’s life - including one’s motivations and deeds - are central in the development and continuing journey of the soul. It is in accordance with the metaphysical commitment to spirit within and without that religious people of all faiths uphold an ideal beyond a survival of the fittest mentality or hedonism; instead an ethic of empathy and altruism are understood as the mark of truly evolved beings that are embarked on an arduous, spiritual quest. *
*
*
100 people attended the lecture which was organized by the Temenos Academy, under the patronage of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. The lecture was very well-received, and the decision was taken by the Temenos Academy to publish the paper as one of its major publications. A senior BBC commentator who was present at the meeting responded to the lecture as follows: …I cannot tell you how valuable and important I found your Temenos lecture last week. It was a masterful performance, if I may say so. You unfolded your argument and the many reasons why the neo-atheist brigade is SO wrong with such care and such eloquence that I was not the only one in that room to be seduced at first by the apparent simplicity of the landscape you revealed. But what a panorama you went onto show us! Ever since I have been unable to get that landscape out of my mind. The very term "Neo-atheist" jars with me. It has no beauty to it as a term, musically as well as linguistically. It rings with a depressing dissonance, but you put into words what it was I feel is wrong with their argument. In so doing I am sure now that you have begun for me a process which will lead me to face their challenge somewhat head on and publicly in the end, perhaps on behalf of His Royal Highness…. It seems to me that the element that seems always to be missing from either side of that polarised debate is love. I do not hear that many people in pulpits talking with real wisdom about what love really amounts to and from where it comes. And, of course, love is an impossibility for neo-atheists to define with their measuring sticks. They do not explore what it is and what it may lead us to; they consider it an irrelevance from what I
5
can see. But you did speak of it and define it, eloquently and with great and lasting power…. With all my love to you and my kindest wishes to your charming wife.
CONTRIBUTION TO A REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE G-8 SUMMIT AT HEILIGENDAMM, GERMANY Professor Bushrui’s contribution was entitled, “The Spiritual Foundation of a Global Ethic: A Bahá’í Perspective,” and was published in Die Macht der Würde: Globalisierung neu denken, Ed. Christoph Quarch, Silke Lechner, Peter Spiegel, and Ulrich Dettweiler. München: Verlagsgruppe Random House GmbH, 2008. In 2006, Professor Suheil Bushrui was invited with a group of eminent ethical and spiritual leaders to participate in “The Power of Dignity,” a project run by one of Europe’s most distinguished organizations, Germany’s Congress of Protestant Churches. As part of the project, which aims to draw attention to, and initiate discussions on many of the ignored aspects of globalization, each member of the group was invited to contribute a chapter to a special book entitled The Power of Dignity – Redrawing the Global Design, which was submitted to the G-8 Summit Meeting, at Heiligendamm, Germany between June 6 and 8, 2007. Some of the other contributors included: HH the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, HRH Prince Hassan, and the Nobel Laureate Professor Mohamed Younes. Some of the other contributors to this very prestigious and important project are the following: H.H. The XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet; Former President Michail Gorbatschow of the USSR, President Earth Charta Foundation; H.R.H. Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, President Club of Rome; Dr. Muhammad Younes of Bangladesh, Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize; Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; Dr. Benito Ferrero-Waldner, Member of the European Commission in charge of external relations; Dr. Erhard Eppler, Former Federal Minister; Dr. Amartya Sen, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics; Dr. Franz Josef Radermacher, Global Marshall Plan Initiative; Dr. Ashok Gangadean, World Commission on Planetary Consciousness; Dr. Klaus Töpfer, Former Director UN Environment Programme; Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize; Dr. Riane Eisler, Women’s Rights Activist. Die Macht der Würde: Globalisierung neu denken, Ed. Christoph Quarch, Silke Lechner, Peter Spiegel, and Ulrich Dettweiler. München: Verlagsgruppe Random House GmbH, 2008. The article entitled “Die spirituelle Basis einer globalen Ethik: Aus der Perspektive der Bahá’í” appears on page 138.
125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF KAHLIL GIBRAN Memorial Lecture in Arabic entitled “Gibran al-Khaled” (The Immortal Gibran) This lecture in Arabic was given at the invitation of the Arab community in England represented by the Federation of Arab Schools in the UK and in collaboration with the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London. Date: Thursday, July 24, 2008 Venue: The School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London
6
This lecture was widely covered by several Arab news satellites including “Al Arabiyya” and “Al Hurra.” There were also a number of radio interviews, and the lecture “Gibran al-Khaled” was printed as a booklet and distributed by al-Saqi books. The following press report summarizes the lecture given: 2008-07-30 Gibran anniversary marked in London Lecture marking 125th anniversary of famous Lebanese poet held in London in honour of his work. By Mamoon Alabbasi, Editor for Middle East Online – LONDON A lecture dedicated to the life and works of the famous Lebanese poet Gibran Khalil Gibran was held Thursday at the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) in London. The lecture, which marks the 125th anniversary of the poet’s birth, was given by Professor Suheil Bushrui (University of Maryland, US), Director of the Kahlil Gibran Research and Studies Project. Gibran, born in 1883 in Lebanon, was best known for his book The Prophet, which sold millions of copies worldwide. His poetry has been translated into more than twenty languages, while his paintings have been exhibited in many capitals of the world. The event commenced with an introductory note by Mrs. Ibtisam Auchi, head of the Union of Arab Schools in the UK, which helped organise the lecture. She noted that the Lebanese artist was an acknowledged figure internationally before becoming known in the Arab World. Then Mohammed Said, a teacher at SOAS and a member of the Union of Arab Schools in the UK, gave a short introduction on the lecturer and emphasised the importance of teaching the works of Gibran, the artist who “linked east to west”. “During the past twenty-five years, not a year passed that I did not pick a passage or two of Gibran to teach,” noted Said. The lecture began with an emphasis on the relevance of Gibran’s work to many of today’s events. Bushrui argued that Gibran had sought long ago to build bridges between east and west, continuously promoting dialogue and peaceful coexistence. “Gibran carried a message of peace, crossing the boundaries of race, religion and language,” said Bushrui. He advocated bridging the divide between east and west, woman and man, poor and rich, Muslims and Christians. The lecture touched on the spiritual side of Gibran, which greatly influenced his work and view of the world. Gibran called for a “spiritual renaissance” that would eventually help our minds to find cohesion between contradictories and bring about a unity between “emotion and thought”. The call, which came during an era of conflict and economic hardships, is seen as still vital in today’s world. Gibran wanted people searching for life to begin looking within themselves in order to find it, Bushrui noted. The poet not only believed in the unity of humanity, but also in the unity of religion, explained Bushrui. “All regions are one”, Gibran was quoted, echoing Arab mystic poets. He saw all faiths as stemming from the same source. “Gibran was influenced by Islamic Sufism and the idea of religious unity,” noted Bushrui.
7
Sufi poets like Ibn Al Arabi and Al Ghazzali had a strong impact on Gibran, in addition to the influence of Al Andalus literature, which included Christian and Jewish poets in Spain, explained Bushrui. Although Gibran was a Christian Maronite, his mind was open to the teachings of Islam. “If you study Gibran, you cannot miss his position towards Islam,” said Bushrui, adding that the poet often cited from the sayings of Prophet Mohammed. Bushrui quoted Gibran saying: “To Muslims from a Christian poet; I am a Christian and proud of that, but I love the Arab Prophet … and love the glory of Islam and I fear for it … I respect the Koran but disdain those who use it as a means against the cause of Muslims… as I disrespect those who use the Bible as a means to control Christians ... take it from me O Muslims, a message from a Christian… Jesus lives in one half of my heart while Mohammed resides in the other”. The poet was in a unique position to bring people of different backgrounds together. A Lebanese living in the United States, Gibran sought to bring some spirituality to the West while calling for more modernity in the Orient. Gibran was not too happy with life in modern industrialised cities and while he did not deny the importance of commerce, he favoured a more humanitarian system that is just for everyone, especially the poor, Bushrui noted. The Lebanese poet also seemed to have a special view on women, ahead of its time even in the United States. “Leadership should be handed to women,” Gibran was quoted saying. “I owe all I have to women.” Gibran’s perspective on nationality and citizenship seems to have a progressive ring to it, too. “Though Gibran loved his country, he saw his loyalty to the whole of humanity,” noted Bushrui. He saw himself as a ‘citizen of the world’ who would not side with own people should they harm others. “All of earth is my homeland, and humanity is my tribe,” Gibran was quoted saying. “Gibran believed in human rights, acceptance of the other, mutual respect, and unity in diversity,” Bushrui remarked. Bushrui called for more attention to be paid to the work and life of Gibran, advocating a revival of interest in the Lebanese poet. “Sales of The Prophet between 1980 and 1990 reached eight million copies, and the book was translated to many languages,” noted Bushrui. “It became the second best selling book in the US after the Bible … his words were not just for a certain generation in the US but the whole of humanity,” stressed Bushrui. Bushrui concluded that Gibran’s work has still a lot to offer to the world. *
*
*
The following article was published in the most prestigious newspaper in the Arab world, An Nahar in Beirut:
١٥ اب٢٠٠٨
8
"جبران الخالد " في محاضرة لسهيل بشروئي في لندن: اإلنسانية كانت دينه وملهمته شاعراً وإنساناً محاضرة "جبران الخالد" التي ألقاها ،باسم االتحاد العالمي للدراسات الجبرانية ،مؤسسه ورئيسه العالمي البروفسور سهيل بشروئي في لندن – بدعوة من مدرسة الدراسات الشرقية واالفريقية في جامعة لندن (قاعة خليلي في الجامعة) اشتراكاً مع اتحاد المدارس العربية في بريطانيا ،لمناسبة الذكرى 125لوالدة جبران – جاءت بجديد عن جبران ،بعدما كان في بعض السائد ان لم يعد من جديد يقال في العبقري اللبناني العالمي. واصدرتها قبل ايام في كتيّب دار الساقي (بيروت /لندن). استهل الدكتور بشروئي محاضرته باهدائها "الى الشاعر هنري زغيب ،االصيل في شعره ،النابغ في فكره، النافع في عمله ،واعترافاً بفضله على الجبرانيين في العالم" .ثم قسّم محاضرته تسع فقرات ،مهّد لها بأن قلة من الشعراء "يخاطبون اهل عصرهم بمستوى الصراحة واالمانة كجبران ،وقليلهم يتمتعون بالحس االنساني المتعاطف مع الوجود كلّه مثلما كان ايمان جبران بوحدة العالم االنساني واخوة البشر اجمعين متخطياً فوارق العرق والدين واللون واللغة والجنس بدون استثناء ،فجاءت رسالته في الدين تلبي احتياجات عالم أثخنته جراح الحروب والنزاعات السياسية والطائفية ،وفي من تفاقمت فيه الصراعات القائمة بين االديان السماوية الرئيسة وبين عالمي الشرق والغرب" .ولذا "ذاعت شهرة كتاب "النبي" واصبح اكثر الكتب مبيعاً في اميركا بعد "الكتاب المقدس" ،واضحت كلمات جبران تبعث الحياة في جيل اميركي اضاع صلته بالمقدسات الروحية لالديان السماوية بعد ما عاناه من ازمة ضمير خلقتها ظروف الحرب الفيتنامية" .غير ان رسالة جبران لم تبق حكراً على االميركيين ،بل عمّت العالم االنساني كله ،موجة الى االنسان في كل مكان بصفته االنسانية الشاملة ،واتسع نفوذ آرائه وافكاره ،فجاءت رسالته تمأل فراغاً روحياً هائالً ،وتؤكد بأسلوب جديد المبادئ االخالقية االصيلة والقيم االنسانية الخالدة". وركّز بشروئي على تنبّه جبران "منذ وقت مُبكر من حياته الكتابية ،الى ان اهم ما يحتاجه عصرنا الحاضر هو خلق وعي كامل بوحدة ا لعالم االنساني ،وبأن االديان جميعها ذات اصل واحد .ومن هنا يصبح موضوع الوحدة واالتحاد االنساني والديني جوهر الفكر الجبراني وهدف رسالته التي عبر عنها بكل بساطة وبالغة وبكامل الوضوح واالخالص". وشدد المحاضر على ان جبران "تأثر بما قرأه من االدب العربي وبما اوحى اليه شعراء التصوّف امثال ابن العربي وابن الفارض والغزالي ،فساعدوه في ترسيخ مبدأ "وحدة الوجود" ركناً رئيساً من اركان "ثقافة السالم" التي نادى بها جبران الذي تأثر ايضاً بتراث فكري وادبي تركه العرب في األندلس تراثاً انسانياً وحّد الشرق والغرب". ورأى المحاضر ان جبران "كان مسيحياً مارونياً واتخذ يسوع المسيح مثاالً للكمال والمحبة ،لكنه فتح قلبه وعقله للتعاليم الروحية التي جاء بها االسالم ،ضمن موقفه بأن االديان حقيقة واحدة تأتي في صور واشكال وظروف واحوال وازمان ولغات مختلفة لكن الروح فيها واحدة والجوهر واحد" .من هنا ان كتاب "النبي" "يزخر بأصداء الفكر المسيحي ونفحات التصوّف االسالمي .والمصطفى ،الشخصية الرئيسة في كتابه ،يشهر دعوة الى الوحدة الدينية الجامعة كل االديان والباسطة حمايتها وغايتها لكل انسان". وعن تأثر جبران بالتعاليم البهائية رسالة وحدة وسالم ،اشار الدكتور بشروئي الى ان جبران تابع رحلة عبد البهاء في اميركا واستمع الى بياناته وخطبه ،وكان على صلة مع اتباع الدين البهائي وتجاوب مع مبادئه
9
وتعاليمه ،كما الريحاني ونعيمة ،وخاصة دعوته الى السالم العالمي وتأكيد وحدة العالم االنساني ،كون االديان كلّها ديناً واحداً هدفه االلفة والمحبة بين الناس جميعاً. ووجد ان الدين البهائي يدعو الى نبذ التعصبات الدينية والعنصرية والسياسية واالقتصادية والوطنية ،وينادي بلغة عالمية عامة بين البشر ،فرأى جبران ان على الدين ان يطابق العلم والعقل ،وراح ينادي بتحقيق المساواة بين الرجال والنساء ،ويحض على نزع السالح ،ويفرض التعليم االجباري ،ونادى بانشاء حكومة عالمية ومحكمة دولية". ورأى بشروئي ان "االنسانية كانت دين جبران وملهمته شاعرا وانسانا .فدافع عن حقوق االنسان وحقوق المرأة وحقوق البيئة حتى قبل ان يبدأ العالم بالحديث عن تلك الحقوق .وهو "اتخذ الطبيعة موقفا لم يتخذه اي شاعر قبله في تاريخ االدب العربي ،موقفا نابعا من ايمانه بوحدة الوجود وارتباط الموجودات بعضها ببعض ،فكانت الطبيعة لديه جزءا من الكيان االنساني بجوانبه الفكرية والروحية والعاطفية ورأى ان ال سالم في عالم االنسان من دون سالم بين االنسان والطبيعة" .وكانت حقوق االنسان قضية ال تقل اهمية عن قضية المحافظة على البيئة وسالمتها .واستأثرت حقوق المرأة بفكر جبران فرأى المرأة في الشرق مكبلة اليدين بال قرار ،ولم تكن شقيقتها الغربية افضل حاال بكثير .كانت المرأة في حياة جبران "أما" و"شقيقة" و"صديقة" اجتمعن ليغنين حياته رمز المحبة والتضحية والوفاء ،ما عمق لديه مشاعر احترامها وتقديرها ،بل تقديسها. وعن تجاهل االوساط االكاديمية والتعليمية طويال فكر جبران ورسالته اجاب بشروئي ان قراء جبران اعتبروا رسالته قضية مسلما بها ،ما اقعدهم عن االهتمام بها ،وصدمهم صدقه وصراحته ودقة وصفه االمور وابعدهم عن تفحص ما اعلنه ودافع عنه .ولكن الزمان ينصف الشعراء العظام في نهاية االمر .فعام 1995 احتفلت منشورات بنغوين البريطانية بعيدها الستين فنشرت كتيبات الهم الكتاب والشعراء في القرن العشرين ،وبينهم جبران .واخذ جبران يغزو المعاقل االكاديمية الن شهرته غير العادية بين عامة الناس ادخلت الشك في نفوس االكاديميين ،فاستمر كتاب "النبي" مطلوبا ،لم يتوقف نشره منذ صدوره عام ،1923 وال يزال حتى اليوم اكثر الكتب مبيعا في الواليات المتحدة بعد الكتاب المقدس ،حتى بلغ ما بيع منه بين 1980و 1990ثمانية ماليين نسخة. وهنا اورد بشروئي عبارة كاثلين راين "اهم امرأة كتبت للشعر في االدب االنكليزي" دفاعا عن جبران وفكره ومساهمته في االدب المكتوب باالنكليزية .وجاء في عبارتها سنة " :1998اعتقدت الشيوعية والرأسمالية بامكان ان يعيش االنسان "بالخبز وحده" .لكن انبياء الروح برهنوا ان القوت الحقيقي الذي يحيي االنسان هو "كلمة اهلل" .وقام فكر واحد جمع هذه االفكار وتحدث بألسنة االنبياء ،صوت سمعناه ال اجمل وال ابلغ ،صوت منفرد لصاحبه اللبناني المسيحي العربي جبران خليل جبران". واشار بشروئي الى تأسيس "االتحاد العالمي للدراسات الجبرانية" عام " ،2006هيئة علمية عالمية تمثل اكثر من 35دولة يمثل اعضاؤها باحثين ومترجمين ودارسين آثار جبران الشاعر والرسام ،واحتضنت جامعة ماريلند مقر االتحاد الذي يعقد مؤتمراته واجتماعاته في عواصم الدول االعضاء .ولالتحاد برنامج حافل لنشر ادب جبران وفكره في العالم .اضافة الى منهج اكاديمي بيبليوغرافي لجمع اآلثار الجبرانية الكتابية والفنية وتأسيس ارشيف كامل لكل ما كتب عن جبران وما ترجم من آثاره". وختم الدكتور بشروئي" :ان الكلمة هي الباقية ،وكلمات جبران معنا اليوم وباقية معنا غدا ،ارثا خالدا تركه شاعر لبنان العظيم الذي وهبنا قلبه ونفسه ووعدنا بقوله" :جئت كي اكون للكل وبالكل ،وما افعله اليوم في وحدتي يعيده المستقبل امام الناس ،وما اقوله بلسان واحد سيقوله اآلتي بألسنة عدة". لندن – "النهار"
10
THE BBC WORLD SERVICE PROGRAMME: THE FORUM Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2008 Professor Bushrui was invited by the BBC to take part in The Forum on the 8 th of October. Professor Bushrui participated in the program along with poet and award-winning author Bernadine Evaristo, and Cambridge Professor of Mathematics and recipient of the Fields Medal (in mathematics, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize), Timothy Gowers. Professor Bushrui addressed many themes during the course of the discussion which are highly relevant to our increasingly globalized world, including inter-religious reconciliation, intercultural dialogue, and the role of literature and the arts in producing understandings that lead to peace. Professor Bushrui specifically drew attention to the great poets as the “true leaders of humanity,” and shared many of the insights expressed by some of them such as T.S. Eliot, W.B. Yeats, Abu Tammam, and Ibn ‘Arabi. He went on to explain that while the political discourse has dominated for too long all discussion – both national and international – and employed in research quantitative and empirical methods that have not yielded many positive results, the power of the word, the power of poetry, and the power of literature have survived both time and place. Enthusiastic responses to the program were received immediately from around the world. Two of these responses are included herewith:
Delighted to hear you on BBC world service. It was the Suheil I knew many years ago, straight to the point but disarmingly polite. Not that you are no longer polite but in most of your recent talks you have been more forceful. However, I must confess to being a complete novice with regard to poetry and some of it went over my head. *
*
*
I've just had the pleasure of hearing the BBC program that you were featured on. Your final statement…sounded the trumpet in glory. When or if I ever achieve any position of standing - I'll be fighting the good fight under the far-reaching shadow you've cast. *
*
*
In addition, the producer of The Forum responded to the program as follows: Dear Professor Bushrui, Many thanks for taking part in The Forum yesterday and for being such an engaged and engaging guest. … Thank you again for your contribution and for giving us so much of your
11
time during the research phase. Your generosity and unfailing courtesy were much appreciated. The following description of The Forum has been given courtesy of the BBC: The Forum is a new hour long weekly programme where the world's most eminent minds meet to challenge each other on their latest ideas. The programme is primarily presented by Bridget Kendall who has been a diplomatic correspondent of the BBC for the last 10 years. It is broadcast on the World Service in English which has an audience of over 40 million across the globe. On The Forum each week three of the world's most interesting thinkers present their ideas. The other guests, be they scientists, power brokers, or authors draw upon their own perspectives, both geographic and academic, to elucidate and challenge the idea under discussion. We aim to stimulate our guests and BBC World Service listeners to think afresh about the world. Previous guests include: Nobel Prize winning biologist John Sulston, Political scientist Joseph Nye, former Afghan finance minister Ashraf Ghani, British astrophysicist Lord Martin Rees, Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Canadian writer Naomi Klein, Egyptian writer Alaa Al Aswany, Ghanaian philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah, Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli, US psychologist Steven Pinker, South African judge Albie Sachs, Polish Canadian writer Eva Hoffman, British philosopher John Gray, mathematician Marcus du Sautoy, and many more.
THE AMEEN RIHANI ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES Inaugural Lecture Title: “Towards a Diverse and Pluralist Arab Society” Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Venue: The University of Maryland On the evening of September 24, 2008, distinguished members of diverse communities, of different religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, of varying ideologies and beliefs, infused with the spirit of harmony, and working towards the shared goals of the betterment of humanity, unity, peace and cooperation, gathered together at the University of Maryland to inaugurate the Ameen Rihani Annual Lecture series. Truly, it is endeavors such as these, which the beloved guardian described as “gleams of hope” and the “progress…of the forces working in harmony with the spirit of the age.” Sponsored by the Lebanese Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Antoine Chedid, and organized by Professor Suheil Bushrui, the Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace at the University of Maryland, in conjunction with “Min Ajl Lubnan” and the Lebanese Student organization, the Ameen Rihani Annual Lecture Series gives voice to the moderate Arabs who intend to create a world of tolerance, respect, and cooperation. The evening was entitled “Towards a Diverse and Pluralist Arab Society.” Among the guests were leaders of the University of Maryland: Dr. Nariman Farvardin, Provost; Dr. Edward Montgomery, Dean of the College of Behavioral Sciences; Dr. Jonathan Wilkenfeld, Director of the Center for International Development and Conflict Management; Dr. Paul Shackel, Chair of the Department of Anthropology; as well as prominent members of the American Bahá’í community Dr. Glenford Mitchell and Mr. Kenneth Bowers, and esteemed representatives of the
12
Lebanese and Arab-American community, including members of Ameen Rihani’s family, and leaders of thought and profession. Thus it was appropriate that all these diverse people should join together in commemoration of one of the greatest Arab poets – Ameen Rihani – who above all espoused the principles of religious tolerance and harmony as the perquisites for achieving a global peace. He was among the first to foresee, at the beginning of the twentieth century, the future problems that would arise from cultural misunderstandings between the east and west. As an Arab émigré living in New York he realized that cultural dialogue was imperative and fundamental to bridging the two hemispheres. In the spirit of his work the evening began with opening statements by Dean Montgomery, His Excellency Antoine Chedid, Dr. Suheil Bushrui, and Dr. Nariman Farvardin. Dr. Suheil Bushrui introduced Ameen Rihani and his noble ideals, describing his belief in multi-culturalism and pluralism in both the east and the west. To a room filled with Arab Muslims and Christians, academics, politicians and cultural elite, Dr. Bushrui quoted the following from Ameen Rihani’s will and testament: “I am a believer in the unity of religion, for in its mirror, I see reflected the images of all Prophets and Messengers—Confucius, Buddha, Zoroaster, Socrates, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Baha’u’llah…they have all come from one source, and their faces merge and unite and become reflected in one unified face, a most holy symbol, representing the face of God Himself.” Continuing on these themes of harmony, collective understanding and action, Dr. Farvardin opened his remarks praising the university for its commitment to these ideals declaring: “This concept of unity in diversity, which is the foundation of our philosophy as a university community is well served by such special programs as the Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace Project, which has achieved outstanding recognition worldwide and especially in the Arab world. Today, we wholeheartedly welcome yet another program which promises to serve the principle of diversity and create bridges of understanding among disparate peoples.” The lecturer of the evening was His Excellency Dr. Marwan Muasher. Dr. Marwan Muasher is an exemplary figure in the international community of how cross cultural understanding blends with harmony and unity to achieve the common good from a perspective of a common humanity. Pivotal to the first peace initiative between Israel and an Arab country since American president Jimmy Carter brokered peace between Egypt and Israel in 1978, Dr. Muasher became the first Jordanian Ambassador to the state of Israel in 1996. He has served as both Foreign Minister of Jordan as well as Deputy Prime Minister for Reform and Government performance. Currently he is the World Bank’s senior Vice President of External Affairs. He addressed the gathering on the topics vital not only to the Arab world but to the global community. He covered the relationship between the East and the West and presented the dire reality facing many of the inhabitants of the Arab world, as a result of both internal and external factors. He argued that it is the newest generation of Arab youth who face the most troubling prospects as corrupt governments limit their prospects for survival and clashing ideologies of progressivism and fundamentalism play out their battles on the streets of the crowded Arab
13
cities. He described how these two forces have affected pluralism in the Arab world in the following statement: “A colorful mosaic of different ethnic and religious communities as well as political ideologies sharing the same language, history and cultural heritage, the Arab world today is diverse. There are Muslims; Sunnis, Shiites and other schools of jurisprudence, Druze, Bahá’ís, Christians of all denominations and Jews. There are Kurds, Armenians, Circassians, Chechens, and Berber. However, this diverse society is being directed by two groupings that have exploited this diversity to achieve their own political objectives. Both the entrenched ‘status quo’ mentality elite and the forces of religious fanaticism have activated boundaries of us versus them within and across the different religious and ethnic groups thereby emphasizing our differences, preaching monolithism and encouraging radicalism.” The most encouraging aspect of the evening was the almost universal understanding among the guests and speakers that ideals such as unity in diversity, religious unity, harmony and understanding, inherent to Baha’i belief are imperative for the peace and advancement of the human race. Furthermore, the atmosphere of unity in the event was a testament to tireless efforts of those who planned the event and carried it out. These cross-cultural, multi-religious, diverse initiatives are glimmers of hope inspired by the transformative spirit that has infused the entire world of creation through Baha’u’llah’s revelation. The founding of the Ameen Rihani Lecture Series is a significant event in the Arab community of America as it will continue to lend a platform for moderate, enlightening, and progressive Arabs and friends of Arabs to counteract the negative effects and elements that Dr. Muasher discussed in his lecture. It is essential that unity be fostered among this group for not just the future of the Arab world but the global community, for when one part of the human family is suffering the entire family is afflicted by that pain. AL-HEWAR CENTER LECTURE Title: “The Spiritual Foundation of Human Rights” Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Venue: Al-Hewar Center, Vienna, Virginia At a meeting held at Al-Hewar Center in Virginia, Professor Suheil Bushrui gave a talk on “The Spiritual Foundation of Human Rights.” There were a total of 22 participants and they included Arab diplomats and scholars. Mr. Sobhi Ghandour, (Director of Al-Hewar Center and Chairman of the Advisory Board) introduced Professor Bushrui and described him as the promoter of religious unity and culture and equated him with Dr. Clovis Maksoud, the international spokesperson for the Arab World. In his talk, Professor Bushrui stressed the natural rights of man and stated that Human Rights had been an ongoing feature of humanity since the Babylonian and Jewish civilizations. He said that human rights are essentially a codification of mainly spiritual laws and the cumulative achievement of the world’s religious traditions. He also said that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948 should be regarded as one of the most important spiritual concerns of the world today and it is imperative for all nations of the world to observe it.
14
He read the contents of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights together with other quotes from the Scriptures. Professor Bushrui emphasized the underlying common teachings of all religions. He also mentioned the importance of religion in achieving world peace and the challenge it faces in overcoming misunderstandings and prejudices between the different religions and the necessity to build on common fundamentals. He quoted the theologian Hans Küng’s statement saying “there can be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions.” Professor Bushrui stated that unity cannot only be political, social, or economic in scope, but there has to be deepseated unity of conscience, outlook and belief. THE ENDURING LEGACY OF KAHLIL GIBRAN Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Venue: The Ambassador of Lebanon’s Residence, Washington, DC At the invitation of His Excellency Antoine Chedid, Ambassador of Lebanon to the United States, on December 10, 2008 Professor Bushrui delivered a lecture in honor of the 125 th anniversary of the birth of Kahlil Gibran entitled “The Enduring Legacy of Kahlil Gibran.” The lecture was organized by the Embassy of Lebanon and was held at the Ambassador’s Residence, followed by a special reception. In his talk, Professor Bushrui referred to Gibran as “a man of broad human sympathy for all creation” who “held a passionate belief in the unity of mankind,” and stressed that Gibran’s message of peace and reconciliation is more timely and more sorely needed than ever as relations between Christian, Muslim and Jew, between East and West, become ever more pressing matters of concern. The entire lecture was circulated widely through Al-Hewar Center. VARIOUS APPEARANCES ON TELEVISION AND RADIO, CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAJOR ARAB NEWSPAPERS, AND PUBLICATIONS During the last year, Professor Bushrui received many invitations to appear on various television and radio programs. Among the major Arab television programs that he has appeared on are the following: Al-Hurra; Lebanese TV; MBC; and Alamat (an Arab TV station based in London and affiliated with some major Arab programs throughout the Middle East). Among the radio programs in which he has participated are: CHIN Ottawa 97.9FM (an international radio station broadcasting from Canada) and Voice of America. Professor Bushrui has also written several articles which have been published in the following Arab newspapers: An-Nahar; Al-Hayat; and Al-Anwar. His most recent contribution was an article written concerning the importance of religious dialogue and the recognition of “the other.” This article was also written in response to the summit in New York attended by heads of Arab states, and was well-received throughout the Arab world. A copy of the article can be found at: http://pdf.alhayat.com/pages/11-2008/h_17_P15low.pdf His most recent publications are: The World’s Favorite Love Poems (Oxford: Oneworld, 2008); Gibran al-Khaled (“The Immortal Gibran) (Beirut: Al-Saqi, 2008); “The Spiritual Foundation of a Global Ethic: A Bahá’í Perspective,” published as “Die spirituelle Basis einer globalen Ethik: Aus der Perspektive der Bahá’í” in Die Macht der Würde: Globalisierung neu denken (Ed. Christoph Quarch, Silke Lechner, Peter Spiegel, and Ulrich Dettweiler. München: Verlagsgruppe Random
15
House GmbH, 2008); The Spiritual Heritage of the Human Race (co-authored with Dr. Mehrdad Massoudi) (Oxford: Oneworld, 2009); and its translation into Arabic under the title, Tourath alInsaniyya al-Ruhi (this will be the first book in Arabic that includes most of the religious and spiritual traditions of humanity in one volume); and the translation into Arabic of Selected Speeches and Articles by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales: Al Amir Yattahadath (Beirut: Al-Saqi, forthcoming, 2009).
16