One thing I love (and miss) about cable network are the variety of channels; my clear favourites are Discovery and History Channels. You learn a lot from these two channels, especially if you are a techy or a history buff, of which I would like to think I am both.
So, months ago, I turned on the TV to the History Channel and lo and behold, it was showing "Lost Worlds - Pagans." The show basically took us to the ancient ruins around Britain, ruins that predates the Roman's conquest by several thousand years. I'm not even sure if these ruins might even predate some of the Celtic tribes like the Picts. It wasn't really stated in the show.
Anyway, cool theories about Stonehenge and Woodhenge, the very well preserved village at Orkney Island, and the connections between the various sites surrounding Sillbury (hope I'm spelling it correctly), really drew my attention. The village, for example, was built on a prehistoric landfill and the people at the time seemed to have some sort of recycling processes going on...and here I thought that recycling is a modern concept. Little do I know.
Of course, the technology that built Stonehenge and other henges boggles the mind. I am reminded of the Quran's insistance for us to travel through the Earth, for example, in Chapter 22, verse 46
"Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts."
The Quran exhorts us to travel in at least ten different verses. Not for fun, work, or visiting love ones, but to learn wisdom by opening our eyes, ears, and ultimately our hearts. How is this related to the show? Today, we have the technology and the luxury of such learning without having to leave our homes as this show proves. What wisdom did I derive from this show? I cannot say that it is a wisdom that I currently fully appreciate but let me share and perhaps through the sharing better understand it.
Ancient civilizations, such as the Pagans of Britain, Egypt, Babylon, Rome, have long left their monuments and mark on the landscape of our world. Archeologists, historians, and others have researched and discovered new information about those eras. Yet, we never really ask the basic question: what happened to lead to their downfall and how does it pertain to us.
I'm sure the "technical" reasons for their downfall are well known or still being researched, but it is not the academic questioning that would lead to wisdom. Instead, it must be appreciated and manifested in our own lives. We really must learn from history and stop making the same mistakes. The Quran tells us so many stories of ancient civilizations now lost in time. This morning, one of my classmates asked why the Egyptians are no longer practising the old religion. It reminded me of Prophet Moses' (a.s.) exhortation to the Pharoah and his people and how Pharoah answered. How Pharoah ordered his priests to build the highest tower for him to "reach" God. Also of the other ancient communities mentioned in the Quran, especially in Chapter 11.
While it is given that these communities rejected the message that their prophets brought to them, it is not so much of that rejection that led to their destructions. It is in their deeds; the Ad whom God mentioned in the Quran as builders of lofty pillars, the Thamud who carved cities out of the mountains (probably where Petra is ??), the Madyan, and the Ancient Egyptians. Each of these people transgessed beyond measures. Take, for example, the Madyan in which Prophet Shu'ayb (a.s.) exhorted to "give just measure and weight nor withhold from the people the things that are their dues." (Chapter 11, verse 85). This reminds me of the current financial situation today.
Give just measure and weight - were the bankers fair in their dealings with those who are not credit-worthy, not to mention that interest itself is not just for it creates wealth without the necessary work/effort. The heavy interests charged to these people were themselves a burden, not to mention having to pay off the loans. Then, in restructuring the mortgages/debts, they sold each "parcel" off to unsuspecting investors. That is not giving just measure and weight.
The Thamud, when given the she-camel of God, hamstrung her. Look again at what we're doing to the Earth today and to the other creations of God. Similar to the Thamud, we are given the responsibility of sharing the resources with them. How much have we "hamstrung" our fellow creatures with our pollutions, our destruction of their habitats, our exploitation of resources beyond bounds?
Coming back to the ancient Celtic race, much of their traditions and knowledge were lost. Why? Because theirs was an oral tradition and from here, too, can we learn. That there is a need for documentation and a repository of knowledge. That is why Islam puts much emphasis on transmission of knowledge through the written word; the Quran stands before us as part of that emphasis as the written word (kalam) of Allah.
(Only God knows best.)
No comments:
Post a Comment