ADDRESS:
"PEARLS OF CIVILIZATIONS"

by

Dr. Jamal Fou'ad el-'ATTAR*

This is by keeping a buffer zone "Barzakh" in between which deters each from altering the chemical composition of the other: see the verse which follows immediately (20): Baynahuma Barzakh-un Laa yabghiyaan: in spite of the salty seas being mixed -   we learn they do in a state of turbulence - they nevertheless do not transgress but mix very slowly by virtue of the barzakh/barrier. One scholar says: 

"Marine biologists after the progress of modern science have now discovered the following: There is a moving barrier  between the two converging seas that marine biologists call 'the frontier'.  This makes each sea maintain its characteristics that Allah has decreed for it and at the same time makes suitable for its living creatures. Mixing between  the two seas is very slow and makes that amount of water that moves from one sea to the other, acquire those characteristics of that sea into which it is moving without affecting the original water. Marine biologists discovered in 1873 that there is a difference between salty waters in the degree of saltiness, density and kinds of living creatures. This was the outcome of a three year research. These moving barriers between the seas were photographed by Satellite."  ²

A similar situation exists this time between  sweet and salty waters, i.e., rivers and oceans. This is stated in another verse (53) of Surat 25 (al-Furqaan):

"And it is He (All-Mighty God), the One Who has let loose/sent the two kinds of waters /  two  entities of oceans and rivers, whilst creating a complete partition (third entity) of a very tasteful and palatable sweet zone which buffers between  the very salty and very sweet waters."

Such is is the lot of civilizations/humanity  who has been similarly sent by God, in various languages, colours, and achievements; they are equally unique but different, exactly as the waters are unique and different, but from each comes benefits: "Wa Min Kullin Ta'kulouna Lahman Tariyyan Wa Tastakhrijouna Hilyatan Talbasounahaa...", verse 12 in Surat Faatir (35)", i.e., from each type of water you may eat tender meat (fish) and get pearls for ornamentation, and in each civilization there are ample jewels and treasures reflective of the secrets of the surrounding waters.

This is interestingly and healthfully globe-bound:  where the two "oceans" of any respecting cultures meet before the sweet door of mutual tolerance, there is no fear from any intruding globalization; when civilizations really meet, they need not transgress - "La Yabghiyaan", verse:20 of Surat al-Rahmaan (55) - but can co-exist beneficially by allowing a fresh breeze of respect to and tolerance of their specially endowed cultural and civilizational features in a state of equilibrium resembling that secret of the (sweet) waters neighbouring/within the oceans while maintaining  peacefully their respective compositions, fruitfulness and cultural identities.

Should civilizations be in a state of "cultural" turbulance when they meet? Is cultural erosion inevitable and necessary between triumphant and marginalized nations?  The meeting waters have been prevented from spoiling the composition and characteristics of each other. Verily, we can do the same! ³

The waters have been made able to produce pearls, coral stones and furnishing us with real food for thought; can't cultures   produce more?

May your Holy and Academic Days be filled with pearls - the pearls in each one of our cultures, and may our activities and encounters be more palatable than the sweet rivers, Amen.

Respectfully and Faithfully,

Jamal el-'Attar, Ph.D (Edinburgh, 1996)
Arabo-Islamic and Civilizational Studies *

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1. The Quranic (gif) pic was borrowed from http://associnst.ox.ac.uk/oxcis/visit/pic.gif , courtesy of the  Art  of  Mr. Ahmed Moustafa, fellow  in Islamic Art, OCIS (Oxford Centre For Islamic Studies), who entitled  the Quranic verse with "Where the Two Oceans Meet". The attempted  interpretation  is mine.  - My "intercultural" and "metaphorical" understanding of the  Holy verse does not mean, of course, there are not more direct verses  that  address my civilizational theme, as: "wa ja'alnaakum shu'ouban wa  qabaa'ila  li ta'aarafou" (Sura 49: 13, al-Hujurat): "and God Al-Mighty  Has made us nations and tribes that we may tolerate and acknowledge each other's virtues" . Yes, my exegetical attempt could be far fetched, but the similarities portrayed seem attractive in a "myopic" era where "the other - any other; religious - as the environmentally helpless Buddha temples -,  sectarian, theological, cultural, ethnic, political, etc." is deliberately excluded and marginalised; something foreign to any real advancement of humanity and to the tolerant and richly diverse spirit of Islam that is quite conscious of multiculturalism and differences among nations, as another verse puts it:  "wa law shaa'a Rabbuka la ja'ala al-naasa ummatan waahidatan,  walaa yazaalouna mukhtalifeena- illa man rahima Rabbuka wa lizaalika khalaqahum"   (Surat 11, verse 118-119,  Hud), reading: "Had your Lord willed,  all humanity would  have been made one nation, but nevertheless, they continue  to remain diverse  and even different, except for those whom your God has showered with His mercy - and for this He has created them..." Some of the exegetes have maintained rightly that God All-Mighty Has created us differently  - language, colour, religion wise - to marvel His tolerance and mercy, that  these differences may stand for ever (in the hearts of the open minded and  believers) as pointers to al-Raheem: al-Qaadir: al-Haleem, and not an invitation to conflict - as others occasionally portray - in a Divine attempt, as al-Jahiz (776-869 CE/15-250 AH) pointed out in his theological writings, to make  "al-Ikhtilaaf sababan lil I'itilaaf", i.e., to let those apparent initiated differences and unique cultural characteristics be the cause for and substance of harmony. 

2. On Barriers between Oceans in the Holy Qur'an, kindly see : http://www.aleijaz.org/papers/english/7.htm by Scholar Sheikh Abdul-Majid Al-Zindani. I would honour and appreciate receipt of any Western scientific treatment of the same. There is a reference to Professor Schroeder, a Marine  scientist from West Germany, in http://www.it-is-truth.org/chapters/marine.htm . There is also reference to a similar interpretation by Dr. William W. Hay, Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of colourado, Boulder, colourado, U.S.A. and ex-Dean of the Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. at http://www.it-is-truth.org/chapters/seasnoceans.htm, which states:

"We also asked Professor Hay about the mixed-water partitions between the different seas and fresh water rivers...With regard to the partitions between the different seas, he explained that these bodies of water are not one homogeneous sea as it appears to us. Rather they are different seas, distinguished by varying degrees of salinity, temperature and density. In this slide, here the white lines represent partitions between two different seas (not shown - WWW Ed.) Each partition divides two seas that differ in temperature, salinity, density, marine biology and oxygen dissolubility. Scientists first had this picture in 1942 after hundreds of marine research stations were set up. In it we can see the divider between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Fig. 13.1 In the middle of this photo (not shown - Ed.), we see a coloured triangle. This is the base of the Rock of Gibraltar. We can observe a coloured partition between the two bodies of water, although the naked human eye cannot perceive it in nature. This has become possible by means of satellite photography and remote-sensing techniques. This photograph here was taken by a satellite utilizing the special thermal characteristics of the various water bodies, and it is for this reason that the seas show up with different colours (exact photos not shown - Ed. See Figure 13.1). For example, we here see light blue, dark blue and black. Other bodies of water show a greenish colour. The different colours represent the difference in temperatures of the sea surface. However, as well all know, these oceans and seas will simply appear as blue in colour to our eyes. These are partitions that can only be seen and perceived by scientific research and modern technology. Allah has informed us in the Qur'aan that: He has let free (maraja) the two seas meeting together: Between them is a barrier which they do not transgress. (Qur'aan 55:19-20).

Traditionally, there have been two major interpretations of this verse. One opinion states that according to the literal meaning of the term maraja, seas do meet and mix with each other. But the fact that the Qur'aan goes on to state that there is barrier between them, means that this barrier will simply prevent the seas from encroaching upon each other or flooding over each other. Proponents of the second opinion ask how can there be a barrier between the seas so that they do not encroach upon each other, while the verse indicates that the seas meet together? They concluded that the seas do not meet and sought another meaning for the term maraja, but now modern science provides us with enough information to settle this issue. The seas do meet together, as we have seen, for example, in the picture of the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean ... Even though there is a slanted water barrier between them, we now know that through this barrier the water from each sea passes to the other. But when the water from one sea enters the other sea, it loses its distinctive characteristics and becomes homogenized with the other water. In a way, this barrier serves as a transitional homogenizing area for the two waters".

• "el-Jahiz's Original View of Arabic in Relation to the Holy Qur'an" (attar2.htm) (to be viewed with MSIE)
• "East-West Healthy Cultural Relations" (attar3.htm)
• "Melodious Messages from Mountains of Light" (attar4.htm)
• "Perpetuators of the Power of Peace: When Languages, Arts & Literature Cross-Culturally Unite & Altruistically Please!"(attar5.htm)