A Crisis in Values and Avarice in History

 Those who are acquainted with Dr. Sarah Adam, Professor of Sociology – who lectures in several universities and scientific gatherings on the philosophy of ethics – particularly those who do not miss any of her lectures, which are of an academic or cultural nature – are almost unanimously agreed that she is fond of factual information and actively searches for it. Thus, she refuses to divide it into important or unimportant or into big and small.

She repeatedly says that great achievement is nothing but a set of small achievements. Those who know her also know that she is careful to read between the lines.

Those who listen to what goes on between her students and those who follow her lectures will find that in spite of their great admiration for her ideas and approaches and their eagerness to hear her new ideas, will appreciate their feeling,  at times , of exhaustion and boredom when she begins to elaborate on details and goes on to analysis. At the same time, they do not deny that she has earned the admiration of many for this methodology of hers.

It would seem that some would, bashfully, ask whether it is true that the devil resides in the details, but for their fear of a look of reprimand or blame that could perhaps be followed by Dr. Adam bringing them to task because she rejects such statement, particularly in scientific forums, and in lecture halls.

This statement, she believes, is the commodity of politicians, some of whom she sometimes criticises for what is to her an obvious reason, namely, the crime they commit against the truth, when they make sweeping generalizations and for the expressions they keep repeating, hiding through them things that are not pleasant. To them, she adds those who falsify truth and do not respect people’s minds in many cases, including some journalists.

Many have conceded that she has no preconceived ideas or fixed prejudices against any category of people. What is known of her is her partiality for accurate information, per se, and her great respect for those who listen to her lectures or read her writings, because she feels that they are doing her a favour.

At some private sessions, Dr. Sarah Adams has admitted that her approach, which she has been keen on, for years, has caused her some problems, including the criticism of some of her colleagues, who claim that, at times, she lures her students, by expanding the circle of criticism, and non-acceptance of certain information, except after discussion and the raising of many questions.

She believes that any lecturers and writers, whatsoever, will never win the respect of the public and receive their confidence in them unless they themselves respect their abilities and appreciate their minds and consider their readers their partners in the quest for the truth.

She has implanted in the minds of her students that true information is a sign that distinguishes those who possess it and those who do not possess it. She always used to quote from the Holy Quran; “Can they who know and those who do not know be deemed equal” (Al-Zumar: 9) and woul then remain silent for a while. The she would say: “\Of course not.”

She also believes that decent and good deeds are numerous, and the best of them is that which seeks the truth. In this respect, she quotes from the Bible a sentence that she often repeats: “The foundation of piety is the search for and attainment of the truth.”

On certain academic functions, she would differ with some of her colleagues. She is of the view that the reader or listener is a partner in the quest for the truth, while some believe that many of those do not possess qualifications that confer this right on them. She used to say, after such statements, that, whatever the case may be, this did not mean any disrespect for the reader or the listener, through ignoring the true facts and non-recognition of the truth, even if bitter.

On certain occasions, Dr. Sarah was compelled to say that when Herbert Schiller wrote his book on those who trifle with minds, he may have angered some writers and scholars when he said, “There is an elite who seek to lead astray the minds of the masses, with a view to subjugating them for personal aims[1]. She adds, “or public aims for the account of certain parties, which makes things even worse”.

Dr. Adam does not hide from her students, and those who are close to her, her strong upsetting when she sometimes finds a similarity between journalistic work and some part of academic work, in respect of methodology or aims. Thus, she was not much surprised to read a statement by the famous media person Henry Lewis, the founder of the Time Newspaper and other newspapers and magazines of wide circulation, to the effect that ”Journalistic objectivity is something absolutely bogus. Hence when we say that let objectivity go to hell, we mean this precisely”[2] .

She was not surprised by this statement because this is corroborated, in many instances, but she was surprised and even greatly saddened when she saw that this also applied in some academic works.

One of her fans, who keeps abreast with her academic activity, remembers her saying in one of her interventions on the occasion of an academic seminar, “I am greatly surprised when I consider that some people erupt in anger when some of their personal belongings are stolen from them, but no such eruption of anger is seen when some steal their mind, their freedom of thought and confiscate their opinion, so that they become prisoners of a certain person or a certain party. What is a great pity is when a category of people are resigned to this condition and even exult in it.”

Dr. Adam has met some subtle difficulties on account of her views and approach. But, on the other hand, she became famous throughout almost all the academic world, winning the respect of all who knew her, closely, even some of those who were annoyed and embarrassed by her.

Dr. Adam lectures on sociology and is involved in ethics, as I have said. In her latest lecture, titled “Motives of Individual Ethics”, given at a seminar on human rights, in the context of international conflicts, she talked on what she termed the crisis of values, which humanity is going through today. She confessed that she had borrowed this term from an essay by the thinker, Dr. Raja Garoudi, who said that humanity was suffering from a crisis of values that almost caused it to lose its ethics.[3]

In her lecture, she wanted authentic figures provided by reliable sources, to reflect this crisis. Thus she said:

“1. A study conducted by the United Nations Society on Childhood Rights has confirmed that twenty million children were sold during the last decade and now lead a severe life of childhood.

2. The British international Lancet Journal has reported that four million children die annually, in the first month after birth, of poverty and disease.

3. Human Development Report says that more than eight hundred and fifty million people, the third of whom are pre-school age children, are trapped in the frightful circle of malnutrition and the complications resulting therefrom.

4. The World Non-Governmental Medecins Sans Frontieres has reported that two million children have died in the armed conflicts that erupted in the nineties, and added that five to six million children were wounded or were permanently disabled.

5. The 2005 Human Development Report has indicated that eight hundred million children throughout the world today lack the basic reading and writing skills,

6.The Human Development Report has indicated that forty million people suffer from HIV/AIDS (human acquired immunity deficiency syndrome) in 2005 and more than twenty five million have died since the AIDS virus was identified for the first time in 1981. The United Nations has warned of the possibility of the death of more than eighty million Africans of this illness by 2025.

7. The International Institute for Peace Research has revealed in its annual report that world military expenditures exceeded one thousand thirty billion dollars in 2004.”

While quoting these figures, Dr, Adam was reciprocating the listeners’ amazement looks accompanied by signs that clearly indicate the amount of sadness and sorrow, and the helplessness that was felt by all who were in the lecture hall. When the lecture came to an end, silence spread over the hall, except for certain expressions prompted by courteous motives. It was as though the audience were saying: “Silence is more effective when one is short of words.”

A voice broke the silence from the far end of the hall, addressing Dr. Sarah as she was leaving the place, saying: “What to do? What is the ideal method that contributes to the awakening of humanity from its slumber and rescuing it from this destructive deterioration? What is the role of the honest writers, who possess no more than their writing pens? Indeed, what is your role, after having delivered this lecture, in respect of the amazing and indeed disgraceful figures who are a shame which brands this humanity that has gone astray?”

Once the speaker has finished, the audience erupted in intercrossing expressions. Dr. Adam concluded that all the audience bear the same feelings expressed by the speaker. This pleased her and prompted her to tarry a while before leaving and to address the audience saying: “I appreciate your feelings and thank you for your enthusiasm.”

She went on to say, “Your attitude has reminded me of the conviction which I found among several sociologists, namely, that humanity is inclined to favor virtues and hate vices and is repelled by them, as long as it is far removed from external influences that negatively affect people’s minds in many places.”

Before leaving, she promised to consider the views she heard and the questions asked and said she hoped that the next cultural season, which was not far behind, would contain subjects that are relevant to the views expressed  and that she might have answers to what was said and what is being said in that respect.

A month, or more, has elapsed, and the University magazine appeared carrying a piece of news to the effect that Dr Adam was lecturing on the life of the great figures of humanity and the effect of their lives in propagating ethical culture throughout humanity, particularly among the decision makers and the thinkers who influence their societies.

Dr. Sarah says that she was lucky, because the University cultural  season was delayed for a few weeks, and that she was again lucky when she was allotted, for this season, more lectures than usually assigned to her, as some professors have not been able to participate for various reasons.

She began her first lecture by talking of the reasons that prompted her to study the lives of great figures and mentioned the aims she was seeking to achieve through these studies. Says Dr. Adam:

“I have previously pointed out, in a lecture which I delivered a few weeks ago, which some of you may have attended or read about, that humanity is going through its worst days and most degrading conditions. This was made explicit by some figures previously quoted, which will be distributed in a separate paper, and therefore, there is no need to reiterate them, and I hope they will be added to the lectures of this season. This is because such figures, many of which I have dropped, were among the major reasons for my choice of this topic,. The actual state of affairs confirms that we are not exaggerating or following illusions.

The media bring us almost nothing but the increasing number of persons who are killed and displaced, the rising rate of unemployment, the expanding circle of dispute, the spreading of fatal diseases, the increasing number of the poor, the various forms of aggression against all categories of human beings, all aspects of the environment. All this constitute a threat to the very existence of all humanity.

Under such conditions, which are extremely dangerous, there is a dire need and necessity to bring to the attention of the world the biographies of some great figures of humanity, to acquaint them with their biographies and spread their teachings far and wide. This, I believe, will contribute to the promotion of morality and alienate people from immoral conduct.

This option is a step in the right direction, towards the besieging of evil and evil people, to pursue those who cause problems, who trifle with the destiny, security and potentialities of humanity, although it is but a step in a long trip of a thousand miles. However, its importance lies in that it is in the right direction.

We agree with those who say that the great are few, no matter how many they may be in numbers. This will facilitate the study of their life stories because they are scarce and constitute elite. Those who qualify under this category should receive our attention, particularly at a time when humanity needs their ethical heritage and their experience that was successful in many fields.

If we add to this what was said earlier, that people are innately good and incline towards virtues, and love the exponents of these virtues, this will convince researchers that these studies will bring a great benefit for humanity.

The benevolent effect of this exhausted humanity is reflected in a clear picture, when it is presented with living examples of persons who practiced a moral life , making it and the virtues associated with it an actual and vivid reality, a possible way of conduct, in our real life. There is o doubt that humanity needs such orientation after the distortion that has affected many aspects of its life.

We concede that the life story of great figures in the history of humanity has been somewhat abused, intentionally or otherwise, for reasons that sometimes include ignorance or deliberate ignoring for reasons which we do not wish to go through at this juncture. I believe that Herbert A. Schiller has touched on some of these reasons in his book Those who Trifle with (People’s) Minds, though not directly.

Mr. Aqqad has done well when he diagnosed the illness and prescribed the medicine, saying, “Humanity needs those great figures as much as it has made abused them.”[4]

As in her usual lectures, Dr, Adam has talked on some aspects of the approach she would follow in her studies, although this should have been at the beginning of the lecture. As she said, “but no matter, for we are still at the beginning of the road.”

Dr Adam said that she had collected the books that deal with the life stories of those great figures, particularly history books, because she agrees with the statement of Thomas Carlyle, the author of the book on heroes: “History is a record of the deeds of great figures.” Thus, she strove to extract the facts from this history and nothing but the facts, to put them before her readers, and then it is up to them to follow the course, and apply the advice, if they will, of the world intellectual Noam Chomsky, who said after having collected a great many frightening facts: “I have extracted these facts from history, and one must enunciate them loudly and proclaim them to the public.”⁴

While Chomsky has found in he pages of contemporary history frightening and terrible facts, for our part, we are delving into the pages of the remote past history in search for bright and shining pages and I believe we shall find many of what we are looking for.

Through His Mercy to His creatures, God establishes for them landmarks of good and guiding beacons in the form of pure human symbols, either through their persons during their life time, or through the bright and noble life they led and the beautiful legacy they left us in their long voyage, in order to remind people if they forget, and to assist them if they remember.

In her lecture she indicated that she had read a great deal on the life story of great figures and recorded the majority of them in chronological order, because to the precursors goes great credit, as the successors benefit from the precursors, particularly in the world of ethics. Thus humanity almost never differs over their merits, which are transmitted from one generation to another and from one individual to another.

After a short break, Dr. Adam proceeded, saying:

“I have been searching for weeks in libraries and other media channels, for the life story of Buddha, who is a well known ancient saint, who is venerated by hundreds of millions of people in Asia in particular, who is also well known for his ascetic life and serene spirit.

I am sorry to say that in light of the method I follow in my lectures, I was unable to gather enough information that would enable me to present a clear picture of Buddha and his teachings, despite my extensive readings.

Lest I should be accused of laziness or bias, I would like to mention to you that outstanding scholars share my opinion in respect of this sorrowful result, or rather it is I who share their opinion, as they were involved in investigating this subject before me.

Thus, Professor Salman Al-Nadawi, the great scholar of India, in the past century, admits, after an extensive research on the life of Buddha, that he was unable to gather information regarding him. Thus he asks, “Does history care enough for the existence of Buddha? Can a writer offer a true picture of his history? Can an author give a complete description of his circumstances and the conditions of his life, leaving no detail concerning the date of his birth, his country, the origins of his religion, which he himself has preached, the principles and objectives of of his teachings.?”

“What we know is that all this is screened from people and is hidden behind dense and cumulative darkness[5].

If the result I have reached, like others before me, regarding the life of Buddha does not suffer from any audacity in the opinion of some people, the more audacious and greater surprise came from Professor R. F. Bodley, the well known British historian, who has generalized this judgment to include with Buddha other great figures. Says Bodley in this respect, “We do not find what the contemporaries of Moses, Confucius and Buddha have written of them, and we know but some fragments of the life of Christ after his mission.”[6] 

I do not deny that Bodley’s opinion regarding the life of Christ, though objectionable to many writers, is nevertheless somewhat true in fact. In any case, it is a view that is less strange compared to the opinion expressed by theologians in America, which view reflects a repugnant abuse, for they have rejected the existence of Christ, pbuh, and considered that all that was reported of him are mere legends and what was reported of him is a remainder of the paganism of Rome and Greece.

The matter was not confined to this repugnant attitude, for arguments continued for months on the existence of Christ pbuh in the Magazine “Robin Kurth”, that is printed in Chicago, and the discussions centered on whether there is a historical existence of Christ, and whether he was the figment of the imagination of the ancients, from among previous nations, who merely invented him.[7]

My appreciation of Dr. Adam has increased and I admired her very much when she said, forcefully and firmly, “It is certain that we reject this profanity and condemn this impudence towards Christ ,pbuh, for his existence is as sure as the existence of the sun in the sky. The holy books have talked of him and have reserved for him, together with his holy mother, a lofty position,. Only a worthless and stubborn renegade denies the existence of Christ. Such views are too trivial to waste our short and precious time in discussing them.”

“However,” Dr Adam went on to say, “in all honesty, I do not deny that there are many question marks associated with the life story of Christ, pbuh, and it is this that has prompted Bodley to say, ‘we know but fragments of the life of Christ, after his mission, and we know nothing about the thirty years that had paved the way for the three years in which he reached his apogee’.”[8]

“Any one who considers what has been written on Christ, pbuh, will find that this view was not confined to Bodley, or others, for it is almost unanimously held. The great scholar Retan has exerted tremendous efforts and found great difficulty and exhaustion to get to know the complete life of Jesus, pbuh. Yet, the life of Christ and his conditions remain a tightly kept secret in the conscience of time, a secret which has not yet been divulged.”[9]

“It must be emphasized that the foregoing in no way detracts from the venerable status of Christ, pbuh, for he lived in an antagonistic environment, whether on the part of the Jews in the midst of whom he lived but who refused to accept him, or the pagan Roman State that wielded great power and authority and treated him with utmost cruelty.”

Dr, Adam paused a little, flipping some papers, as though looking for something in them. Then she held a paper and said, “I am afraid it is our hard luck, or perhaps the hard luck of these great figures that we are unable to grasp their life stories and know many of their details, or even to be sure of the existence of some of them, in the first place.”

“This paper which you can see is scanned from the Encyclopedia Britannica and is considered by all researchers among the most reliable of sources in history. This page contains information on Zoroaster of whom the Encyclopedia says, ‘It is said that he was the prophet of the Magians and preached the worship of fire. Many are the stories that were known of him, but other than that they are extremely strange, they are quite contradictory.’”

‘When he grew old, he secluded himself from people and lived in the Borooz Mountain and remained secluded until he died.’[10]

The Encyclopedia Britannica mentioned him as well. It said that the legend that relates to the unusual life of Zoroaster does not give us a clear picture of his life and does not enable us to historically establish the facts of his life, as it is shrouded with that is unfathomable obscurity. The conclusion reached is that we cannot place him in time and we are in complete ignorance in this respect.

Dr. Adam  confronted tens of question marks in respect of the lives of those great figures

and concluded by saying, “I do not intend to dwell on this subject, which probably fill the souls with sorrow.”

She said, “I would like to apologize to them in my name and in your names and would blame a certain party, but I do not know who that party is. In the end, we can only accept such results and concede such facts.”

She expressed the hope that time would reveal unknown pages and forgotten information, although this is not likely for sure, if not totally unlikely. This is because thousands of years separate us from them and so far only scanty information has surfaced. If anything is to appear it would have done so.

“There is no doubt that true facts and information, and only the true ones, constitute the basis of research. If these are not available we cannot give a clear picture of any figures whatsoever, and consequently it would be difficult to present them as an ideal to be emulated.”

Before leaving, she told the audience that she could see how sad they were, which she thought was partly on her account, and expressed thanks for their sympathy. But she said that she had gathered a great many facts and variegated information on one of the great figures of humanity, “in whom we find what we are looking for and satisfy our aspirations in examining his life story.”

She went on saying that this in no way entails pronouncing hasty judgments, although the precise and objective material available on the subject was reassuring, which subject required more research and scrutinization of details and the exerting of analytical efforts, and said that it was in order to say that patience in this respect was quite commendable.

She concluded by thanking the audience for their attentive listening and patience and greeted the audience, hoping to see them in the following lecture.

The audience looked forward to the promise made by Dr. Adam and the expected details and analysis. But it so happened that the University had invited a visiting professor and in view of his pressing schedule, Dr. Adam ceded the date of her lecture for his sake, as a kind gesture to the visiting professor, though some who are close to her were of the opinion that Dr. Adam welcomed the opportunity, as it gave her more time to prepare her lecture, and this was what did take place.