This Moment...In Defense of Marcel Khalife

By Adonis

This moment reveals the abyss into which the Arabs are being pushed. At this critical juncture of human history, the earth and heaven alike are hostages to political and personal agendas. As land becomes personal property to those controlling it, extremist religious leaders increasingly "own" heaven. The religious leaders enter into perfect agreement with politicians, although on the outside they may appear to be at odds with each other.

Ideas, regardless of their potential, remain small and narrow in small and narrow minds. How depressing, then, is the potential of ideas today in Arab-Islamic society, especially if one has expectations of political and religious leaders. Even if the enemies of the Arabs were to allocate immense resources to distort the image of Arab life, politics and religion, and to lay siege to the Arab’s freedom, creativity, and dignity, they could not have done a better job than the Arab leaders. They preach the abolition of freedoms to protect and support their transient political and religious authorities-choking minds to support dying theories.

Our ancestors, including poets and singers, fought the same long and bitter battle. Humans historically have struggled between the ideal of knowledge as an infinite search, and the necessity of ideological submission for the sake of security. Experience has proven that commonly accepted beliefs often hinder the growth of knowledge, denying individuals the joy of exploring the unknown, and thus suppressing their right to exercise freedom of knowledge and creativity. This age-old pattern impedes humans in their search for ultimate meaning and higher value, their search to find their place in this universe.

Experience has also proven that those who interpret and present religion often use it to fashion a human in perpetual chains, as a virtual prisoner, in spite of the fact that religion, in its original meaning, was founded to benefit mankind. They have succeeded in making religion man’s enemy in the realms of speculation and inquiry, of freedom and openness.

In fact, the Arab individual today lives and thinks within an earthly-heavenly cage. Long overdue is an Arab society where one can live an equal, honorable and just life, where duties and responsibilities are a choice. They deserve religious leaders who teach without coercion, a religion that insures freedom for both those "wishing to believe and disbelieve."

I salute poetry and singing.

This statement was delivered at an event organized by the Paris-based Lebanese Cultural Forum in support of Marcel Khalife and in defense of freedom in the Arab world.

Translated from the Arabic by Elie Chalala

Translation Copyright © 1999 by Al Jadid