15: Maqbool Bhat to Ikramullah Jaswal
Central Jail, New Delhi 15 October 1980
Respected Mr. Jaswal,
Assalamu Alaikum,
I received your letter of condolence. The sincere and affectionate sentiments of sympathy you expressed upon the passing of my late wife have strengthened my resolve. In this difficult time, the patience and endurance you have encouraged me towards are a fulfilment of the duty of friendship, and for that, I am deeply grateful to you.
There is no doubt that everything in the universe is transient, and life and death are ultimately in the hands of Allah. Faith in this eternal truth and a detachment from sorrow and grief have always been the hallmark of those who uphold righteousness. However, in life, the passing of any companion in one’s journey inevitably severs bonds, causing an emotional wound and grief to the heart.
This is the general reality of life, but in the particular circumstances I personally face, the depth of this grief is naturally magnified. It is for this reason that the companionship and expressions of solidarity from friends like you have enabled me to endure this loss.
The overall impression conveyed by your affectionate letter, to put it in the mildest of terms, can be described as desperate. Desperation is a psychological state that arises in the individual and collective lives of people only in specific circumstances. Due to the constraints of this letter, I cannot elaborate on this further. However, I will say this much: in light of human experience, the persistence of obstacles in the fulfilment of aspirations can naturally lead to such a condition. Given the historical circumstances we, as a people, have faced, the justification of this feeling may be open to debate. Yet, no one can deny that if the objectives are noble and lofty, and, consequently, there exists a clear and practicable blueprint for the construction and adornment of the future, then the process of erasing old imprints and demolishing decayed structures becomes, in itself, an essential component of rebuilding. This sentiment of destruction, by its very nature, is constructive—even if the claimants of establishment insist on labelling it as mere devastation. I am certain that you will agree with my attempt to read this positive spirit between the lines of your letter. Desperation, when channeled in this manner, cannot be deemed undesirable. Rather than leading people to dispersal, it unites them and ultimately paves the way for triumph over the forces of tyranny and oppression.
The circumstances you have described can only be seen as the worst manifestation of an economic war. The participants in this battlefield are not only consumed by an insatiable greed for wealth but are also engaged in futile efforts to disguise their nefarious ambitions of conquest under the thick veils of ideology and values. One can only lament their deluded thinking. Given this situation of slaughter, bloodshed, and, most grievously, the trampling of cherished human principles, you rightly state that the only path to salvation is for the human within humanity to awaken. When and how this will happen? Only time can answer. The role of individuals in this regard is merely to fulfil their respective historical responsibilities—and therein lies their solace and contentment. Pray that Allah grants us the strength and ability to fulfil our historical duty. Ameen.
To avoid excessive length, I will conclude this topic here, though I do wish to respond to several other points you raised. As they say, “So long as we live, there will be meetings yet to come.”
You are correct in assuming that the “long letter” you wrote earlier never reached me. However, I have little difficulty in imagining the thoughts and emotions you must have expressed in it.
Over the past few months, I have received three or four letters from our dear brother, Dr Sahib1, all of which I have duly responded to. However, it seems these messages of wellbeing are not reaching him, as he even expressed his grievance regarding this matter in his latest letter of condolence. But beyond offering my apologies, what more can I do? Please do convey my sincere greetings to him and all our friends. The pleasant memories associated with you and the rest of our companions are what shield me from the harmful effects of loneliness, which, in these conditions of imprisonment, are not entirely unlikely to arise. I therefore hope you will always remember me in your prayers.
By the grace of the Almighty, my health is perfectly fine, and all other matters remain as they were. There is nothing else particularly noteworthy to mention. Please extend my condolences to the family of the late Muhammad Zaman Abbasi2 on his passing. I hope you will continue to keep in touch from time to time.
Wassalam
Yours sincerely,
Maqbool Ahmad Bhat
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- Dr. Farooq Haider
- Muhammad Zaman Abbasi was a resident of Garhi Dupatta, Muzaffarabad. He has passed away.