Learning Not to Speak in Tongues: Thoughts on "The Librarian of Basra" [Abstract]

Abstract

We explore the nature of knowledge and education and how Islamic traditions have shaped understanding of these matters. We contrast this with contemporary images of "Taliban-like" schools full of rote repetition and harsh, authoritarian literalism. Some of the history of Islamic scholarship venerates a much more generous relationship to knowing. We link these explorations to a recently published children's picture book, a true story about a librarian in Basra, Iraq, during the recent American invasion. Even if it is a "true story," we consider what its truth is and whether educators might or should or could stand by this truth. /// Nous explorons ici la nature du savoir et de l'éducation et comment la tradition islamique a modelé leur compréhension. Nous comparons les images contemporaines des écoles "style Taliban" qui sont faites de "par coeur" et de litéralité dure et autoritaire avec certaines écoles dans l'histoire de l'Islam qui affichent une plus grande générosité face au savoir. Nous établissons un lien entre ces notions et un livre illustré pour enfants récemment publié, une histoire vécue d'un libraire de Basra, en Iraq, pendant la récente invasion américaine. Même si cette histoire est une "histoire vraie", nous considérons sa valeur et nous pensons que les éducateurs pourraient accepter cette vérité ou même qu'ils devraient l'accepter.

Full text

CANADIANJOURNALOFEDUCATION31,3(2008):639‐666

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES:
THOUGHTSONTHELIBRARIANOFBASRA

DavidJardine&RahatNaqvi
UniversityofCalgary


WeexplorethenatureofknowledgeandeducationandhowIslamictraditionshave
shapedunderstandingofthesematters.Wecontrastthiswithcontemporaryimages
of“Taliban‐like”schoolsfullofroterepetitionandharsh,authoritarianliteralism.
SomeofthehistoryofIslamicscholarshipveneratesamuchmoregenerous
relationshiptoknowing.Welinktheseexplorationstoarecentlypublishedchildren’s
picturebook,atruestoryaboutalibrarianinBasra,Iraq,duringtherecentAmerican
invasion.Evenifitisa“truestory,”weconsiderwhatitstruthisandwhether
educators,mightorshouldorcouldstandbythistruth.

Keywords:Islamicphilosophy,curriculumknowledge,knowledgeformation,
politicsandeducation,multiculturalism

Nousexploronsicilanaturedusavoiretdelʹéducationetcommentlatradition
islamiqueamodeléleurcompréhension.Nouscomparonslesimagescontemporaines
desécolesʺstyleTalibanʺ quisontfaitesdeʺparcoeurʺ etdelitéralitédureet
autoritaireaveccertainesécolesdanslʹhistoiredelʹIslamquiaffichent uneplus
grandegénérositéfaceausavoir.Nousétablissonsunlienentrecesnotionsetunlivre
illustrépourenfantsrécemmentpublié,unehistoirevécuedʹunlibrairedeBasra,en
Iraq,pendantlarécenteinvasionaméricaine.Mêmesicettehistoireestuneʺhistoire
vraieʺ, nousconsidéronssavaleuretnouspensonsqueleséducateurspourraient
acceptercettevéritéoumêmequʹilsdevraientlʹaccepter.

Motsclés:philosophiedelʹIslam, laconnaissanceducurriculum,laformationdu
savoir,lʹéducationetlespolitiques,lemulticulturalisme

__________________________



640   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
“IntheKoran,thefirstthingGodsaidtoMuhammadwas‘Read.’”
AliaMuhammadBaker,fromtheNewYorkTimes,July27,2003
I
Thepassagecitedaboveformsthefrontispiecetoawonderfulnew
children’spicturebookwrittenandillustratedbyJeanetteWinter(2005)
entitledTheLibrarianofBasra:ATrueStoryfromIraq.Attheearlyoutsetof
theAmericaninvasionofIraq,thelibrarianinquestion,Alia
MuhammadBaker,tookituponherselftoprotectthe30,000booksinthe
libraryinBasra,Iraq,whereshehadworkedfor14years.Thelibrary
hadbeen“ameetingplaceforallwholovebooks”(p.2),butnow,the
onlytalkwasnotofbooksbutofimpendingwar:“Aliaworriesthatthe
firesofwarwilldestroythebooks,whicharemoreprecioustoherthan
mountainsofgold...booksineverylanguage,newbooks,ancient
books,evenabiographyofMuhammadthatissevenhundredyearsold”
(p.3).Afterbeingrefusedofficialpermissiontoact,shebegansecretly
puttingbooksintohercarandtakingthem,firsttoanearbyrestaurant
belongingtoherfriendAnis,andthen,eventually,afterthelibrarywas
burnedtotheground,toherhomeandthehomesofherfriends.
Atfirstblush,itisdifficulttoavoidparallelsthoughtsofHypatia(c.
350‐415CE)andherfailedattempttoprotecttheLibraryofAlexandria
fromruin(seeSmith,2006b).TheruinoftheAlexandrianlibraryisoften
citedasoneoftheinitiatinggesturesofwhatlaterbecameknownasthe
“DarkAges”(Humphreys,2004).JeanetteWinter’sseeminglysimpletale
thusinvolvesprofoundquestionsandimagesregardingthenatureof
knowledgeanditssafe‐keeping.Itevokesthoughtsoftheravagesofwar
notonlyregardingthematerialityandfleshofourlives,butalso
regardingthefragilityofknowledgeitselfandhowoftenithasbeenboth
theideologicalmotiveandinnocentvictimofembattlementandwar.
Whateducatorshavewiththissimplechildren’sbookisanimageof
takingcareofknowledgeindifficultanddarktimes,ourtime,thistime,
underthecurrentshadowofwarconsciousness(Jardine,2006;seealso
Jardine,2004,2005,2006a;Smith,2003,2006,2006a,inpress;Gray,2001,
2003).


LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 641
II
[I]toccurredtometolookintomycopyofSt.Augustine’sConfessions....whereIfirst
fixedmyeyesitwaswritten:ʺAndmengoabouttowonderattheheightsofthe
mountains,andthemightywavesofthesea,andthewidesweepofrivers,andthecircuit
oftheocean,andtherevolutionofthestars,butthemselvestheyconsidernot.ʺ
Petrarch(1304‐1347),fromTheAscentofMountVentoux,aLettertoDionisiodaBorgo
SanSepolcro,Malaucene,April26.(Halsall,2006)http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/
source/petrarch‐ventoux.html

“TheDarkAges,”atermfirstcoinedbyFrancescoPetrarca(L.Petrarch,
1304‐1374)around1330CE,describestheperiodbetweenroughly476‐
1000CE.Duringthisperiod,intellectualpursuitandthegreatwisdoms
ofancientGreeceandRomewerelost,sometimesdeliberatelyand
systematically,toChristian‐Europeanconsciousness.

Petrarchrevived,afteralapseof1,000years,recognitionthatapoetand
intellectualwasanimportantmemberofsociety.Petrarchhadperhapshismost
enduringinfluencebyhisre‐initiationofhumanisticstudies.Travelingwidelyas
anambassadorandcelebrity,hecollectedmanuscriptsthatledtotherecoveryof
knowledgefromwritersofRomeandGreece.(http://www.humanistictexts.
org/petrarch.htm)

Petrarchwroteoffeeling“surroundedbydarknessanddensegloomʺ
(citedinMommsen,1942,p.233,emphasisinoriginal).Hisgreatefforts
initiatedarevivalofknowledgefromundertheseveritiesofliteralism,
Churchoppression,andsimpleneglect.Anditwasnotjustknowledge
thatdimmed.

Theseventhcentury[inparticular]isjustifiablyregardedasa“darkage.”Inall
partsoftheMediterranean,economicdeclineaccompaniedpoliticalinstability.
Levelsofcultureandstandardsofliteracyfellaspeopleceasedtolearn,build,
paint,andwriteinthetraditionalfashion.(Herrin,1987,p.133)

Asthesepassagessuggest,however,“DarkAges”isclearly
geographicallylocatedanda(debatably)appropriatedescriptionofa
darktime.WemustaskofthepassagecitedaboveregardingPetrarch’s
accomplishments:Fromwhomdidhecollectsuchmanuscriptsand
preciselyuponwhomhadsuchaDarkAgefallen?Therearetalesof

642   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
bothIslamicandChristianwarriorswho,whenpassingtheIslamic
librariesofNorthernAfricaandSouthernSpain,declared,invariousyet
similarways,thatifthelibrarycontainedknowledgethatwasidentical
with“TheBook”(theQu’ran/TheBible),thenitscontentswere
redundant,andifitcontainedknowledgethatwasdifferent,itscontents
wereheretical.Ineithercase,burningdownalibrarymadeperfectsense
onceknowledgewasconstrictedinsuchafashion.Thisisaterrible
kinshipthattwoseemingly“different”traditionsshare.Asacolleagueof
ours,MatthewZachariah,oncenoted,thefundamentalistsacross
differenttraditionshavemoreincommonwitheachotherthantheydo
withmoderatesintheirowntradition(seeNaqvi&Jardine,inpress).
Asanaside,wecannothelpbutindicatehow,inNorthAmerica,
educationalscholarshipitselfisinastateofembattleddarkness.In
springof2002,forexample,leadersoftheBushDepartmentof
Educationissuedorderstodeletematerialfromthethirty‐year‐old
EducationalResourcesInformationCenter(ERIC)databasethatdoesn’t
supportthegeneralphilosophyofNCLB[NoChildLeftBehind].Every
assistantsecretaryofeducationwasdirectedtoformagroupof
departmentalemployeeswithaleastonepersonwho“understandsthe
policyandprioritiesoftheadministration”toscrubtheERICwebsite.
Suchactionrunscountertotheoriginalintentofthewebsiteestablished
in1993toconstructapermanentrecordofeducationalresearchfor
students,teachers,citizens,educationalresearchers,andotherscholars.
Concurrently,thedeletionofsuchinformationraisesthestakesofright
wingknowledgepoliticstoanewlevel,becauseindividualswillonly
haveaccesstopublicdatathatsupportsparticularideologicalagendas
(Kincheloe,2006,p.41).
TheparallelsbetweenthedestructionoftheBasraLibraryandthe
purgingofeducationalresearchinAmericapost‐9/11shouldgive
educatorspause.Givensuchactions,thedarknessofthecurrentage
needscarefulthoughtandconsideration.
III
AdmittedlythislovingandprotectingofknowledgeoftheLibrarianof
BasraduringrecenttroublesinIraq,andwhatthishastosaytoscholars
andteachersineducationabouttheirwork–allofthisdoesn’texactlyfit

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 643
withthepopular,televisedimageofIslamiceducationthatisafootin
thesepost9/11times.Wedonotgetmuchinthewayofthegreat
pleasuresandfreedoms,thedeepobligationsandresponsibilities,ora
senseofintellectualancestrythatcomesfromthevenerationandpursuit
ofknowledge.CurrentimagesaremuchmorecentredaroundTaliban‐
likeschoolsfullofobedient,roterepetitionand,asisoftenthe(not
whollyoralwaysgroundless)accusation,mind‐numbingindoctrination
thatsometimesgoesasfarasnotonlydiscouragingquestioningand
thoughtfulnessandmeditation,butinfactdisparagingsuchthingsand
demonizingthem.Weareinundatedwithimagesofrepressive
authoritarianism,violence,intolerance,andhatred,whereinknowledge
itselfhasbecomeendangeredonbothsidesofthe“forusoragainstus”
ledger.Afterall,so‐calledtraditionalWesternschoolslikeFoundations
fortheFutureinCalgaryprovideteacherswithunalterablescriptsand
childrenwithnovoiceofdissentordisruptionordifference.Insuch
schools,theflourishingofdifferenceisaproblemtobefixed.
TheLibrarianofBasrathusbeginstoappearaslittlemorethana
quaintandunrulyexceptiontotherule.
Oncethisimage‐andmedia‐andprejudice‐drivensituationisadded
towhatDavidG.Smith(2003)hasdescribedasthesystematic
“enfraudening”and“veiledinnuendos”(p.489)[alovelyandterrifying
choiceofterms(seeJardine,Clifford,&Friesen,inpress;Naqvi&
Jardine,inpress)]thatarerifeinAmericanforeignpolicy,wemight
evengoasfarastolamentthat“knowledgebecomes,asJohnMcMurtry
[1998]describesit,‘anabsurdexpression’(p.192)”(Smith,2003,p.489).
Oncewehearthat,in2003,48percentofAmericansbelievedthat
SaddamHusseinwas“personallyinvolved”inthe9/11attacks
(Feldman,2003)andthatnotuntilMarchof2006didaveryslim
majorityofAmericansbelievethatweaponsofmassdestructionwere
indeednotfoundinIraq(Teixeira,2006),knowledgeandabsurdityand
deliberateenfraudeningstarttogrotesquelyintertwine.And,asSmith
(2003)goesontosay,insuchanendarkenedmilieu,theverytaskof
educationitselfbecomesjeopardized:“Whenthelinesbetween
knowledgeandmis‐representationbecomecompletelyblurredinthe
publicmind,theneducationasapracticeofcivicresponsibilitybecomes
verydifficult”(p.489).

644   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
Allthis,ofcourse,isnothingespeciallynewnor,asSmithsuggests,
aretheseissuesespeciallyIslamicintheirmanifestation.Itmakessome
terriblesensethat,intimesofthreat,imaginativenessandexploration
andintellectualpursuitsgiveway,inagreatparanoidrush,tothetried
andtrue,toeffortsoffixedandensuringandsurveillanceandthelike.
AsIvanIllich(1992)hassuggested,warmakesculturesmorealikein
thesematters(we’veseenhowbothsideshavemarshaledtheirmost
paranoidandunforgivingandunresponsivefacesinthecurrentconflicts
intheMiddleEast)whereasintimesofpeace,differencesand
multiplicityandintellectualvigorousnessandimaginationareableto
flourish.
ThisisanotherreasonthatthistaleoftheLibrarianofBasraisso
telling.Wehavethischildren’spicturebook(withpartofitsproceeds,
incidentally,beingdonatedtoafund,administeredbytheAmerican
LibraryAssociation,tohelprebuildBasra’sCentralLibrary),withAlia
andherfriendsloadinguphercartoprotectthelibrary’sbooks–to
protecttheflourishingofknowledge–inatimeofgreatimpending
darkness.Onemighteventhinkofthistruestoryallegorically,asfullof
imagesoftakingknowledgetoheart,takingknowledgetohearthand
home,makingaplaceforitwhereitcanbenurturedandprotectedand
allowedtoflourish:Aplacewhereitcanbe“leftinpeace”(Illich,1992,
p.16)andwhereinwecanfindcomfort(commonfortitudeorstrength)
initscultivation.
IV
Anotherformofdarknesscancomeoverthefaceofknowledgethatis
notbornofembattlementbut,inasense,outoftheopposite.Whena
cultureis“leftinpeace”andbecomesfamiliaranddominant,itcanoften
losefromexplicitmemoryandarticulationthecharacterandancestry
andbloodlinesofthatfamiliarity.Whatwedobecomessimplyobvious,
andwhenour“doings”areinterrupted,wedon’tnecessarilyfeelenticed
toself‐knowledge.AsanimmigranttoCanada,I(R.N.)canattestto
meetinglooksofbewildermentoraggravationatsuchmoments.We
bothwonder,then,aboutPresidentGeorgeW.Bush’s(andhisfather’s)
admonishment,inthefaceofinternationalquestioning,how“the
Americanwayoflifeisnotupfornegotiation”(Rasmussen,2003),and

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 645
howithascometomeanthat,inmanyquarters,itisnotupfor
examinationandthinkingatall.Asadominantforceintheworld,we
havewitnessedhowoftenattemptingtothinkabouttheeventsof9/11is
takentobenothingmorethanunthinkableactsoffailedpatriotism.
Thismakesthepracticeofteachingratherbewildering.Teachers
whostrivetocultivateknowledgeinthemselvesandintheirstudents
aresurrounded,itseems,bydeepandsilentviolationofthisproject.

Howcananyteacherteachinthenameofdemocraticpedagogy,whenthenew
politicsisimbricatedinexactlytheoppositedirection?Ifunilateralismand
monologicaldecisionmakingmarkthecharacterofpoliticalleadership,what
becomes,forteachersandstudents,oftherelationshipbetweenthoughtand
action,ofmybeliefasateacherthatindeed,whatIandothersmayplanfor
tomorrowmaybearanexpectationofbeingbroughtintoeffect?Ifbullying,both
domesticallyandinternationally,islegitimizedpublicly(albeiteuphemistically),
howcanI,asateacher,councilmystudentsagainstwhathasbecomeoneofthe
greatestscourgesinthecontemporaryschoolyard?Iflying,duplicityand
deliberatemisrepresentationareacceptablestrategiesbywhichtooperateinthe
nameofTruth,whatisthebasisuponwhichanyhumanrelationsmaybe
trusted?Iftheacademicfieldsofchilddevelopmentandchildpsychologycanbe
legitimatelyco‐optedforcommercialcontrolofthemindsoftheyoung,what
becomesofintellectuallibertyateventheearlieststagesofnewlife,tosay
nothingoftheproblemofchildrenlearningearlythatexploitingothersfor
personalgainis‘thewaytogo’?(Smith,2003,pp.488‐489)

Anotherequallydisturbingandperniciousmanifestationofthis
dimmingofknowledgeisnotsimplytheoutcomeofdeliberate
suppressionordeceit.Hans‐GeorgGadamer(1989)hintsatthis
phenomenon(itismeanttorefertoadimmingofknowledgethatisnot
simplytheout‐comeofdeliberatedeceit)whendescribingtheworkof
theartist.Belongingtoatraditioninnowaynecessitatesunderstanding
thattraditionandtheconditions,nature,history,andlimitsofthat
belonging.

Theartist...standsinthesametraditionasthepublicthatheisaddressingand
whichhegathersaroundhim.Inthissenseitistruethatasanindividual,a
thinkingconsciousness,hedoesnotneedtoknowexplicitlywhatheisdoingand
whathisworksays.(p.133)

646   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI

Likewise,underconditionsof(pre)dominance,taken‐for‐granted
images,understandings,ideas,andpracticesbecomesimplyobvious
andsuchobviousnessneednotgiveanaccountofitselftothosewho
standinthesametraditionortothoseemigratingintothatdominant
tradition.Tothosewithinatradition,“itgoeswithoutsaying”and“itis
beyondquestion”aresignsofsuchbelonging.Insuchinstances,what
appearstosomeonenotfullyat‐homeinthisdominantcultureisahard,
notespeciallyknowledgeable,surfaceof“givenness”thatnolonger
seemstetheredtoanyroots,ancestries,orbloodlines,andnolonger
brooksanyquestionofhowsuchmatterscametobegiven.
TheabovepassagefromGadamerʹsTruthandMethodregardingthe
artistandhisorherworksspeaksalsotoamoredifficulttruth,
especiallywhenweconsidertheburgeoningmulticulturalfaceof
Canadianculture.Belongingtoacultureanditsformsoflanguageand
formsoflife(Wittgenstein,1968)bynomeansentailsthatoneneedsto
understandthesemattersorbeabletoarticulatetheirnatureandorigins.
Belongingandunderstandingthatbelongingarenotidentical.Buthere
istherub.IfoneentersCanadaaspartofaminority,oneisbeing
constantlycalledupontounderstandandarticulateone’scultureof
originwhileatthesametimefacingaprofoundinarticulatenessfromthe
predominantcultureintowhichonehasemigrated.Inotherwords,a
predominantcultureisrarelyrequiredtogiveanaccountofitselfwhile,
atthesametime,requiringanaccountofthosewhoareotherwise.Only
whentheconditionofbelongingissomehowinterrupted,onlywhenthe
everydayfamiliarityofbelongingbecomesstrangeandestranged,are
wecalledupontothinkaboutthatbelonginganditscharacter.
V
“MumlookwhatIgotforyoufromschool.”saidmy(R.N.)7‐year‐old
daughter,assheenteredthehouseexcitedly.Sheshovedanovalobjectintomy
handasshespoke.Iprobablylookedalittlelostandsheadded,impatiently:
“Mumit’sanEasterEgg.”
Asshemovedaroundthehouseexcitedlyhumminganunfamiliartune,I
staredatthisobjectonmykitchencounterthatnowhadaname.Underthe
fadingtwilightthebrightblueandpinkontheeggshone,staringbackatme.At

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 647
thatinstanceIamnotquitesurewhathappenedbutwhateveritwasprompted
metoexplorethepremisesofthistensionthatIwasexperiencingasan
immigrantparent.
Thiswasbynomeansthefirstorfinalinstanceofsuchstrangeness
arrivinginmydaughter’slife,arrivingasitdidwithasenseofassured
familiarityandnormality.Onanotheroccasion,whenIwenttopickupmy
youngerdaughterfrompreschoolaroundthesametimeasthearrivalofMaria’s
egg,herteacherarrivedatthedoorwearingrabbitears.
Likesomanyothers,IimmigratedtoCanadawithmyhusbandalmost10
yearsago.WehavetwochildrenbothborninCanada.AsMuslimslivingin
Canadaweareconstantlynegotiatingquestionsofidentity.Whoareweinthe
midstofallthisdiversityandmorethanthatwhoareourchildrenandwhat
theywillbecomeinwhatJudithButler(2004)hascalled“precarioustimes.”
“Precarious”–“thepositionofbeingheldthroughthefavorofanother”(Online
EtymologyDictionary[OED]).(seeNaqvi&Prasow,2007).
Asanimmigrantattemptingtoenterintothelifeofadominantculture
otherthanmyown,myfamilyandIfaceaninterestingreality.Withbunny
ears,andpinksandbluesandyellows,(justliketheredsandgreensandtrees
andlightsaroundDecember),suchmattersaresofamiliartothosewhobelong
tosuchfamilialnessthatarticulationisnotsimplyunnecessary.Askingforan
articulationispreciselyasignof“notbelonging.”Infact,suchaskingisoften
greetedwith“Whodoyouthinkyouare?”andsometimeseven“Whydon’tyou
gobackhome?”Thesearegoodquestionseventhoughtheyweren’tmeanttobe.
“It’sEaster”or“Thisiswhatwedo”or“Youknow?Redandgreen?
Christmas?”arefullyadequateanswersfromwithintheconditionofbelonging,
andanimmigrantvoicefromoutsideofthatspheresoundsalmostinevitably
“outofplace.”Whodowethink“we”are?Wherepreciselyis“home”?
Itisclear,also,thatourfamilytraditionsthatstretchoutacrossIndia,Iran,
Afghanistan,andSaudiArabia,andthecomplexstoriesaboutourfamily
lineageandourMuslimheritagearethemselvesintimatelyfamiliartous.There
islittledoubtthatifthisteacherwiththebunnyears,ortheonewhosenthome
theEasteregg,movedtoourcountriesoforigin,they,too,aspeopleother‐wise
tosuchplaces,wouldrunintopreciselythesameincredulousness,thesame
silent,strange,andestranging,takenforgrantedpractices.Wethussharean
ephemeralkinship.
Ididn’taskherabouttherabbitears.Shemayhavewelcomedsucha

648   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
questionwithopenarms.Shemayhavehadmuchtosayaboutsuchmatters,
muchknowledgetoimpart,manyquestionstoask.Thisisthemostdifficultof
placestoinhabit:shallImoveoutwardstowardsaskingandengagingandrisk
thebewilderedstares?OrshouldIjustforgofornow?Pileupknowledgeandits
pursuitawayfromsitesofpossibleembattlement?ShouldI,thistime,pullback
intoreserveandsilence?
Feelingsofseparationandlossandestrangementareinevitable.Andsome
ofthissenseofseparationoccurs,ofcourse,betweengenerations–between
parentswhovisitherefromPakistanandourselves,betweenusandour
children,andsoon.Hereistheduplicitythatcomesfrombeinganimmigrant.
Bytheverynatureofitspopulationmakeup,immigrantstoCanadahaveto
embodymanyculturesfromthemomenttheysettlewithinitsborders.Aperson
likemyselfofAsiandescentisalreadymulticulturalofnecessitywhenheorshe
arrivesinCanada.Thisisprecariousbecauseone’sowncultureremainsthe
cultureofone’sorigin,eventhough,withmeandmyhusbandandourtwo
children,ourowncultureisCanada.
WhiteAnglo‐SaxoncultureinNorthAmericaseemspremisedona
strangeandsilentdistancefromitsownancestralroots.Itseemsthatthe
strangestandmostestrangedthinginCanadaisn’t,forexample,Islamor
Pakistan,butthosesilentyetpredominantthingsthat“gowithoutsaying.”
VI
My(D.J.)mother,whoseculturalbackgroundis,throughherfather,
French‐Canadian(Terriault)backtoabout1640inQuebec,and
Norwegian(Hendrickson)throughhermother,alwayscalledherself
EnglishbecauseshespokeEnglish.Herfather’sfamily(under,Isuspect,
losttrackofreligiousandculturalpressures),Anglicizedtheirnameto
“Terrio”around1850(onlytheboysnameswerethuschangedbecause
thegirlswould,iftheymarried,losetheFrenchname).Itwasfurther
Anglicizedbymygrandfather,Gardner,to“Terrie”whenthefamily
movedfromJoggins,NovaScotia,toToronto,inabout1925,where
“Terrio”madefolksthinktheymightbeItalian.
Mybrother’sfirstnameisTerry.Nooneinmyfamilyeverspokeof
theseerasuresofmemory.Thatis,theseerasures,forthemostpart,
succeeded.
VII

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 649
Inhisarticleʺʹ...thefarthestWestisbutthefarthestEastʹ:TheLong
WayofOriental/OccidentalEngagement,ʺ DavidG.Smith(2006b)
demonstrateshowtheentrenchmentofEastandWestintoseparateand
separablydefinabletraditionsisanillusion,andadangerousoneatthat.
Intimesofembattlement,suchentrenchmentinto“usandthem”–
whereinourinterrelatednessseemstobe“revocableandprovisional”
(Gray,2001,pp.35‐36),mightmakeaterriblesortofsense.However,as
Gadamer(1989)suggests,“onlyinthemultifariousnessofvoices”(p.
284)doesanytraditionexist.Itispreciselythissituationof“mutuality”
(Smith,2006b;seealsoClarke,1997foranexplorationofhowAsian
traditionsenteredintoEuropeanimaginationregardingthe
Enlightenment)withinwhichbothEastandWestarewhattheyhave
becomeonlybecauseoftheother.Itisnotsimplythatwithoutthosewho
areotherwise,wemightneverhaveoccasiontothinkaboutourown
familiarbelonging.Rather,thatveryfamiliarbelonginghasbecome
whatitisbecauseofitsoftenlong‐lostmutualitywiththosewhoseem
simply“other.”
“TheDarkAges”isbutonetimelyexampleofsuchmutuality.What
was,forPetrarch,agreatDarkAgewas,forIslam,anageofintellectual
flourishing.

Bythe10thcentury,Cordobahad700mosques,60,000palaces,and70libraries,
thelargestofwhichhad600,000books,whileasmanyas60,000treatises,poems,
polemicsandcompilationswerepublishedeachyearinal‐Andalus.Thelibrary
ofCairohadmorethan100,000books,whilethelibraryofTripoliissaidtohave
hadasmanyasthreemillionbooks,beforeitwasburntduringtheCrusades.The
numberofimportantandoriginalArabicworksonsciencethathavesurvivedis
muchlargerthanthecombinedtotalofGreekandLatinworksonscience.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age)

Petrarch’srecoveryofancienttextsofRomeandGreecewasabetted
byaflourishingIslamicintellectualtradition.AswiththeLibrarianof
Basra,awholearrayofscholarstookgoodcareof“thebooks”inatime
whenEuropefellintodarknessandembattlement.
Itisimpossibletogiveafullaccountofsuchmattersinthepresent
context.Wereferreaders,asastartingpoint,tothewonderfulWebsite
IslamicPhilosophyOnline:PhilosophiaIslamica(http://www.

650   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
muslimphilosophy.com/),aswellastheon‐lineCatholicEncyclopedia
(http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/index.html)(andcountlessother
sourcesofinformation).Herewewillsimplythreadoutonesmalllineof
thoughtthathelpsusunderstandthislibrarianandherwork.Topreface
thisthreadweneed,first,torecallthattheworksofAristotlethat
underwrotemuchoflaterMiddleAgesEuropeanphilosophyand
theologywereaninheritanceindirectlyfromknowledgeprotectedby
andcommenteduponbyIslamicscholars.

AristotlewasunderstoodtobeaphilosopherwhobelongedmoretotheArab
thantheChristianworld.Runningagainstthegrainoftraditionandattheriskof
condemnation,Abelard,AlbertusMagnus,andThomasAquinasdrewupon
Aristotle’sthoughts.Indeed,Aristotle’swritingsonmetaphysicsandlogicwere
studiesinBaghdadwellbeforetheyweretranslatedintoLatininMuslimSpain;
then,fromToledo,theyarrivedinParisbytheendofthetwelfthcentury.
(Dussel,2000,p.466)

Parenthetically,here,Hans‐GeorgGadamer(2007)musesuponthefact
that“itiscertainlynoaccidentthatinthepassageofAristotlethrough
Arabiccultureonefindsmanytracesofthatcultureechoingthroughour
language”(p.421).HespecificallynoteshowArabicnumeralsarrivedin
Europeandhowtheirarrivalmadepossibleanalgebrathatissimply
impossiblewithRomannumerals.Theworldofmathematicsthus
shiftedunderArabicinfluence.Gadamernotesaswell,regardingthe
translationofAristotlefromtheoriginalGreek,that“Noteverylanguage
isaslogicalasLatin.InLatin,thingsgetweaker,paler.Thewholefateof
Westerncivilizationisforeshadowedhere”(p.421).Thesetantalizingly
briefcommentsmadewhenGadamerwas96yearsoldopenapathfor
thinkingaboutthethreadsofinfluenceandinheritancethatcomefrom
oursharedIslamicpast.
Al‐Farabi(c.870‐950),knownas“theSecondMaster”following
Aristotle,wasoneofthefirsttoincorporateAristotle’sideaofemanation
intohiswork.Simplyput,thisideameansthattheworldcanbe
understoodasanemanation,apouringforth,a“gift,”onemightsay,of
God.Assuch,theworldholdsinitsmultifariousnessandcomplexities
signsofGod’shand;moreover,thehumanspiritisensouled;therefore
humanity,atitsbest,showssignsofGod’scharacter.Therefore(and

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 651
especiallyofinteresttoeducators)thetaskofcomingtoknowaboutthe
worldisitselfavenerabletaskandonetowhichitisworthyof
dedicatingone’slife(seeNetton,1998).Pursuingknowledgeofthe
worldisnotantagonistictofaithbutinfactawaytodeepenit.(Thisis
clearlyaby‐no‐meansnon‐contentiouspositionwithinthehistoryof
IslamorChristianity–wepoint,here,notonlytothefearandparanoia
offundamentalismregardingknowledge,butalsotothedangerous
hubristhatcancomewiththepursuitofknowledge,adanger
understoodandsharedbymanyreligioustraditions.)Inlightofthe
venerationofknowledgethatisalsocommonplaceinmostreligious
traditions,theLibrarianofBasraisnotdemonstratinginfidelityby
protectingthebooksbutratherfidelity.Inthislight,too(andequally
contentiously),thelivingdisciplinesthathavebeenentrustedtoteachers
andstudentsinschools,andhowwemighttakecareofthosedisciplines
evenintimeswhenknowledgeisembattled,becomefascinatinggiftsto
ponder.
OneofthegreatestfiguresinthislineofIslamicancientsisIbnSina
(L.Avicenna[980‐1037])whowasbornnearBukharainCentralAsia.
HerewehaveanothergenerationofthewisdomofancientGreek
philosophy.

[Avicenna]maintainsthatGod,theprincipleofallexistence,ispureintellect,
fromwhomotherexistingthingssuchasminds,bodiesandotherobjectsall
emanate,andthereforetowhomtheyareallnecessarilyrelated.Thatnecessity,
onceitisfullyunderstood,isrationalandallowsexistentstobeinferredfrom
eachotherand,ultimately,fromGod.(Kemal,2007)

AvicennaelucidatesthepossibilityofinferencefromGodandhisWord
toGodandhisworks–theenscreata,thatwhichGodcreated–andthis
inferenceofGodinhisworksonceagainennoblesthepursuitof
knowledgeofthecreatedworldaspartandparcelofaknowledgeand
venerationofGod.UnlikemanyIslamicandChristianfundamentalists,
whocleavesolelyto“TheBook”andwhothussetupastateof
embattlementbetweenworldlyknowledgeandfaith,thewholeofthe
world,inAvicenna’swork,issuchasacredtext.Avicenna’sworkon
science,logic,andmathematics,aswellashiscarefulcommentarieson
Aristotle,provedtobeamajorinfluenceonDunsScotus(1265‐1308),

652   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
thusportendingawholebloodlineofChristianscholarship.
Finally,fornow,wehaveTheGreatCommentator,Abul‐Waleed
MuhammadIbnRushd(L.Averroes[1128‐1198])whowasbornin
Cordova,Spain.Averroes’commentariesonAristotlewereacentral
influenceontheAngelicDoctor,ThomasAquinas(1225‐1274);therefore,
hisworkhelpedtheologicallyfoundcontemporaryRomanCatholicism
(Zahoor,1997).OneneedsimplyglanceatthegrandbreathofSt.
Thomas’SummaTheologicaandthecascadesofdetailedscholarshipthat
followuponittounderstandhowIslamicscholarskeptthisprofound
knowledgesafe.FromAristotle,upthroughAverroes,toSt.Thomas,in
fact,educators,directlyorindirectly,inherittheveryideaof“disciplines
ofknowledge,”“subjectareas,”(seeThomas’s[1986]“divisionofthe
sciences”whichisitselfofAristotelianorigin)onemightsay,andthe
rationalefortheirorderandcharacter.Intheverymundanetyof
Alberta’sProgramofStudiesanditsorderlylayingoutofdisciplines
lurkoldandsilentfamiliars.Differentlyput,theAlbertaProgramof
Studiesis,forgoodandill,inpartanAristotelianandIslamic
inheritance.EvenwhenweheardinCalgaryhowtheBoardofEducation
hasrecentlybeenorganizedaroundthe“ends”ofeducation,this
teleologicaldiscourseis,inwaysthatareleftcompletelyindarkness,
AristotelianinoriginandIslamicinitsarticulation.
Wehavethreadedourwaythroughtheseauthors,nottoevenbegin
topretendtobeauthoritativeinsuchmatters,buttosimplydemonstrate
howmuchstumbling‐around‐in‐the‐darknessweourselvesare
experiencinginwalkingtheseterrainsforthefirsttimeandfinding
ourselvessoprofoundlybereft.Itis,frankly,humiliatinginthatlovely
waythatisthewayofscholarship.Moreover,thisskirtingthrough
historyshowsagreatbiasthatpointstheknowledgeprotectedby
IslamicscholarsinrelationtoveryspecificandlimitedChristianand
Enlightenment‐Europeantraditionsthatweretocome.Onecansee,for
example,intheAbuHamidal‐Ghazali(1058‐1111)amoveawayfrom
thelogicandrhetoricandintellectualismofAristotelianismandits
emphasisonthestructureandformalitiesofknowledge,towardpoetry,
imagination,creativity,andreflection.Al‐Ghazaliwasinterestedin
“activelyconsideringhowknowledgeismade,ratherthanviewingit
passively”(Moosa,2005,p.38).Moosagoesontocontendthat“Ibn

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 653
Rushd’s[Averroes’]”extremelynegativeandmocking“observations
[regardingal‐Ghazali]...blissfullyskirted...theessenceofall
knowledge:invention.”(p.38).Mossanotes(p.38),however,thatthis
characterofal‐Ghazali’sworklinkshimup,forexample,toGiambattista
Vico’s(1668‐1744)laterworkonimaginationandsapientiapoetica(poetic
wisdom[seeVico,1984,BookTwo])asasourceforhowknowledgeis
actuallycreated,and,fromthisthread,throughtoHans‐Georg
Gadamer’sdrawingonVico’sworkonimagesandmemoryinhis
formulationofphilosophicalhermeneutics(seeJardine,2006c).Even
here,wecanhearechoesofthesub‐dividesofartsandsciencesin
contemporaryschooling,andthoselongandheatedargumentsabout
“corecurriculum”andwhatitmeans.Wecanhearechoeshere,too,of
ourimagesofchildrenasactiveandinventivebeingswhomust“make”
somethingoftheirworldto“know”aboutit(aglossontheshallowsof
theeducationalpracticeofcontemporaryconstructivism).
Wecanhear,too,eveninthisemphasisbyal‐Ghazalionthecreation
ofknowledge,echoesofAristotelianemanation.IntheimageofGod,
andbyanalogy,thecreativityofhumanknowledgereflectsGod’s
creativewill.Inourfrailandfiniteways,ofcourse,we,unlikeGod,
cannotcreateexnihilo.Ourinventivenessneedssomethingtobe
inventivewith–aninventoryofmaterialtothinkandcreatewith
(inventionandinventoryaretwoetymologicaloffshootsoftheLatin
terminvenio).However,evenhere,ananalogy,alikeness,akinship,
persists.
Whatwas,forChristendomandEurope,aDarkAgeprovestobea
differentstoryincertainthreadsofIslamicintellectualancestry.Ina
wonderfullyparallelwaytothatsimplechildren’spicturebookby
JeannetteWinter,thesethreadsshowhowknowledgewasprotectedina
“DarkAge.”Similarly,TheLibrarianofBasraprovestobesomething
morethansimplyATrueStoryfromIraq.Itis,initsownway,areminder
ofsomethingnearlylosttomemoryandcertainlyendangeredin
contemporaryover‐simplifiedandfrighteneddisparagementsofIslam
andthefullbreadthofitsways.
Itisareminder,too,ofsomethingfarmoresimpleandimmediate.
AristotelianandNeo‐Platonictheoriesofemanationseemsodistant
fromtheeverydayworldofschoolandschooledknowledge.Butthis

654   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
hint,fromal‐GhazaliandfromhisconfrontationswithAverroes,isan
ancientplayingoutofthecontemporaryeducationalconversationsand
confrontationsbetweenknowledgeasstructuredandmethodological,
andknowledgeasapoeticandcreativeact.
Wefindsomeoftheselongandtangledthreadsregardingcreativityand
knowledgerightinthemidstofsomeworkthatMariadidatthelocalMosque
school(shewouldhavebeeninaroundGradeOneatthetimeinher“regular”
school).Shewasgivenaworksheettocolorinandlearnabout,andthiswork
becamethebasisoflongandongoingconversationsbetweenchildrenand
teachersandparents.ThesheetportraystheQu’ranatthetopofthepage,and,
inArabicscriptontherightside,andEnglishontheleft,theopenedpagessay:
“AndrecitetheQu’ranclearly,beautifully.”
Belowthisarepicturedthreeotherbooks,oneaboutanimals,anotherabout
birds,andathirdaboutflowers.Underwritingthisiswhatiscalleda“Do’a
[prayer]beforestudying.”ItisfirstwritteninArabicscript,thentransliterated
intoEnglish:
Allaahummainfa’niibimaaalamtaniiwa’alimniimaayanfa’unii.
Then,thereisanEnglishtranslationinwhichechoesofAverroesandAvicenna
canstillbeheard:“OAllah.makemeusefultothesocietywiththeknowledge
thatYouhavegrantedmeandgrantmetheknowledgethatisusefultome.”
AsIlookbackoverthepicture,theQu’ranispicturedsittingup,openona
standandthebottomofthesupportseemstoopenwide,almostshelteringor
housingthebookspicturedbelowit.Birds,animals,flowers.Agradeonechild’s
simplework,withtheQu’ranpicturedsomehow“emanating,”anembrace
descendingoutwardsintoworldlyknowledgeandaprayerregardingknowledge
andbeingofserviceandusetotheworldwiththegiftofsuchknowledge.When
D.J.cameovertomyhouselatelastyear,wehadtalkedabouttheQu’ranupon
topofmy(R.N.’s)refrigerator,openonastand,placeduphigh,abovethefrays
ofdailylifeandthefridge‐magnetsthatpinnedMaria’sworksheetupforallto
see.
VIII
[Icarry]ageneralskepticismtowardallideaswhichareusedassourcesof
legitimacybythewinnersoftheworld.Ishouldliketobelievethatthetask...is
tomakegreaterdemandsonthosewhomouththecertitudesoftheirtimesand
areclosertothepowerfulandrich,thantothefaithsandideasofthepowerless

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 655
andmarginalized.Thatwayliesfreedom,compassionandjustice.(Nandy,1987,
p.123)

DuringtheinvasionofIraqin2003,reportscameoutofBaghdadof
theAmericanArmysettingupguardoutsideoftheheadofficesof
variousoilcompanybuildingstoprotectwhatwereeuphemistically
called“Americaninterests.”Atthesametime,reportsspreadthatthe
AmericanadministrationhadrefusedtobelievethewarningsthatIraq’s
culturalwealthwouldneedprotectionifthecityweretofall.

FromApril10to12,2003,duringthemayhemthatfollowedthecollapseof
SaddamHussein’sregime,lootersenteredtheIraqNationalMuseumin
Baghdad.Theystoleanddestroyedartifactsandcauseddamagetothemuseum.
...Seizingupontinybitsofavailableinformation,Westernarchaeologists
createdtheirownnarrativeofeventsandaggressivelypromoteditthroughthe
worldmedia.(Joffe,2004,Introductionsection,¶1)

AlthoughitistruethatAmericantroopsweredispatchedtoprotect
oilcompanybuildingsinBaghdad,anditisequallytruethattheywere
notdispatchedtoprotecttheNationalMuseum,itseemsthatthemain
thing“lostfromtheBaghdadmuseum:truth”(Aaronovitch,2003).
Itwasinitiallyreportedthatover170,000itemswerestolenor
destroyedandtheancientdepthofdespairsoundseerilyfamiliar.

ThelootingoftheIraqMuseum(Baghdad)isthemostseveresingleblowto
culturalheritageinmodernhistory,comparabletothesackofConstantinople,
theburningofthelibraryatAlexandria,theVandalandMogulinvasions,and
theravagesoftheconquistadors.(TheAmericanSchoolsofOrientalResearch,April
16,2003,citedinJoffe,2004,Introductionsection,Openingquotation)

Talbot(2003)claimsthattheitemsstolenweresospecificand
targetedthatthelooterscouldnothavebeensimplypeople“offthe
street”buthadtobewell‐informedandselectiveagentswhohad
plannedahead‐of‐timeastrategicheist.“Nothingwasaccidentalabout
it.Rather,itwastheresultofalongplannedprojecttoplunderthe
artisticandhistoricaltreasuresthatareheldinthemuseum”(Talbot,
2003,p.1).TalbotgoesontotalkabouthowtheBritishpresshad
suggestedthat“theACCP[theAmericanCouncilforCulturalPolicy]

656   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
mayhaveinfluencedUSgovernmentpolicyonIraqiculturalartifacts”
(p.3).Hefurtherstates,“TheACCPwasformedin2001byagroupof
wealthyartcollectorstolobbyagainsttheCulturalProperty
ImplementationAct,whichattemptstoregulatetheartmarketandstop
theflowofstolengoodsintotheUS”(pp.3‐4).
Laterreportsattemptedtoquelltheseclaims.Farfeweritems
seemedtobemissing.Vaultswerediscoveredwhereitemshadbeen
storedpreciselybecauseoftheknowledgeofimpendingthreatsto
security(shadesofAlia’scar‐trunk).Talkcameof“insidejobs”(Joffe,
2004,NarrativeUnderminedsection,¶1)–“theworkofnewlydeposed
Baathistofficials,whohadbeensellingof[f]ourpatrimonyastheysaw
theirdayswerenumbered.Astheregimefell,theseBaathistswentback
foronelastswindle”(Joffe,2004,NarrativeUnderminedsection,¶1,
citingMakiya,2003).Inthemidstofthisswirlofsuggestionand
accusation,DavidAaronovitch(2003)proposedthatwhatmightbeat
workhereisasimple(albeitperhapsunderstandable)political
presumption:“thesedays–youcannotsayanythingtoobadaboutthe
Yanksandnotbebelieved”(p.4).
Wewillleavethisforayfornowwithatroublingreflection.The
workofteachersandscholarsinvolvesthinkingandseekingoutthe
truthofthingsandthisstatementseemsprofoundlyandirretrievably
naïveinthesepost‐moderntimesofslipperysignificationandpolitical
andmediamanipulation.DavidSmith(2006)suggeststhateducators’
work,now,isoccurringin“aseasonofgreatuntruth”inwhich“the
truthofthings”issimplyamanipulableitemintheswayofpublic
opinion.Smith(inpress)speaksabouttheinfluenceofLeoStrausson
contemporaryneo‐conservativism,andhowneo‐conservativestook
fromPlatotheideaof“thenoblelie,”where“theuntruebecomestrueif
ithelpsyoumanage[theignorantmasses]better”(Jardine2006b,p.x)
(ofcourseandalways“fortheirowngood”[Miller,1990]).Thesemoves
ofneo‐conservativismdonotendupsuggestingthatthereissimplyno
truthwhatsoever.

ButStraussisnotanihilistifwemeanbythetermadenialthatthereisanytruth,
abeliefthateverythingisinterpretation.Hedoesnotdenythatthereisan
independentreality.Onthecontrary,hethinksthatindependentrealityconsists
innatureandits“orderofrank”–thehighandthelow,thesuperiorandthe

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 657
inferior.LikeNietzsche,hebelievesthatthehistoryofwesterncivilisationhas
ledtothetriumphoftheinferior,therabble–somethingtheybothlamented
profoundly.(Postel&Drury,2003,np)

Thetracelinesaredeepandwide.PaulWolfowitzandothermembersof
andadvisorstotheBushadministrationareallstudentsofStrauss’s
work,andStrauss’sideasareacentralguidingconcerninthe
DepartmentofPoliticalScienceattheUniversityofCalgary–Stephen
Harper’sAlmaMater(Smith,inpress).
Aseasonofgreatuntruth?Shouldwesuspectthatourbeliefsinand
hopefulnessaboutAliaMuhammedBakerʹseffortsaresimplyattractive
andconvincingshadowsonthecavewall?Havewebeenduped?Have
webeenmanipulatedintosomethinglaughablyridiculous–thatvery
sortoflaughabilitythatunderwritestheanti‐intellectualismofthe
currentAmericanadministration?Havewebeenfedabookabouta
librarianinBasrathatsimplycharmsandspellbindsthosewhomight
venerateknowledgeintobelievingaconvincing,noblelie?
Evenifitisa“truestoryfromIraq,”whatitstruthisandwhether
we,aseducators,mightorshouldorcouldstandbysuchatruth–allof
thisispartofwhatthissimplechildren’sbooknowasksofus.
IX
ManystupidandviolentthingshavebeendoneinthenameofAllah,
andinthisregard,IslamsharesaterriblekinshipwithitstwoAbrahamic
forebearers.Admittingthiskinshipcanprovideacertainrelief.
ThatiswhyitwasespeciallydisingenuousofBenedictXVInotto
admittotheviolenceandstupiditiesperpetratedinthenameofthe
RomanCatholicChurchinwhatturnedouttobeanincendiaryspeech
givenonTuesday,September12,2006.Themedia‐versionofthisspeech
–“Faith,ReasonandtheUniversity:MemoriesandReflections”
(BenedictXVI,2006)–focusedonhowtheHolyFatherhademphasized
that,asheputit,“forMuslimteaching,Godisabsolutelytranscendent.
Hiswillisnotboundupwithanyofourcategories,eventhatof
rationality....Godisnotevenboundbyhisownword”(¶4).Benedict
citesaneditionofdialogueseditedbyTheodoreKhouryofMunster,in
which,“perhapsin1391inthewinterbarracksnearAnkara”(¶2)the
ByzantineEmperorManuelIIPaleologuswasarguingoverthetopicof

658   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
“holywar”with“aneducatedPersian”(¶2).IfGodiswholly
transcendenttotheworldandtohumancategories,thenthereisnothing
inhumanaffairsthatwouldprevent,curb,ordiscourageviolencebeing
perpetratedinthenameofthefaith.Wearenotcalledupontobe
generousorreasonablebecauseofsomeanalogytoGod.ManuelII
argued,“nottoactinaccordancewithreasoniscontrarytoGod’s
nature”(¶4)butitseemsthathisPersianinterlocutordisagreed.As
Manuelcontinuesinthislineofargument,thecitedtextthatcaused
BenedictXVIsomuchgriefemerges.ManuelIIsaystohisguest:“Show
mejustwhatMohammedbroughtthatwasnew,andthereyouwillfind
thingsonlyevilandinhuman,suchashiscommandtospreadbythe
swordthefaithhepreached”(¶3).
Wewillleave,fornow,thealmost‐overwhelmingurgetospeak
abouthowChristianity’sskillswiththeswordarethemselvesquite
practiced,letalonetheviolenceofafaiththatcreatedandperpetuated
residentialschools,again,forthegoodofgodlessIndians.Fornow,we
arefascinatedbypreciselywhoitisthatPopeBenedictXVIchosetocite
inthehistoryofIslamicthought–notal‐Ghazali,notal‐FarabiorIbn
SinaorIbnRushd,butIbnHazm.
IbnHazm(994‐1064CE),morefullyAbuMuhammadʹAliibn
AhmadibnSa`idibnHazm,wasborninCordovainSouthernSpain.He
grewupinatimeofdifficultandviolentethnicandclanrivalriesand
war.Hisworkthusbetraysasenseofretrenchmentandembattlement.
Unlikeal‐Ghazali,al‐Farabi,IbnSina,orIbnRushd(who,ofcourse,
PopeBenedictXVI,asascholarandintellectual,knowsfullwell),inIbn
Hazm’swork,thekinshipbetweenGodandhiscreationhasbeen
severed.GodiswhollyTranscendent.Therefore,allwehavetogoonis
theliteralwordsoftheQu’ran.

[IbnHazm]arguesthatpeopleareboundtoobeyonlythelawofGod,initszahir
orliteralsense,withoutrestrictions,additions,ormodifications.Hetakesthe
positionthatlanguageitselfprovidesallthatisnecessaryfortheunderstanding
ofitscontentandthat,therefore,God,whorevealedtheQuʹraninclear(mubin)
Arabic,hasusedthelanguagetosaypreciselywhathemeans.Fromthis
position,itfollowsthatIbnHazmstronglycriticizestheuseofreasoningby
analogy(qiyas).IbnHazmdoesnotdenyrecoursetoreason,sincetheQuʹran
itselfinvitesreflection,butthisreflectionmustbelimited.Reasonisnotafaculty

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 659
forindependentresearch,muchlessfordiscovery.Bysubmittinghumans
exclusivelytothewordofGod,IbnHazmʹsliteralismfreesthemfromanychoice
oftheirown.(Arnaldez,2006)

RogerArnaldez(2006)suggeststhatIbnHazm’sworkconstitutesoneof
the“mostoriginalandimportantmonumentsofMuslimthought”(np).
PopeBenedictXVIcommentsindirectlyonthisoriginality.Ithastodo,
accordingtoBenedictXVI,withtheerasureofHellenic/Greekthought
fromthreadsofIslamicthought,erasure,therefore,ofanysignsof
AristotelianorNeo‐Platonicemanationandthereforeofanysenseofan
analogicalintimacybetweenGodandhiscreation.Thusevacuatedfrom
theworld,theonlyrecoursetoknowledgeisliteral–theletterofthe
Book.Reasoningandthoughtfulnessthusgiveway,inthecontemporary
imagination,toTaliban‐likeroterepetitionoftheletter,andincitements
toviolenceagainstthosewhodonotfollowthatletter–common
incitementsinallformsoffundamentalism.(Hereisonemoresource,
too,oftheanti‐intellectualismthatsometimesinfects,ofallthings,
educationitself).
DespitetheclumsinesswithwhichBenedictXVIfumbledthese
matters,theworkofIbnHazmisnotwithoutimportance.ThoseMoslem
andChristianwarriorswhoburnedlibrariesthatcontainedanythingbut
“TheBook”haveIbnHazmasanancestor.WewillleaveittotheHoly
FathertoconsiderwhencesuchanideainChristianityoccurs(hisspeech
doesbegintoopenupsomeavenuesinthisregard).
Laterinthisspeech,PopeBenedictXVI(2006)goesontodiscussthe
issueofthede‐HellenizationofChristianityinawaythatfurtherbetrays
preciselyhowoddandselectivewashischoiceofIbnHazmalonetocite
undertheblanketof“Muslimteaching.”

[I]tisoftensaidnowadaysthatthesynthesiswithHellenismachievedinthe
earlyChurchwasapreliminaryenculturationwhichoughtnottobebindingon
othercultures.Thelatteraresaidtohavetherighttoreturntothesimple
messageoftheNewTestamentpriortothatenculturation,inorderto
enculturateitanewintheirownparticularmileux.Thisthesisisnotonlyfalse;it
iscoarseandlackinginprecision.TheNewTestamentwaswritteninGreekand
bearstheimprintoftheGreekspirit.Thefundamentaldecisionsmadeaboutthe

660   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
relationshipbetweenfaithandtheuseofhumanreasonarepartofthefaith
itself;theyaredevelopmentsconsonantwiththenatureoffaithitself.(¶14)

AlthoughourthoughtsreturntotheLibrarianofBasra,theHolyFather’s
finalincitementsareimportant.

[L]isteningtothegreatexperiencesandinsightsofthereligioustraditionsof
humanity,andthoseoftheChristianfaithinparticular,isasourceofknowledge,
andtoignoreitwouldbeanunacceptablerestrictionofourlisteningand
responding.(¶16)

Indeed.Wouldthathehadbeenmorecarefulinlayingoutakinshipof
“listeningandresponding”betweenIslamandChristianity.This
statementwouldnotonlyincludemeditations,forexample,onAverroes
andAvicennawhereinthereisanaffinityregardingtheuseofhuman
reasonbetweenthesetwofaiths,butwouldalsoincludesome
considerationandadmissionofhowChristianfaithitselfhashistorically
beenquiteamenabletospreadingthefaiththroughviolence(andquite
amenabletoformsofeducationthatarequiteTalibanicintheirclosed‐
mindednessandliteralist/fundamentalistparanoias).Then,perhaps,his
sentimentalizedjourneythroughtheuniversitiesofGermanyofhis
youthmighthavebeen,asthetitleofhisjourneydeclares,truly
“Apostolic”andEcumenical,andnotquitesoincendiary.
CONCLUSION
WeendthesemediationsontheLibrarianofBasrawithafascinating
incidentwhosemeaninggoesfarbeyonditsintent.Earlyin2007,Rahat
Naqvi,HelenCoburn,SallyGoddard,andLaureenMayer(2007)
submittedanarticletotheAlbertaTeachers’AssociationMagazine
entitled“WhatdoIdowhen80percentofmystudentsdon’tspeak
English?”Thisbriefresearchreportspokeofworkdoneondual
languagebooksbeingusedinalocalCalgaryelementaryschool.
Thepaperpassedintotheadjudicationandeditorialprocessand
nothingmorewasheardofituntiltheprintedmagazinearrivedinR.
N.’scampusmail.AlongwithR.N.’sdiscoveryofJeanetteWinter’s
lovelybook,thisisthemomentatwhichthisarticleofoursbegan.
Unbeknowntoitsauthors,thepaperhadbeenre‐titled.Althoughthe

LEARNINGNOTTOSPEAKINTONGUES 661
sub‐titleremainedastheauthorshadwrittenit,themaintitlenowwas
“SpeakinginTongues.”Alongwiththis,therewasaphotographof
sevengirls,eachonedressedinwhatappeartobeethniccostumes.
Clearly,onthefaceofit,thisnewtitleprobablyseemedsimplymore
catchythantheauthors’originaltitle.Ithassincecaughttheeyeofmany
readerswhohavecontactedtheauthorsabouttheirwork.Itserves,
howeverandalso,asopportunitytothink–aboutAl‐Ghazali,for
example,andhisintimateconnectionwithSufismwhichreferencesa
phenomenonsimilarto“speakingintongues.”However,thisprecise
phraseispeculiarlyChristianinitsoriginsandcontemporaryface.Those
whochoseitforatitlearesimplylivingwithinafamiliaritythatgoes
beyondwhattheymayhaveintendedbysuchachoiceofphrase.

ManyChristiansbelievethatspeakingintonguesisthefulfillmentofthe
LatterRainpromisedinJoel2:28‐29andthatitisthefinalmanifestationofthe
HolySpiritbeforetheSecondComingofChrist.Itisalsocommonlytaughtthat
youarenotsavedunlessyouhavedemonstratedthegiftofspeakingintongues.
(http://www.speaking‐in‐tongues.net/)

Aswehavesuggested,thiseditorialchangeismoremeaningfulthan
itwasmeanttobe.Itopenedgapingholesinwhatwethoughtweknew,
anddisturbedoursenseoffamiliarityandbelonging.Itisaperhaps‐
unintendedgift.
However,wewillleavethismeditationforanothertime.

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
DavidW.JardineisaProfessorofEducationintheFacultyofEducation,
UniversityofCalgary.RecentworkincludesPiagetandeducation:Aprimer(2006).

666   DAVIDJARDINE&RAHATNAQVI
RecentpapersincludeʺOntheWhileofThingsʺ (JournaloftheAmerican
AssociationfortheAdvancementofCurriculumStudies)and“Somesaythepresent
ageisnotthetimeformeditation,”co‐authoredwithRahatNaqvi(Journalof
EducationalThought).Contact:jardine@ucalgary.ca.11thFloorEducationTower,
FacultyofEducation,UniversityofCalgary,2500UniversityDriveNW,Calgary,
ABT2N1N4Ph:403220‐5642

RahatNaqviisanAssistantProfessorintheFacultyofEducation,specializingin
FrenchandSecondLanguagePedagogy.Dr.Naqvihasworkedinavarietyof
internationalsettingsthatincludeFrenchandAsianStudiesattheNational
InstituteofOrientalLanguages,Sorbonne,Paris.Researchinterestsinclude
secondlanguagepedagogy,teachingFSL,interculturalcommunication,literacy,
identity,andculturalstudies.

Contact:naqvi@ucalgary.ca11thFloorEducationTower,FacultyofEducation,
UniversityofCalgary,2500UniversityDriveNW,Calgary,ABT2N1N4
Ph:403220‐2047
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