To Empathize Is to Universalize

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 13 July 2024 "Empathy Nurtures Wisdom. Apathy Cultivates Ignorance." Suzy Kassem "With A Little Knowledge, I Thought I Was Better and Different from Others. And with A Little More Realization, I Understood That I Could Relate to People. I'm Praying for The Wisdom to Dawn On Me So That I Can Empathise Even with A Branch Of A Tree And Talk To The Water And Waves Of The Sea." Rabindranath Tagore Mulling over Professor Adis Duderija's brilliant article Embracing Otherness: The Importance of Sharing Wisdom' I thought of sharing my article on empathy that appeared in The Times of India a couple of years ago. What's empathy? Empathy is to perceive the internal frame of reference of another with accuracy and with the emotional components and meanings. To put it succinctly, empathy is 'synchronized connectivity.' It's even better than talking in one language. Empathy is a wholehearted endeavour to turn otherness into oneness. It's not for nothing that empathy is known as Sartaaj-e-Jazbaat (the supreme of all emotions). It's indeed the crowning emotion that binds the world together and goes far deeper than sympathy. It encompasses humanity and pervades the world. It makes us aware of the pains of not just humans, but of all the creatures. Persian mystic Jami coined a word 'Infiziyaat' which's still used in Persian mysticism, albeit rarely. It's an equivalent of the Sanskrit word Sahmarmita (sah+marm: Co+marm); emotion that resides in the sanctum sanctorum of every heart. The sublime sense of inter-connectivity is possible when the heart is mellowed with love and elevated with empathy; when everything's your reflection and vice versa. So be an empathist because empathy exceeds mere sympathy. While sympathy helps one relate to another person, empathy dissolves that ' otherness.' In other words, empathy is alter egoism. Pakistani Urdu poet Dilawar Figar put it succinctly, " Mujh Mein, Tujh Mein Na Koi Tafawat Rahe/ Yoon Ek Hon Ke Na Koi Izaahat Rahe" (There mustn't be any difference between the two of us/Let's become one seamlessly). "Koi Khaamosh Ashk Bahaye Koson Door/ Meri Ankhein Geeli Na Hon, Mujhe Nahin Manzoor" (Someone shedding tears far away / How can my eyes remain tearless?), wrote Urdu-Persian poet Nashtar. Shed tears, but not just for a specific person. Weep for all. Remember, men have shed more tears than all the waters lying in the great oceans. Someone laughing with you is no big deal. If eyes are tearful, when you weep, rest assured, your tears haven't gone in vain. At this moment, the world is in need of Empathy more than ever. It's empathy that will enable humans to go beyond the self and merge in the sufferings of each and every individual. No one will appear an outsider or a stranger to you and vice versa. Much have we sparred over petty things like nation, colour, religion, sect and all that jazz since time immemorial. It's, therefore, time to allow empathy to permeate and suffuse mankind with a sense of Oneness. The grief of every individual can be universalized through empathy because the universality of emotions lies in one and only emotion: Empathy. It's an all-embracing human spirit. We need it (empathy) to evolve collectively. Empathy will help restore the estranged co-existence of yore. Develop, nay nurture, it for the survival of mankind. To empathize is to universalize. ------ Note: A Shorter Version of The Following Article Appeared In The Times Of India A Couple Of Years Ago. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/-empathize-universalize/d/132697 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism