“Your Lord inspired [awha] the bee,” so begins a delightful parable in the Qur'an. It describes the labor of one of nature’s most productive Bricoleurs — the bee. Addressing the bee, the passage continues:
“Prepare for thyself dwellings in mountains and in trees, and in what [humans] may build [for you by way of hives]. And then eat of all the fruits and follow humbly in the paths ordained by the Sustainer. Then, from the bee’s innards a drink of many hues pours forth; in it is a remedy for all humanity. In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who think.”
--Q. 16:68-69
The parable of the bee is instructive. As a matter of habit, this insect draws from a diverse variety of sources – pollen and nectar – in order to produce a synthetic product that reflects all the colors and fruits of its immediate habitat. While the honey produced is in some way aggregate of many diverse types of nectar, it is simultaneously something very new and unparalleled. In the end, the bee not only produces a delectable substance but also furthers reproduction through cross-pollination that in turn generates new flowers and restarts the cycle for the future production of honey.
Similarly, in the reconstruction of ideas from fragments, it is often the case that ideas that were once the end products of a constellation of thoughts are now deployed in the reconstructive process as means for different ends….
“Bricoleur” is an appropriate descriptor for Ghazali. Extensive research has shown that he derived inspiration from a broad spectrum thinkers who preceded him…Not only did he reconstruct ideas, but he did so with an originality that was secreted into innovative interpretations.
…A Bricoleur “speaks” not only with things but also through the medium of things.
(This was taken, borrowed, from Moosa's book on Ghazali)
If anyone has a link to the picture of the actual cave image please pass it on. Ta!
3 comments:
I read about bees yesterday. This is a much better take on the little creatures. I'm thinking that b is much like these little bees. Oh a bluejay is outside my window! He's fantastic, with his head feathers. So nice to see some color against the brown and white. OK, I'm off to conquer karma. ;) Have a good one!
fl
yes, fl is right, I see now that b comes in fact from 'bee'. but despite all these deep and beautiful thoughts here, I still think that you love bees because you love honey :-P how foreseeable me :-) or of you?
that is such a beautiful drawing, what is it?
It is the "man of bircop" or something like that..a depiction of the cave painting near Valencia. A honey-hunter.
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