Bucharest, Jan 25th, 2012 (WAM) -- H. H. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council member, the author of the theatre play entitled: "The Return of Hulagu", has been the Ruler of Sharjah since 1972. He was educated at Cairo University in Egypt, and holds two PhD degrees from the University of Exeter and the University of Durham in the UK. Sharjah, third largest of Emirates composing the United Arab Emirates, a beautiful land located on the Arabian Gulf, has natural resources and is one of the main centres for business, tourism and trade.
Dr. Sheikh is considered to be an open-minded, politically moderate scholar whose main occupations, besides being Ruler, include teaching and writing. He is the President of the American University of Sharjah and one of the best-known of todays Arabic writers. His book have been translated into many languages. Both a religion and a way of life in the United Arab Emirates, Islam is the source of the exceptional values present in the life of the Emiratis. Pride, honesty, dignity, courtesy and hospitality are values that make the United Arab Emirates one of the safest and most hospitable places nowadays. The Return of Hulagu has a historic topic: the fall of the Abbasid Empire as a result of Hulagus conquest. Sheikh Sultan, who has a PhD Degree in History, explains in his Foreword that, after reading the history of the Arabs, he came to understand that "the evolution of the Abbasid State is similar to what is going on currently across the Arab world. I have written this theatre play about a painful reality of the Arab world", he says. "The names of the characters, places and events are real. Everything in this text reflects what has happened with the Arab nation". Using as a pretext the invasion and fall of Bagdad in 1258 by the army of Hulagu, the grandson of the famous Genghis Khan, during which the 37th Caliph, by killing the AlMustasim, was killed, Sheikh Sultan draws attention to the modern day threats to Arab culture, as it faces the influence of a cultural invasion and various other interventions that may affect the basic values of the Arab world. His play may be interpreted as a warning against these influences and as him calling for the safeguarding of national values. The play, dynamic and animated by deep feelings, tells the story of Caliph Al-Mustasim, ruler of Bagdad, who is defeated by Hulagu the Mongol. He eventually dies because he is too weak as a statesman. Those who remain alive have neither the strength nor the dignity to fight Hulagu. Instead, each pays his own price. Caliph Al-Mustasim is informed by his advisers that Hulagu, the Mongol khan, is approaching his territory and has already surrounded three Muslim cities. Hulagu asks for military aid to conquer them, taking advantage of the unfriendly relations between Bagdad and the three cities which are famous for their attacks and murders. Thension in the play is evident from the outset between the two advisors, Dudyar and Ibn Al-Alqami.Each have different opinions and the reader/audience is skilfully involved in the plot to choose which of the two is right. They reflect the tormented thoughts of Al-Mustasim whose thinking is not clear. He lacks the wisdom of a ruler to decide what is best for his country. Instead on focusing on state affairs, he spends his time partying and enjoying himself. Ibn Al-Alqami becomes manipulative and manages to persuade the Caliph to adopt the plan he puts forward. This involves the writing by the Caliph of a grovelling letter to Hulagu in which he even promises him part of his treasury. Caliph Al-Mustasim lacks the art of diplomacy. Aggressive at the outset, he quickly changes into a weak man who gives away his treasure to buy Hulagus good will. In turn, Dudyar, the head of the army, is not persistent enough and he is unable to influence Al-Mustasims behaviour while the shrewd Ibn Al-Alqami succeeds in his plan. The Caliph does not listen to advice on his involvement. Moreover, when a group of young men comes to talk to him about the future of their country, Sharabi, the highest noble in his Court, prevents them from seeing the Caliph. Al-Mustasim eventually realises the danger but it is too late, both for himself and for his city. His own son, Abu Al-Abbas, warns him against the sly Ibn Al-Alqami and warns of the looming defeat. Mirroring the powerless Caliph, Rukh Al-Din Khorshah is another character who easily surrenders and accepts Hulagus offer to partywith a girl and to ask the remaining cities to surrender as well, instead of countering Hulagus attacks. This offers the lesson that weak attitudes may easily spread amongst ordinary people when no positive example is set for them. The drama is heightened at the end of the play when Caliph Al-Mustasim dies but not before acknowledging his mistakes, unfortunately too late, Dudyar, the noble character, also dies as well as the group of young men, dyinglike martyrs in their attempt to protect the city. Hulagu is victorious, with very little effort, since the weakness of Caliph Al-Mustasim actually facilitates his success. A warrior, Hulagu seeks to make the conquered cities obedient and despises those who are weak. He has strong moral values that should be interpreted positively within the context of his fight for new territories but he introduces no cultural values. He has no faith and Ibn Al-Alqami, appointed to an important position as a reward for his help, is not happy when the Mongols forbid the use of the Quran, which appears to be the essence of life. Left without spiritual life, Ibn Al- Alqami suddenly dies as if from a hidden disease that drains his life away. His son is appointed to succeed him. At the end of the play, Hulagu is still alive as a man rebels against Ibn Al-Alqamis son whom he sees the embodiment of betrayal, warning warning against the return of Hulagu, and of the danger posed to Muslims. Despite the deaths of some key characters, which may be seen as the price paid for their mistakes done, the technique of the author is to suggest the continuation of life and of the need for vigilance against evil; both Caliph Al-Mustasim and Ibn Al-Alqami having sons. Tension and dramatic moments arepresent throughout the play and the reader/audience continuously feels the cathartic purpose of the plot. "The Return of Hulagu" can be easily read as well as performed. It will remain of lasting significance. In terms of atmosphere and its moral message, it is no different from the tales of the 1001 Arabian Nights, taking reader/ audience into a fictional space that may be both past history and an everlasting land of moral values and education about the essence of life. The story can be relevant at an individual level, at the level of a group and that of a country. Anyone can be Caliph Al- Mustasim at least oncve in a lifetime. A life, as well as an entire country, can fall apart if it is not run with wisdom and measure. Dignity, honour, wisdom and spiritual strength emerge as the most precious assets for a persons survival. As todays theatre criticism suggests, interpreting a play may be more complete when it is carefully read. While the performing of a play may diffuse ones attention, concentrating more on the senses than on reason, reading a play helps to focus ones mind on its deeper significance, permitting interpretation in many different ways without necessarily claiming that one interpretation is the supreme truth. As T.S. Elliot argues in his essay on "The Function of Criticism", "Interpretation is only legitimate when it is not interpretation at all, but merely putting the reader in possession of facts that he would otherwise have missed."Interpreted from a de-constructivist perspective, and especially when one applies Derridas notion of iterability, indeed, "there is an infinite possibility of different readers, none of whom are truer than others". Similarly, the author leaves the reader the freedom to create meaning. Thus, multiple cultural meanings may be extracted. On the other hand, the political-ideological interpretation should not be overlooked. As Tom Bennett argues, "each text has its politics inscribed in it". Behind the intended purpose of promoting Islamic ethical and cultural values, the play can be seen as well as promoting cultural values and human values that can apply to any other contemporary society. Despite the apparent cultural distance between the West and the Muslim world, the actual distance between them is much narrower than Westerners and Arabs may think. Obviously, comparisons can only yield a relative measure since century-old, traditional democracies where individualism prevails as major cultural value can rarely be compared with societies in which family and religion are basic values. One should note, however, that Muslim societies may be much more tolerant, safer and humanly-oriented than other nations might think while Western societies fail in many cases to meet the high standards described in their human rights and societal laws. Instead of hypocritically criticising the resistance to change of Muslim societies, Western societies should admit that change has often brought unpleasant side effects in their societies; effects that the Muslim societies have successfully avoided, precisely because of their traditional values. These may sometimes be referred to as Medieval but they are definitely safer and healthier for the spiritual human development of man and for the relationship between body and spirit and between the individual and society.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2012.
