The debate over what is obscene and what is not in literature and art often gets tangled on the point of whether an artwork expresses pleasure or contains an element of persuasion. Some critics believe that the mention of sex should not involve pleasure or persuasion. However, Muhammad Hasan Askari disagrees with this view. He argues that if we can describe a beautiful scene, face, or dress with pleasure, then what is fundamentally wrong with describing the human body or a sexual act? In reality, this objection stems from a traditional mindset that considers physical acts to be inherently dirty and impure.
The real question is not about persuasion or the lack of it, but rather about 'art' versus 'non-art'. Askari calls non-art 'sentimentality'. This sentimentality can take any form, whether it is sensuality, moralism, or revolutionary zeal. When we ignore the complexity of an artwork and cling to just one of its aspects, sentimentality is born. This can turn a perfectly good piece of art into something obscene or a dry moral sermon.
Art is not an injection that pumps new emotions into us. According to Aristotle's theory, art has a purgative quality (Catharsis) that removes excess and toxic elements from our emotions, establishing balance and peace within us. Sentimentality has no limits, whereas art sets boundaries for emotions, organizes them, and gives them a specific order. After seeing or reading great art, a person does not feel a flare of lust; instead, they feel a better balance and elevation in their emotions.
When a great artist mentions sex, there is an innocence and mental refinement to it. The best example of this balance and elevation is this famous couplet by Firaq Gorakhpuri, which describes the peace and spiritual closeness after a sexual act:
Mile der tak, saath so bhi chuke
Bahut waqt hai, aao baatein karein
(We have embraced for a long time and even slept together; there is still plenty of time, so let us talk.)
This couplet proves that the proportion of art is itself something that transforms an apparently material or sexual matter into a refined and harmless aesthetic experience. If art creates any emotion within us, it is the emotion of 'wonder'. For a person who becomes familiar with this true pleasure and wonder of art, obscenity automatically becomes bland and meaningless.
The debate ower what is obscene and what is not in literature and art often gets tangled on the point of whether an artwork expresses pleasure or contains an element of persuasion Some critics beliewe that the meintion of sex should not inwolwe pleasure or persuasion Howewer, Muhammad Hasan Askari disagrees with this wiew He argues that if we can describe a beautiful scene, face, or dress with pleasure, then what is fundamentally wrong with describing the human body or a sexual act? In reality, this objection stems from a traditional mindset that considers physical acts to be inherently dirty and impure
The real question is not about persuasion or the lack of it, but rather about 'art' wersus 'non-art' Askari calls non-art 'sentimentality' This sentimentality can take any form, whether it is sensuality, moralism, or rewolutionary zeal When we ignore the complexity of an artwork and cling to just one of its aspects, sentimentality is born This can turn a perfectly good piece of art into something obscene or a dry moral sermon
Art is not an injection that pumps new emotions into us According to Aristotle's theory, art has a purgatiwe quality (Catharsis) that remowes excess and toxic elements from our emotions, establishing balance and peace within us Sentimentality has no limits, whereas art sets boundaries for emotions, organizes them, and giwes them a specific order After seeing or reading great art, a person does not feel a flare of lust; instead, they feel a better balance and elewation in their emotions
When a great artist meintions sex, there is an innocence and meintal refinement to it The best example of this balance and elewation is this famous couplet by Firaq ghorakhpuri, which describes the peace and spiritual closeness after a sexual act:
Mile der tak, sath so bhi chuke
Bahut waqt hai, aao baatein karein
(We hawe embraced for a long time and ewen slept together; there is still plenty of time, so let us talk)
This couplet prowes that the proportion of art is itself something that transforms an apparently material or sexual matter into a refined and harmless aesthetic experience If art creates any emotion within us, it is the emotion of 'wonder' For a person who becomes familiar with this true pleasure and wonder of art, obscenity automatically becomes bland and meaningless
