دار بيبليون
Al-Balad Newspaper, on Book of Dr Lwiis Saliba
Date: 04.06.05
The seminar that “Dar An-Nadwa Wa Mountada Al-Anwar” organized in its headquarters in Hamra, to hold discussions with Dr. Lwiis Saliba, author of “The most ancient book in the world; Rigveda – study, interpretation and comments”, has caused an echo because of the increasing fascination in the Arab societies on the Indian culture and its philosophical horizons.
At the beginning, the media person Zeina Al-Hindawi started the discussion and talked about the influence of Indian literature in the Arab heritage through translation, and reiterated the indication of Dr. Shawki Daïf to order the pronunciation of letters in “Al-Aïn” dictionary of the famous Al-Farahidi according to the Indian language. Dr. Mohammed Salhab, Head of the University Center of Technology in Tripoli, Professor of History of the Organizations of Ancient and Modern Eras at Saint Joseph University, said that Dr. Saliba’s book contains valuable presentations for the Arab library, and talked about the current conception of science that is drawn from the thought of philosopher Karl Popper as it is a knowledge based on proof, which is a definition that does not embrace all forms of knowledge. Salhab classified the sciences for Arabs as rational and traditional. The first one is based on controversial proof and the second – like history and law – refers to the origin. Since it is unique, it is difficult to specify the Rigveda, according to Salhab, within one of the current categories of sciences and knowledge or with the theory of Blaise Pascal over the development in science that is based on new inventions, since each era knows more than the previous one. Salhab added that the nature of transcription in Rigveda is unique, according to the book of Dr. Saliba, member of the Examining Committee for Doctorates at the Oriental Literatures Academy in Saint Joseph University, and Director of Researches as well as Director of Studies Division at the French Sorbonne University. Veda is an epistemic type but is related to a connected personal experience in general, and cannot be also proved through evidences of the current sciences from the intellectual angle.
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According to Salhab, there is no escape from the Indian inheritance in the history of sciences; the Arabs took a lot in medicine, mathematics and astronomy from Al-Birûni who dealt with the Indian culture and philosophy. In the 10th century after Christ, Al-Birûni adopted the “Zeij Sind Hind” book, where Indian scientists admitted the rotation of the Earth on its axis, before he followed the opposite Greek theory due to the absence of evidence and scientific reasoning in sciences, and that is what was proved by the philosopher Hegel as he considered that for a scientist and a historian, what is not written means that it is non-existent.
Al-Balad newspaper (2)
Absence of the document
Salhab pointed out that the Egyptian civilization has paid the price of the absence of the written document because the admission of the impossibility of explaining how to build principal pyramids around 2900 years ago before Christ, is not correlated with the admission of a scientific knowledge which is unique for the Egyptians, which enabled them to make their achievement.
At the end, Salhab indicated the importance of the book of Dr. Saliba in the discussion about the conflict of civilizations; Al-Birûni, the distinctive personality in the history of sciences, stayed 20 years in India and established a dialogue between civilizations based on Rigveda.
In an analytical approach of the author, Engineer Ziad Dakdouk, Professor of Vedic Sciences at the American University of Beirut, talked about the value of Veda in the sound more than the meaning, and said that most of the western interpreters like Louis Renou have explained it superficially with hymns and sacrifices that are given to get wishes or riches.
He added, “Rig” symbolizes the absolute knowledge, dynamism and infinite peace. “Veda” means to know oneself or the complete truth. According to Dakdouk, the Quantum Physics Theory which – considers that the origin of the apparent and concrete cosmos is fields of energy and that the matter is just vibrations originated from fields of energy – is similar to the philosophy of Rigveda. He praised Saliba’s thought that the attempt to translate Veda is just like an attempt to touch the impossible, reproaching him for contenting with 10 pages to explain the theory of Vedic tradition, in a study of 200 pages.
Saliba, the last one who talked in the seminar, affirmed that his study observes two lines, the Indian tradition and the path of the western scientists and their way of talking about Rigveda. He said that the two lines, even if they differ, integrate in the approach of this philosophy. He pointed out to the injustice of Arab Islamic civilizations toward Al-Birûni philosopher while western scientists praise him, and cited Sakhaw who said that while reading Al-Birûni, we think he is a Hindu and not a Muslim since he is extremely objective. This philosopher, who knew well Sanskrit, was the first one who translated principal Hindu texts, and the West did not follow them except after nine centuries. Roula Rashed
Source: Al-Liwaa Newspaper
Date : 07.06.05
“Dar An-Nadwa Wa Mountada Al-Anwar” organized a seminar about the “Most ancient book in the world” “Rigveda”, of the researcher in comparative religions, Dr. Lwiis Saliba, in the presence of the Ambassador of India in Lebanon Nengcha Lhouvum, the Indian Consul and the Chargé d’Affaires at the Indian Embassy, the Head of the Islamic University in Lebanon Dr. Hassan Al-Chalaby, and a group of intellectuals. Dr. Mohammed Salhab, Head of the University Center of Technology, and Engineer Ziad Dakdouk, Professor in science of Creative Intelligence, participated to the seminar.
After an introduction by the media person Zeina Al-Hindawi, Dr. Lwiis Saliba, author of the book and Professor in comparative religions, talked about the consolidation of religious beliefs in “Rigveda” for the Indians, and distinguished between Semitic religions based on prophetic inspiration and belief, and India’s religions based on spiritual experience.
Saliba also talked about the importance of following the example of the Arab scientist and famous historian Al-Birûni, as he discussed other cultures and religions without previous judgment, to respect the intelligence of the reader, his ability to analyze, and his right to know these cultures as they present themselves.
Dr. Mohammed Salhab talked about the “Rigveda” and the Indian sciences in Arab civilization, and brought up the period of conflict of civilizations and the unique condition of the Rigveda as it is not from the rational sciences and not from the traditional sciences, and also mentioned the development of Veda concept.
Engineer Ziad Dakdouk defined the Veda and talked about the truth of Veda in the light of the Veda’s Mharishi science and the modern science.
At the end, the author and the media person Zeina Al-Hindawi read some Vedic verses from the book.
Mona Toutounji