-- Kazi Nazrul Islam, speaking at a reception (Albert Hall, Calcutta December 15, 1929).

Much has been said and speculated about Nazrul's religious convictions, his spirituality and his ideology. In his time, Nazrul was sneered at and protested by hardliner Muslims and Hindus but the truth is, his Hamd and Naat were as avid as his Kirtan and Shyama Sangeet. Nazrul brought about a revolution in the genre of devotional songs and poetry. What set Nazrul's work apart from his contemporaries was his flair for unusual, yet worldly metaphors and razor sharp wit that incorporated ideas and philosophies from diverse cultures and religions. His muse: Persian mathematician and astronomer Omar Khayyam.

As Nazrul exponent and researcher Shahabuddin Ahmed elaborated on Khayyam's impression on Nazrul and his ideology, it was easy to get sidetracked but not because the subject of the conversation was too dry and difficult to follow. At 71, Shahabuddin, with his intense gaze, snow-white hair, profound penchant for reciting poetry and impeccable diction, reminds one of the familiar image of the literary titan.

Shahabuddin Ahmed, originally from Uttar 24 Pargana, moved to Dhaka in 1958. He joined East Pakistan Writers' Guild and from 1961 to 1963 worked as the assistant editor of a newspaper published by the organisation. He was also the assistant editor of Parikrom. Shahabuddin had the opportunity to work with prominent litterateurs such as Munier Chowdhury, Qazi Motahar Hossain, Sirajul Islam Chowdhury and Rafiqul Islam.

Among his books on Nazrul are: Nazrul Shahitya Bichar, Bahuroop-e Nazrul, Islam O Nazrul Islam, Nazruler Gadye Upoma and others. For his extensive literary work Shahabuddin received Nazrul Award from Calcutta Nazrul Parishad in 1984, Chrulia Nazrul Academy Award in 1988 and Kabi Nazrul National Award in 1993. In 1985 he received honorary membership of the trustee board, Nazrul Institute.

"Khayyam's philosophy caused him to be dreaded by the Sufis, whose practice he ridiculed. He was too honest and witty for this. Having failed of finding any providence but destiny, and any world but this, he set about making the most of it; preferring rather to soothe the soul through the senses into acquiescence with things as he saw them, than to perplex it with vain euphemisms," Shahabuddin quotes Edward Fitzgerald (known for his translation of Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam).

"Nazrul took great interest in Farsi poetry and as he delved more into it, works of Khayyam, Hafiz and Rumi made an indelible imprint on his views. Nazrul translated about 197 of Khayyam's Rubai (quatrains). He was more spiritual than religious. His devotional songs have an edge; they embody a universal, secular outlook:

Rising Sun adorns the embrace of dark mother
Her glare reflects in the blues of space...

(Translation of excerpts from a Shyama Sangeet by Nazrul)

"Nazrul had gone beyond traditional ways of depicting the goddess Kali and has incorporated the proverbial image of 'The Madonna and the Child' (familiar in both Christianity and Islam) in the song. And this is what sets him apart. His seemingly effortless move from one cultural reference to another and integrating phrases and words from Arabic, Farsi and Sanskrit in contemporary Bengali literature are peerless. Like Khayyam, the material world was Nazrul's heaven and hell; everyday people were his target audience," says Shahabuddin.

"To truly understand and evaluate a poet of Nazrul's stature, one has to overlook his background. He belonged to the whole humanity and not just one certain community. Much of the issues prevalent among religious groups would cease to exist if we could see the world like he did," ponders the Nazrul devotee.