Editorial: Captivity

There are different types of captivity based on why, how, and where it happens. Captivities due to political discrimination, racial and ethnic persecution, religious differences… captivities behind prison bars and those behind raised bridges and gates… captivities imposed by our carnal soul and addictions…. Pick one (or all) for yourself – all available in the marketplace of human history, past and present. What really strikes most in this matter is when a victim of yesterday turns into an oppressor tomorrow. This transformation has a blurring effect on the rule of law, virtue, and humane values, blocking our vision to see truth; what was unlawful before can get a green light when perpetrated by the victim of the past. Eventually, the practice becomes a habit, normalizing tragedy, reducing human life to numbers. This issue of The Fountain covers different types of captivity each pointing to a certain human weakness and showing pathways to freedom.

Cenap Aydin, a long-time Rome resident, Muslim scholar, and interfaith leader, writes about Ghetto Nuovo in Venice, Italy, “where humanity first institutionalized separation” and which was “the first formalized model of urban exclusion.” Aydin’s main purpose is not to delve into the historical details of this communal captivity: we can get rid of the walls in time; but what about the mental ghettos we build to separate communities? Indeed, such ghettos are harder to break through than bricks-and-mortar walls. “Reflections on Venice’s Ghetto” is a sour delight to reflect on – perhaps with some travel plans to Venice.

Yusuf Deniz shares a personal experience of captivity. He was one of the thousands of academics and writers purged and jailed under Erdogan’s rule in Turkey. In his short memoir “A Journey of Self-Discovery: From Darkness to Light,” he explains how his prison time exposed his human weaknesses and, despite the suffering, helped him discover “the genuine beauty and deeper purpose of life.” Deniz’s piece lights a candle of hope in the hearts of many who have been victimized through such a political imprisonment – or any other form of captivity for that matter.

The captivity imposed by our carnal soul (nafs al-ammara) is the most universal type of entrapment hardly anyone can escape from. Dr. Yilmaz writes about electronic cigarettes which seem to be all over the place today. First developed “as a smoking cessation tool and a safer alternative,” e-cigarettes are now questioned, Dr. Yilmaz explains, as to whether they have achieved their intended goals or pose unforeseen risks.

The holy month of Ramadan is an opportunity to free our body, mind, and spirit from such captivities. This is explained in the Lead Article on Ramadan and in Jong Joshua Shin’s contribution on fasting: “Feeding the Body and the Spirit.”