I WAS recently reading an article ‘The message of Islamic art’ by Jean- Louis Michon, and I came across this sentence regarding art which is losing traditional architectural impressions, especially in Muslim countries.

The author quotes: “Tamerlane the Destroyer (1336- 1405), who without the least pity was able to massacre the inhabitants of entire cities, nevertheless spared the guardians of religious science, ulama, fuqaha and also artists whom he carried away to embellish his capital, Samarkand.”

Compare this to terrorists, extortionists, kidnapping for ransom and target killers in Pakistan. They kill an artist like Amjad Sabri, a legend and an icon, a father, a son, a husband and an inspiring hero for many, in board daylight for reason we don’t know.

We are not sure if the killer will ever be arrested. Killers in this country have lost all their feelings and are becoming destroyers more dangerous than Tamerlane the destroyer. May God put some mercy in these killers’ hearts!

Amjad Sabri has gone physically, but his qawwalis and message of love and peace will never die.

Dr Mumtaz Lakhani

Karachi

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2016