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 »  Home  »  Education  »  Sead Muhamedagic 1954-2021 distinguished Croatian literary translator from German
 »  Home  »  Culture And Arts  »  Sead Muhamedagic 1954-2021 distinguished Croatian literary translator from German
Sead Muhamedagic 1954-2021 distinguished Croatian literary translator from German
By Darko Žubrinić | Published  04/11/2017 | Education , Culture And Arts | Unrated
Despite being blind, Sead is professinal translator and educator for German language and literature


Sead Muhamedagić. Source of the photo Blindenzentrum (Center for Blind) St. Raphael.


Sead Muhamedagić

„Ich übersetze, also bin ich“

FĂźr sein Meisterwerk, die Übersetzung von Thomas Bernhards Roman „AuslĂśschung. Ein Zerfall“, wurde Sead Muhamedagić 2012 mit dem kroatischen Staatspreis „Iso Velikanović“ ausgezeichnet. In der Lobrede zur Preisverleihung heißt es: Sead Muhamedagić verfĂźgt Ăźber geraume Erfahrung in der Übersetzung von Versen und deshalb enthält seine Übersetzung von Bernhards Roman zahlreiche sprachliche Finessen und erklingt wie eine Symphonie. Ein erfahrener und guter Übersetzer, der mit den kleinsten Einzelheiten des Romankontextes und der kroatischen Sprache vertraut ist, hat das bedeutendste und umfangreichste Werk eines der größten Ăśsterreichischen Schriftsteller Ăźbersetzt.

Geboren wurde Sead Muhamedagić 1954. In Zagreb schloss er sein Studium der Germanistik ab, wo er als LiteraturĂźbersetzer, Publizist und Dichter lebt. Er Ăźbersetzt Belletristik, Lyrik, Essays, literatur- und musikwissenschaftliche Texte sowie pädagogische Schriften aus dem Deutschen und Kroatischen. Neben Thomas Bernhard Ăźbersetzte er Werke deutschsprachiger Autorinnen und Autoren wie Elfriede Jelinek, Annemarie Schimmel, Werner Schwab, Arthur Schnitzler, Peter Turrini, Karl Kraus, Gert Jonke, Klaus Hensel und W. G. Sebald. FĂźr seine Ăźbersetzerischen Leistungen wurde Sead Muhamedagić mit zahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnet.

Q. Mit Hofmannsthals Chandos-Brief, einem Text Ăźber die Sprach- und Kulturkrise um die Jahrhundertwende, fing alles an. Herr Muhamedagić, ist der erste Text fĂźr einen Übersetzer entscheidend und wie geht ein Übersetzer mit eventuellen Sprachkrisen um?

A. Hofmannsthals Chandos-Brief ist ein kleines Meisterwerk. Von seiner stilistischen Prägnanz bin ich auch heute noch fasziniert. Vor zwĂślf Jahren hatte ich wieder Gelegenheit, mich meines „Erstlings“ noch einmal anzunehmen. Es gab nämlich Textstellen, die noch „geschliffen“ werden sollten. Als Übersetzer hatte ich mit der Sprachkrise keinerlei Schwierigkeiten. Ich hatte vor einigen Jahren eine andere Krise zu bewältigen, die ich als altersbedingten Motivationsmangel bezeichnen wĂźrde. Warum soll ich denn nur Werke anderer Autoren Ăźbersetzen? Wäre es nicht sinnvoller, eigene Texte zu verfassen? Nach langem Sinnieren gelangte ich schließlich zur Erkenntnis, daß ich erstaunlicherweise imstande bin, Meisterwerke unterschiedlicher Autoren so zu Ăźbertragen, daß sie auch als Übersetzungen als solche wahrgenommen werden. Und da ich bereits am Anfang meiner Ăźbersetzerischen Laufbahn mit einem Ăźberaus anspruchsvollen Text konfrontiert war, weiß ich sehr wohl, daß der Chandos-Brief fĂźr mich der bahnbrechende Schritt auf diesem abenteuerlichen Weg war.

F. Der Leitsatz „Ich Ăźbersetze, also bin ich“ stammt aus Ihrem Interview mit dem Innsbrucker Schriftsteller Alois Hotschnig. Wie stark beeinflusst das Übersetzen Ihre Existenz?

A. Das Übersetzen macht mir die materielle Existenz mĂśglich. Da ich als freischaffender LiterarÜbersetzer (ich mag diesen patinierten Ausdruck sehr!) tätig bin und ausschließlich von Übersetzerhonoraren lebe, ist diese Existenz alles andere als sicher. Hinzu kommen meine spezifischen Lebenskosten, die mit meiner Sehbehinderung (Vollblindheit) und mit damit zusammenhängenden, leider auch sehr teueren Hilfsmitteln verbunden sind. Andererseits gestaltet sich meine Existenz nach eigenartigen Gesetzmäßigkeiten, durch die sich das Übersetzen fĂźr mich als eine Ăźberaus kreative Lebensstrategie ergibt, derzufolge das Übersetzen als vielschichtige Weltdeutung fĂźr mich viel mehr als bloße Übertragung eines literarischen Textes in eine andere Sprache darstellt. „Ich Ăźbersetze, also bin ich!“ ist daher keine pathetische Floskel, sondern eine täglich gelebte Lebenserfahrung.

F. Österreichische Autorinnen und Autoren scheinen es Ihnen besonders angetan zu haben. Was fasziniert Sie an der österreichischen Literatur?

A. Ingeborg Bachmann betont in ihren essayistischen Texten die Wichtigkeit der Bestrebung eines Autors, daß seine geschriebenen Sätze als „wahre Sätze“ aufgefaßt werden können. In der neueren österreichischen Literatur gibt es mehrere Autoren, für die die Wahrheit (Vergangenheitsbewältigung, Gesellschaftskritik, öffentliches Engagement usw.) im Mittelpunkt ihres literarischen Schaffens steht. Da ich auch die von Nietzsche formulierte Erkenntnis hinsichtlich der Giftigkeit verschwiegener Wahrheiten als Schlüssel zum Verstehen der durch die globale Orientierungslosigkeit erschütterten Jetztzeit erachte, übersetze ich besonders gerne alle Autoren, deren Werke von solchem Gedankengut durchdrungen sind (Kraus, Kramer, Bernhard, Kappacher, Handke, Turrini, Jonke, Mitterer, Jelinek, Laher, Fian, Schwab, Hotschnig, Wogrolly).

F. Sie haben Bernhards gewaltigen Roman „AuslĂśschung“ ins Kroatische Ăźbersetzt. Wie war die Übersetzungsarbeit an diesem Roman oder was wĂźrden Sie als die größte Herausforderung beschreiben?

A. Bei der Übersetzung von AuslĂśschung haderte ich in der ersten Arbeitsphase mit dem fĂźr Thomas Bernhard so spezifischen Satzrhythmus. Nach etwa einem Drittel war ich mir diesbezĂźglich meiner Sache sicher, weil ich die formale Zwanglosigkeit der kroatischen Syntax nicht mehr als stilbezogene Gefährdung zu mißdeuten trachtete. Ein anderes Problem war die Frage, ob ich als Übersetzer der ungeheueren Übertreibungskunst des Autors gerecht werde. Der mir bis dato nicht so vertraute Polemiker in mir konnte mir dabei eifrig behilflich sein. Stellenweise hatte ich eruptive Lust, mit dem Autor zu streiten. Es gab aber auch solche Stellen, wo ich als infizierter Übertreibender noch mehr eigenen Senf dazu geben wollte, was ich selbstverständlich unterlassen habe. Ich fĂźhlte nämlich, daß sich durch diese spannungsreiche Arbeit in mir so manche wuchtigen Energien freisetzten, die mich mĂśglicherweise zum Schreiben anspornen werden.

F. Gab es Momente, in denen Sie den mit zahlreichen Wiederholungen und Übertreibungen durchsetzten inneren Monolog des Erzählers in „AuslĂśschung“ satt hatten?

A. Wiederholungen und Übertreibungen kannte ich als kennzeichnende Stilmittel bei Bernhard sehr gut. Wiederholungen liebe ich als Musikliebhaber genauso wie er. Übertreibungen motivierten mich zum steten und emsigen Mitdenken, das Ăźber das beim Übersetzen Ăźbliche analytische Nachdenken weitgehend hinausgeht, sodaß meine Arbeit während der zehn Übersetzungsmonate keinesfalls monoton war.

F. In der Arbeitsgruppe Kroatisch-Deutsch nannten wir einige Schwierigkeiten, die uns das Kroatische fĂźr die Übersetzung ins Deutsche bereitet, wie z. B. Partizipien, der Verbalaspekt, die richtige Vergangenheitsform fĂźr das kroatische Perfekt, LehnwĂśrter deutschen Ursprungs, Serbismen, Turzismen, Kroatismen und vieles mehr. Wie sieht das umgekehrt aus? Welche sprachlichen Besonderheiten des Deutschen sind fĂźr Sie schwer oder vielleicht auch nur unbefriedigend ins Kroatische zu Ăźbersetzen?

A. Die größten Schwierigkeiten empfinde ich als Übersetzer auf der semantischen Ebene. Als Beispiel nenne ich die WĂśrter, die mit dem Wortstamm „mut“ zusammenhängen. Das launische „GemĂźt“ gehĂśrt natĂźrlich ebenfalls dazu. Und wenn ich dann jemandem „etwas zumuten“ soll, verstricke ich mich in „Vermutungen“, „Mutmaßungen“ usw. Ein anderes Problem stellt der gute alte „Geist“ dar, und zwar nicht nur fĂźr Theologen und Philosophen, sondern auch fĂźr uns LiterarĂźbersetzer. Da muß ich aber schon aufhĂśren, damit dies nicht in einer nicht enden wollenden Antwort ausartet.

F. Herr Muhamedagić, was fĂźr ein GefĂźhl ist es, eigene Übersetzungen zu lesen? Sind Sie in der Regel mit Ihren Übersetzungen zufrieden oder wĂźrden Sie nach einiger Zeit gerne Änderungen vornehmen?

A. Passagenweise ist es oft schĂśn, in der eigenen Übersetzung zu lesen. Besonders schĂśn ist es, wenn du als Leser fĂźr einen Augenblick vergißt, daß es deine eigene Übersetzung ist, weil dich der literarische Gehalt des Werkes hingerissen hat. Meinen eigenen Übersetzungen stehe ich zugleich selbstkritisch und selbstbewußt gegenĂźber. Ich wĂźrde immer gerne von der MĂśglichkeit Gebrauch machen, an meiner bereits publizierten Übersetzung noch ein bißchen zu feilen, aber ich weiß ebenfalls, daß es in meinen Übersetzungen Stellen gibt, die mir infolge mancher gĂźnstigen, durch geeignete AusdrucksmĂśglichkeiten der Zielsprache bedingten Umstände besonders gut gelungen sind. Je tiefgreifender man ein literarisches Werk erfaßt, umso deutlicher wird es dem Übersetzer, wie qualitätsvoll oder wie mangelhaft dessen Widerhall in der Zielsprache ist.

F. Eines der Ziele des Projekts TransStar ist es, ein breites Publikum fßr kleine Sprachen und Kulturen zu sensibilisieren. Gibt es Werke kroatischer oder auch anderer sßdslawischer Autoren, die Sie den deutschen Verlagshäusern empfehlen wßrden? Welchen zeitgenÜssischen Autor wßrden Sie gerne ins Deutsche ßbersetzen?

A. Mit Nachdruck mĂśchte ich in diesem Zusammenhang betonen, daß es keinerlei „kleine Sprachen“ und „kleine Kulturen“ gibt. Ich muß mich jetzt bremsen, um nicht vom „kulturellen Imperialismus“ zu sprechen, wobei ich mich gar nicht der Bernhardschen Übertreibungsmunition zu bedienen bräuchte. Aber jetzt zur Sache: Ich wĂźrde mich als Übersetzer besonders gerne mit dem Schaffen des kroatischen Dichters und Literaturwissenschaftlers Krešimir Bagić (1962) befaßen. Als Übersetzer wĂźrde ich diesem ausgezeichnet schreibenden Autor viele passende MĂśglichkeiten des Deutschen als Zielsprache veranschaulichen, wodurch auch er am Gelingen meiner Übersetzung seiner Gedichte und Essays konstruktiv mitwirken kĂśnnte. Diese noch zu entdeckende Vorgehensweise schwebt mir als richtungsweisende Strategie vor, die zur intensivierenden FĂśrderung aller kĂźnftigen Ăźbersetzerischen BemĂźhungen ausschlaggebend beitragen sollte. Ich als leidenschaftlicher Liebhaber (= Philologe) des Deutschen glaube nämlich gar nicht an das Dogma des sogenannten „Muttersprachlers“. Das ist ein philologisch suspekter Irrweg der Translationswissenschaft und der gängigen Beurteilungspraxis. Die Sprache ist viel mehr als der jeweilige sprachliche Code, in welchen ein herkĂśmmlicher Zeitgenosse hineingeboren wird. Ich vergleiche hierzu die Sprache mit der Orgel und mĂśchte gerne alle mir zur VerfĂźgung stehenden Register dieser begnadeten KĂśnigin des Wohlklangs beliebig ausprobieren.

Herr Muhamedagić, vielen Dank fĂźr Ihre inspirierenden Antworten.

von Ines Hudobec, Vivian Kellenberger und Daniela Čančar

Source transstar-europa.com


Sead Muhamedagić

„I translate, therefore I am“

In 2012 Sead Muhamedagić was awarded the Croatian national price “Iso Velikanović“ for his masterpiece, the translation of Thomas Bernhard’s novel Extinction. The eulogy for the award ceremony states: Sead Muhamedagić possesses ample experience in translating verse and consequently his translation of Bernhard’s novel contains great linguistic finesse and resounds like a symphony. An experienced and good translator, who is familiar with the smallest of detail of the novel context and the Croatian language, has translated one of the most relevant and extensive works of one of the greatest Austrian authors.

Sead Muhamedagić was born in Zagreb in 1954, where he completed his degree in German Studies and to this day lives as a literary translator, journalist and poet. He translates fiction, poems, essays, scholarly texts on literature and music as well as pedagogical texts from German into Croatian. In addition to Thomas Bernhard he also translates works of German-language authors such as Elfriede Jelinek, Annemarie Schimmel, Werner Schwab, Arthur Schnitzler, Peter Turrini, Karl Kraus, Gert Jonke, Klaus Hensel and W.G. Sebald. He has been awarded a number of prices for his achievements in translation.

Q. Everything began with the Chandos letter by Hofmannsthal, a text about the linguistic and cultural crisis around the turn of the century. Mr. Muhamedagić, is the first text decisive for a translator and how does a translator deal with possible linguistic crises?

A. Hofmanthal’s Chandos letter is a little masterpiece. Still today I am fascinated by its stylistic conciseness. Twelve years ago I had the opportunity again to minister to my “firstling” once more. There were text passages that still needed to be “refined”. As a translator I have no problems with the linguistic crisis at all. A few years ago I had to overcome another kind of crisis, which I would refer to as an age-related lack of motivation. Why should I only translate the works, of other authors? Would it not make more sense to write my own texts? After extensive contemplation I realized that I am surprisingly capable of transmitting the masterpieces of a diversity of authors in such a way so that they are recognized as such, even as a translation. And since from the beginning of my career path as a translator I was confronted with a very demanding text, I am very well aware of the fact that the Chandos letter was a groundbreaking step for me on this adventurous path.

Q. The principle statement „I translate, therefore I am“ stems from your interview with the Innsbruck author Alois Hotschnig. How strongly does translation influence your existence?

A. Translation ensures my material existence. Since I am active as a freelance literary translator (LiterarÜbersetzer – I really like this patented expression!) and live exclusively from honoraria I get for translating, this existence is everything but secure. To that one needs to add my specific costs of life, which are unfortunately very high as a result of my visual impairment (full blindness) and associated aids. On the other hand, my existence adheres to unique set of rules through which translation for me turns into an extremely creative strategy of living as a result of which translation is much more than a mere transferral of literary text into another language; for me it becomes a complex interpretation of the world. „I translate, therefore I am!“ is thus not pathetic verbiage but an experience I live every day of my life.

Q. You seem to be taken by Austrian authors. What fascinates you with Austrian literature?

A. Ingeborg Bachman emphasizes in her essayist texts that it is important for authors to aim towards writing sentences that can be considered as being “true sentences”. In modern Austrian literature there are a number of authors for whom truth (the process of coming to terms with the past, social critique, public engagement) remains at the centre of their literary activity. Since I also consider the perception formulated by Nietzsche that the poisonous nature of truths which remain unsaid as key in being able to understand the present, which has been devastated by a global disorientation, I especially enjoy translating all authors whose work is penetrated by such ideas (Kraus, Kramer, Bernhard, Kappacher, Handke, Turrini, Jonke, Mitterer, Jelinek, Laher, Fian, Schwab, Hotschnig, Wogrolly).

Q. You have translated Bernhard’s enormous novel „Extinction“ into Croatian. What was it like translating this novel or what would you consider to be the greatest challenge?

A. In the first phase of translating Extinction I had a hard time with the rhythm of the sentences so specific to Thomas Bernhard. After about one third I became more confident in this regard because I was not afraid of misinterpreting the formal unconstraint of the Croatian syntax as a style-related threat. Another problem was the question whether I as translator can adequately recreate the enormous art of exaggeration of the author. The polemic in me, which I had until this time not been familiar with, was able to eagerly help me out with this. In passages the want erupted in me to start arguing with the author. There were however other passages where I, as one who had become infected with exaggeration, wanted to add my own two cents, which I of course refrained from. I felt as though that through this intense work massive energies were released inside of me which possibly stimulated me to write.

Q. Were there moments in which you were tired of the inner monologue of the narrator in „Extinction“ which is interspersed with numerous repetitions and exaggerations?

A. Repetition and exaggeration I was very familiar with as a characteristic style of Bernhard. As a music aficionado I love repetition just as much as he does. Exaggeration motivates me to continue to diligently think which goes way beyond the analytical thinking typical for translation so that my work during the ten months of translation were everything but monotonous.

Q. In the working group for Croatian-German we identified a few difficulties that go along with translating the Croatian language into German such as for instance participles, the verbal aspect, correct past tense form for the Croatian perfect, loanwords of German, Serbian, Turkish, Croatian origins and much more. What does it look like the other way around? What linguistic idiosyncrasies of the German language are difficult for you to translate into Croatian or translate maybe only unsatisfactorily?

A. As a translator I find the greatest difficulties to be on the semantic level. For example I would like to mention the words that are connected to the root –mut (courage). The capricious Gemüt (temper) is clearly also part of it. And if I should zumuten (expect) something of somebody then I get involved in Vermutungen (assumptions), Mutmaßungen (speculations), and so on. Another problem is posed by the good old “spirit”, and not only for theologians and philosophers but also for us literary translators. However, here I should stop so that this does not end up being a never-ending answer.

Q. Mr. Muhamedagić, what does it feel like to read your own translation? Are you generally happy with your translations or would you like to modify your translations after some time?

A. It is often nice to read passages of your own translation. It is especially nice if as a reader one forgets for a moment that it is one’s own translation because one is taken by the literary content of the text. My own translations I am able to regard with self-confidence and self-criticism. I would always like to take advantage of the opportunity to refine my translations which have already been published, but I also know that in my translations there are passages I translated especially well as a result of some ideal circumstances due to suitable possibilities of expression contingent on the target language. The more deeply one captures the literary work, the more obvious it becomes to the translator how high-quality or how insufficient reverberations are in the target language.

Q. It is one of the goals of the TransStar project to sensitize a broader audience to small languages and cultures. Are there works of Croatian or other South Slavic authors that you would like to recommend to German publishing houses? Which contemporary author would you like to translate into German?

A. In this context would like to emphasize that there are no „small languages“ and no „small cultures“ whatsoever. I now have to refrain from speaking of „cultural imperialism“ whereby I would not be necessary for me to rely on the ammunition provided by the Bernhardian exaggeration. But to get to the point: As a translator I would especially like to work with the work of the Croatian poet and literary scientist Krešimir Bagić (1962). As a translator I would like to demonstrate to this author, who writes so outstandingly, many appropriate capabilities of German as a target language as a result of which he could also constructively contribute to the success of my translating his poems and essays. This approach, which has not been discovered yet, I envision to be a potential trend-setting strategy which should considerably contribute to the increased advancement of all future translating activities. I as a passionate enthusiast  (= philologist) of the German language do not believe in the dogma of the so-called native speaker. This is a philologically suspect maze of the translation sciences and the typical practice of assessment. Language is much more than a particular linguistic code in which a conventional contemporary is born into. For this I will compare language with the pipe organ and would like to randomly try out all registers of this exceptionally gifted queen of melodiousness available to me.

Mr. Muhamedagić, thank you for your inspiring anwers.

by Ines Hudobec, Vivian Kellenberger and Daniela Čančar

Source transstar-europa.com




Sead Ivan Muhamedagić with a group of students of the 8th Gymnasium in Zagreb (Gimnazija Tituša Brezovačkog)
describing them his daily work and the Braille Script, using electronic equipment for blind. Photos by Gerald HĂźhner.

Reading the Braille Script, using fingers only.
Sead Muhamedagić is a member of Society of Croatian Literary Translators (Društvo hrvatskih književnih prevodilaca)

Sead Muhamedagić can be contacted via his e-mail:
sead.muhamedag1@h-1.hr


 
Predavanja u Grazu u Austriji

Sead Muhamedagić predaje na njemačkom jeziku kao vanjski suradnik na Visokoj pedagoškoj školi u Štajerskoj u Grazu, Austrija (Pädagogische Hochschule Steiermark in Graz). Njegovi kolegiji su bili izborni, a zvali su se:
  • "Filozofska etika",
  • "Praktična etika",
  • "Etički aspekti u heterogenoj nastavi",
  • "Biti učitelj, a ostati čovjek"
  • "Didaktika inkluzivne nastave" (skupa s još jednom kolegicom).

Gostuje po pozivu u raznim udrugama i školskim institucijama. Tako je na pr. na Filozofskom fakultetu Sveučilišta u Zadru godine 2017. za studente filologije održao predavanje o prevođenju pod naslovom "Prevodim, dakle jesam - Iskustva slijepog prevodioca", a za studente germanistike na njemačkom pod naslovom "Literatur und Wahrheit" (= "Književnost i istina").

Sveučilište u Zadru je najstarije u Hrvatskoj, utemeljeno godine 1396.

Lectures in Graz in Austria

Sead Muhamedagić lectures in German language as outside collaborator at the High Pedagogical School for Steiermark in Graz, Austria (Pädagogische Hochschule Steiermark in Graz). His courses were elective, consisting of
  • "Philosophy ethics",
  • "Practical ethics",
  • "Ethical aspects in heterogeneous teaching",
  • "To be a teacher, and to remain a human being"
  • "Dedactics of inclusive teaching" (in collaboration with a colleague).

Upon invitation, he is a guest at verious NGO-s and school institutions. For example, in 2017, at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Zadar,  he had an invited lecture for students of philology entitled "I translate, hence, I am - Experiences of a blind translator", and for the students of German studies he delivered a lecture in German language entitled "Literatur und Wahrheit" (= "Literature and Truth").

 
The University of Zadar is the oldest one in Croatia, founded in 1369.


 
Laičke kolumnice Seada Ivana Muhamedagića

Manje je više
(Laička kolumnica [89])

Srce ti dajem!

Formativnu idiličnost božićnog vremena prvi sam put doživio kao znatiželjan sedamnaestogodišnjak. Unatoč tmurnim oblacima na političkom obzorju uslijed brutalna gašenja onodobne hrvatske „proljećarske“ baklje, u skrovitosti toplog ozračja zagrebačke crkve tada još blaženoga Marka Križevčanina, u kojoj je dušobrižnički i za mnoge očinski djelovao nezaboravni svećenik Franjo Jurak, zbio se moj prvi preobrazbeni Božić. Čuo sam tada i zavolio kanon hrvatskih božićnih popijevaka, a jedna od njih blago mi se urezala u prijemčiv đački um, u kristozovno katekumensko srce. Kad sam godinu dana kasnije u knjižnici škole „Vinko Bek“ prigušeno zasvirao na električnom harmoniju, najprije su odjeknuli taktovi pjesme Djetešce nam se rodilo, a u njezinu pripjevu baš danas otkrivam naslovni usklik novogodišnje kolumnice.

Pjevajući tako s narodom Božjim tu djetinjom priprostošću natopljenu pjesmu, nenadano mi se obznanila ćutilna srž njezine konfesorske poruke: Srce ti dajem...! = credo! – Vjerujem!
       
Živa je vjera duhovno blago ustreptala srca koje neumorno i ravnomjerno niže naše životvorne otkucaje. O svagda obnovljivoj kakvoći tih tankih vjeroniti nedvojbeno ovise oštrost i mekoća slamice u jaslicama srca u koje je položeno Djetešce što se o Božiću opetovano rađa u svakom od nas tko to uzmogne dopustiti. Za razliku od krhkim čovjekovim znanjem programiranih ideologija koje ovaj usrdni refren lako mogu preinačiti tako da možebitno glasi: Um svoj ti dajem..., višnji nam Bog to nadasve privlačno prostranstvo inventivna ljudskog uma s punim povjerenjem u našu odgovornost i domišljatost milostivo prepušta kao primjeren prostor maštovita oblikovanja potpuno slobodne volje, po kojoj bez prisile donosimo, preispitujemo i ozbiljujemo sve svoje odluke.
       
Davanje i primanje stamen su temelj kako naših vremenitih međuljudskih odnosa tako i bezvremenske povratne sprege (= lat. religio) između Boga i čovjeka. Neka nas u Novoj godini poput provodnog motiva prate iskrene pripjevne riječi iz ljupke božićne popijevke kao vedro smjerokazno jamstvo postojanosti na putu u bolju budućnost.

Sead Ivan Muhamedagić




Manje je više

(Laička kolumnica [90])

Vjera kao pjesma

Poznajem mnoge ljude iz čije se nutrine damonice zrcali nadahnjujuća isprepletenost jezgrovitih imenica koje su se združile u kolumničkom naslovu. Neposredan povod da se njime baš sada poslužim netom je objavljena, formom i sadržajem osebujna monografija posvećena ansamblu koji je stotinama članova, meni i nekolicini naših župljana svojedobno tvorio duhovni okvir cjelovita vjerničkog sazrijevanja.

Vjera kao pjesma – Collegium pro musica sacra uz 45 godina djelovanja – naslov je znalački sačinjene knjige koja će javnosti biti predstavljena za nekoliko tjedana. Uz odobrenje autora/priređivača (don Anton Šuljić) i umjetničke voditeljice ansambla (sestra Cecilija Pleša) ushićeno dijelim sa čitateljstvom župnog listića iskrenu radost i golemu zahvalnost dragom Bogu i dobrim ljudima s kojima me uz prisno prijateljstvo povezuju formativne vrednote kojima je prožeta neprolazna musica sacra.

Vjera i pjesma ljupke su dvorkinje srca. Grijane njegovom toplinom, međusobno se prožimaju. Što vjera proniknućem dosegne, to pjesma smjerno otpjeva. Dok se promućurni um oko vjere mudrujući dvoumi, posežući za pjesmom radi prolazna užitka i ubrzana opuštanja, srce se onkraj zakučastosti sofisticirane logike i usprkos otužnosti olovnih vremena rado puni vjerom. A čega je puno, srce o tome zbori i s vjerom bogozovno pjeva! Pjesma je, reče Augustin, dvostruka molitva. Molitva je pak svagda nošena vjerom koja se, kako nas poučiše drevni Tertulijan i razboriti Akvinac, ne spotiče ni onda kad je netremice zaskoči nedokazni apsurd iliti besmislica.

Tajnoviti koloplet vjere i pjesme duhovno je ozračje o kojemu svjedoči spomenuta knjiga. Vjerujem da će se u tome donekle prepoznati i članovi sličnih ansambala. U tome vjeropjevnom vrtlogu dinamično se odvija i moj vlastiti život. Kad vjera pavlovski premješta brda, pjesma im čudesno oduzima težinu. Tim gotovo posve neistraženim suodnosom ljekovite uzajamnosti pjesme i vjere valja nam se što više baviti, a pjevački zborovi i instrumentalni sastavi kakve imamo i u našoj župi ponajbolja su prilika za to.

Sead Ivan Muhamedagić




Manje je više
(Laička kolumnica [91])

U Božjoj kući

Crkveni sam prag prvi put prekoračio u proljeće 1965. godine. Bio sam tada đak četvrtog razreda osnovne škole. Iz sarajevskog Zavoda za slijepu djecu išli smo na izlet u Jajce, a zavjetna crkva sv. Ivana Krstitelja u Podmilačju nekim se čudom našla na rasporedu razgledavanja grada. Nisam tada ni slutio da ću se već za desetak godina krstiti, ali sam u tajnovitoj polutami i svečanoj tišini te po mome djetinjem poimanju Božje kuće oćutio kako me prožimaju vreli srsi blažene miline poput one koja me obuzme kad na pretvorbenom vrhuncu nedjeljne euharistije zgodimice uzmognem vjernički iskusiti živu Kristovu prisutnost u skrovitosti čeznutljive nutrine.

Pišem ove retke nošen željom da s vama neusiljeno podijelim osebujnu radost bogozovna boravljenja u Božjoj kući, u „domu Gospodnjem“ koji je stjecajem čudesnih okolnosti smješten u ulici u kojoj stanujem već punih trideset godina. Aktivno molitveno i misaono sudjelovanje u svim dijelovima euharistijskog slavlja omogućuje brz dotok duhovne snage koja pospješuje kolajuće strujanje na svim životnim razbojima. Pa i kad nam katkada bilo zbog rastresene zbrkanosti vlastitih misli ili uslijed neprikladna ometajućeg ponašanja nekolicine nepažljivih pojedinaca ne pođe do kraja za rukom sabrati se na svetoj misi do te mjere da nas prožme spomenuta kristovska milina, ipak ćemo u Božjoj kući doživjeti ugođaj topline koja nas potiče na vedrije misli i suvislije zaključke.

Osim euharistijskog susreta sa živim Bogom doživljavamo u domu Gospodnjem zajednicu onih koji se rado odazivaju na poziv što nam ga dragi Bog neprestano upućuje. Svi smo odreda pozvani na svetost osmišljena življenja u suvremenoj hrvatskoj svakodnevici. Po tome smo kao župna zajednica odslik dinamične Crkve koja se pod okriljem stoljetne bazilike okuplja zato da jedni drugima uprisutnjujemo trajno pamtljivo prepoznavanje trojstvenoga Boga u bližnjima iz našeg okružja. Uskliknimo stoga s psalmistom: Obradovah se kad mi rekoše: „Hajdemo u dom Gospodnji!“ (Ps 122).

Sead Ivan Muhamedagić



Manje je više
(Laička kolumnica [100])

Otac! Duhovni oslonac!!

Ove se nedjelje, na spomendan sv. Josipa, u našoj župi svetkuje Dan očeva. U nekim ga zemljama obilježavaju prve nedjelje nakon Spasova. Ovogodišnja kalendarska podudarnost duhovni je okvir promišljanja nerasvijetljene značajnosti oca i očinstva što, neraskidivo združeno s majkom i materinstvom, omogućuje uspostavljanje neusporedive, nezamjenjive i nenadomjestive obiteljske ugođajnosti kao prirodnog, zdravog okružja u kojemu se pozemljarsko bivstvovanje odvija u bogozovno osmišljenoj, čovjeka dostojnoj i za boljitak svijeta presudnoj punini.

U mojoj dvanaestoj godini nepotkupljiva je sestrica Smrt na koju se ne trebamo srditi neumoljivo okončala život moga čestitog, Bogu odanog oca Ibrahima. Blagodati biološkog sinovstva koje mi katkada nedostaju naučio sam prepoznavati u očinski milostivu djelovanju milosrdnog Boga u svome vlastitom životu. Među ljudima koje poznajem mnogo je samoprijegornih i uzornih očeva. Premda nisam otac, osjećam snažne očinske porive, pa usrdno molim dragog Boga da ih oblikuje i kanalizira.

Nedostatak oca u djetinjstvu i mladenaštvu bolno se zrcali u ljudskim životima. Bračne trzavice i krize, brutalna nasilnost samoživih očeva koji uslijed kojekakvih frustracija muče i zlostavljaju svoju djecu i njihove majke samo su dio nevolja koje snalaze ljudsko društvo. Mnogi nezadovoljnici što danas bezidejno izvitoperuju postmodernu sliku svijeta produkt su globalnih obiteljskih (ne)prilika iz kojih su se suludo strmoglavili u život, puni duševnih rana i duhovnih brazgotina.

Razmišljanje o eruptivnoj snazi i uravnotežujućoj postojanosti kršnih očeva što svoje ljubavlju i milošću Božjom prožeto očinstvo po uzoru na Isusova samozatajnog poočima Josipa shvaćaju s punom odgovornošću, primjereno je korizmenom vremenu posvješćivanja temeljnih kršćanskih i općeljudskih vrednota. Stihovima iz antologijske pjesme Moj otac i ja zaključak mi nudi najzagrebačkiji pjesnik Vjekoslav Majer (1900-1975):

Pa ćutim, ja i moj otac, mi smo jedno
i ko da nevidljive cijevi
toče krv iz njegova tijela u moje
i kao da čujem klokotanje naše krvi
med zelenilom, gdje se mušice roje.

Sead Ivan Muhamedagić



Manje je više
(Laička kolumnica [105])

Glosa o sreći

Premda se imenica sreća često formira na usnama, u Novom se zavjetu izrijekom ne spominje, a ni u starozavjetnim knjigama nije osobito zastupljena. To nipošto ne znači da se o njoj u Riječi Božjoj premalo govori. Nošen radošću što struji vazmenim ozračjem, kolumnički raspredam o sreći, jer je ona svagda tamo gdje je radost.

Tragajući za biblijskom srećom, prisjećam se jesenas spomenutoga Rafaela. Knjiga o Tobiji obiluje zbivanjima sretna ishoda. Knjigu o Jobu, naprotiv, prožima turobna tjeskoba koja se netragom izgubi kad naposljetku razaberemo ogromnu sreću kojom Gospodin nagrađuje Joba za nečuvene nevolje što ih je pretrpio.

Starozavjetni Propovjednik o sreći pragmatično zaključuje: ...Prava je sreća čovjeku jesti i piti i biti zadovoljan sa svim svojim trudom kojim se muči pod suncem za kratka vijeka koji mu je dao Bog, jer takva mu je sudbina dosuđena (Prop 5,17).
   
U Novi je zavjet sreća filigranski utkana onako kako je ljekovita djelatna tvar ugrađena u neupitno učinkovit, s pokrićem skupocjen farmaceutski pripravak bez sporedna protuučinka. U iskustvenu utemeljenost ove tvrdnje smjesta se može uvjeriti svatko tko se u skrovitosti bogozovne nutrine srčano i bistroumno pozabavi blaženstvima kojima Isus započinje bremenitim sadržajem napučenu Propovijed na gori (Mt 5, 3-12).

Rastresita slojevitost biblijske sreće ne da se zbiti u moj laički rječotok. To me pak čini razdragano sretnim, jer ću se njome na nagovor usrećena srca još koji put spisateljski pozabaviti.
   
U pomoć mi hrli njemački književnik Johannes Mario Simmel (1924-2009), i našem čitateljsstvu poznat po svojim opuštajućim, humanom plemenitošću prožetim romanima. On piše: „Kad bi svaki čovjek na svijetu usrećio barem jednog drugog čovjeka, čitav bi svijet bio sretan.“
   
Sreća je blago koje smo kadri tvoriti i umnažati. Simmelov vapaj odzvanja u mome zvukozovnom slušiku. Bože, blagoslovi nas, kovače svoje sreće! Nauči nas kako da je kujemo i nesebično dijelimo jedni s drugima!

Sead Ivan Muhamedagić


Sead Muhamedagić speaking about Azra Ljumanović, a little known Croatian spritituality:




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