Singing with the Mountains: The Language of God in the Afghan Highlands

The Roshaniyya were a messianic community in the Afghan highlands who sought to practice God's word and develop techniques of language to render their tongues as the organs of continuous revelation. Their story ended in a tower of skulls, the proliferation of heresiographies, and new formations of "Afghan" identity. Singing with the Mountains by William E. B. Sherman explores a religious culture of linguistic experimentation and asks questions about the capacities of language to shimmer with divine truth, grant sovereign power, and form new "ethnic" identities and ways of belonging.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: Fordham University Press

In the rugged Afghan highlands of the sixteenth century, a remarkable community known as the Roshaniyya embarked on a quest to seek the revelation of God. Their mission was not merely to discover His word and adhere to it, but also to actively practice it and develop linguistic techniques to enable their tongues to become vessels of continuous revelation. However, their endeavors met with fierce criticism from their detractors, who accused them of attempting to manipulate language in ways that defied its inherent nature. Tragically, this pursuit led to a tower of skulls, the proliferation of heresiographies that documented the sins of the Roshaniyya, and the emergence of new formations of "Afghan" identity.

In his captivating book, Singing with the Mountains, William E. B. Sherman uncovers an extraordinary aspect of the Roshaniyya. Notably, the first known literary use of vernacular Pashto occurs in an eclectic Roshani imitation of the Quran. This discovery sheds light on a religious culture of linguistic experimentation that permeated Sufi orders, imperial courts, groups of wandering ascetics, and scholastic networks throughout Central and South Asia. Through the telling of the Roshaniyya's tale, Sherman poses profound questions about the capacities of language. He explores how language can shimmer with divine truth, how letters can grant sovereign power and shape new "ethnic" identities and ways of belonging, and how rhyme can bend our perceptions of time, allowing the prophetic past to inhabit the present moment of our collective existence.

By meticulously analyzing the ways in which the Roshaniyya answered these questions and the subsequent rejection of their answers as heresies, this book offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of religious language and identity. It sheds light on the tensions between tradition and innovation, orthodoxy and heterodoxy, and the struggle to preserve cultural heritage while embracing new ideas. The story of the Roshaniyya reminds us of the profound impact that language can have on our understanding of the world and our place within it. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking to manipulate language for personal or ideological gain, and the importance of respecting the inherent limitations and complexities of the human language.

Weight: 413g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781531505684