Name: Avira Shahzad
CMS ID: 52884
Subject: South Asian Literature
Date: 15th July 2024
THE PROPHET’S HAIR BY SALMAN RUSHDIE
Theme of Greed vs. Religion
In Salman Rushdie's "The Prophet's Hair," the theme of greed versus religion is present
throughout the narrative, contrasting the corrupting influence of material desires with the sacred
principles of faith. The story revolves around Hashim, a wealthy moneylender, and his family,
whose lives are turned upside down when Hashim finds a phial containing a strand of the
Prophet Muhammad’s hair.
From the moment Hashim discovers the phial, his greed becomes apparent. Despite
understanding its religious significance and the moral obligation to return it to its rightful place,
he chooses to keep it for himself:
"Hashim’s duty as a citizen was clear: the hair must be restored to its shrine, and the state to
equanimity and peace. But the moneylender had formed a different notion."
Hashim's decision is driven by his materialistic desires, as he justify his actions by framing his
interest in the phial as an appreciation of its beauty rather than its religious value:
"Naturally, I don’t want it for its religious value: I’m a man of the world, of this world; I see it
purely as a secular object of great rarity and blinding beauty."
This obsession with the phial leads Hashim to forsake his moral and familial duties, prioritizing
his greed over the well-being of his family and community.
As Hashim's obsession with the phial grows, it triggers transformation in his character, revealing
the destructive power of greed. His obsession with phial corrupts his nature, turning him into a
tyrannical and abusive figure. This transformation is evident in his interactions with his family:
"Seemingly careless of the effect of his words on the carefully-constructed and fragile
constitution of the family’s life, Hashim began to gush, to spume streams of terrible truths."
Hashim's behavior drives apart his family, as he imposes his will upon them without regard for
their feelings or well-being:
"He told his wife that, far from being the principal beneficiary of his will, she would receive
no more than the seventh portion which was her due under Islamic law."
The once harmonious household becomes a place of tension and fear, highlighting the
devastating impact of Hashim's greed. His moral decay is further illustrated by his violent
actions, suggesting that his obsession with the phial has driven him to madness:
"It was as though he was on the point of bursting, as though, under the influence of the
misappropriated relic, he had filled up with some spectral fluid which might at any moment
ooze uncontrollably from his every bodily opening."
The phial, representing a sacred religious artifact, stands in contrast to Hashim's materialistic
desires. Its presence in Hashim's house brings not prosperity but chaos and suffering, suggesting
a form of divine doom for his impious action
Huma, Hashim's daughter, recognizes the need to restore the phial to its rightful place to save her
family. Despite the unconventional means she resorts to, her actions stem from a recognition of
the hair's sanctity and the necessity to restore balance and peace. She hires a thief to steal the
phial back, driven by desperation and a desire to correct the wrongs committed by her father:
"The hair, she then declared, must be stolen. It was stolen from the mosque; it can be stolen
from this house."
Huma's plan, though filled with danger, reflects her understanding of the importance of religious
decorum and the need to undo the harm caused by her father's greed.
Hashim's internal conflict and justification for keeping the phial reflect the broader theme of
greed versus religion. He convinces himself that his actions are aligned with a higher purpose,
even as they betray a fundamental disregard for religious tenets:
"I must, must have it!"
This justification underscores the depths of Hashim's delusion, as he allows his greed to
overshadow his moral and ethical considerations. The family's suffering and Hashim's ultimate
downfall serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting material desires overpower
spiritual values.
The tragic end of Atta, Hashim's son, and the disintegration of the family underscore the story's
moral lesson about the necessity of upholding religious values over materialistic pursuits. Atta's
fate is particularly poignant, as he becomes an innocent victim of his father's greed and the
ensuing chaos:
"Atta was found dead with the phial in his hand."
His death serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of Hashim's actions and the destructive
power of greed.
In conclusion, "The Prophet’s Hair" uses the theme of greed versus religion to explore the
corrupting influence of material desires and the importance of adhering to spiritual and ethical
principles. Hashim's downfall serves as a powerful reminder of the destructive potential of greed
and the inescapable power of divine justice. Through the narrative, Rushdie highlights the
tension between materialism and spirituality, illustrating how the pursuit of wealth and power
can lead to moral decay and personal ruin. The story ultimately emphasizes the need to uphold
religious and ethical values, suggesting that true peace and harmony can only be achieved
through a respect for the sacred and a rejection of greed.
