https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1238 Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:45:05 GMT 2026-09-10T13:45:05Z https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1565 Qawwali and the quest for divine truth Hossain, Rabiah Binthe This thesis examines how Sufi devotional expression, particularly within the qawwali tradition, reorients faith away from fear and reward toward an overwhelming attachment to divine love. Through readings of “Chaap Tilak,” “Saqia Aur Pila,” “Tu Kuja Man Kuja,” and “Tajdar-e-Haram,” it traces how motifs of wine, intoxication, annihilation (fanaa), and distance operate as symbolic modes through which nearness to the Divine is articulated. Rather than opposing Islamic orthodoxy, these texts inhabit a liminal theological space in which inward experience unsettles the certainty of outward structures. Drawing on frameworks such as transgression and apophatic thought, this study shows that qawwali does not resolve doctrinal tension but sustains it, allowing metaphor to carry meanings that exceed rational and juridical language. Within this framework, heaven is no longer the final horizon of devotion. Instead, faith emerges as an ongoing movement shaped by longing, where nearness to the Divine is sought not as arrival but as continuous orientation. This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature (EL), 2026. Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1565 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1564 The human beyond means-end rationality: a reading of the video games The Talos Principle and Mass Effect 3 Chowdhury, Fahmida This thesis looks into two video games pertaining to the genre of speculative fiction and examines how these narrative worlds dramatize the philosophical tension between human sensibilities and agency, and instrumental rationality seeking to reduce it to mere function. Using Max Horkheimer’s *Eclipse of Reason* as a theoretical foundation, this thesis argues that means-end thinking, often embodied by technological systems, cannot fully erase those human capacities that exceed instrumental logic. The study analyzes Croteam’s *The Talos Principle* (2014) and BioWare’s *Mass Effect 3* (2012) as literary texts that stage this conflict in diverse ways. In *The Talos Principle*, humanity emerges through moments of sublimity, meaning-making through imagination, and rebelling against a system governed by instrumental logic. In *Mass Effect 3*, the conflict culminates in Commander Shepard’s final choice, where technological solutionism is resisted through an assertion of agency and self-determined destiny. The purpose of this research is to contribute to literary, humanities, and game studies discourse by demonstrating how these narrative games serve as philosophical sites for exploring contemporary anxieties about technology, rationality, and personhood, while affirming the persistence of human freedom, reflection, and meaning. This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature (EL), 2026. Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1564 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1258 Bonobibi: an autoethnographic study of eco-theology and devotional practice Kakon, Lamia Sultana This study examines the religious and ecological significance of Bonobibi within the Sundarbans, a tidal mangrove region shaped by environmental instability, predatory threats, and human dependence on nature. Moving beyond conventional scholarly classifications of Bonobibi as merely a figure of myth, folklore, or syncretism, the research argues that she functions as a living divine protector whose authority informs moral conduct, ecological responsibility, and communal identity among forest-dependent communities. The chapter establishes the conceptual foundation of the thesis by exploring the environmental and cultural conditions of the Sundarbans, reviewing existing scholarship, identifying gaps in current academic discourse, and introducing the framework of vernacular eco-theology. Through this approach, the study emphasizes how theological meaning emerges from lived ecological experience rather than abstract religious categorization. The research further demonstrates that the precarious landscape of the Sundarbans—marked by shifting tides, dangerous terrain, and encounters with Bengal tigers—shapes both the spiritual worldview and survival practices of local inhabitants. Ultimately, the thesis proposes that Bonobibi worship represents a dynamic interaction between ecology, spirituality, and social life in the Sundarbans. This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (MA) in English Literature (EL), 2026. Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1258 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z