Daily Times

Mumtaz Rashid Lahoristayed in Qatar for 37 years. He worked in Doha as an engineer. He was just known as Mumtaz Rashid there. It is on his return to Lahore in 2014 that he started using the title ‘Lahori’ after his name. Most of the poetry included in his earlier books was recited in Qatar but his latest poetry book titled ‘Ruke Hue Aansoo’ comprises his poetry recited in Lahore. It is his desire for the critics to see a change in his present book as compared to the earlier ones.One must appreciate the poetic translation of Sura-e-Fateha at the beginning of the book. The last three lines are ‘Seedhe Raaste Ki Hidayat Dei Humain/Raasta Un Ka Jin Par Tere Inamaat Hain/Na Kei Un Ka Jo Tere Maghzoob Hain, Gumrah Bhi/Aei Khuda Kijiyo Qubul Aik Ik Dua’ (Show us the straight path. That path that is full of Your rewards. Not those of Your nonbelievers and strayed. O! God meet all our prayers).

Title: Ruke Hue Aansoo
Author: Mumtaz
Rashid Lahori
Publishers: Kheyal O Fun Publishers, Lahore
Pages: 216

Mumtaz deals with the hypocrites in his couplet ‘Un Kei Fasad-e-Sheher Kei Harbe Hain Behisaab/Un Ki Taraf Sei Aman Ka Parchar Ik Taraf’ (Hypocrites use many ways to create anarchism and at the same time they propagate peace) – Page 18. Perhaps with this, the poet is hinting at Karachi’s situation nowadays. In the same Ghazal the poet hints at the role played by our media in increasing tensions. He says ‘Tension Barhane Waale Awamil Buhut Sei Hain/Sab Ik Taraf Hain Sheher Ka Akhbar Ik Taraf’ (There are a lot more reasons in one’s life that create tension but the city’s newspaper just enhances it) – Page 19. This reminds me of a senior citizen who recently said that he watches only BBC, CNN or History Channels on TV as our channels create the impact that our country would be no more the next day. However, when one opens his or her eyes next morning, the country is still intact.Due to the format of Ghazal saying, the poet is at liberty to speak on discrete issues in different couplets. Mumtaz has touched upon socio-political issues and the role of media in this Ghazal. In the Nazm (poems) format, he is more at liberty in exposing the ills of the society. About truthful and straight people (Sadiq Aur Ameen), the poet says in a poem titled ‘Sadiq Aur Ameen Kaun Hei’ (who is truthful and honest?) – Page 53, ‘Badunwani Kei Hum Maahir, Do Numberi Main Ghaak/Auron Ki Dastaar Uchalein, Khud Ko Samjhain Pak/Tajzia Kaar, Mubasar, Anchor, Sab Ka Aik Hi Kaam/Talk Shows Ki Behsain Kaya Hain, Jugtain Aur Dushnaam’ (We are experts in dishonesty. We are second-rate people. We disgrace others by taking off their turbans and think that we are pious. The analysts, anchor persons, all offer below-the-belt humour and pour venom on their enemies).

Mumtaz Rashid’s poetry though is love-poetry, he in most ofhis poems throws light on the sour points of our society. On Page 41, he is satirical about the concept of various societies or small and large arts related organizations who he interprets as a source of income rather than aspropagating art according to their claims. He gives this poem the title ‘Kamai Kei Bahane’ (excuse to make money).Mumtaz Rashid is skeptical about general degradation of human character. He says in a ‘Qata’a on Page 54 titled Jahanumi Log (People of Hell) – ‘Sabhi Us Jagah Par Ikathe Milain Gei/Yei Afsar, Yei Rehbar, Yei Tajir Hamare/Wakeelon,Judgon Sei Jagah Kutch Bachi Tau/Jahanum Ko Bhar Dain Gei Sha’air Hamare’ (All shall gather at one place; officers, leaders, businessmen, lawyers, judges and if some space is left, poets shall fill it’.

Mumtaz Rashid does not take help of metaphors in his poetry. He takes a direct approach, often blunt, but he says with full confidence in what he believes in. Mumtaz Rashid learnt tricks and traits of reciting poetry from the late Allama Zauqi. He has desisted from the defects in reciting poetry from a technical point of view. That aspect is also emphasized by Muhammad Zaheer Badar on the inside flap of the cover of this book. He does not agree with the contention of some of his fellow poets that a poetic piece should be good in its text despite some technical flaws in the format. A couplet should be in ‘Wazan,’ (balance) he contends.

‘Ruke Hue Aansoo’ is a voluminous book comprising poetry in nearly all formats. Mumtaz Rashid’s Ghazals ‘Udasi, Besukooni, Sham-e-Hijran, Phailte Saaye’ depicts the despondency in love (Page 44) and ‘Teri Guftagoo Main Jamal Hei, Teri Khamshi Bhi Kamal Hei’ exposes the poet’s nearness to amorousness in a relationship. Dozens of such Ghazals can be quoted. His diversity of selections of themes for his poems can be judged from his Punjabi poem ‘Eidhi Baba’ on Page 160. A separate section has been devoted to his Punjabi poetry. He has said a lot many ‘Qata’at’ on different topics. He has said ‘Rubai’ also. Worth mentioning is his Rubai on late Saeed Qais who spent all his life in Bahrain (Page 192). Mumtaz’s approach in saying poetry is based on classic poetry. His contemporaries Ali Asghar Abbas, Islam Azmi and Shafiq Ahmad Khan agree with this observation.

The writer is an award-winning musician and author. He tweets at @amjadparvez and can be reached at doc_amjad@hotmail.com

Published in Daily Times, December 19^th 2017.