Daily Times

The novel, Khuda Aur Muhabbat is written by Hashim Nadeem, who was born in Quetta, Balochistan. Nadeem is a renowned novelist, dramatist, poet, fiction writer, film producer and director. Because of his contribution to Urdu literature and Pakistan film industry, he was awarded the Tamgha-e-Husn-e-Karkrdagi by the government.

Khuda Aur Muhabbat is an emotionally narrated novel that will bring tears to its readers’ eyes. The novel is about the conflict between love and religion. It reflects how “the god of earth” (people and society) use religion to keep apart lovers. This novel makes clear that love is a natural phenomenon that is unconditional, blind and recognises no boundaries. For the sake of a beloved, one can even leave the comforts of heaven and happily live in the fires of hell.

Khuda Aur Muhabbat shows the readers how love can alter the entire personality of an individual. The novel states that the belief that love distances one from God is contrary to the truth as love will make you one with the universe. When you love a person it will melt your heart and as a result you will begin to love all of God’s creations; so how can religion forbid love?

‘Khuda Aur Muhabbat’ is the tragic love story of two people from different worlds caught in a struggle between love and what the author calls ‘god of earth’ (people and society)

The story starts with the introduction of Hamad, who is the novel’s main character. He is a modern aristocrat and lives an entitled life. One day, Hamad encounters Emaan, who belongs to a religious family and falls deeply in love with her. Emaan is a modest and a simple girl and her father, Haleem- u –Deen used to teach the Holy Quran to Hamad’s nephew. Hamad’s father comes to know of his son’s feelings and he can’t accept the fact that his son wishes to marry a girl from a lower class. As a result, he insults Emaan’s father and accuses him of trapping his son. When Hamad comes to know of this, he leaves his home and proposes for Emaan’s hand in marriage. Unfortunately, his proposal is rejected because the moulana (Emaan’s father) believes he is not a practicing Muslim. This is the beginning of Hamad’s struggle. He starts work as a labourer at a railway station and begins to offer prayers five times a day. Accidently, one day Emaan sees Hamad at the railway station. He is wearing ragged clothes, his lips are parched and his eyes are bloodshot. Seeing him in this condition has a profound effect on her and she also begins to love him. She requests him to return to his home but hides her own feelings for sake of her father. Finally, grief stricken she dies. The love story of Hamad and Emaan ends on a tragic tone, and leaves the readers with tearful eyes, proving that it’s not religion but traditions that makes man suffer.

Published in Daily Times, August 5^th 2018.