Daily Times

Reading the essay ‘Muhammad Saleemur Rehman – Aik Tuaraf’ in Saleemur Rehman’s book Chand Muta’ale Chand Mushahede reminds me of the legal aspects of mistaken identity due to similarity in names.

It is a story of similarity of names. The writer then was forced to add the word Professor with his name to distinguish him from the intellectual Muhammad Saleemur Rehman, editor of literary journal Savera.

Even Dr Suhail Ahmad Khan had once suggested the author to add some title to his name. Courtesy a common friend, the author met the senior writer, short storywriter, translator, Muhammad Saleemur Rehman on April 5, 2006. The latter had selected short story of the author for his esteemed magazine.

I have known Abeeda Syed as a producer cum broadcaster at Radio Pakistan, Lahore and ex-wife of veteran television general manager and poet. When I met her at a Mushaira in Birmingham years later, her poetry impressed me. She had taken pre-mature retirement from radio and had settled in the United Kingdom with her daughters Bindiya and Sajjal. She was a good story writer as well. Her first book in Punjabi Pal Ghari da Dukh (a moment’s sorrow) was received well. Her next book Intizar Khatm Hua (The Wait is over) appeared a short while thereafter. The author writes an informative essay on Abeeda Syed’s life and works.

The first three articles in the book under review are on three well known Sufi poets of the area, now in Pakistan, namely Baba Bulleh Shah, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and Khawaja Ghulam Farid. The latter is known more because of his Saraiki and Sindhi Kafis but the author has reserved his submission on his Hindi works

The first three articles in the book under review are on three well known Sufi poets of the area, now in Pakistan, namely Baba Bulleh Shah, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and Khawaja Ghulam Farid. The latter is known more because of his Saraiki and Sindhi Kafis but the author has reserved his submission on his Hindi works. Kafi poetry is usually themed around heroic and great romantic tales from the folklore, often used as a metaphor for mystical truths, and spiritual longing. Khwaja Saheb has also rendered Kafis in Hindi language. Philosophy of oneness, invariances, worldly love and spiritual love keeping in view Hindu mythology can be judged from the first couplet ‘Bindrabun Main Khaile Hori/Shaam Darwaze Mero Laal’ of one of his Hindi Kafis. Bindrabun is a jungle near Mathura where Krishna God was a Sheppard. Holi is a Hindu custom where colours are thrown on each other. So the essence of this couplet is that it is honour for Bindrabun that God played Holi there.

Reading Iqbal for forty years made Sajjad Baqar Rizvi comment that he felt amazed like a child when he looks at a mountain or an ocean. Saleem felt the same when he opened the pages of Iqbal’s book ‘Baal-e-Jibraeel’ (reference his essay Iqbal Ki Ghazal – Page 49). He quotes various representative Ghazals by Iqbal. For example the famous one is ‘Pareeshan Ho Kei Meri Khaak Aakhir Dil Na Bun Jaye/Jo Mushkil Ab Hei Ya Rab Phir Wohi Mushkil Na Bun Jaye’ (My scattered dust charged with Love the shape of heart may take at last/O! God, the grief that bowed me then may press me down as in the past). Azad and Haali had attempted to create newness in the domain of Ghazal and Iqbal took it to new heights.

Saleem ur Rehman spends considerable time in the critical appraisal of Tassaduq Hussain Khalid’s poems and laments that he could not become as famous as Noon Meem Rashid and Mira Ji. Khalid was born in Peshawar in 1901 and is considered as originator of prose poem (Azad Nazm). From bureaucracy to Law, he made his poetry a blend of both fields. Saleem has collected many poems of Khalid and presented them in his critical appraisal and made special mention of his poems using metaphor of ‘Pair’ (tree) in abundance – Page 113. Saleem has written an exhaustive article on the historian Maulana Ijaz ul Haq Qudoosi who was a name in the research on the works of Sufi Saints. Dr. Jamil Jalibi has acknowledged his works.

Saleem us Rehaman’s book under review is based on his study in the first part and on observations in the second part. He has spent extensive time at Radio Pakistan where he came across many stalwarts in the field of literature, broadcasting and music. For example in the first part the essay on Kafka, Saleem ur Rehman has written a detailed life sketch and then analyzed Kafka’s short stories from thematic and treatment point of views. The last two essays in the first part are on outstanding female poet Nasreen Anjum Bhatti and poet Latif Sahil. The latter is considered to be a senior poet in the present generation. He has knack of presenting one’s inner feelings as well as knit them with the surroundings he well versed with, Special mention has been made of his book titled ‘Khwaab Jazira-e-Dil’. I have written on Obituary on Nasreen Anjum Bhatti, “Nasreen was a poet with distinct accent. Naturally so, it was only she who could say lines like ‘Ve kehra aei meri aandran naal manji unan waala?’ (Who is there who desires to weave the bed with my intestines?). Even her appearances in Halqa Arbab-e-Zauq made her popular with younger generation of poets and writers. She was a renowned poet, radio broadcaster and political activist Nasreen Anjum Bhatti was born in Quetta and raised in a Christian, art-friendly environment”.

The second part also contains sketches of Sufi Tabasum, Manto, Hafeez Hushiarpuri, Faiz, Zaheer Kashmiri, Wajih Us Seema Irfani and Munir Niazi. Irfani is more known for his Ghazal ‘Ghuncha-e-Shauq Laga Hei Khine/Phir Tujhe Yaad Kiya Hei Dil Nei’ rendered by Mehdi Hassan and Fareeda Khanum. He used to be found in producer Qamar Qureshi’s room at Radio Pakistan, Lahore (Qamar used to be my producer for children’s programme in my childhood). Irfani used to be clad in the style of Maulana Shibli Naumani using traditional odour. Another couplet of of Irfani’s Ghazal is ‘Dastanain Hain Lab-e-Alam Par/Hum Tau Chup Chaap Gaye Thei Milne’ with philosophical and spiritual connotations, worth mentioning. So much has been said about the life and works of Faiz and Munir Niazi that this reviewer shall desist from adding some lines already said. Overall Saleem ur Rehman’s book is interesting and enjoyable reading!

The writer is the recipient of the prestigious Pride of Performance award. He can be reached at doc_amjad@hotmail.com