Daily Times

It is an unshakable truth and an eternal reality that the horizon of the world literature is teemed with those undaunted and conspicuous literary figures who have left inerasable marks on the pages of history. Hundreds of years have passed but their love, labour, commitment and philosophy have not been weakened. In almost all languages, such unmatchable persons have fought their battles and didn’t return without victories.

In literature, there are three most important genres in which the contributor can express his or her thoughts and views: poetry, drama and prose. Through all these genres, one can express one’s personal as well as societal or other relevant issues. This expression makes a mortal into an immortal one. In the world of literature, the status of poetry is highly valued and elevated. We know nations by their honourably distinguished poets.

Preservation of language can be estimated by the creative work it retains. Many languages of the world, even when imposed through power and a vested ideology, remained highly unsuccessful in winning people’s hearts. When any language, howsoever rich and musical it may be, cannot express the pain, pathos, happiness and unhappiness of a common man, it restricts itself only to eulogising the royal courts. It cannot survive like that. It happened with many languages of the world. Firstly, they were thought as the citadel of courts, kings and their conspiracies, but with the passage of time, they vanished from the map of the world, and are now just a reference.

In the world literature, we are familiar with poets whose poetry talk about issues of the oppressed people and grievances of those who could not find any other sources. Rumi was a Sufi poet, who among his other work was famous for his Masnavi. The recent novel of the Turkish writer, Elif Shafak, has depicted a wonderful world of dialogue between Rumi and Shams of Tabrez. We also know the Bengali poet, Rabindarnath Tagore, for his splendid work, Gitanjali. For this magnificent work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. The Kavi Kalidas is known for his Shakuntala in Hindi literature. Milton and Shakespeare are well known for English poetry and drama. Goethe is famous for his enlightened philosophy of life. Almost in all languages, we can see the labour of great men. Because of their motivational thoughts, their nation’s strength increased.

In the subcontinent, the name of Mirza Ghalib is a certificate for Urdu poetry. Among his predecessors, Mir Taqi Mir was second to none. Their successors, like Dr Iqbal, have all tried to re-infuse the vigorous soul of the weary people of their land. The poet of romance and revolution is Faiz Ahmed Faiz, whose revolutionary poetry jolted the pillars of the palaces of the pharaohs of their time. He wrote the songs of freedom, and smiled in incarceration. He kindled emotions in remorseless hearts.

Sindhi language is so fortunate that the one poet it gave birth to is considered second to none. His thoughts in the form of Shah Jo Risalo became a treatment for a diseased nation. Shah Jo Risalo is the manifestation of the emotions of vulnerable and deeply pained people, and is considered a great plea of human beings. Shah Abdul Latif chose Sindhi as the medium of his poetry when all around him the Persian language was prevalent. Those whose spoke Persian were guaranteed bread-winning. However, in the time of famine, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai stood distinguished and different, loved the Sindhi language, and guarded the language like a dutiful soldier. He left the Sindhi language with his shield of poetry that will never die or be vulnerable.

Shah Abdul Latif chose Sindhi as the medium of his poetry when all around him the Persian language was prevalent

Shah Abdul Latif retained his sensitive nature, but he was also well aware of the issues of the people he lived with. He was a poet of the Kalhora period. At that time, Sindh was peaceful and prosperous, and Latif could have composed poetry of entertainment, but he looked beyond his time. He composed such poetry that was, is and would be the mouthpiece of all the oppressed and suppressed people of any land.

Latif being the poet of enlightenment and progress made the woman – the weakest folk of that time – as the protagonist or spokesperson of his poetry. All heroines of Latif are the epitome of love, compassion and struggle, and are soft yet sturdy, uncompromising and brave. When we read about Sasi, Mari, Leela, Mokhe, Sunhni, and all his other great heroines and heroes we can, unquestionably, see their noble values.

Sasi, a woman in search of her Punhu, crossed the deep and dark mountain but remained steadfast. Even when she couldn’t achieve what she strove for, she remained hopeful and unbroken. These are the high moral value we need today.

Marvi was lured with opulence, yet she prefers her maroos, corn of her motherland and loey, a piece of cloth she wore as a scarf she when Umer kidnapped her. She thought that if she were to die in Umer’s jail, she should be shrouded in the shabby clothing she came enveloped in. She didn’t even want the shroud given by her captors. Her will was that her body be sent to her parents. She would be incarnated in the soil of her motherland. Not many examples of such valour or patriotism are found in literature.

Not only Marvi, almost all characters are a reflection of their commitment. Sohni being a married woman considers living with her legitimate husband, Dam, as sinful. She couldn’t be purified unless she meets Mehar, her lover. In his love, every night, she risks her life in the merciless waves of the Indus River, but she remains uncompromising. She knew that, on what became her last night, that the pitcher she took was unbaked. She drowned and was cut to pieces by crocodiles.

Latif’s philosophy is not a complex philosophy. Latif is the poet of people, the poet of land. In today’s time when Sindh has multifaceted problems, we need Shah Abdul Latif as our healer and our saviour. We are suffering from religious extremism, sectarian violence and increasing internal and external conflicts.

We need to return to our roots. There is hooliganism in the name of religion and ethnicity. We need the umbrella of this great Sufi of the world. A Sufi is not someone who sits in a corner, is aloof and is unaware of what is happening around him. Sufism is to become uncompromising and to challenge the status quo.

Shah Abdul Latif’s poetry must be incorporated in our curriculum. We must make Shah Jo Risalo a compulsory text at university level. That would convey Latif’s message to our next generations. That is how we could familiarise our youth to Latif’s great message. It is the only way. In that context, it’s a request to policy makers when they design the syllabus. Latif’s work must be brought out from libraries and taken from the hands of those who use Latif’s poetry as a ladder to advance their vested interests.

Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai is great, and his poetry reflects grandeur of deep thinking. Today’s world needs to be revisited with the eyes of these saintly men so that solutions for issues are found.

The writer is the assistant professor of English at the Directorate of English Language Centre, Mehran UET Jamshoro, Sindh