Category Archives: Books (incl.Biographies – w.e.f.01 jan 2018 )

Review Of ‘A Brief History Of The Present: Muslims In New India’ By Hilal Ahmed

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NEW DELHI :

Hilal Ahmad addresses contemporary issues like the Gyanvapi mosque and the figure of Aurangzeb. He notes that these controversies are not new, but they resurface whenever right-wing politics gains prominence.

A Brief History Of The Present: Muslims In New India, By Hilal Ahmed Photo: Amazon

Religious polarisation and the rise of majoritarianism in India over the past decade have become a critical concern for scholars in Indian and South Asian studies. The rise of the Hindu right has posed significant challenges to minorities in general and the Muslim minority in particular. Hilal Ahmed, in his book ‘A Brief History of the Present: Muslims in New India’, analyses this Muslim minority question and how it came into being.

The first chapter of this book, titled “Muslimness and Intellectual Politics,” explores the concept of ‘Muslimness’ in two ways: one is explaining Indian Islam as a lived religion while the other is Muslimness as a religious minority in purely statistical terms. The first provides it real-life meaning while the second looks at the Muslim identity in the national or Global question lens. 

Further in the chapter, Ahmad explains the nature and ethics of a researcher, addressing himself as Muslim by religion but as researcher who is bound to follow ethics. He quotes Irena Akbar, saying ‘A Muslim must speak as a Muslim’ and then puts up his view as a Muslim researcher, ‘I do not want to give up my identity as Muslim, yet, at the same time, I do not want to talk only Muslim. I follow intellectual politics which encourages me to have a political stand without compromising with the established procedures and ethics of being an academician’. 

In the second chapter, “What is New in New India?”, Hilal Ahmad explores the historical changes since 2014 and how they have reshaped Muslim politics in India. He argues that the concept of ‘New India’ is a well-formulated ideological framework, with the current regime promoting initiatives like Swachh Bharat, accessible Bharat, and cashless economy (p. 18). However, Ahmad argues its hollowness in the sense regime takes the credit of such grand initiates yet government takes no responsibility for providing employment. For instance, Prime Minister Modi once remarked that selling pakoras is also a form of employment. Ahmad questions whether this is the reality of New India, where unemployment is rampant, and inflation remains high. 

The slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, introduced by Modi in 2014, is scrutinized (p. 20). Ahmad hypothetically argues if it was merely a political move, as actions on the ground suggest otherwise. He highlights how political speeches have often targeted specific communities and promoted fringe elements that commit crimes against minorities, particularly Muslims. Under the guise of cow protection, groups like the BJP-backed Gau Rakshak Dal have been involved in the lynching of Muslims and Dalits. Ahmad questions whether this is truly the vision of New India that began in 2014, signaling the start of a new era. 

In the third chapter, titled “New India and the Muslim Historical”, Hilal Ahmad explores how Muslim history is being reinterpreted in the context of New India. He further explains the Modi’s classification of past that India’s history is often divided into three periods: the first is the era of ‘slavery’, beginning roughly 1000 to 1200 years ago; the second is the period of struggle and liberation; and the third, the present, is described as Amrit Kaal (p. 37).  

Ahmad delves into the evolving dynamics between so-called liberal Hindus and Hinduism, noting a shift in the stance of secular Hindus. Those who once championed pluralism, secularism, and socialism are now silent in the face of rising Hindu communalism. He argues that there is nothing inherently wrong with liberal intellectuals embracing Hinduism as an important identity marker, but he warns that this intellectual shift is dangerous as it subtly excludes Muslims under the guise of opposing an imagined anti-Hindu sentiment. 

For example, Ahmad points to Pavan Kumar Varma, an Indian diplomat and author. Varma once praised the Mughal empire in his book “Ghalib: The Man, The Times”, but in a later work, “The Great Hindu Civilization: Achievement, Neglect, Bias and the Way Forward” (2021), he argues that the arrival of Islam in India disrupted the ‘unadulterated flow’ of the pure Hindu past (p. 41). Ahmad highlights this shift among liberal Hindus, who are becoming more aligned Hindutva, while remaining silent on issues facing minorities. He also notes that this silence is not limited to liberal Hindus but extends to so-called liberal Muslims as well. 

In the fourth chapter, titled “New India and the Muslim Cultural”, Hilal Ahmad addresses contemporary issues like the Gyanvapi mosque and the figure of Aurangzeb (p. 65). He notes that these controversies are not new, but they resurface whenever right-wing politics gains prominence. While these issues may have little direct impact on the daily lives of ordinary citizens, the BJP has made them a central part of its political agenda to garner Hindu votes. 

Ahmad explains how Hindutva groups, such as the RSS and VHP, claim that many historical monuments, like the Gyanvapi mosque, were originally Hindu temples that were demolished by Muslim rulers. These narratives are strategically used to reinforce communal divides and fuel the BJP’s political ambitions. 

In the fifth chapter, titled “New India and Muslim Religion”, Ahmed explores the concepts of religiosity, Muslim self-consciousness, and the rise of Islamophobia or what he terms ‘Muslim politicophobia’. He explains how the growing extremism of Hindutva has fostered a sense of collective identity among Muslims. Ahmed differentiates between Islamophobia, which refers to an intense dislike or fear of Islam or prejudice against Muslims—a notion rooted in Western discourse—and Muslim politicophobia, a more specific phenomenon in India. The fusion of global anti-Islam sentiment with India’s own brand of anti-Muslim communalism has created a new political consensus, which Ahmed refers to as ‘Muslim politicophobia’ (p. 76).

 In the sixth chapter, titled “New India and the Muslim Liberals”, Ahmed explores the question of who qualifies as a liberal Muslim. Many creative individuals—artists, authors, academics, and journalists—who speak out against illiberal tendencies and religious extremism as a moral responsibility are referred to as liberal Muslims. The term has two popular interpretations. One refers to individuals who uphold liberal, egalitarian values while maintaining their cultural and religious identity as Muslims.  

Ahmed raises several key questions regarding liberal Muslims: What is their sociological position, particularly in relation to the highly diverse and heterogeneous Muslim identity? How has the rise of Hindutva challenged their status and legitimacy in public life in recent years? And what qualifications are now required to be considered a “good Muslim” within the Hindutva-dominated discourse? The notion of the ‘liberal Muslim’ is, in fact, a byproduct of India-specific, market-friendly liberalism. Ahmad Argues that it is important to note that this category has always been fluid and open-ended, encompassing progressive Muslims, socialist Muslims, cultural Muslims, and secular Muslims. (p. 94) 

In the seventh chapter, titled “New India and the Muslim Social”, Ahmed delves into the Pasmanda discourse, BJP’s strategies, and Muslim caste dynamics. He points out that the discourse surrounding Pasmanda Muslims is not a recent creation of the BJP’s political strategies. Muslim intellectuals have long discussed how the BJP has attempted to divide Muslims along lines of caste, sect, and differences between Shias and Sunnis. Ahmed highlights how the BJP frames its narrative to gain votes from Dalit Muslims (Pasmanda). 

In the second section of the chapter, Ahmed discusses BJP’s professionalism, noting that the “politics of professionalism” often goes unnoticed in public debates. While Hindutva ideology is frequently overstated as the primary driving force behind BJP’s politics, the party’s electoral strategies and mobilization tactics extend beyond Hindutva rhetoric. This creates the impression that the BJP is strictly pursuing a vision of ‘cultural nationalism’ in overtly Hindu terms, while its political maneuvers are more nuanced and professional. 

In the eighth chapter, titled “New India and the Muslim Political”, the author examines Muslim political attitudes, distinguishing between political participation as interaction and political participation as instrumental action. He maps out the various dimensions of Muslim political behavior in contemporary India. 

In his concluding remarks, Ahmed brings together the key insights of the book, offering a comprehensive understanding of the political status of Muslims in New India. He emphasizes that, despite the BJP’s ongoing efforts, the party still manages to secure only 8-9% of the Muslim vote. Ahmed presents his arguments in a coherent manner that ties together the broader themes of the book, making it a valuable resource for academics, everyday readers, and politicians alike who wish to understand the minorities issues facing New India. 

(Haider Ali did his masters form Jamia Millia Islamia, Mohammad Asif is pursuing his Ph.D. from Jamia Millia Islamia)  

source: http://www.outllookindia.com / Outlook / Home> Books / by Haider Ali & Mohammed Asif / November 09th, 2024

Author of 65 books, Sheikh Maqbool Islam is an authority on Lord Jaganath

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Sabsit Village (Bagnan Town, Howrah District) , Kolkata, WEST BENGAL :

Prof Sheikh Maqbool Islam with his latest book on Lord Jaganath

Meeting Professor Sheikh Maqbool Islam is like sitting in the cool shade of a Banyan tree. In my first meeting with this Kolkata academic in his mid-fifties,  my feeling was akin to that of a traveler who finds shade on the banks of a cool river in the middle of his journey on a hot day.

Professor Sheikh Maqbool, Bengali language professor of St. Paul’s College of Kolkata is an expert on Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, the ancient scripture of Hindus as well as the Holy book in Islam the Quran, and of the Christians the Bible.

Besides he is an expert on Bhagwan Jagannath of Puri (Odisha), who is the reigning deity of the Eastern States.

Prof Islam feels he is a born Sufi as he is the son of Sheikh Sajad Ali, a Sufi, and his mother Hazra Khatun. However, growing up he never imagined that one day he would write as many as 65 books.

Sheikh Maqbool Islam in his study

Prof Sheikh Maqbool Islam’s mother tongue is Bengali but he knows Hindi, Hindustani, Bengali, Oriya, Assamese, and English languages.

He says, “When I was two and a half years old, I met Sufi saints in my village. My father Sheikh Sajad Ali was himself a Sufi, so Sufi saints and scholars visited our house.”

“In the village, we had many Sufis and a large number of Vaishnav people. So when I was four and a half years old, I gradually started getting influenced by both. At this age, I also came to know about Shri Jagannath Bhagwan of Puri (Odisha).”

He says, “As I grew up, my mind opened up. I started knowing a little bit about all religions and cultures. “It felt as if I was finding the path to freedom from illusion.”

Prof Islam was born in the Sabsit village of Bagnan town of Howrah district, which is two and a half hours from Kolkata.

Prof Sheikh Manzoor Islam with Lord jaganath and other deities in his study

He came to the city (Calcutta) in 1985 holding the hands of his father.“I have been living near Howrah station since 1985. I studied all through in Calcutta.”

The author of 65 book, Prof Sheikh Maqbool Islam says he has Surdas (the 16th-century devotional poet who was blind)), Tulsidas, (Author of the epic Ramcharitramans, the story of Lord Ram in the Awadhi language) and Meerabai (the 16th century Saint who is known for her devotion to Lord Krishna close to in his heart.

Some of his most widely read books include ‘Gita-Quran Comparative Study’, ‘Tattva Chinta of Folk Culture’, and research subject ‘Lok Sangeet Vigyan’ .

He holds a D.Litt in ‘India-Odia Cultural Relations’ from Utkal University of Odisha in the year 2015, then PhD in ‘Comparative Study of Bangla-Odia Folk Literature’.

Professor Sheikh Maqbool Islam has also been a ‘Senior Research Fellow’ at the Asiatic Society of Calcutta. It is the largest center of oriental studies in our country.

Professor Sheikh Maqbool Islam in his study

Since 1997, he has been working as an Associate Professor at Calcutta’s oldest St. Paul’s Cathedral Mission College. He teaches Bengali language and literature in this college, which was established in 1865.

Professor Sheikh Maqbool Islam believes that the fight over religion is meaningless. The main reason for this is the lack of culture.

He says, “It is very important to have a culture to create brotherhood. It needs to be understood properly, otherwise we will keep fighting.”

Prof Sheikh Maqbool Islam, who has traveled to the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, has received many awards.

He was awarded Odisha’s highest honour ‘Navakalevara Award’ in the year 2015 for his research work on Lord Jagannath.

Prof Islam was given this award by Puri’s Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati.

Prof Sheikh Manzoor Islam with the author

He says, “He has a total of 14 books on Jagannath.’ Among these books, ‘Shri Jagannath: Bengali Manas and Lokayat Jeevan’ is the most popular. Professor Sheikh Maqbool Islam has also done research work on Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Sri Chaitanya.

Professor Islam is doing a new research on the spread of Vaishnavism in South Asia and South East Asia

He considers Jagannath, Sri Chaitanya, Tulsidas, and Guru Granth Sahib as his idols, and is currently researching ‘How did Sri Jagannath and our Vaishnavism reach South Asia and South East Asia?’

These countries include the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Singapore and Japan. He says, “I have been to some of these countries. Some are still left. I have been engaged in research for a long time.”

Prof Sheikh Maqbool Islam eats vegetarian food. Leaving his library with countless books, I remembered the following lines of Iqbal Sajid:

Suraj Hoon, Zindgi ki ramak choor jauga; Mein Doob bhi gaya tou shafak chod jaonga 

(I am the Sun, I will leave behind the joy of life. Even if I set, I will leave behind the dawn)

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Jayanarayan Prasad, Kolkata / August 18th, 2024

“21st Century awaits Muslims’ constructive role” says author

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NEW DELHI :

In a book introduction programme held here on 2 November, the author of the book “Islam in 21st Century: The Dynamics of Change and Future-making”, Abdul Rashid Agwan anticipated that Muslims will play their constructive role in the third millennium as effectively as they played it in the past two millennia, especially during the current century.

The author based his optimism on extensive data he collected regarding recent developments in the Muslim World. He underlined that during the past decade or so the average literacy rate of Muslim countries has increased from 40 percent to 72 percent, the number of universities has gone up from 500 to 2137, the graduation enrolment rate and the rate of science research publications have been improving faster there than in other parts of the world. He also mentioned that the average GDP growth in OIC countries was 6 percent during the last decade in spite of  serious turmoil in parts of the Muslim World. He argued that powered by the increasing strength on many fronts and aided by sound vision and proper strategies, Muslims can shape a better future not only for themselves but also for the mankind at large.

Agwan further argued that the western strategies of oil wars and terrorism have not yielded much for the USA-led countries. They have rather caused the USA huge revenue loss, economic recession, failure in diplomacy, loss of credibility, widespread impoverishment of veterans who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, revival of Russian clout in global affairs, total absence of America from Afghanistan’s mine auction. This was called “a decade from hell” by Time magazine. Agwan further mentioned that the situation has so much gone contrary to the western aspirations that the current century is gradually turning into an Asian Century rather than an American Century as envisaged under a unipolar world.

Journalist and author, Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan said in his presidential remarks that in spite of the positive growth story of many Muslim countries, the gap in terms of quality between the West and the Muslim world is still very wide and this calls for Muslims’ accelerated endeavours on all fronts of human development. He felt a dire need of promoting think-tank activities in the Muslim World and emphasised on innovation and science-research output. Dr Khan was critical regarding lack of freedom in many Muslim countries and wished that the Muslim leadership should rise to the occasion and generate a better environment for development and progress.

While presenting his keynote address on the occasion, well-known author Dr Javed Jamil welcomed the publication of this thought-provoking analysis of the present day standoff between the West and the Muslim World and also for coming out with some wise proposals as a roadmap. Dr Jamil aspired that academics should undertake deeper studies regarding the anti-human policies of the western world and make the global society aware about their pernicious impact on human life at large.

A written note of Dr Mohammad Rafat, professor in physics in Jamia Millia Islamia, was read out during the presentations. He stated that the given book could be included among those few works which have focused on the issue of change and future-making. He expected that Muslims will take proper initiatives and make conscious efforts in this fast-changing world and play their guiding role in future.

Advocate Aslam Ahmed Jamal, the assistant general secretary of All India Educational Movement, appreciated views of the author regarding the nature of change and stated that the book can make a prompting impact on the mind of educated Muslim youths who are serious to contribute some way in shaping human future.

Mohammad Moinuddin, former assistant registrar of Jamia Millia Islamia, briefed  the audience about various academic and social contributions of Abdul Rashid Agwan and appreciated that he wrote the book while bed-ridden for more than two years recovering from a crippling condition called paraplegia, which speaks of his optimism and also of the book that inculcates hope and optimism in its readers towards the realization of a better world not only for Muslims but also for the mankind at large.

The publisher of the book, Gloriords Publications, Shahabuddin Yaqub, wished that Muslims would develop deeper faith on God and deliver their best in future without bothering about the vicissitudes of time. He reminded that the very advent of Islam was from a wretched land sandwiched between two contemporary super-powers, Rome and Persia, which were reluctant to  rule Arabia but became its early causalities within a few decades. Therefore, he said, physical conditions are not that much important for the believers as regards future-making than the depth of their faith and commitment.  

(For more information about the book, visit islamin21stcentury.com)

source: http://www.milligazette.com / The Milli Gazette / Home> National> News / by The Milli Gazette / November 28th, 2014

Sahitya Akademi Hosts Literary Event Honoring Dr Syed Amin Tabish

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Srinagar, JAMMU & KASHMIR:

Srinagar :

Sahitya Akademi New Delhi organised Grand Literary Function today (19 Nov 2024) at Muslim  Eduational Trust  Baghat Barzulla Srinagar about Dr. Syed Amin Tabish, his journey of life including his contributions to Literature, Health care and Research.

Prof Mushtaq Sidiqi fr VC IUST was the Chief Guest and Mohammad Rafi Fr District Development Commissioner was the Guest of Honour. Prof Farooq Fayaz, Prof Shad Ramzan, Abdal Mehjoor and Mohammad Amin Bhat were also in the presidium.

Aafiya Geelani, Principal Muslim Educational Trust welcomed the Guests.

Prof. Shad Ramzan presented the key note address. Among other things he praised the wisdom, scientific acumen and poetic excellence of Dr Tabish.

Prof.Tabish in his address spoke at length about his journey of life, from childhood till date.

He said “a tough life needs a language – that is what literature offers – a language powerful enough to say how it is. It is not a hiding place. It is a finding place.” He also spoke about poetry in digital age – creativity, innovation, professional practice and intellectual progress.

He emphasized the need of providing students innovative web- based solutions to literature.

He spoke about most crucial issues confronting the society like drug addiction, misuse of mobile phones by children and limits of screen time, increasing gaps between parents and children, road traffic accidents of teenagers.

He said that the Universe has 200 billion stars, two trillion galaxies and 13 lac creations. Human being is just one out of them. He said that everyone has to qualify to another world of heaven.

Dr. Tabish stressed the need of promoting our mother tongue. Out of 7000 languages in the world, 230 are spoken in Europe, 2200 in Asia including 415 in India. 3000 languages are in danger of vanishing. Languages are living and dynamic. When a language dies, a world dies with it, he said.

Dr. Tabish also responded to various questions asked by some intellectuals in audience.


Prof. Mushtaq Sidiqi appreciated the contributions of Dr Tabish to literature and Healthcare in general and as an Author of 16 books in particular. He hailed the administrative skills and integrity of Prof Tabish. He also said that science has limitations while God doesn’t.

Dr Amin Tabish’s latest book “Sourmali Shaam” a collection of poems was released/launched on the occasion.

Among others who were present, included the reputed authors, writers and poets Abdal Mehjoor, Rukhsana Jabeen, Shamshad Kralwari, Ahmad Ali Fayaz, Wali Waheed, Shakeelu Rahman, Shaukat Shafi, Saududin Saadi, Mohiudin Andrabi, Prof Nelofer Nehvi, Mohamad Yousuf Shaheen Shaheen,  Arshad Sauleh, Dr Shahnwaz Hamid of SKIMS, Dr Wahid Raza, Imtiaz Bogami, Sarim Iqbal, Shahi Mumtaz, Rehana Kouser, Gulal Kasmiri, Sahil Dar, etc. Dr. Rouf Adil conducted the programme.(KNS).

source: http://www.knskashmir.com / Kashmir News Service / Home> J & K / by KNS Desk, Srinagar / November 19th, 2024

Sahitya Akademi Award for Hussain ul Haq: family says it’s a big day

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Sasaram / Gaya, BIHAR :

Hussain-ul-Haq with family

Bihar is on top of the list of Sahitya Akademi Awardee for 2020. Three litterateurs including Anamika of Muzaffarpur figure in the coveted national list. She is the first woman in the country to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award in Hindi for her poetry collection.

The 80-year-old Kamalkant Jha, who hails from Jayanagar in Madhubani, would get the award for his story collection ‘Gachh Rusal Achhi’ published in Maithili language.

The most discussed award is that of the famous storyteller Hussain-ul-Haq of Urdu, who lives in New Karimganj. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Amavas Mein Khwab. (Dreams in dark night).

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has congratulated Hussain-ul-Haq for getting Sahitya Academy Award. In a message to all three, the Chief Minister said it was a matter of great pride for Bihar that three of Bihar’s writers were named to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award. The entire Bihar is proud of them,” he said.

Hussain ul Haq has not been keeping good health. He returned home from Delhi where he had gone for treatment. This honour has brought cheers to the family. They shared happiness by distributing sweets.

Haq’s younger brother Dr Ain Tabish is Head of the department of English in Mirza Ghalib College, Gaya. Tabish told Awaz-the Voice, “Bhaiya receiving this honor is a big day for the family. It will inspire young writers and also make people realise that writing on social issues is relevant.”

Hussain ul Haq’with family and his books

Born in Sasaram in 1949, Hussain ul Haq’s writings are mostly on human bond and the middle-class society. According to Ahmed Sagir, a young writer who is close to Haq, in 1991, Hussain ul Haq’s first novel ‘Bolo Mat Chup Raho’ (Don’t speak; keep quiet) made waves. His second novel,‘Farat’ published in 1994, got him more limelight and recognition. For some reason, Hussein-ul-Haq didn’t write for a long period. The third novel ‘Amavas Mein Khawab’ hit the stand in 2071 and it sold like hotcakes. It made a great impact in the world of Urdu literature. He has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for this novel. The novel is based on a story about the changing socio-political environment in the time period between 1930 and 1950.

Hussain-ul-Haq has a deep affinity with Sufism. His family is the successor to the legacy of a great Sufi Saint and also the caretaker of his tomb – khanquah. His father, Maulana Anwarul is a well-known personality of Sasaram. Hussain ul Haq says he has imbibed the thinking and the way of understanding things from his father.

Though the family is settled in Gaya, their relationship with Sasaram remained intact. The influence of Khanqahi culture and Sufiism has played role in Haq’s focus on human bonds in his writing.

Hussain ul Haq, who retired as head of the Urdu department and proctor of Magadh University has also published eight story collections, three novels, and half a dozen other books.

After Abdul Samad, Mazhar Imam, Ilyas Ahmed Gaddi, Professor Jabir Hussain he is the fifth Urdu writer from Bihar to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Hussain ul Haq’speaking at a function

Friday brought in a lot of happiness in the Haq family. In the morning, the first news came that Hussain ul Haq has been awarded the Shamim Nikhat Memorial Fiction Award in UP and he will be honored  on 13 March at Lucknow. The organisation confers writers with a sum of Rs 50,000 and a memento. Haq will skip the award due to his ill health.

By the evening came the news of the Sahitya Academy Award filling the home with happiness and joy.

Ain Tabish says this award will have a big impact in the Urdu world as the message that writing based on serious issues and principles is still valued today.

Sahitya Akademi Award is the top award for Indian literature and is given away for 20 Indian languages. Among the recipients of this award are senior Congress leader and former Union Minister of Karnataka Veerappa Moily.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home>Story / by Seraj Anwar, Patna / March 13th, 2021

Aakhri Sawarian is novel of epic proportions by Syed Ashraf that takes reader to times of Timur Lane

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Sitapur, UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI :

The novel, Akhri Sawarian (The Last Rides), by Syed Mohammed Ashraf woven around a well-knit plot, captures the reader’s attention at its outset. Written in first person, it begins with the anguish and curiosity carefully embedded in the structure of the narrative through introducing an enigmatic ancestral memoir comprising a travelogue which constantly keeps us on tenterhooks till its magical mystery is unraveled at the end.

In the course of the illusive journey of the protagonist who is glued to the chariot of time is seen passing through, and rejoicing the tremendous hues associated with the blossoming of socio-cultural life of the vast Indian society. The narrator, a master craftsman, despite being aware of the futility to remain entangled to his ancestor’s fascination to Central Asia’s mighty ruler Emir Timur, cannot abruptly circumvent from this central trope as it is the only peg to hang on to the storyline. However, his full attention is diverted to main predilections i.e., the celebration of the confluence of ethnicity and the portrayal of cultural bonds of fraternity between individuals of different creeds and diverse identities. The stunning visual effects of a vast thriving society characterized by its homogeneity, valor and wisdom promises a prominent place in the annals of India’s multi-cultural history.

Ardent lover of Nature

The narrator is an ardent lover of Nature and its splendid ethereal beauty especially in rustic environment. He is always found in its realm freely mingling with simple human beings, birds and animals and enjoying the fragrance of the wild fruits and flowers.

Jammu, an innocent charming girl from a destitute family being kept in the landlord’s family and the protagonist nursing a clandestine liaison with her despite his tender age, seems to be natural, especially when the girl herself appears to be smitten with his innocent gestures.

Nevertheless, forced by the destiny when she is married to an old man with two grown up siblings from the previous marriage, she doesn’t bemoan her fate. She rather keeps her spirit high and does everything for the children except succumbing to her husband’s libidos. Her bold stand in the face of repression and her desire to a dignified existence is remarkable. Noting its poignant narration, it is reminiscent to a story by Tagore though in a different situation, depicting the absurdity of child marriage in ancient times.

Here he is looked after by the innocent girl in a spirit which only a mother or sister can afford to display. Akhri Sawarian is neither a didactic novel nor has any edifying quality. However, keeping in view, the protagonist’s own code of conduct, self esteem and ethical parameters though much less than Premchand, he is definitely a critical insider who despite having amorous tendencies never ventures to trespass a certain moral barrier in his relationship. Here the narrator unlike any other feminists seems to be more realistic, conscious and sympathetic to the cause of women empowerment.

Enriched with inter-textual references, frequent flashbacks, tropes and motifs, this novel, a fine example of cultivated aesthetic and literary taste, never deviates from its path and primary aim of retrieving and showcasing the glimpses of a culturally fascinating and vibrating Indian society.

Strategies are many

There are several strategies converged in the plot and the texture right from the time of conception to structuring the narrative to justify the projection of a particular view of life in the novel. One of them is to ensure the protagonist growing up and not attaining abrupt maturity so as to be able to witness and be a part in his childhood of the generally pastoral serenity, its soothing ambiance and the panoramic view.

The nuanced and incisive description of abject impoverishment, onslaught of maladies, the convergence of the people on mass scale at special occasions, empathy, quarrels on ordinary things, yearnings, deprivations, simplicity in attires and imaginations and a firm belief in rituals and sacraments bring forth the clear picture of a society.

Now in the last stage of the fast changing scenario, we come across a stage where we see the protagonist albeit in a new Avatar. Sitting in the carriage drawn by the galloping horses in the dust of time, surmounting hurdles, passing through rough terrain, lesser known places and locations. Through this arduous journey, we are transported to a completely different and highly perturbing level of existence where the protagonist is now capable to comprehend the purpose of life. Though distraught and shattered, he is seen in this mist, conversing with his better half who is helping her husband to navigate through the ravaging river of time. This phase is marked by the presence of sharpening intelligence and probing glances of our hero’s life companion. She becomes instrumental in decoding the mystery surrounding the small purse and the great grandfather’s travelogue. It is a great redeeming factor in settling an intriguing paradox. It also opens the possibility of a plethora of other wounds to be inflicted by the arrows of time in the days to come. Now as the story proceeds on the predictable lines, a depressingly brooding protagonist seated as usual in his moving coach, now in familiar locations, though initially reluctant, relents willy-nilly to his equally subdued and stressed wife’s persuasions to shed some light and unfold the long held mystery around the ancestral box, being the life threatening crux of the problem.

She exclaims: Your great grandfather’s old wallet has become the tormenting scabbard of Timur. It has kept you since your childhood on the tenterhooks.

This leads to the opening of a Pandora’s Box of hazardous historical events, fancies and hallucinations spread over a long period of time. During recounting the chain of events, one is struck with disbelief to see the pathetic scenes of the fettered skeleton of the last Mughal emperor; Bahadur Shah Zafar perched in a bullock cart passing through the rugged surface all the way to be incarcerated in Rangoon. In the meanwhile the wheel of chariot moves forward to the delight of the chronicler to a tempestuous journey undertaken by the protagonist’s great grandfather in his younger days to Samarkand, in murky past and his illusory encounter with a bed ridden and mutilated legendary despot Emir Timur.

In the technique of sub-plot along with the main story there is also a rare moment when the narrator to his utter bewilderment, suddenly discovers that his great grandfather is being gifted with the snippet of the royal sword’s scabbard and a relic by the mighty hands of none other than Timur himself. After revealing this secret to his wailing and sobbing wife, he seems to be all the more desperate to be under the spell of lunacy that needs immediate medical attention. This part of the narrative culminating to the final closure becomes more interesting because of the protagonist’s realization of the social polarization, simmering discontent and unintelligible contradictions in the society at large. He, who had never envisaged such dreadful lurking images earlier, gets traumatized.

By way of ensuring tranquility and spiritual solace, he is led during a frosty winter night to a secluded corner in Mehrauli at Delhi. However, owing to mental inconsistency, delusion, persisting gloominess and strange feelings, lying in his beloved wife’s lap he looks around with his eyes wide open as a shudder runs down his spine with the constantly blowing freezing gusty winds.

The narrator in order to epitomize his idea of a synthetic national identity has frequently employed the analogy of “Assorted Fragrance” which signifies India’s century’s old multi-cultural and ethnic diversities.

The hanging clouds of haze and fog appeared to him like gigantic civilizational legacies being snatched and driven away by the thugs on the wings of time. With little hope to see them again, shivering with high fever in the freezing atmosphere, he is weeping profusely and bemoaning as he is fully disillusioned with the new found realities of time and feels himself completely misfit to reconcile with the changed vocabulary of social etiquette replaced with tardiness of behaviors and degrading moral bonding. Sitting beside the citadel of a vast and magnificent cultural repository, he murmurs to himself in utter chaos and suffocation, the couplet of Mirza Ghalib.

Mauj-e-Khoon, Neelay Samandar Ka Safar Karti Hui,

Dajla Roshan Kabhi Is Rang say Ganga Roshan

Blood laden waves passing through the blue oceans

It’s colour, blazing Tigris often Ganges

Notwithstanding the fact that the narrator is fully aware of the implicit subversion of our ethos and a perceptible indiscretion in people to people relations, he doesn’t necessarily commit himself to pinning down the obvious reasons or casting aspersion on anyone for wrecking-havoc in the society. He prefers instead to deal with the effects rather than the reasons of the turmoil, thereby restricting himself to merely lamenting and bemoaning the loss of the mosaic of cultural identity.

Even against the backdrop of the shifting sands of the historic realities in the subcontinent, the narrator riding high on the back of the unbridled horse of the time, though in pensive, mood is still ready in bardic fashion to go extra miles to see a new sun rising from the dusty horizon. Worries and tensions writ large on his countenance, an anguished protagonist with an indomitable flickering spirit, at times appears engrossed in the futile act of thwarting the course of the tidal waves and the next moment sitting on the threshold of humanity awaiting a miraculous return of the caravan lost in the wilderness. Contemplating in melancholic mood, he mutters in a state of soliloquy wondering about a formidable humanity vanishing with little hope to emerge again from the whirl pool .of the ravaging river of time. It’s reflective of his amazingly unwavering resilience to cope with the harsh reality of the moment with fortitude but with little hope.

However, it is not to be forgotten that the awe inspiring picturisation of mental images, enormous capacity to traverse through the wide spectrum of human emotions and tantalizing depiction of the fictional realities of life are definitely the outcome of a highly skilled, sharply focused and a calibrated mind of the artist which has found full expressions in this novel in terms of its unconventional craftsmanship, terrific sense of impish humor, irresistible quest for wit and irony taking precedence over many other devices and attributes of linguistic and literary manifestations.

Akhri Sawarian is another post-partition trail blazer of Syed Mohammed Ashraf though tragic at the core shall stay in our thought and imagination.

Qazi Obaidur Rahman Hashmi is a distinguished Adjunct Professor of Urdu at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi. His dedication to Urdu literature and education is highly appreciated.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Featured News> Books / by Qazi Obaidur Rahman Hashmi / June 27th, 2024

When real life outstrips fiction…

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Education, , , , , ,

Sasaram / Gaya, BIHAR :

Hussainul Haq’s novel “Amawas Mein Khwab” initiates a new debate on the Hindu-Muslim relationship.

REFLECTING REALITY Hussainul Haq

At a time when people cherish to be lied to, what can scare away the spectre of an unprecedented assault on the very idea of truth? Is truth a sociological reality or an unachievable ethical reality? Does the narrative of homogeneity set in motion by new information technology produce a kind of immodesty that allows us to recognise falsehood but we still treat it as if were a reality? Does our intent on peddling fantasy as a fact correspond to “Suspended Disbelief” that Coleridge found essential for literature? These frightening and unsettling questions thrown up by the post-truth period are impeccably sewn together in a novel of a celebrated Urdu novelist and short story writer Hussainul Haq and his latest novel has been doing rounds in the Urdu knowing circles of the subcontinent.

His recently published novel, “Amawas Mein Khwab” (Dreaming in the last night before the new moon), poignantly tells a tale of Ismael Rajai, who lost all his family members in a communal riot but a marked Indian passion for free-flowing of inter-personal relationship unencumbered by religious and cultural affinity and uncontaminated by self-interest enabled him to begin a new life. Ismael, lived in Bombay, Bhiwandi and Patna, and is exposed to many cultures and as a power loom owner, teacher, a friend of a landlord, a father and a thinking human being, he tries to understand why common people do the uncommon to transform themselves. His stint as a lecturer at a college in Bihar provides him with a space where several mediations are carried out. Arousal of mass-hysteria in the name of caste and religion acquaints him with the aggressive and self-destructive potential of conflict and disharmony. His tantalising journey of a new life transcends inadequacies and presents a higher level of synthesis where being apart and being together emerge a reality as audaciously as they can.

The book cover

Ismael’s struggle reveals new insight and a fresh perspective on several issues plaguing the country.

Believable narrative

At a time when religious passions are running high and the concept of peaceful existence is being threatened, the novelist initiates a new debate on Hindu-Muslim relationship. Direct intervention of a well known scholar or a reference to a widely acclaimed text lends credibility to the narration and the reader takes pleasure in passages that are explicitly historical.

One of the characters of the novel asserts: During the reign of Mohammad Bin Qasim, the religious places of Christians, Jews and Hindus were treated equally. Quran describes Sabaen (an ancient nation of star worshippers) as people of the book though there was hardly any mention of book related to them. Even in the time of the second caliph, Zoroastrians were given the status of people of the book and why this status still eludes Hindus?

For his doctoral thesis, Ismael chooses a topic that baffles his friend Anil Sharma. Anil finds the topic “Muslims’ Contribution in Ancient India” inadmissible but Ismael argues: “One has to concentrate on the culture, language and ideologies that dominated India before Mohammad Bin Qasim. In what way, the arrival of Mohammad Bin Qasim and saint, Ali Hajveri, affected the culture. Did anyone notice a creative interaction at epistemological or ideological level, if yes, what are the traces, this question has tremendous research potential?”

“Yes, it is a fertile topic, but you have to work hard,” Anil nodded.

Ismael, living a comfortable life in Bihar, lost his life in a blast and it spells doom for his life. His daughter Nayela landed up at a brothel and the son Quidar finally got whatever he longed for. The novel ends with a positive note and Hussainul Haq creates an autonomous space which has its own logic of unfolding of interpersonal relationship involving cooperation and conflict and it also reveals dark underpinnings for our dreams for a strong nation.

For Hussain, humanity is undoubtedly grasping breath but he is courageously on the side of rational and truth loving liberals who want to understand what instils a strong sense of grief and chaos in us. Hussain’s elegant prose illuminates conflict of nostalgia, loneliness and social consciousness astutely and he makes it clear that we tend to lie to ourselves with a bad conscience and the ever-increasing ethical relativism and blooming narcissism reflected in selfies is nothing but an act of self-deception.

Hussainul Haq’s new novel turns attention to the episodes of real life that outstrips fiction and his novel is a testimony to what Philip Roth says: The culture tosses up figures almost daily that are the envy of any novelist.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books> Authors> Going Native / by Shafey Kidwai / February 16th, 2018

Former Bureaucrat and Author S.M. Khan Passes Away at 67

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , , , , , , , , ,

Khurja (Bulandshahar District), UTTAR PRADESH :

New Delhi:

The sudden demise of veteran bureaucrat and author Shehzad Mohammad Khan, widely known as S.M. Khan, has left many in shock and grief. Social media is flooded with tributes, with admirers remembering him as a person of “utmost humility and generosity,” reports the ATV.

S.M. Khan passed away on Sunday at the age of 67 after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife and three children. His last rites took place today in his hometown of Khurja in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, according to family sources.

Khan’s passing marks the end of an era in the Indian Information Service (IIS) and public relations field, where he set benchmarks for loyalty and dedication throughout his illustrious career.

Born on June 15, 1957, in Khurja, S.M. Khan completed his education at Aligarh Muslim University and the University of Wales, England. Joining the IIS in 1982, he held several critical roles over the years.

One of his most prominent assignments was serving as the spokesperson for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) between 1989 and 2002. During this time, he skilfully handled media communications for high-profile cases such as the Harshad Mehta financial scandal, Bofors scandal, and Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

From 2002 to 2007, Khan served as Press Secretary to President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. His tenure included managing the President’s media relations and accompanying him on national and international tours. Inspired by Dr. Kalam, Khan authored Awami Sadar (The People’s President), which shed light on lesser-known aspects of the former president’s life.

Khan also played a pivotal role in shaping Indian media through his work as the Director General (News) of Doordarshan, where he oversaw coverage of significant events such as National Film Awards and Dada Saheb Phalke Award. Additionally, he served as Director of the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), representing India at prestigious platforms like the Cannes and Berlin Film Festivals.

Beyond his professional achievements, Khan was deeply involved in fostering interfaith harmony as a trustee of India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC). Elected Vice President of the IICC in 2019, he dedicated himself to promoting mutual understanding across communities.

S.M. Khan maintained a strong bond with his alma mater, Aligarh Muslim University, serving as a member of its Court and the Executive Council. His efforts in promoting education and cultural understanding continue to inspire many.

His passing is a significant loss to the nation, leaving behind a legacy of excellence, humility, and dedication.

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Obiturary / by Radiance News Bureau / November 19th, 2024

Important to convey ideas, themes with probity: Nadeem Khan on translating from Marathi to English

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ),

Amravati, MAHARASHTRA :

Khan, whose last worked on the translation of Patil’s Panipat, a voluminous Marathi language classic published in 1988, said translating into English from any of the Indian languages is like moving into a different culture as idioms, emotional framework and cultural resonances change with language.

In 2018, Khan had translated two novels of Dongare, a Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puruskar winner who is regarded as an avant garde writer in regional literature.(Source: Amazon.in | Designed by Gargi Singh)

Being true to the word and spirit of the original work while making it resonate with the English reader is always a challenge, says writer Nadeem Khan, who has been translating the works of celebrated Marathi authors such as Prabhakar Narayan and Vishwas Patil.

Khan, whose last worked on the translation of Patil’s Panipat, a voluminous Marathi language classic published in 1988, said translating into English from any of the Indian languages is like moving into a different culture as idioms, emotional framework and cultural resonances change with language.

“My job is only to convey those ideas and themes in another language with the greatest probity and as attractively as possible,” Khan told PTI in an email interview. According to Khan, authors use different dialects of the language to describe their characters but it is tricky to transform something that has word-play involved, like in the case of another celebrated Marathi writer Avadhoot Dongare.

“Hence, being true to the word and spirit of the original work and yet making it resonate with the English reader is always a challenge. But my good fortune has been that I have grown up reading great works of translation of Tagore, Ismat Chughtai, Manto, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Vijay Tendulkar and that helped me find the right strategy for my work,” Khan said.

In 2018, Khan had translated two novels of Dongare, a Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puruskar winner who is regarded as an avant garde writer in regional literature. They were published in a single book titled, The Story of Being Useless + Three Contexts of a Writer. While translating Patil’s Panipat, the 69-year-old retired English professor had “serious difference of opinion” with the author, who is also his friend.

“I could so clearly see why it was such a big hit with the Marathi readers, but I also knew that a verbatim translation would take it nowhere among the English readers. The novel was a thrilling historical narrative, well-researched, but it appealed to the self-regard of the Marathi readers. So, my challenge was to retain all its epic qualities, its thrill and yet ensure that it targeted the universal admiration for integrity and courage,” Khan said.

Khan said he wanted the book to stand apart as an original historical-thriller in English while also carrying the aroma of the soil in which it was located. Comparing the styles of Marathi writeres such as late Prabhakar Narayan alias Bhau Padhye, Patil and Dongare, Khan, who lives in Amravati, Maharashtra, said each translation comes with a unique set of challenges.

“The texture of their language is very different, their readership is different, their well-springs and motivations are different. With Padhye, obviously, I didn’t have the facility of consulting him, but I found myself very comfortable with his philosophical and literary orientation and derived a different pleasure in offering him to the English readers.” Dongare, he said, has already made a name for himself in the world of regional literature.

“When I read his novels, I was absolutely sure that he had to be made available to a wider discerning readership. He was experimenting with the language and with the narrative style. “Translating him required me to catch and project the culture in which his characters were operating, very often the culture of the Pune streets, and to find the adequate register in English. It was quite challenging, and therefore very rewarding too.”

Khan said he tweaks the original writing to make it more English-reader-friendly but only after consulting with the original author as they have the last word. “I never allow myself to forget that the original work is theirs, the ideas are theirs, the themes are theirs, the messages are theirs, in fact, the reputation at stake is theirs, it’s their neck on the block…Their complete agreement with my effort is of paramount importance.”

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Books & Literature / by PTI / January 06th, 2021

Doha-based Indian expat releases Arabic book at Sharjah Book Fair

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, NRI's / PIO's, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , ,

KERALA / Doha, QATAR :

‘Taeweedatu Nnajah’ (Success Mantras), a motivational book in Arabic by Doha-based Indian author Dr Amanulla Vadakkangara, has made debut at the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair, drawing a diverse audience of multinational readers.

Dr Mariyam Shinasi, a prominent author and cultural figure from the UAE, officially released the book at the Writers Forum on Wednesday.

She praised Dr Amanulla’s efforts in crafting an inspirational work in Arabic, commending the unique accomplishment of a non-Arab author publishing a motivational text in the language and showcasing it at one of the world’s leading book fairs.

“Indians in general, and Keralites in particular, have shown a keen interest in Arabic language and literature. Publishing a motivational book by a non-Arab is indeed commendable,” Dr Shinasi remarked.

At the event, the first copy of the book was received by NVBS CEO Benazir Manoj, and Founder and Chief Coach Manoj Sahib Jan.

Several notable personalities attended the launch, including Saleem Ayyanath, Lipi Akbar, and the author himself.

The book has been published by Lipi Books from Calicut, India.

source: http://www.qatar-tribune.com / Qatar Tribune / Home> Nation / by Tribune News Network / November 17th, 2024