The confrontation between Muhammad Shuhab ud din Ghori and Prithviraj Chauhan still goes on

-Muhammad Ghori (left) and Prithviraj Chauhan (right)

The confrontation between Muhammad Shuhab ud din Ghori and Prithviraj Chauhan still goes on

It has been more than 800 years now since Muhammad Shuhab ud din Ghori and Prithviraj Chauhan fought the battle at the plains of Tarain. The former is the legend of Muslim history, hailing from Ghor, Afghanistan. And the latter is the hero of Hindu history. Both are massively revered in the Muslim and Hindu communities respectively . However, it may sound ridiculous that after the passage of so many years, the aftershocks of that battle are still felt in contemporary times, if we take a look at the political and cultural landscape of Pakistan and India. The ghost of that rivalry is still haunting us.  

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I don't know that someone but he rightly said, "Let the dead past bury its head". This phrase not only guarantees peace at the present moment but also get us rid of the past wrongs. It is a blueprint for a refreshing start. But scenes are not such when we analyze Pakistan and India relations. It seems like both have been carrying their past luggage for years. Someone may say, their animosity is as old as the partition of the sub-continent or as 1965, 1971, and 1999 war. But the seed of hatred was planted when Shuhab ud Din Ghori routed the invincible forces of Prithviraj Chauhan at the second battle of Tarain in 1192. So it is the late 12 century's events that are a precursor to recent jingoistic mindsets -not all but some- prevailing equally on both sides of the border. 

Ghori was first defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan. Ghori was on an adventurist invasion at that time, having already conquested a vast swathe of Punjab. His troops were three times smaller than that of Prithviraj Chauhan. Hence, it was a foregone conclusion that Ghori was destined to be defeated also considering the valor of the Rajputs. The Rajputs, the subject of the ruler Chohan, were invincible at that time. On the other hand, the soldiers of Ghori were equally determined. After thumping defeat from Prithviraj Chauhan, Ghori vowed to take revenge, and promised not to change clothes until he defeated Chauhan.

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Chauhan mistakenly took Ghori for granted the second time. While his troops and subjects were celebrating the victory, then came the Ghori's troops like a storm and ravaged everything. Its effects were so much so that its social, cultural, and political impacts are deeply felt to this day in the form of not only rivalry between Pakistan and India but also communal politics in India to a considerable scale.

The states of Pakistan and India were so much inspired by their respective heroes that even missiles are titled after their names- Ghori and Prithvi Missiles. 

Ghori Missile (left) and Prithvi Missile(right) 

Not only this, the innocent Muslims of India are enduring the wrath of extremist Hindus in India. Some rogue elements in India have not yet stomach the atrocities happened to them by the Muslim rulers. Therefore, their animosity is driving them to coerce the Muslim minority in India. The intellectual circle of Indian Muslims chastises Pakistani Muslims when they try to glorify the heroics of Ghori or Ghaznavi. They claim that such glorification invites the wrath of Hindu nationalists, and it is they who have to suffer at their hands. 

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All this scenario lead us to believe that we have not yet learned from the past. The legacy of Ghori and Prithvi still continues in one way or another, and no wonder that it is also causing a rift between the two communities. It is better to forget such events which only freshen wounds.

The transformation of Maulana Abul A'la Maududi

The transformation of Maulana Abul A'la Maududi

Maulana Abul A'la Maududi was one of the most influential and famed Islamic scholars of the Muslim world. He was a prolific author and thinker of his time. With his ideas, he gave birth to the term, “Political Islam”. Though this term was coined by another man after his demise but Maududi’s ideas were exactly centered on what that man defined in this term. However, he described the political expression of Islam as “Islamic Ideology”, insisting that politics was inherent in Islam, and therefore could not be separated from the faith. This vision nonetheless contradicts with that of Ibn Taymiyyah (the thirteenth-century Islamic scholar, who had had a great influence on Maulana Maududi)  which says that both can be separate entities. Not only Ibn Taymiyyah, but Muslim modernists also oppose this blend on account of its more propensity for totalitarian theocracy. All in all, to many, Maulana Maudid is largely considered a conservative Muslim scholar, not well-known for modernist views regarding Islam.

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Transformation in Maududi- as a person

Maududi was born in 1903 in Aurangabad, then British India, into a family having relations with Sir Syed Ahmed khan, a famed Muslim modernist. Professor Irfan Ahmed in his treatise, 'Princeton Encyclopaedia of Islamic Political Thought', writes that Sir Syed convinced Maududi's grandfather to enroll his son ( Maududi's father) into Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO) in Aligarh. Maududi's father became an ardent supporter of Sir Sayed's Modernist ideas after spending some time in MAO. But that rankled the grandfather, as he had abhorrence towards liberal and westernized lifestyle. In this way, Maududi's father had to retreat and became fervently religious under his father's supervision. It had had its impact on his son (Maududi) as well, who was to be tutored at home rather than traditional madrassah. He continued his high school, and later on his father's death, he became a journalist. Though he worked in the newspaper owned by JUI-Hind, but he never showed his liking for the religion. 

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Further, Professor Irfan tells that Maududi was moderate during his adolescence, he would go cinema and love music.  What is more, Vali Nasr, in his book 'Maududi and the making of Islamic Revivalism', asserts that Maududi's wife, Mahmudah Begum, was quite liberated. She didn't observe purdah (Veil) and rode a bicycle in public. Moreover, according to Leonard Binder's 1961 book 'Religion and Politics in Pakistan', Maududi translated many Arabic books into Urdu books, one of them was critical of purdah. Besides this, Leonard maintains that all of a sudden Maududi developed interest in reading Islamic books and history. At that time, he was also disturbed by the surge of nationalist sentiments in the subcontinent, and was bothered by the way in which Muslim modernists had interpreted 'Jihad' merely as an internalized personal struggle. Soon in 1932, Molana Maudidi wrote his first book named 'Towards understanding Islam', and chastised those Muslim modernists for their vague interpretations, giving an impression of orthodox scholars. And this is how he went through the transformation- the journey from a moderate Muslim to a rhetoric. 

-Towards understanding Islam

 

 Transformation in his party Jama’at-e-Islami  

Maulana Maududi laid the stone of his party, famously known as Jama’at-e-Islami (JI), in 1941. Though the party initially opposed the creation of Pakistan, later on, played a substantial role in the politics of the newborn state. Molana Maududi argued that Islam was a universal religion not subject to national boundaries. It is also said that Molana Maududi had not favorable views about Muhammad Ali Jinnah and dubbed him as ‘kaafir-e-Azam”, instead of Quaid-e-Azam. But this stance soon changed. Nowadays,  Jama’at-e-Islami is the most popular religious party in the country. Unlike other religious parties, it has a wide mass support in the lower and middle class of Urban Pakistan. it also remained a dominant political force in Karachi before the rise of the Mutahida Qomi Movement (MQM). Perhaps it is the only party in Pakistan that holds intra-party elections on a regular basis, thus sticking to the fundamentalism of democracy.  

-Maulana Abul A'la Maududi

The JI envisions a Pakistan governed by Islamic Shariah where Westernized-born capitalism, socialism, and the banking system has no place. At the moment, Jama’at-e-Islami is heavily dependent on the slogan of "Pakistan ka matlab Kia? La Illah Illalah". All its politics encircles on this slogan. Ironically, the same party that categorically opposed the idea of Pakistan soon became its so-called contractor. By and large, Maudid's JI got ideological transformation, just as he got himself.

- The flag of Jamaat e Islami

The Message of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

-The portrait of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai 

The Message of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is the well-renowned Sindhi classical mystic poet. He was born into Sayed family of Hala, Sindh, in the year, 1689.  Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai was massively influenced by Molana Jalal-ud-din Rumi, Farid-ud-Din Attari and Sheikh Saadi, among others. It is the principal reason why he did poetry in the Persian language as well along with the Sindhi. He also got inspiration from Khawaja Muhammad Zaman of Luari with regard to spirituality. His work is admired all over the world. Unquestioningly, Shah Abdul Latif is believed to be the greatest poet of the Sindhi language and the Muslim world. 

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With his poetry, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai has deluged Sindh with depth of intellection. He stood against injustices of his time. During his time, it was an era of fundamentalism, and Sindh in particular, was hijacked by the extremists. Amid this, he raised the slogan of Humanism, and did not let the differences of religion, race, and status override the humanity. Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai was a hope for down-trodden people, underprivileged, and those who were discriminated on the grounds of religion. He prayed for everyone. 

 

                                       سائينم سدائين ڪرين مٿي سنڌ سڪار 

دوست مٺا دلدار عالم سڀ آباد ڪري

 

Through his poetry, Shah Sahib played a pivotal role in disseminating awareness about inequalities, and injustices. The people of the region were facing brutalities of the rulers of that time, and every time he encouraged them to resist. His all poetry is centered on humanism, of which every word is about the struggle for good,  dream of prosperity, affection, and so forth.

-The Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

Shah Abdul Latif’s poetry is not just limited to particular time and space, rather it transcends both. His poetry is the embodiment of the ‘history of Sindh’, and acknowledges every bit of every moment. He was not scared of powerful forces, rather he challenged them. Whenever he saw something wrong was done, he was at the vanguard to protest. In his sight, there was no value of wealth, imperialism, splendor, or anything that was the cause of discontent. This is why he always held Humanism in high-esteem. He gives a message of becoming a benign person (Kamil Insan), whose every thought and actions are premised on the welfare of community and humanism as a whole.

نڪي کڻن پاڻ سين ، نڪي کڻن پاڻ  

                      اهڙا جن اهڃاڻ ، آئون نه جيئندي ان ري 

 

One may also find a ‘lesson of unity’ in the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif. He believed that through unity anything in the world no matter how impossible is destined to be achieved. By virtue of his mystic, nationalistic, reactionary and revolutionary poetry, he has given a call of aversion to evil, and of the pursuit of truth. Other than this, he forbids to kneel down before tyranny, and emphasizes on loving the freedom, and on fostering unity. 

وڳر ڪيو وتن پرت نه ڇنن پاڻ ۾ 

     پسو پکيئڙن ماڻھان ميٺ گهڻو 

 

He does not have favorable views about those people who do not have affection for their land (motherland). They do not have the right of existence at all. They are burdens not only on themselves but also on a society. According to him, such persons that do not love their motherland can never be true to anything.

سڄڻ ساڻيھ ، ڪنهن اڻاسي وسري 

   حيف تنين هوء وطن جن وساريو

 

Sindh that has always been remaining the land of Sufism along with peace is under attack by some extremist forces and ideology, and it seems like the land of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is fast becoming the land of fundamentalism, to say the least. Alarmingly, his message about tolerance, pluralism, egalitarianism, and above all, humanism, is being forgotten. Therefore, it is the immediate need of time to embrace the message and philosophy of Shah Sahib, which he has propagated through his exquisite poetry. It is time to own Shah Sahib, and fight extremist mindsets who are spreading hatred in the name of religion. 

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Inarguably, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is the greatest poet of Sindhi language. After him, many poets came the likes of Sachal Sarmast, Saami, Sheikh Ayaz, and many others, but none could reach the stature of Shah Latif. Such is his status. In fact, he was torch-bearer of many renowned poets of Sindh later on. His poetry has eternally been drafted in the famed volume, 'Shah jo Risalo'. This revolutionary and saint poet breathed his last on 1st January, 1752, and buried in the town named after his name, Bhit Shah. His Urs ( the death anniversary) is celebrated every year on the 14th Safar ( the second Islamic month), which continues for three days. 

 

-The statue of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

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After Manto, there is none like Manto

After Manto, there is none like Manto

Once someone asked Saadat Hasan Manto, “why are you not getting popular like your other colleagues?” He replied, “The future generations will know the worth of mine”. He was so spot-on. His prophecy has lived up to his expectations. Now his stories reverberate exceedingly in our society.

His Stories has special relevance as they cherish diversity, and reinforce belief in Humanism. If Manto were alive today, he would have written about those who are victim to religious fundamentalism in the sub-continent. Can you imagine as to how his words would have ripped apart the fascist and ultra-nationalist mindsets of the sub-continent political leaders who fill hatred in the hearts and minds of the people. The way he has portrayed the character of women in his stories is unparalleled even today. He was a feminist to the core even at that time when the Second Wave of Feminism was kick-starting in the Western world.  No one has better written than Manto on the female subjects, according to Fehmida Riaz- the renowned literary figure of Pakistan. This is the reason why she remarked, “after Manto, there is none like Manto”.

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Early on, Manto was influenced by French and Russian literature and translated their many works. He also translated Victor Hugo’s work. In the 1930s, he started to lean towards socialism and thereby wrote his story on this subject, named “Inqilab Pasand”. However, his first story was “tamasha” that was based on the horrific experience of Jalianwala Bagh. And his first book of stories was “Aatish Paray”. As a matter of fact,  he didn’t reach the climax until the partition of the sub-continent that traumatized him. His characters are drawn from real life. They are commoners-many of them form a lower strata of society- who suffer the fate of decision taken by those in the upper echelons of power.

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Manto happens to be the most well known and controversial Urdu writer of the twentieth century. The latter part of his personality trait came lately, precisely after the partition of the Sub-continent. As writers tend to be sensitive, the communal rioting and tragedies during that period shook the soul of Manto. Soon he transformed into another version of himself. His writings then transcended the borders, cultures, and religions. He was just like a cosmopolitan humanist who negated religious bigotry and refused to let religious or cultural differences override the common notions of humanity.  He raised the slogan of humanism at a time when the sub-continent presented the picture of a boiling cauldron of religious riots and acts of misogyny committed under the umbrella of communal honor.  

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By narrating stories of horror and despair, he seeks to point out the much-needed absence of good. Dr. Zehra writes: “By narrating stories of evil he desires to highlight the good not the evil. He is not narrating lust for lust, coercion for coercion, oppression for oppression, sin for sin; but to evoke a deeper understanding of the hidden agenda of a hypocritical society”. Moreover, women Characters in his work are strong and unique. They appear defiant and righteous, even though their circumstances are trenched in taboo and social marginalization.

Several times, Manto was prosecuted on the charge of obscenity in his work. For that reason, he was despised by the literacy circle of that time. His stories like ‘Kaali Shalwar”, “Thanda Gosht”, “Khol Do”, “Uuper Neeche aor Darmiyan” and so on were the epicenter of criticism. but as a matter of fact, these stories not only unearth fundamentalism and extremism of the communities of sub-continent but also the grave sufferings of the women in the society and how they are used as sexual commodities.

He maintained that his stories are the mirror of the society; if you hate his stories, you must also hate the society.  He said, “who am I to undress the already naked civilization, culture, and society?  I cannot even dress them, for it is not my business but tailors”.

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Manto has left the world long ago, but his literary work will be making him alive forever. He still dwells in the hearts of those people who recognize him. He was right in saying, “and it is also possible that Saadat Hasan dies, but Manto remains alive”. Truly, after Manto there is none like Manto.

Muhammad Iqbal- the Greatest Poet of the Muslim World

Muhammad Iqbal- the Greatest Poet of the Muslim World

Today is the day of 82nd death anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal- the greatest mind of Muslims' intellectual and creative space. Many of us recognize Iqbal as a national poet but only a few understand that his imagery poetry and intellectual work in pros have little to do with nationalism and a lot to do with awakening- the inner 'potential' in a man- which they are unaware of. Dr. Iqbal term that potential 'khudi'. 

In this regard, Iqbal claims if one triggers his 'khudi'- that is, oneself- to a certain level, one becomes the universe in oneself; much similar to Rumi's saying, "Stop acting so small, you are the universe in ecstatic motion". Apart from the subject of khudi, we find the mention of "Shaheen" in Iqbal's poetry. He regards "Shaheen" as a King of birds that flies high in the face of challenges. In fact, the more challenges Shaheen faces, the higher it flies. Iqbal wants to see such an attitude in man in general and a Muslim in particular. 

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Moreover, the reason Iqbal dignified "Shaheen" is threefold: It has a sharp and deep sight, it does not dwell on one place, it does not eat others' hunting. He asserts if Muslims are to touch climax in every field in this world, they have to establish these traits of "Shaheen". 

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To conclude, it is the need of the hour to owe Iqbal and say special thanks for his contributions. In this respect, the best way to pay tribute to him is to act upon his masterclass literary work. To materialize the dream of acting upon his teachings, understanding those teachings is the prerequisite. It is a high time school curriculum in Pakistan to be taught in such a way that Iqbal's philosophy became its central point. Truly, Iqbal was undoubtedly a genius of the Muslim world. Dispensing justice to this genius lies in widespreading his ever-lasting philosophy.

اس قوم کو شمشیر کی حاجت نہین رہتی 
ہو جس کے جوانوں کی خودی صورت فولاد

Contributed by: Siraj Mustafa

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