FATHER OF URDU LANGUAGE IN OUR REGION
HAZRAT NIZAMUDDIN AULIA AND AMIR KHUSRO
A meeting was in progress under Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and many people were seated there. The list included Khawaja Hassan Sanjari, Khawaja Saeed Muhammed, Khawaja Saeed Mussavi, Khawaja Syed Rafiuddin Haroon, and Har Dev, along with his three relatives, Sumbal Dev, Chanel Dev, and Sunil Dev. Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia was of view that a language issue in addressing people of Hindustan was occurring, and it had to be resolved with a new communication tool. We have to devise a language which mixes local language with language of Muslims that Is Persian, and Turkish. Already inter exchange of words are taking place and people are familiar with same. And to teach this language I have written a small booklet by name of KHALIQ BARI. I want that a system of new language should be started and it should be call Hinduvta. But so that people can really know it, I want Amir Khusro to compose songs in same, so that not only people can talk and read it, but can also sing songs in it, so that it really becomes common with use. As Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia lived between 1238 AD to 1325 AD, so the birth of Urdu started in the 13th to 14th century. The language has a history of about 700 years and was avidly used in Hyderabad Deccan too. It became the language of the Mughal Court with Bahadur Shah Zafar in Delhi.
The result was that Amir Khusro composed Urdu songs with music, and the songs became well known and common and people started singing same and Urdu language came into being once for all. The songs of Amir Khusro survive to this day and were the first in Urdu language. Urdu became the Modern language of our region. Pakistan proudly claimed it as its national language. Lahore became center of Urdu long ago and produced many Urdu writers, poets, and thinkers. Dr Allama Iqbal was the foremost of them. But there were many others, and we will talk about them too.
TEACHING US OBJECTIVITY ABOUT OUR SUBJECTIVITY
OBJECTIVITY THAT IS SIMPLY THEIR OWN SUBJECTIVITY
There is a narrative in my life. I have learned that narrative from my parents, friends as well as environment. I also unlearn that narrative all the time by listening and encountering new facts. If my life experiences are to end with me and I cannot pass on those experiences to my next generation, the meaning of my life would be useless. I am a product of many generations, and I am the past of many future generations. Would I in the name of objectivity leave my next generation without any clues of facing the world!
My DEEN teaches me the value of TRUTH. There is no denying that truth matters, but truth is not merely facts. Truth is my opinion about those facts. And those opinions are not in any way a product of bigotry, but my believes in the Laws of Allah. Our Quran is the communication of Allah. For instance the Quran tells us the value of Jehad all the time. And yet in a very pseudo objective way the western media belittle the holy concept of Jehad, and attempts to relate it to Terrorism that is going on in the world. Jehad and terrorism are poles apart and the objective truth of the western media is blasphemy in my view. Can the West be objective about Jehad?
A degrading concept like Homosexuality is a very objective notion of the West. Its concept is repugnant in Islam. And yet it is being imposed as a view in ordinary TV shows, documentaries, writings, and what not? And yet a student whose name we say as “A” got a tremendous grant from a University in London to write a PHD thesis on Permission of Homosexuality in Islam. My narrative would be called subjective here.
Basil Gray, an international scholar of Islamic Art, called here in 1946 and tried to persuade artist M.A. Rahman Chughtai to part with his Art treasure. M.A. Rahman Chughtai was wise enough and refused to do so. In 1977 Basil Gray was our guest here, and the objective Basil Gray burst out laughing and told us everything. He said that MI6 had sent him to India to remove art treasures from all places before the partition of the region. He said that he was able to fool everybody with his objective rationale of a big show but the artist Chughtai would not listen to him at all. We have reproduced part of those letters in our publication. Gemma Sharpe the researcher on Chughtai Art in 2017 said the same thing and was utterly surprised that Basil Gray had blurted out the truth.
A number of leaders in Pakistan met fatal ends. To this day we do not know the truth. Objective truth is that they died, the subjective truth is conspiracy. Ridiculing truth as conspiracy is the name of the game. To this day we do not know the facts about the assassination of iconic leader John F Kennedy. Why? Narratives here or objectivity!
There is a confusion in our next generation, carried away by OBJECTIVE notions, they too dismiss our narratives as SUBJECTIVE. But you need a big heart to know the Truth. Yes, truth matters, but our version of Truth is no less than anybody’s else. The real life is so different. For instance President Zia ul Haque and Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto both met tragic fatal ends. One group of people called one a Shaheed, the other group call their own person a Shaheed. What is the truth here? Both died unnaturally. I have my own narrative about it, the West has none. Our political leaders basking in the shadow of most massive corruption in historical record, term themselves as martyrs. What is objectivity here? Calling a spade a spade, yes, but look at it carefully: Is it really a spade?
In the season Game of Thrones, a cult of Faceless men is there who can steal the face of any person. In this objective game the acceptable faces are stolen by non acceptable persons. All events have narratives. Nations must rise to assert their truths. No poker face here is possible!
YES, BROKEN APART FROM US BY DECEIT AND FORCE
ARE OUR BENGAL BRETHREN HAPPIER THAN BEFORE?
Chaos and Anarchy prevails all the Muslim world. Turkey which looked untouchable by factors is facing vulnerable times. And so is the rest of the Muslim world. Deaths and poverty has become routine in our world. And nobody seems to be listening to it, or even doing anything about it. Our hearts pain at the conditions where even survival is becoming like a dream, replaced by our worst nightmares. The land of jute, the golden sparrow, has it become rising star, as proclaimed by Machiavellian politicians.
A long lost friend SAIF UL HAQUE wrote to us from Bangladesh asking about the memories he left behind here. Nostalgia surrounds him to this day when he received his education here. The same situation as in Pakistan, as one set of Bengali people , pitted against the opposite set of Bengali people. Imagine the Chief Justice of Bangladesh being forcibly put on an aero plane to Australia for he made a judgement which was against the Ruling party. Even more drastic measures than ours here. Replacing one with an Acting one, obviously with the connivance of foreign lobbies. Leaders of Islamic parties were first hanged to death (what about human rights?), and now forcibly imprisoned. While elephants fight, the grass remain trampled. When Dr Henry Kissinger called East Pakistan a basket without a bottom, the situation still stands. The poor in Pakistan, the poor in Bangladesh are all suffering the same misery. The world may have lost compassion but the Muslims have lost compassion for each other. Why should we not feel the pain of our Bengali brethren? Democracy in a nutshell is forced choices on us, to select and elect the evil of society, concerned with massive corruption.
The Laws of Allah are moving and we know they are there. Retribution will come. Our patience is tested beyond limits. What can our empty prayers do?
We still feel for you East Pakistan.
CULTURAL POLICY OF PAKISTAN THROUGH FOREIGN AGENDAS
REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO DIFFUSE OUR IDEOLOGICAL FOOTING
The advent of Pakistan was a shock to those who had to relinquish control over same. The first policy of culture was defined by the British with the release of the book “5000 years of Pakistan” and this agenda stuck like a leech with the bureaucracy who were to muddle our advance into ideological realms. A country which came into being based on Islamic Ideology was being bombarded with different ideas of a long cultural history, starting with the Buddhist Civilization. Amazing it was! Suddenly cultural experts started pouring in with French beards and smoking pipes in their mouth. On one hand 5000 years history charade and on the other getting into the band wagon of the West by meticulously following western narratives of existence. Made a ball of culture and knocked it clean bold. Cultural policy was indeed a Western agenda.
For years nobody took the liberty of putting a cultural policy down on paper and then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, recruited a Cultural Adviser Faiz Ahmad Faiz and he inducted a geographical policy for Pakistan. Our culture was to be found within our geography. Faiz simply said that the Taj Mahal may be beautiful but it is not our culture. In simple words “Pak sar zameen shad bad” was considered simply a ‘Sohni Darti”. Culture was to be tailored to that end. The Muslim Umma was a dangerous word for foreign lobbies with agendas of their own.
The zest for devising a new cultural policy for Pakistan is still here and a new group based in Australia is charting out one for us in 2030. It is not known on what basis the same would be. One can read the manifesto and find out. Their announcement is like this:
“Youth Revolution Clan in collaboration with Cultural Infusion Australia is going to Organize “Lahore International Conference on Culture “.
Culture is a set of rules and behavioural patterns we learn with socialization. However, in a globalised (and multicultural) world culture became subject of discussions from various points of views, and its importance is not loosing strength. In the past century, we witnessed many attempts to foster cultural agendas using popular culture where identities were formed in a way to present one nation to other nations in a favourable way, and where audiences were confronted with various messages that are sometimes blurred with first-hand experiences. States indeed invest funding in their cultural policies, and particularly in their cultural policies oriented towards abroad via external cultural institutes, or tourist offers where culture is emphasized as an achievement of a certain nation (most notably, in art and music).
Cultural relations, on the other hand, are centred on creating mutual recognition and understanding, however, many scholars and practitioners expressed criticism calling western countries as imperialists imposing their cultural patterns over less advanced countries just via peaceful means and not through colonialism anymore. On the other hand, culture is often a subject of discussion when minority groups are in stake because minorities find themselves surrounded by different culture, and in a dilemma whether to assimilate or to preserve their culture while still trying to lead average lives. The latter is then subject of criticism from conservatives and the Far Right that insist on integration, an unclear term that sometimes seems more like forced integration.”
We hear a new term coming up with reference to globalization and that is a Post Islamic scenario. Now what does that mean? A situation where Islam is gone. Really! Who subscribe to same? Outsiders yes, but Pakistani Muslims? Unbelievable.
A Pakistani Cultural Expert, Malik Shamas (Retired Curator Lahore Museum) showed me a draft of a cultural policy and it was an amazing draft. I am sure his son teacher Tanveer Hussain would have a copy and it is worthy of being published in any form. It really defines us.
But the direction for cultural policy of Pakistan was given by M.A. Rahman Chughtai at time of partition itself and the manifesto still stands. It was narrated in Urdu, so I am taking the liberty of summarizing that idea in simple words, which was:
“Islamic culture is dynamic with positive energy. In all ways it is timeless, as it grows from the past to the present and takes into account the future too. A time comes when culture stagnates and in an new environment, it jump starts a new existence, based on old, but very much new. This was the case of Islamic conquest of Spain. Confronted with new crafts people who embraced Islam and brought new ideas into the realm. This jump start happened with Muslims in Spain and that is why I propose the name of ALHAMRA for the Pakistan Arts Council. In my view the advent of Pakistan will jump start our culture forward into newer realms. My Art is simply following the same lines. I have relinquished older traditions of miniatures as well as its style as well as its technique, even compositions, and formed a newer school of art that is Chughtai Art, and that too, is actually timeless in spirit. Newer directions on older foundations that is my case for the new cultural policy of Pakistan. “
Anyone or a bunch of stray people cannot devise a cultural policy of Pakistan. Here again in any democratic spirit, the people matter, for culture strengthens them, both in belief as well as implementation. The Cultural policy of Pakistan has to come from within not from without. How can others mean good for you and your Identity? Diffusing your Identity is the only reason for same.
MIRZA IBDAL BAIG LAHORI AURANGZEBS FAVOURITE KOTWAL
FROM LAHORE TO AURANGABAD TO SHAHJAHANAABAD
The first influx in Hindustan was from Kabul and Herat. The direction was Lahore. From Lahore people moved to the new city of Shahjahanabad. When Emperor Aurangzeb preferred residence in his city Aurangabad a lot of people migrated from Lahore to that city. One such character is Mirza Ibdal Baig, a favourite Kotwal of Emperors. There can be no doubt that he was trustworthy and brought discipline where ever he went. Without character and attributes he would not have remained in his position for long. The Kotwals of Lahore were famous. An older blog of ours carry information about Kotwals of Lahore. Check again and enjoy! http://blog.chughtaimuseum.com/?p=550
A TIME WITHOUT ENGLISH LANGUAGE
INSPIRATION OF THE ENGLISH ADMINISTRATOR
THE BEGINNINGS IN 1781 AD
The English Administrators were annexing territory after territory n India. There was a need to spread their brand of culture and knowledge to people. Various bureaucrats were having their go at it. One administrator C. Grant studied the situation in India and realized that the Mughal influence in this area was through their introduction of the Persian language into main stream India. Very impressed. C. Grant wrote a memoir for his fellow Englishmen, and in it he referred to the success the Mughals had in introducing their way of life by changing Sanskrit into Persian. C. Grant felt that you could do the same by introduction of the English language. The decision and the result is in front of us. C. Grant had a very low opinion of the people.
Language carries culture. Without language cultures are forsaken. Once upon a time Caliphs and Emperors and Sultans could not only read the Holy Quran but knew the meaning of the Holy Quran. Now benefit seeking priesthood is there to misguide people from the right path. That is why foreign lobbies always try their best to keep us away from our national language, that is URDU. You will find Urdu speaking public much more patriotic and sincere to Pakistan than the others. Rise Pakistan rise!
THE CHARISMA OF DIGNITY IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN
UNCOUTHS SHOUTING ABOUT LOVE IN THEIR HEARTS
We miss dignity all the time. Dignity was not a preserve of any class. It was present in those people who had character. We remember a poem by Jan Stallworthy about Sindhi Women and the beautiful statement that “They walk most straight, who learn to walk beneath a weight”.
Bare foot, through the bazaar,
And with the same undulant grace
As the cloth blown back from her face,
She glides with a stone jar,
High on her head
And not a ripple in her tread.
Watching her cross erect
Stones, garbage, excrement and crumbs
Of glass in the Karachi slums,
I, with my stoop, reflect:
They stand most straight
Who learn to walk beneath a weight. (Jan Stallworthy)
Have you ever realized that the host of people you see shouting for political figures have literally no dignity at all! Literally without character, all that they can see is probable monetary benefits by shouting themselves hoarse. By giving paid advertisements and announcements about love in their hearts. Eager to be doled out portions of ill-gotten wealth by their leaders.
The caliber of Pakistanis leaving aside, even the host of Western leaders are literally so undignified these days and their verbosity borders on obscenity now. No judgment is required. It is sensed by all, and that is when we realize these days no ICONS are being produced by most civilizations. This is where we must look backward at our icons and resurrect our ideals, for without such idealization, we can never mold a better future for ourselves.
REVELATION OF TWO INSCRIPTIONS NEAR SOMANTH MANDIR
A FLOURISHING MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN HEALTHY EXISTENCE
In 1938 Sayyid Muhammed Masum Bakkari wrote a Tarikh Sind, published in Poona. It gives us incredible information. A bilingual inscription found in the vicinity of Somnath in Gujarat, which had a Sanskrit version preserved in the temple of Harsaya in Verawal., The inscription refers to a Muslim community living in Somnath, and it is dated 662 AH or 1263 AD. (date copied from published source only)
The Sanskirit version has a reference to Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), as ‘THE TEACHER OF THE SAILORS who live near the Holy Temple of VISWARATHA’. Such references indicate presence of Muslim communities living in many parts in India and communicating with local people “in understandable and acceptable terms”.
In this respect we also have the Mosque of Abdul Qasim bin Al Iraji, with an Arabic inscription dated 685 AH, 1286 AD.
There is a possibility that the teacher of sailors is not reference to the Prophet (PBUH) but to a local leader Muhammed son of Muhammed bin Qasim, who certainly could be referred as the teacher of sailors in this context. More research obviously required on this one too.
CAN AN ENEMY’S NARRATIVE BE BENIGN FOR US?
ONLY SATANS BUDGE FROM QURANIC NARRATIVE!
A donkey’s bray hardly means anything. Yearning for food or habitual sexual anxiety. Nothing more. Strange this beast does not even bray at announcing complaints. The donkey is insufferable. Load anything on him and he will carry that weight. Our intellectual donkeys are like that too. Load them with enemy narratives and they carry that through. Surprising that a land which produced an epoch shattering intellectual like Dr Allama Iqbal, cold also produced a horde of such donkeys. Owners often lure donkeys by fastening a stick with grass in front of them. The donkey keeps on running. Our donkeys keeps on running with promises fed to them by foreign lobbies. A donkey knows no shame, nor has any concept of shame. When there is no IQ, how can there any any EQ with them!
When we recite the Kalma, olden times it was designated as SUBMITTING TO THE WILL OF ALLAH. Then our intellectuals told us, it is has to be phrased in proper way. It is ACCEPTING THE LAWS OF ALLAH (after thinking and pondering as the Quran advises us). Once we accept Divine Laws, is there any room for a POST ISLAM SCENARIO? Utterly rubbish, the people who coined this narrative. Trying to mitigate Islam all the time. Are you crazy enough to accept a reality beyond our fundamental belief?
All so called proclaimed narratives can go to dustbin. There is no alternative to the message of Allah as told to us in the Quran. We bow down our heads to Allah alone!