March 15, 2019 |
No Comments |
Noted Urdu scholar, Dr. Syed Taqi Abedi, feels Urdu is the best remedy to unite hearts in the present troubled times. No other Indian language has the capacity to integrate people like Urdu since it is an embodiment of composite cultures. "Urdu is one of the several languages of Muslims but the language itself is not Muslim", he remarked.
The Hyderabad born Canadian physician was delivering an extension lecture on 'Urdu culture, national integration, festivals and rituals' at the Urdu Hall in Himayathnagar last evening. The programme was organised by Anjumane Pasdarane Tehzeeb, Deccan.
Urdu was definitely spoken by Muslims but it was more Hindustani in nature, embracing diverse traditions. Therefore, its preservation and propagation was the responsibility of everyone and not just Muslims alone. Quoting T.S. Eliot, he said any language which had rich classical literature wouldn't perish. The loss of Urdu and its culture would be an irreparable loss for the country as a whole, remarked Dr. Abedi
In an absorbing lecture, he pointed out how Bihari Lal Mushtaq, a student of eminent poet, Mirza Ghalib, captured these thoughts superbly in this couplet. What is unique about this little known verse is that the numerical value (Abjad notations) of both Jamuna and Zam-Zam are the same - 94.
Hum hain Hindu, tum Musalman donon baham ek hain
Jis tarha aadad Jamuna wo Zam-Zam ek hain
(I'm a Hindu, you a Muslim, together we are one
Like the numerical of Jamuna and Zam Zam are one)
A strong votary of Urdu, although a medical practitioner, Dr. Abedi said Urdu was not just a lingua franca but a beautiful flower vase representing different faiths. It had the mohabbat (love) of Hyderabad in it, nazakat (elegance) of Lucknow, saqafat (culture) of Delhi, sajawat (embellishment) of Agra, saadat (fortune) of Sindh, zakawat (knowledge) of Bengal and latafat (tenderness) of Kashmir. Poet Brij Naryan Chakbast wrote Ramayana in Urdu, Rajender Singh Bedi compiled Guru Granth Sahib in Urdu while John Gilchrist introduced Maseehiat (Christianity) in it. "How can Urdu be dubbed the language of Muslims when it is a multi religious and multi racial language", he asked.
In the backdrop of Mandir-Masjid controversy he quoted the famous couplet of Aatish Lucknowi to say that the ruins of temples and mosques could be built but not broken hearts.
Butkhana tod daliye, Masjid ko dhaiye
Dil ko na todiye ye Khuda ka maqam hai
(Pull down temple, raze the mosque
But don't break heart, it's home to God)
Referring to how different customs and cultures have overlapped, Dr. Abedi said 95 percent of the rituals followed by Muslims during marriage were all borrowed from Hindus. There was no Islamic concept to them at all but people were following just like that. There was no need to issue 'fatwas'. "It is because of adoption of each other's cultures that the country remained united", he said.
Urdu Academy chairman, Rahimuddin Ansari, Haj Committee Special Officer, S.A. Shukoor and Prof. Fatima Parveen also spoke.
J.S.Ifthekhar,
Hyderabad based journalist.
0 comments:
Post a Comment