KARACHI: Bouquets and brickbats, both in abundance that was what Firaq received at the concluding session of Jashn-i-Firaq on Sunday. The papers readout by eminent writers were scholarly without hollow praises and critical without undue prejudices.
In ‘Understanding Firaq’, a lengthy analytical article by a researcher Dr Nawazish Ali, the writer said Firaq was true to his name, lonesome, dejected and saddened. He suffered from a sense of insecurity and felt that he was an utter failure in his life. Such feelings created anger and an aggressive behaviour in him.
Firaq knew the art of self-projection and with his immense knowledge, wit and command over language, he had successfully created a web of charisma around his personality, Dr Ali contended. It was therefore very difficult for the critics to clear the web and focus on the real Firaq, he said. However, Dr Ali also removed some misunderstandings created by the detractors of Firaq about his personal life.
Some other papers read out in the sitting, presided over by Dr Farman Fatehpuri, dealt with that most enigmatic writer and poet of the present time. Prof Razi Abedi, Saba Ikram, and Jamal Naqi presented Firaq as he was seen by his contemporaries, or found in his letters and dialogues. Dr Robina Tareen’s paper revealed as to what Firaq thought about himself.
Dr Aslam Farrukhi narrated what he had heard about Firaq and what he observed after meeting him once or twice.
In the next sitting, critical writings of Firaq were discussed by Rauf Niazi, Mobin Mirza, Asif Farrukhi, Shafiq Ahmad Shafiq and Ambereen Haseeb.
Prof Razi Abedi, who was presiding over the sitting, complained that Urdu literature had not been able to develop a culture of criticism —an institution or dabistan of critical studies. Even our universities were lacking in this regard, he said and suggested that the writers could develop it through unified thinking. (A young writer, Nasir Abbas, who later came to speak, denied Prof Abedi’s contention.)
The last and concluding session, which was presided over by Dr Manzoor Ahmad and conducted by Dr Jaffer Ahmad, could pass smoothly, but it could not happen. After Muslim Shamim and Prof Riaz Siddiqui, who had presented their papers on Firaq’s progressive thought and a sociological study of Firaq’s poetry by the later, came Zaheda Hina with her paper titled, “The concept of women in Firaq’s poetry”. Firaq had no respect for women, no merry for his wife, not even for his mother, about whom he used abusive and derogatory remarks, said Ms Zaheda supporting her claim with quotation.
In his collection of Rubayat known as ‘Roop’ Firaq painted the Indian women not as he saw them, but what he could learn from the Sanscrit classics, that too, what knowledgeable persons briefed him to his benefit. Zaheda said that she could not find the woman in Firaq’s poetry.
Those rather unkind remarks about Firaq were received with patience by the audience although some listeners thought, the personal weaknesses pointed out by Zaheda and some earlier speakers did not diminish the stature of Firaq as a great poet, critic and intellectual.
Hasan Abid, who had come to offer his thanks to the speakers and the audience, said that the sitting proved the tolerance, we had developed over the years, as it was difficult to give a patient hearing to unsavoury remarks.
The issue of Indo-Pakistan peace and friendship had also emerged as a talking point during the deliberations. In this regard, Dr Manzoor Ahmad opined that cosmetic acts of friendly gestures between the two nations would not go a long way. Tracing the historical and psychological factors found in the roots of conflicting relationship, he suggested that a common thought must be developed to establish dependable and friendly relationship between both countries.
Later, at the invitation of the chair, M B Naqvi, Zaheda Hina, Karim Singh and Najmul Huda (a retired university teacher) came one by one to comment on the seminar. Zaheda Hina suggested that a seminar on the life and work of the Urdu lovers like Munshi Navil Kishore, Raten Nath Sarshar, Prem Chand and many others should also be held to acknowledge their greatness and their noble services.—Hasan Abidi
