G.K. Chesterton and George Bernard Shaw, two towering figures of 20th century English literature, were known for wit and humour. Chesterton was dubbed ‘the prince of paradox’. Shaw is known for his biting wit and satire.
So when Aal-e-Ahmed Suroor (1911- 2002), the renowned critic from India, remarked that Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqi was Urdu’s G.K. Chesterton or Bernard Shaw, he was referring, of course, to the qualities that distinguish Rasheed Siddiqi from other humorists of Urdu: paradox, repartee and satire.
Rasheed Siddiqi was one of the humorists of Urdu known for their distinct style. In addition to repartee, paradox and wit, masterful use of language, literary allusions and pun are some of the ingredients of his style that have made him popular. Another aspect that makes Siddiqi’s writings peculiar is Aligarh: Aligarh’s environment, its people, its parlance and specific references make his writings a mirror reflecting Aligarh. This, entwined with literary references and semi-philosophic style, can pose some problems to readers who are not too familiar with literature and Aligarh. Yet, his writings are no enigma and anyone having a little knowledge of Aligarh and a literary background can fully enjoy and appreciate his writings.
Despite his deep love for Aligarh, Siddiqi does not refrain from poking fun at some of the weaknesses that he observed at Aligarh as a student and then as a faculty member. For example, commenting on the insipid and dull food served at Aligarh College’s dining hall he wrote: “According to the research carried out by a fellow, any student of the Aligarh College cannot appear in court as a witness neither can he vote in an elections because as long as he keeps on dining from the college he can become neither adult nor sensible.”
Filled with keen observation and expressed in a pithy language, some of his lines sound like aphorisms.
Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqi was a humorist, critic, researcher and academician. He was born in a village near Jaunpur, UP, British India, on Dec 24, 1896. As was in vogue in those days, he was taught Persian, Arabic and some religious books as part of his early education. After studying at school for a while he had to do a job, leaving his education incomplete. Later, he resumed his education and in 1915 was admitted to MAO College, Aligarh, doing his BA.
In 1921, Siddiqi did his MA (Urdu) from Allahabad University as in those days MAO College was affiliated with Allahabad University (MAO College was made a university in 1920). Rasheed Sahab was appointed a teacher at the Aligarh University and ultimately rose to the status of professor. After retirement, Rasheed Sahab stayed in Aligarh. His son, Ehsan Rasheed migrated to Pakistan and here he held coveted posts, including that of Karachi University’s vice chancellor. Rasheed Sahab’s daughter Salma Siddiqi married Krishan Chander, the famous Urdu fiction writer and she claimed in an interview given to Tahir Masood that Krishan Chander had embrace Islam before the wedding and Vaqar-ul-Mulk was his Islamic name.
Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqi penned some 40 books. Some of his works are: Khandaan, Mazaameen-i-Rasheed, Tanziyaat-o-mazehkaat, Ganj Haa-i-Giraan Maya, Aashufta Bayani Meri, Sheeraza-i-Khayaal, Naqsh Haa-i-Rang Rang, Hamare Zakir Sahib, Suhail ki Sarguzasht, Azeezaan-i-Aligarh Ke Naam, Jadeed Ghazal and Sheikh Niazi. He also edited Fani Badayuni’s divan. His letters have been collected in six volumes. He wrote for children, too. Ghalib was a favourite subject of Rasheed Sahab and many of his critical essays, written in his peculiar style, are on Ghalib.
Aside from Aligarh, humour, Ghalib and the Urdu language, one of Rasheed Sahab’s concerns was religion and morals. Though not associated with any specific school of thought, he had a leaning towards eastern values and local culture. While appreciating some aspect of the western culture and values as well, he was impressed with Akber Allahabadi, an avowed opponent of the West and almost everything western. Akber Allahabadi was known for opposing Aligarh and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan but Rasheed Sahab at times praises him. On the other hand he was inspired by Abul Kalam Azad, too. So the paradox in his one-liners somehow found its way into his thinking as well. This paradoxical proposition was well-described by Dr Syed Abdullah. According to Dr Abdullah, the extrinsic issues that concerned Rasheed Sahab belonged to Aligarh but the intrinsic issues that attracted him were essentially outside Aligarh.
Rasheed Sahab was in fact a moralist and culture critic too. The word ‘moralist’ has a slightly negative connotation these days (because morals now have gone to the dogs). Similarly, conventional wisdom is dubbed “bias in distilled form”.
Likewise, cultural values are now thought of as “excess baggage”. So ‘culture criticism’ is a term now considered more or less out of fashion because culture critics describe morals and behaviours of their fellow beings, sometimes criticising the values and certain cultural phenomena, yearning for more of a moralistic behaviour in the society. This too is now out of favour and fashion as some intellectuals love to refer to postmodern ethics that believes everything is relative and one is allowed to do whatever the particular environment permits.
Moralists and culture critics have a deep concern for religion, too, as did Rasheed Sahab. This is yet another area that invites the wrath of the postmodernists, leftists and liberals. But, the paradoxical ideas or the apparently self-contradicting views of Rasheed Sahab are an outcome of his being attracted to both Aligarh — a modernist movement opposing orthodox religious elements — and morals and traditional values.
Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqi died in Aligarh on January 15, 1977.
Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2017
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