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May 4, 2003
Review: Justification of history
A.R. SIDDIQUI’S book came to me as a surprise. I had not known him as an, imaginative stylish writer of Urdu prose, but of course he is a cultured Dilliwala, quite capable of writing Urdu in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century diction of prose. I started reading the book and could not put it down before I finished it. But I had to read it again, rather more attentively and carefully to grasp fully the underlying meaning of the symbolism that he has adopted in his narration and the allusions that he had made to some very important aspects of the cultural and political history of Pakistan of the last five plus decades.
The curtain rises with the ‘reincarnation’ of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor of India, whose reign was said to extend only from ‘Dilli to Palam’ and in whose empire the authority vested in the hands of the tommies. Zafar had a seance with Nizamuddin Aulia earlier, was again restive and wished to have some words of consolation and advice from the saint, especially due to the news of impending partition of India. Meanwhile he ruminated on the calamities that befell him, the murder of his sons by the cruel Britishers and his humiliating expulsion with his queen to Rangoon. While he was soliloquizing, Nizamuddin Aulia appears and accuses him of ineptitude as an emperor of India. He also laments that the subsequent Muslim leaders during the struggle for Pakistan failed to apprehend the consequences of their success. It would divide not just a piece of land, but the entire Muslim community of India. It would be partitioned into mutually exclusive blocs. What a tragic myopic vision!
After long and indulgent recriminations and expressions of sorrow and grief on the division of India, Nizamuddin Aulia commissions Bahadur Shah Zafar to act as a custodian of the spiritual heritage common to all Indians. From here begins his saga of the King taking him from the agonizing scenes of carnage at the time of partition through fluctuating fortunes of half a century of Pakistan’s existence. The story ends with an oration of Bahadur Shah Zafar in the Privy Council Chamber of the Red Fort of Delhi to a galaxy of spiritual masters and political stewards responsible for the partition of India, who are now residing in heaven.
Sometimes what cannot he explained with cold logic or commonsense, can be very aptly communicated through a different medium of discourse, and that is what Siddiqui has done successfully. Some harsh realities have been graphically painted compelling us to a re-analyze our history, not for the sake of apportioning praise or blame, but for learning a lesson for future political decision-making in the country.
Some of the galaxy of spiritual leaders who play an active role in this saga are Ali Hajveri (1009-1106), Amir Khusro (1253-1326), Moinuddin Chishti (1139-1236), Ganj Shakar (1173-1265), Nizamuddin Aulia (1236-1325), Alf-Sani (1564-1624), Bari Imam (1617-1705), Latif Bhitai (1680-1752), Kabir Das (1388-1440), Bullhe Shah (1680-1758), Sultan Bahu (1631-1690), Madhu Lal Hussain (1630-1690) and Shahbaz Qalandar (1108-1193). They are the upholders of the spiritual tradition of India and guardians of a religio-social culture common to all religions of the subcontinent.
“Can one divide the tradition that these masters have left behind?” Siddiqui asks. Since Siddiqui has been a member of the armed forces as an important member of the department of Inter-Services Public Relations for twenty-three eventful years of Pakistan (1950-73) and has been rubbing shoulders with the power elite of the country, his reportage is authentic and his perception unbiased and objective. He provides a graphic account of the follies and pitfalls of the master players of political chess in Pakistan and the trauma and turbulence which the public has to suffer.
Bahadur Shah Zafar sums up the history of the last fifty years before the Supreme Assembly (mala-e-ala) of the saints which also include Bhagat Kabir, Guru Nanak, Gandhi, Jinnah, Nehru and Azad. The presence of Mira Bai is significant too.
Though he was commissioned by Nizamuddin Aulia to save the spiritual heritage of the Indian Muslims, the Mahboob Ilahi could only analyze the past and suggest a future plan of action for those who want to salvage their heritage. Here are some of his conclusions:
* Indian culture is a substantive reality which cannot be mutilated in essence, though it may embrace new forms as it grows.
* Since partition and the break up of Pakistan in 1971 are a fait accompli, all recriminations against each other should be halted between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
* Religious differences should be kept within bounds of each religion. After all the commonality of spiritual heritage should bind the people together instead of separating them. Madhu Lal Hussain could be used as the symbol of this spiritual unity.
* The most tragic part of the whole story are the massacres which occurred in the name of religion. Religions, do not preach hatred and division. They are the symbols of love, encompassing everyone with divine munificence and benevolence.
Kabira Khara bajar main mange sub ki Khair,
Nako ho se dosti nako ho se bair
After the king has spoken, he requests Nizamuddin Aulia to address the Privy Council. The saint expresses his satisfaction on Zafar’s assessment of history. Gazing at the political leaders, namely Gandhi, Jinnah, Nehru and Azad, he says:
“Though the land was divided in the name of religion and no doubt religions are different, yet after independence all of a sudden why have people become each other’s sworn enemies? To whom do all the saints, Sadhus and Bhagats belong? They have been respected as much by the Hindus as well as the Muslims. Who is now going to look after the saintly tradition which has been the common denominator, binding all religions and religionists together?”
Subtly he accuses the political leaders of dividing their own people and their own land in the name of independence. But how can they divide the cultural heritage now situated on opposite sides of the divide? To whom belong Taxila on the one hand and the Taj and the Red Fort on the other?
Those present in the assembly, including Gandhi, Jinnah, Nehru and Azad, admit that mistakes have been committed and that it was unfortunate that they were willy nilly responsible for the great divide, but now the only course open is to unite the people and to teach them that together they could grow and live peacefully otherwise they would be ravished and destroyed.
If history can teach us anything, it prohibits us to repeat the mistakes we committed earlier. If we fail then the pious souls of our saints can do nothing but grieve and lament.
Taqseem-i-Hind Aur Bahadur Shah Zafar ki Wapsi: Ek Khiyal, Eik Khwab, Ek Vision
By Brig (r) Abdur Rahman Siddiqui
Royal Book Company, BG-5, Rex Centre Basement, Zaibunnisa Street, Karachi-74400
Tel: 021-565 3418.
Email: royalbook@hotmail.com Website:
www.royalbook.org
ISBN 969-407-279-4
240pp. Rs350
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