MIR Aman Say Meera Jee Tak by Dr Saleem Akhtar is a rare treat: it is a collection of 12 forewords penned by Dr Akhtar for various books. As the topics are diverse, the book does not portray a central theme and lacks cohesiveness; on the other hand, though, it has a very broad scope with Dr Akhtar analysing personalities such as Mir Aman, Deputy Nazir Ahmad, Agha Hashar, Fani, and Meera Jee. The forewords also explore theoretical debates regarding masnawi and drama writing in Urdu and provide insights into Iqbal’s treatise on economics which has largely been neglected by critics working in the area of ‘Iqbaliyaat’.

One shortcoming of the book however, is that it doesn’t name the books the forewords were written for.

Put together, the collection of forewords traces the changing trends in Urdu literature over more than a century. They start from discussing masnawi writing and the classic culture of Lucknow, move on to studies of ghazal and drama writing, and end with contemporary debates in Urdu literature. In this manner, they explain how the changing cultural and social norms affected trends in Urdu literature. Those topics, which have generally been relatively neglected by critics and have not been given as much importance as the analysis of, say, Ghalib, Mir, or Faiz, are also discussed.

Forewords are different from critical essays; they cannot be neutral as they constitute a part of the book. The demerits of the concerned work are not fully highlighted and the merits are exalted to spark the interest of the reader.

In one of the forewords, Dr Akhtar examines the culture of Lucknow in the light of the literature produced there and the lifestyles of its writers and artists. He finds it surprisingly shallow as, according to Dr Akhtar, the people of Lucknow were not interested in the political instability in the country and the rise of colonialism and were completely absorbed in their festivities and theatrics. Their passion to enjoy life had converted into frenzy. Fun for the sake of fun and drama for the sake of drama is symptomatic of cultural decay and civilizational demise, argues Dr Akhtar. He presents the example of the poet, Jan Sahib, who used to dress and act as a woman, especially when reciting his poetry in mushairas. Jan Sahib was looking for popularity among the masses by becoming an object of laughter, says Dr Akhtar.

Another essay reveals Dr Akhtar for the teacher he is. He highlights the plight of the syllabus of Urdu literature taught in colleges and universities. It is designed in such a manner that it fails to stimulate inquiry in students about the relationship between literature and society. It does not teach them to draw socio-political lessons of a certain period by analysing the literature produced during that time, he says.

Dr Akhtar also introduces the debates of literary historiography by raising the question of how to write the history of literature. He is right to point out that literature is not produced while living in an airtight compartment. The writer is influenced by his or her environment as well as personal experiences. However, while critics have the right to ‘preferences’ in terms of favourite writers, they should not indulge in personal vendettas. Biased commentary might generate controversy and headlines temporarily but cannot withstand the test of time.

Towards the end of the book, Dr Akhtar celebrates the emergence of female poets in Pakistani literature. He explains how they have adopted the Nasri Nazm to express their ideas and feelings.

There are more aspects to the book, not any less interesting than the ones discussed above. Any reader with a diverse interest in Urdu literature will find it highly informative and engaging.

Mir Aman Say Meera Jee Tak (ANTHOLOGY) Dr Saleem Akhtar Sang-e-Meel Publications ISBN 978-969-35-2392-8 264pp. Rs750