Missing Mushfiq Khwaja

Mushfiq Khwaja's departure from the literary scene continues to be felt and mourned by all lovers of Urdu. His passing away at the age of 70 after a brief illness has left many bereft.

Son of Khwaja Abdul Waheed, known for his scholarly knowledge on Islamiat and Iqbaliat, Mushfiq Khwaja was a close associate of Baba-i-Urdu Maulvi Abdul Haq while working with the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu and had devoted himself to research in the history of Urdu literature.

Mushfiq Khwaja was somewhat selective in choosing his friends and remained elusive, devoting most of his time to his vast treasure of books and manuscripts. At the same time, he had a tremendous sense of humour, and was lively company for those who were fortunate to know him.

Among his best known works are those on Ghalib, Safir Bilgrami, and Yaas Yagana Changazi. He is also highly regarded for Tehqeeqnama, a collection of critical writings, and Jaiza-i- Makhtoot-i-Urdu.

For several years he had edited the quarterly Urdu and the monthly Qaumi Zaban, both publications of the Anjuman. Earlier, after doing his MA in Urdu from the University of Karachi, he with Ibn-i-Insha, had brought out the university's first magazine.

Mushfiq Khwaja was also admired for his newspaper columns - spicy and full of spontaneous humour - which appeared under the pen-name of Khama Bagosh. These were edited by another erudite writer, Muzaffar Ali Syed, and published in book form.

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A feast is arranged, and then the evening turns into a mushaira. This is how many literary sittings go in Karachi. Another occasion for an evening like this was provided last week by the presence in our midst of a guest from Canada who heads the National Bank of Pakistan there. But Rasool Ahmed Kalimi insisted that he was a poet first and banker later. He was feted by the literary body Izhar with the mushaira presided over by poet Khalid Alig and Mahmood Sham as a special guest.

Prof Saher Ansari, Raashid Noor, Ghaus Mathuravi and some others were present. Prof Ansari admired Kalimi for his chaste prose with its touch of satire and humour.

Another mushaira for Kalimi was held under the aegis of the Aalmi Adabi Forum. Poet Gulnar Aafreen hosted the occasion. Senior poet and writer Jazib Qureshi was an active participant. Sindh Ombudsman Yusuf Jamal presided over the function and recalled his literary activities.

Kalimi himself in a brief discourse told the audience about the efforts being made by writers of Pakistani origin to popularize Urdu in Canada. He said he wanted to establish a literary institution and promote 'Pakistaniat'.

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At the launch of two Oxford University Press publications last Friday - Dilli ki Khawateen ki Kahawatayn aur Mohawaray by Begum Shaista Ikramullah and the Art of the Mussalmans in Spain by Shahid Suhrawardy - speakers stressed the need to know more about the flowering of Muslim art and culture in the Europe of the Middle Ages as well as the Muslim contribution to the culture of the subcontinent.

At the launch, one could not help but wonder at the wealth of political and scholarly learning in the Suhrawardy family. Shaista Ikramullah was the late prime minister Hussyn Shaheed Suhrawardy's cousin and Shahid Suhrawardy his elder brother.

Shaheed Suhrawardy's (1890-1965) book discusses the influences the Muslims brought to bear on the art and architecture of Spain during the Moorish rule in that region. Shaheed Suhrawardy was acclaimed as an art critic and linguist. He was art adviser to the League of Nations, professor of arts at Calcutta (now Kolkata) University, professor of Islamic studies at Osmania University in Hyderabad and wrote a number of books on Muslim art, history, poetry and criticism.

He also served as Pakistan's ambassador to Spain, Morocco, and Tunis. A visiting professor on Islamic art at Columbia University, he was a member of Pakistan's Federal Public Service Commission and of the selection committee for the decoration of the first Unesco building.

Begum Shaista Ikramullah's book reflects her close study of Urdu literature and the culture behind it. She was the first Muslim lady to get a PhD from London University but always remained in love with the language, literature and lifestyle of the enlightened Muslim middle class.

It took her many years to collect the idioms and phrases commonly spoken in Muslim households in Delhi. Ameena Saiyid of the OUP disclosed that in the pipeline was an English translation of Begum Hameeda Akhtar Hussain's Urdu autobiography.

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Australia-based Dr Nighat Nasim, a gynaecologist, appeared at the Pakistan Arts Council on Saturday evening with her collection of short stories, Gard Baad-i-Hayat. Khushbakht Shujaat, vice-president of the Council and chairperson of her own literary body, Idara Qalam Dost, was the host of the evening. Naqqash Kazmi shared the credit for managing the event. Gen Moinuddin Haider (retd) was the chief guest while Prof Saher Ansari was the main speaker.

Those who spoke on Dr Nasim's stories included Jamil Siddiqui, Anjum Ansar, Dilshad Nasim and Aniq Ahmad honorary secretary of the Arts Council. Salma Beg did the compering.

The stories are mostly based on the experiences of a medical practitioner deeply involved with the welfare of her patients. Writing the stories had kept her going, Dr Nasim said. Prof Ansari praised the level of sensitivity found in the stories.