Urdu short-story, progressivism and Prof Ahmed Ali

By Rauf Parekh

A scholar, short-story writer, novelist, critic and translator, Prof Ahmed Ali is one of those few writers who have written both in Urdu and English. He continued writing in both languages till he died, when his fame had already crossed over the borders of the subcontinent.

Ahmed Ali shot to fame in 1932 with the publication of ‘Angare’ (or embers), a fiery collection of Urdu short stories that, true to its name, ignited a fire of anger throughout the conservative society of India that viewed the collection as obscene, blasphemous and a challenge to the moral codes and traditional norms of society.

Though he wrote many more short stories, novels and other books, the fame, or notoriety, he gained through the publication of ‘Angare’, kept haunting him throughout his life and even today his name invokes strong association with ‘Angare’. The book, seen by many as a harbinger of the progressive literary movement in the subcontinent, consisted of 10 short stories. The others who contributed to it were his Marxist friends Sajjad Zaheer, Rasheed Jahan and Mahmood-uz-Zafar.

One of the most significant contributions of Ahmed Ali’s was his role in the formation of the Progressive Writers’ Association (PWA) in 1936, with he being one of the founders who conceived the PWA’s basic idea and its manifesto, though he later developed differences with other comrades of his and distanced himself from the movement and association .

Born on July 1, 1910, in Delhi, Ahmed Ali did his Master’s in English from Lucknow University in 1931 and taught at the Lucknow and Allahabad universities and Presidency College, Calcutta (now Kolkata), between 1931 and 1947. He served as a visiting professor in China for about two years and then joined Pakistan’s foreign service, where he worked till 1960.

He began writing in English and got published his first English poem titled ‘The lake of dreams’ in 1926 (when he was 16), in an Aligarh magazine. His first English short story was published in 1928 in Lucknow University’s magazine. “Mahavaton ki aik raat’, or a night of winter rains, was his first Urdu short story which, according to Dr Farman Fatehpuri, was published in Humayun’s annual issue in January 1932. The same short story was included in ‘Angare’ when it was published later the same year.

By the time Ahmed Ali began writing, Urdu prose was submerged in romanticism, subjectivity and aestheticism. Awash with highly imaginative short stories, Urdu fiction of the day was, to a large extent, written in a flowery language teeming with poetical and metaphorical expressions with Sajjad Hyder Yildirim, Majnoon Gorakhpuri and Niaz Fatehpuri being its master practitioners. Even literary criticism had become poetical in style and a sign of the time was Abdur Rehman Bijnori’s appreciation of Ghalib’s poetry, ‘Mahasin-i-Kalam-i-Ghalib’, that sounded more like a eulogy than a detached critical evaluation of its subject. Writers and critics were more concerned about conveying their own feelings and personal experiences rather than depicting society and reflecting real life in fiction.

It was progressive writers such as Ahmed Ali who introduced realism, objectivity, class-struggle and social and economic woes of the teeming millions, hitherto largely ignored, to Urdu prose. Though Munshi Prem Chand had written short stories and novels that were a protest against the abject poverty, social injustices and exploitative capitalist economy, Ahmed Ali was the first to write creative fiction with a deep sense of social injustices and understanding of the Marxist philosophy.

To convey their message of the Marxist philosophy to the people, Urdu short story was the chosen genre of the progressives. Progressivism and Urdu short story reached the pinnacle of their popularity in the subcontinent hand in hand, pushing Urdu poetry’s most popular genre ‘ghazal’ to the backburner with its traditional ideas of love, albeit only to see ‘ghazal’ stage a comeback with a classical diction that had contemporary political connotations. In fact, some critics, Ali Jawad Zaidi, for instance, believe that it was Urdu short story that heralded the birth of progressivism in the subcontinent. Even today, short story is the most favoured genre of Urdu fiction and it owes much of its popularity to those who made it a tool to express modern sensibility and contemporary political and social trends, and the list includes Prof Ahmed Ali as one of the pioneers.

His English novel ‘Twilight in Delhi’ (1940) portrayed the old but empty mannerism and the fading culture of Delhi. Its translation ‘Dilli ki shaam’ was published in 1963. The collection of his short stories include ‘Shole’ (1936), ‘Hamari gali’ (1943), ‘Qaid khana’ (1944), ‘Maut se pehle’ (1945). ‘Ghalib: selected poems’, ‘Maxim Gorki as a short story writer’ and ‘Problem of style and technique in Ghalib’ are some of his critical works published in English. ‘The golden tradition’ is an anthology of selected and translated Urdu poetry published by the Columbia University Press with a scholarly introduction by Ahmed Ali. Many of his books and English translations of Urdu poetry were published abroad and, as a result, most of his countrymen remained unaware of many of his precious works.

What created particular interest and curiosity was his English translation of the Quran which many saw as a remarkable deviation from his well-known stance, though he had much earlier disassociated himself from the progressive writers and had made his disagreement clear in an article published in a magazine named ‘Manzil’.

Prof Ahmed Ali died in Karachi on January 14, 1994.

drraufparekh@yahoo.com

Faraz continues to encourage the dispossessed

ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: Ahmad Faraz continues to live in people’s memory, which was a tribute to his greatness as a poet. The latest edition of the well-known Urdu literary magazine Mah-i-Nau is devoted to studies on his life, work and art.

The Information Ministry’s Films and Publications Department, which has been bringing it out for the last half century or more, launched the exclusive edition on Monday to celebrate Ahmad Faraz’s (1913-2008) contribution to both resistance literature and romantic lyricism on his 78th birthday.

“Poets of distinction are always present among us to guide us and it ill befits any person to suggest that Faraz had passed away”, said Sajida Jafar, Director-general of the Department.

Senior journalist and noted human rights activist, I.A. Rahman, speaking as the chief guest, said that Faraz continued to encourage the dispossessed humanity not to succumb to fear because the dark night was bound to end. He said that Faraz’s work was universal, as it had no religious and ethnic overtones. Its profound message concerned the common people and their lot in an unjust society.

Mr Rehman said Faraz believed in democracy and social justice like Faiz and Habib Jalib and had equal recognition in the hearts of young generation due to his romantic ballads.

Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan paid tributes to the poet for supporting the lawyers’ movement and condemning those who were opposing the independence of judiciary. “I feel proud to say that Faraz participated in the lawyers’ long march despite illness. It really encouraged and inspired us in our struggle for restoration of democracy”, he added.

His support was a signal that those who opposed the lawyers were wrong and could not be trusted as politicians.

He quoted a verse from a poem dedicated to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, which said that those who carve wooden cross ultimately end up on the crucifix, as well as the lines: zabt laazim hai magar dukh ha qiamat ka Faraz/zaalim aab bhi na roya gar to mar jaye ga.

Aitzaz said he remembered these lines when he reached Naudero after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Faraz went to jail and suffered tortures for the supremacy of the Constitution but never bowed before any dictator.

Barrister Masud Kausar said his brother Faraz inherited the love of poetry from his father whom the late Z.A. Bokhari had asked to permit him to take the young poet to Karachi for grooming his talent. But, Faraz rose to heights of fame without anybody’s help.

In Barrister Kausar’s estimate, Faraz’s journey for eternal liberty of mankind was reflected in his two poems Lakhtai and Bano ke Naam.

He said Faraz was inspired from their father who was also a polyglot poet and composed verses in Pashto, Persian and Urdu.

Poet Shabnam Shakeel said that Faraz’s lyricism and his love poetry also deserved to be mentioned as it constituted the main body of his work. She then recited a poem depicting the magic of his love poetry. Poet Hasan Raza also read a touching poem in tribute. Dr Ayesha Siddiqa and Mansha Yad also paid tributes to Faraz.

A number of poet’s admirers and friends, including Faraz’s sons were also present at this largely attended function.

The 410-page issue is a collectors’ item, containing scores of coloured pictures, including reprinting of about half a dozen sketches by artist Abro and taken from Dawn’s ‘Books and Authors’ section. It includes a hundred plus ghazals sent for publication by Faraz’s admirers.

According to Sajida Jafar, the DFP had launched a poetry competition on Faraz, which was then edited by poet Parto Rohilla.

However, many people attending Faraz’s commemoration meeting thought it was PPP government’s official acknowledgement of Faraz’s poetical eminence as well as his station among celebrated writers’ of Urdu literature in contemporary times.

The DFP’s function was a sequel to the publication of a special issue of Pakistan Academy of Letters bi-annual journal, Adbiyat, devoted to Faraz.

One remembers that a few years ago, Faraz used to be the Managing Director of National Book Foundation (NBF), until he was relieved of his post as punishment for denouncing those in authority for usurping human rights.

The writers’ community is now waiting for the NBF to issue an exclusive edition of its quarterly journal Kitab.

In a separate function held at the residence of Faraz’s friend Mansur Javed, writers and friends paid tribute to the great poet. “We celebrate Faraz’s birth day every year and we thought we should do this year also”, remarked Mansur Javed.

Those who attended the function were: Shabnam Shakeel, Sarwat Mohyuddin, Naushi Gilani, Faraz’s wife Rehana, sons Saadi and Shibli, Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik, Agha Nasir, Haleem Qureshi, Mahbub Zafar, Naveed Zaidi, Hasan Sardar, Sarmad Sehbai, and Syed Khan.

In the morning, they visited the Islamabad graveyard at H-8 to lay floral wreath on Faraz’s grave.

—Jonaid Iqbal