Posted on February 24th, 2008 by adil
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178
SHAMSUR RAHMAN FARUQI
aN iNCIDENT IN lAHORE*
(TRANS L ATOR’ S NOTE : iT IS BOTH EXIGENT AND STIMULATING FOR ME AS A
DAUGHTER AND SCHOLAR TO FACE THE DUAL COMPLEXITIES OF WRITING ABOUT
MY FATHER AND TRANSLATING HIS WORK. tHOUGH IT IS DECIDEDLY CHALLENGING
FOR ME TO REMAIN OBJECTIVE, THE WORLD OF CONTEMPORARY URDU LITERATURE
AND ITS READERSHIP HAS MADE UP ITS MIND ABOUT sHAMSUR rAHMAN
FARUQI. tHEREFORE, i FEEL AT EASE SPEAKING POSITIVELY ABOUT HIS WORK.
PART OF MY OWN PROJECT IS TO BRING TO A WIDER AUDIENCE CONTEMPORARY
CRITICAL THOUGHT AND FICTION PUBLISHED IN URDU SINCE 1940.
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI (1936‒ ) ENTERED THE WORLD OF URDU LITERATURE
AS THE PROVERBIAL OUTSIDER AND EMERGED AS THE LEADER OF THE
MODERNIST TREND IN URDU, A THEORETICIAN WITH A UNIQUE VISION AND VAST
ERUDITION. iT IS A LESSER KNOWN FACT THAT HE STARTED HIS CAREER AS A SHORT
STORY WRITER AND PLANNED TO WRITE A NOVELóA DREAM THAT HE RECENTLY
FULFILLED WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE HISTORICAL ROMANCE KAʾī ČāND Tẖē
sAR-E ĀSMāñ (KARACHI: sCHEHERZADE, 2006), A NOVEL OF EPIC PROPORTIONS
IN EVERY SENSE OF THE TERM.
aFTER COMPLETING HIS CRITICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ENTIRE RANGE OF
URDU POETRY IN HIS FOUR-VOLUME STUDY OF THE SOUL STIRRING POETRY OF mīR
tAQī mīR (sHEʿR-E sHōR-aNGēZ), FARUQI PERHAPS FELT THAT HE STILL NEEDED
TO PUT DOWN IN WRITING MORE OF THE ENORMOUS KNOWLEDGE HE HAD FILED
AWAY OVER HIS THIRTY SOME YEARS OF CRITICAL THINKING, ALTHOUGH, THIS TIME,
IN A DIFFERENT MEDIUM. aS HE SAYS IN THE INTRODUCTION TO HIS FIRST
COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES, sAVāR AUR dūSRē aFSāNē, HE HAD WRITTEN SO
MUCH ON GHāLIB BY WAY OF LITERARY CRITICISM THAT IF HE WAS TO WRITE
SOMETHING MORE ON GHāLIB IT HAD TO BE IN A QUITE DIFFERENT VEIN, AND
WHAT COULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE YET DIFFERENT THAN AN AFSāNA OR STORY
ABOUT GHāLIB AND HIS TIMES; HENCE, THE SHORT STORY ìGHāLIB aFSāNA.î HE
PUBLISHED IT UNDER THE ASSUMED NAME OF bēNī māDẖAV rUSVā IN THE
JOURNAL sHAB KHūN. tHE STORY CREATED A STIR AMONG URDU READERS
*ìlāHAUR Kā ēK ffāQIʿAî IS FROM sAVāR AUR dūSRē aFSāNē (KARACHI: ĀJ Kī
KITāBēñ, 2001), 333–51.
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 179
BECAUSE OF THE SWEEP OF ITS SCHOLARLY AND LINGUISTIC BRILLIANCE. tHERE
WAS SPECULATION ABOUT WHO COULD HAVE PENNED THIS REMARKABLE PIECE
OF FICTION. tHE ìGHāLIB aFSāNAî IS THE SECOND IN THE SERIES OF HIS REAPPEARANCE
AS A FICTION WRITER. tHE FIRST, ìlāHAUR Kā ēK ffāQIʿA,î WAS
PUBLISHED UNDER THE ASSUMED NAME ʿUMAR sHAIKH mIRZā. ìlāHAUR Kā
ēK ffāQIʿAî IS A STORY THAT IS SUSPENDED BETWEEN A NIGHTMARE AND AN
ACTUAL INCIDENT. iT IS NARRATED IN STREAM-OF-CONSCIOUSNESS STYLE, STRADDLING
THE LINE THAT BLURS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AFSāNA (STORY) AND
ḥAQīQAT (TRUTH). iT IS A STORY EMBEDDED IN A NARRATIVE THAT CLAIMS TO BE
PART OF AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY THAT THE NARRATOR IS WRITING. iT IS ABOUT MEMORY,
DREAMS, REALITY AND AWARENESS.
oF THE STORIES IN sAVāR, i CHOSE TO TRANSLATE ìlāHAUR Kā ēK ffāQIʿAî
BECAUSE, FRANKLY SPEAKING, IT SEEMED THE ONE LESS CHALLENGING TO
TRANSLATE. i MIGHT ADD HERE THAT i HAVE CONSULTED MY FATHER ON THE
TRANSLATION AND HAVE BENEFITED FROM HIS SUGGESTIONS.)
iT HAPPENED IN 1937. iN THOSE DAYS i LIVED IN lAHORE.
oNE DAY IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT i SHOULD GO VISIT aLLAMA iQBAL. i USED
TO OWN A BEIGE-COLORED aMBASSADOR CAR. i DROVE IT TO aLLAMA sAHIBíS BUNGALOW.
i DIDNíT KNOW THE HOUSE NUMBER OR THE EXACT DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO
GET THERE, BUT i HAD A GOOD IDEA WHERE mClEOD rOAD WAS AND ALSO THAT HE
LIVED ON THAT STREET, SO i WAS ABLE TO FIND HIS HOUSE WITHOUT MUCH
DIFFICULTY.
tHE STREET SEEMED UNUSUALLY DUSTY. tHE FOOTPATH, OR LETíS SAY THE
BROAD STRIP OF LAND ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAS DRY AND COVERED IN
DUST. tHE GATE OF THE BUNGALOW WAS MADE OF WOOD AND VERY HIGH. iT WAS
PLATED WITH A GREY TIN, OR MAYBE IRON, SHEET WHICH MADE IT SEEM HEAVY
AND MYSTERIOUS. tHE GATE WAS OPEN AND i COULD CLEARLY SEE THE SHORT
DRIVEWAY CURVING TOWARDS THE MAIN HOUSE. tHE HOUSE WAS BIG AND GRAND
BUT OLD AND RUNDOWN. oNE COULD, EVEN FROM THE STREET, DISCERN THE SIGNS
OF PATCHY REPAIR AND THE SINGLE NEW ADDITION TO THE BUILDING. i RECALLED
iHSAN dANISHíS POEM ìʿaLLāMA iQBāL Kī KōÅẖīî (aLLAMA iQBALíS bUNGALOW)
THAT HAD BEEN PUBLISHED A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE IN ONE OF THE
MAGAZINES, KHAIYāM OR ʿĀLAMGīR. tHE POEM EXPRESSED SADNESS AND
REGRET AT THE DILAPIDATED STATE OF THE BUNGALOW. tHE LAST COUPLET WAS:
iḥSāN, i HEAR THE HOUSE HAS NOW BEEN REPAIRED,
i WILL GO SOMETIME AND VISIT THERE, ONCE AGAIN.
i STOOD DEBATING WITH MYSELF WHETHER TO TAKE THE CAR INSIDE OR LEAVE IT
180 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
BY THE SIDEWALK. i THOUGHT THAT THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER CAR PARKED IN THE
PORTICO AND IF i LEFT MINE IN THE DRIVEWAY IT MIGHT BLOCK SOMEONEíS PATH.
sO i LEFT MY CAR BY THE SIDE OF THE STREET AND GOT OUT. aT THAT POINT i NOTICED
THERE WERE TWO OR THREE STALLSóTHE KIND THAT CIGARETTE OR PAAN SHOPKEEPERS
HAVEóON THE SIDEWALK ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME. tHERE WAS A CROWD
OF YOUNG MEN AND LOAFERS GATHERED AROUND THEM AND THERE WERE SOME
FAIRLY YOUNG BOYS THERE TOO. i WAS DISPLEASED TO SEE THEM WASTING THEIR
TIME AT PAAN SHOPS INSTEAD OF STUDYING AT THE SCHOOL.
i WAS LOCKING UP MY CAR WHEN FIVE OR SIX YOUNG BOYS SUDDENLY RAN
ACROSS THE ROAD AND CAME TOWARDS ME. FROM THEIR DEMEANOR AND THE WAY
THEY WERE GESTURING, i PRESUMED THEY WERE ASKING FOR SOMETHING. i SAID TO
MYSELF THAT THIS WAS WORSE THAN WASTING TIME. tHESE KIDS SEEM TO BE
PROFESSIONAL BEGGARS. tHEY MUST BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF SOME ORGANIZED
CRIMINAL GROUP THAT MADE BEGGARS OF CHILDREN AND RUINED THEIR LIVES.
bEFORE i COULD PULL MY CAR KEYS OUT OF THE LOCK, FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM, ALONG
WITH A THIN, MEAN, EVIL-LOOKING MAN, HAD ARRIVED BY MY SIDE, THEIR HANDS
JUST INCHES AWAY FROM MY JACKET.
i WAS HORRIFIED TO REALIZE THAT THESE BOYS WERE NOT BEGGARS OR ILLITERATE
VAGRANTS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. tHEY SEEMED TO BE PROFESSIONALS, THE
SORT THAT SELL THEIR BODIES. i SAID TO MYSELF, ìGOD HAVE MERCY, WHATíS GOING
ON HERE? aM i DREAMING?î iT WAS BROAD DAYLIGHT IN A DECENT NEIGHBORHOOD
OF A BUSY CITY, AND HERE WERE THESE CRIMINAL BOYS?
nOW IT DAWNED ON ME THAT THOSE HANDS WERE NOT ANGLING FOR MY COAT
POCKETS, THEY WANTED TO GRAB THE EDGE OF MY JACKET, THEY WANTED TO STRIKE
A DEAL WITH ME. tHESE TEN- OR TWELVE-YEAR OLDSí EYES HELD NO INNOCENCE.
rATHER, THEY HAD THE GLINT OF A STRANGE, EVIL LOOK. tHEIR FACES BORE A MATURITY
AND UNATTRACTIVE INSIPIDNESS THAT EVEN ADULTS SELDOM POSSESS.
dISGUSTED, i PUSHED THEM ASIDE AND MOVED AWAY QUICKLY, BUT THEY FOLLOWED
BEHIND. GOD FORBID! sUCH THINGS DONíT HAPPEN EVEN IN THE MOST
SENSATIONAL FICTION. ìiS THIS REALLY HAPPENING OR AM i GOING MAD?î i THOUGHT
TO MYSELF. tHEN i MADE A NOT QUITE GIGANTIC LEAP, GOT AWAY FROM THAT
CROWD AND WENT THROUGH THE GATE TOWARDS THE aLLAMAíS BUNGALOW.
tHANK GOD, THOSE ROGUES DIDNíT DARE TO COME INSIDE. tHE GATES WERE
OPEN, YET THOSE BOYS STOPPED BY THE POST AS THOUGH STRUCK BY AN ELECTRIC
CURRENT. i RAN TOWARDS THE PORTICO, FLICKING DIRT OFF MY CLOTHES AND HANDS IN
HATEFULNESS AND REVULSION.
i HONESTLY CANíT RECALL THE DETAILS OF MY MEETING WITH THE aLLAMA. aLL i
REMEMBER, AND VAGUELY AT THAT, IS THAT HE RECEIVED ME WITH GREAT KINDNESS.
fiHEN i RANG THE BELL, AN OLD MAN, WHOSE APPEARANCE SUGGESTED TO ME
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 181
THAT HE WAS SOMETHING BETWEEN A DISTANT RELATIVE AND A BUTLER, ANSWERED
THE DOOR AT ONCE. i GAVE HIM MY NAME AND HE WENT INSIDE AND RETURNED
WITHIN SECONDS TO CONVEY THE INFORMATION THAT aLLAMA sAHIB WAS RECEIVING
VISITORS IN THE DRAWING ROOM (CALLED, FOR SOME REASON, ìTHE ROUND ROOMî IN
URDU) AND ASKED ME TO STEP INSIDE. i HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF WHAT WE
TALKED ABOUT. i WAS AN ENGINEER WITH THE RAILWAYS, WAS INTERESTED IN
POETRY (STILL AM), AND KNEW MANY POEMS OF THE aLLAMA BY HEART, BUT
BESIDES MY FASCINATION WITH POETRY, i POSSESSED NOTHING THAT WOULD MAKE
ME WORTHY OF HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE aLLAMA. i DO REMEMBER VERY
WELL THAT THE aLLAMA TOOK CARE NOT TO MAKE ME FEEL THAT OUR MEETING WAS A
WASTE OF HIS TIME. nOR DID HE BROACH A SUBJECT THAT WOULD MAKE ME AWARE
OF MY OWN IGNORANCE.
mY VISIT LASTED HALF AN HOUR. tHEN i MADE MY SALAAMS AND TOOK MY
LEAVE. aLLAMA sAHIB STEPPED OUT OF THE ROOM TO BID ME FAREWELL. iT DID
CROSS MY MIND TO REQUEST HIM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE CROWD OF EVIL
URCHINS WHO HUNG OUT JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM HIS BUNGALOW GATE, BUT i
COULDNíT SUMMON THE COURAGE TO SAY IT. HOW DID IT CONCERN HIM ANYWAY?
tHIS WAS A MATTER FOR THE POLICE TO TAKE CARE OF. PERHAPS THE aLLAMA WASNíT
EVEN AWARE OF THE KIND OF CROWD THAT HUNG AROUND THOSE STALLS ACROSS THE
STREET.
fiHEN i EMERGED FROM THE PORTICO, i NOTICED A GREY-COLORED, SOMEWHAT
WEATHER-BEATEN aUSTIN a40 PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. iT COULDNíT HAVE
BEEN THE aLLAMAíS BECAUSE i HAD HEARD HE OWNED A LARGE-SIZED FORD.
aNYWAY, IT MUST BE SOME VISITOR, i SAID TO MYSELF, SO IT WAS GOOD THAT i HAD
PARKED MY OWN CAR OUTSIDE.
i CAME OUT, EUPHORIC FROM THE MEETING WITH aLLAMA iQBAL. FOR A
MOMENT, i HAD FORGOTTEN THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF ENCOUNTERING THOSE
URCHINS AGAIN, BUT UPON REACHING THE ROAD, i WAS STUNNED, COMPLETELY
TAKEN ABACK. a NUMBER OF THEM WERE STANDING BY MY CAR, THEY HAD EVEN
PUSHED THE CAR AROUND FOR IT WAS NOW FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. i
WAS STILL IN SOMETHING OF A SHOCK WHEN i SUMMONED THE COURAGE TO WALK
TOWARDS THE CAR WHILE THOSE WICKED BOYS WERE PRACTICALLY CLINGING TO ME.
tHEIR BODIES EMITTED A STRANGE ANIMAL-LIKE ODOR MINGLED WITH THE SMELL OF
RANCID OIL. i HADNíT YET MADE UP MY MIND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM, WHEN A
TALL, THIN MAN DRESSED IN A LONG YELLOW SHIRT THAT WAS QUITE SOILED, AND A
MATCHING SHALWAR, LEAPT TOWARDS ME. bAREFACED INSOLENCE AND A LACK OF
MORALITY WAS WRIT LARGE ON HIS FACE, SO LARGE, IN FACT, THAT i INSTINCTIVELY
RECOILED AS THOUGH i HAD TOUCHED SOMETHING WET AND GOOEY. aT THAT TIME,
i WAS FACING THE ROAD AND HE WAS ON MY LEFT, FACING THE SIDEWALK.
fiHEN i TRIED TO TURN AROUND AND KICK HIM, HE ATTEMPTED TO TRIP ME BY
182 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
PUTTING OUT HIS LEG. bUT, GOD BE PRAISED, HIS LEG BECAME ENTANGLED WITH
MINE IN SUCH A WAY THAT HE LOST HIS BALANCE AND FELL WITH A SPLASH INTO THE
DEEP DRAIN BELOW THE SIDEWALK. GRABBING THIS OPPORTUNITY, i QUICKLY
OPENED THE CAR DOOR AND PRAYED IN MY HEART THAT THE CAR WOULD START
WITHOUT TROUBLE. mY PRAYERS WERE HEARD. aS SOON AS i TURNED THE IGNITION
KEY, THE ENGINE STARTED SMOOTHLY. i PUT THE CAR IN GEAR AND STEPPED HARD
ON THE ACCELERATOR.
tHE CAR MOVED FORWARD WITH A JOLT. mY INTENT WAS TO MOVE QUICKLY
FROM THE FIRST GEAR TO THE SECOND BECAUSE THE SECOND GEAR HAS BOTH PUSHING
AND ACCELERATING POWER. bUT WHEN i WENT INTO SECOND, i REALIZED THE
CAR WASNíT MOVING FORWARD MUCH. iT SEEMED AS IF SOME FORCE WAS HOLDING
IT BACK AND WAS IN FACT DRAGGING IT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. i LOOKED BACK
AND FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF THE URCHINS WERE HOLDING FAST TO THE BUMPER
AND THE TRUNK WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT, PREVENTING THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD.
sO HERE i WAS, FLOORING THE ACCELERATOR, AND THERE WERE TEN OR TWELVE
BOYS PULLING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WITH SO MUCH SUCCESS THAT THE CAR
WAS BARELY ABLE TO CRAWL FORWARD AT A SNAILíS PACE.
i HUNCHED MY SHOULDERS AND BENT MY HEAD AS IF THE DANGER WAS IN
FRONT OF ME, NOT BEHIND, AS IF i WAS ABOUT TO SLAM INTO SOMETHING WITH FULL
FORCE. bENDING MY HEAD AND STOOPING DOWN, i FOCUSED ALL MY MENTAL AND
PHYSICAL RESOLVE ON ACCELERATING THE CAR SO i COULD SHAKE OFF THE GROUP OF
BOYS AND GET AWAY. bUT, GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW MUCH STRENGTH THOSE FILTHY
DEVILS MUSTERED AT THE TIME. mY FIFTEEN HORSEPOWER ENGINE, COUPLED WITH
MY OWN DETERMINATION, WERE PROVING FUTILE. tHE CAR WAS CRAWLING, ONLY
JUST. bEFORE i HAD BARELY COVERED FIFTY OR A HUNDRED YARDS, i WAS CONVINCED
THE CAR WAS GOING TO STALL VERY SOON, OR THE POWER OF THOSE URCHINS THEMSELVES
WOULD SIMPLY PREVENT IT FROM MOVING AHEAD.
bY NOW i WAS CLOSE TO A BREAKDOWN MYSELF. i KEPT THINKING OVER AND
OVER THAT THIS CAR WHICH i HAD IMAGINED WOULD BE ENOUGH TO PROTECT ME
AND BE THE VEHICLE OF MY DELIVERANCE COULD BECOME A NOOSE AROUND MY
NECK OR A NET OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. iF i REMAINED INSIDE THE CAR, IN THE
SPACE OF A FEW MINUTES THIS DEVILISH HORDE WOULD STOP ME FROM GETTING
AWAY. tHEY WOULD PULL ME OUT OF THE CAR AND GOD KNOWS WHAT THEY
WOULD DO TO ME THEN. tHE MAN i HAD PUSHED INTO THE GUTTER MIGHT ACTUALLY
CUT ME INTO PIECES AND SCATTER MY BODY ALL OVER THE PLACE.
(nOW AFTER MANY YEARS, AS i WRITE THESE LINES, i REALIZE THAT MY LOGICAL
BRAIN, WHICH THE PHYSIOLOGISTS CALL THE ìRIGHT BRAIN,î WAS NUMB AND i WAS
UNDER THE CONTROL OF MY LEFT BRAIN. tHE LEFT BRAIN, WHICH IS ALSO CALLED THE
ìREPTILIAN BRAIN,î IS COMMON TO HUMANS, CRAWLING AND EGG-LAYING ANIMALS.
iT HAS BEEN SAID THAT IN THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION IT TOOK TENS OF
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 183
MILLIONS OF YEARS FOR THIS BRAIN TO EVOLVE, AND BECAUSE IT EVOLVED FROM
CRAWLING TO EGG-LAYING ANIMALS TO HUMANS IT IS ALSO CALLED THE REPTILIAN
BRAIN. oUR FUNDAMENTAL AND BASER EMOTIONS ARE THE PRODUCT OF THIS BRAIN:
LUST, FEAR, HUNGER, OPPRESSION, SAFETY, THE FLIGHT INSTINCT, ETC., ALL ARE A
PRODUCT OF THIS BRAIN. iT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT IN MOST CRIMINALS, ESPECIALLY
MURDERERS AND RAPISTS, THE LEFT BRAIN IS MORE DOMINANT THAN THE RIGHT
BRAIN. sINCE IT IS LOCATED IN THE LOWER LEFT PART OF THE SKULL, IT IS CALLED THE
ìLEFT BRAIN.î tHE RIGHT BRAIN EVOLVED OVER TENS OF MILLIONS OF YEARS: LOGIC,
FAR-SIGHTEDNESS AND INTELLIGENCE ARE ITS ABILITIES. tHE LEFT BRAIN HAS NO
INTEREST IN LOGIC, INTELLIGENCE OR REMORSE, AND WHEN IT BECOMES DOMINANT
IT SUSPENDS THE ABILITY TO THINK OR REASON. iT HAS ALSO BEEN FOUND THAT IN
SOME TYPES OF MENTAL ILLNESS, THE LEFT BRAIN BECOMES DOMINANT OVER THE
RIGHT BRAIN.)
aNYWAY, RIGHT NOW MY ONLY CONCERN WAS TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND
ESCAPE. iF THE CAR IS NO LONGER A SANCTUARY, THERE MUST BE A WAY TO ESCAPE
BY GETTING OUT OF ITóIN ANY CASE, THIS WAS MY LOGIC. bUT HOW i WOULD LEAVE
THE CAR AND WHERE, i HAD NO IDEA.
sUDDENLY, i FELT STRANGELY APPREHENSIVE. tHE STREET WAS TOTALLY DESERTED.
tHE EMPTY, DESOLATE ROAD SEEMED DEAFENINGLY SILENT. a LINE FROM
KABIR CAME TO MIND: aN EMPTY CITY STOOD AWFUL ALL AROUND. mClEOD rOAD
HAD NEVER BEEN A BUSY THOROUGHFARE, BUT IT WAS NEVER ENTIRELY DESERTED
EITHER. oNE OR TWO CARS WOULD CERTAINLY PASS BY EVERY OTHER MINUTE. a
SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE aLLAMAíS PLACE WAS THE GRAND MANSION OF HIS WELLKNOWN
FRIEND sIR JOGINDER sINGH. tHERE WERE ALWAYS ONE OR TWO GUARDS
POSTED AT HIS GATE. aT A SHORT DISTANCE FROM sIR JOGINDERíS BUNGALOW WAS
bAHRAMJI KHUDAIJIíS STORE, LOCATED IN A RESIDENTIAL TYPE OF BUILDING. tHEY
STOCKED HIGH QUALITY FOREIGN LIQUOR AND CIGARS. fiHITEWAY-lAIDLAWíS
SUMPTUOUS TWO-STORIED STOREFRONT WAS A COUPLE OF FURLONGS FROM THERE.
sEVERAL CARS AND MANY CARRIAGES WERE ALWAYS SEEN PARKED IN FRONT OF THIS
STORE. GOD KNOWS WHY NEITHER THOSE MANSIONS NOR STORES WERE IN VIEW. iN
FACT, THERE WASNíT A TRAFFIC POLICEMAN AT THE CROSSROADS.
(nOW THAT i THINK ABOUT IT, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT MY SPEED WAS SO SLOW
IT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS ìA SNAILíS PACE.î tHE BUILDINGS AND STORES i
HAVE MENTIONED ABOVE MUST HAVE BEEN SEVERAL FURLONGS AHEAD. sO HOW
COULD THEY BE VISIBLE FROM WHERE i WAS? bUT AS i HAVE SAID, AT THAT TIME THE
REPTILIAN BRAIN, NOT MY HUMAN BRAIN, WAS IN CONTROL. i AM CONVINCED THAT
HAD i FOUND THE COURAGE AND CONTINUED DRIVING AT WHATEVER SPEED WAS
POSSIBLE, i WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE REACHED SOME SAFE OR POPULATED NEIGHBORHOOD
WITHIN FIVE OR TEN MINUTES: MY PURSUERS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO TOUCH ME. tHEY COULDNíT HAVE ENTIRELY PREVENTED THE CAR FROM
184 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
MOVING. iF THEY HAD TRIED TO ATTACK ME THROUGH THE WINDOWS, THEY WOULD
HAVE HAD TO LET GO OF THE CAR, AND IN THE MEANTIME i COULD HAVE INCREASED
MY SPEED AND FREED MYSELF FROM THE DANGER. bUT AT THAT TIME i FELT THAT THE
CAR WAS LIKE A DEATH CELL: IF i REMAINED IN THE CAR, i WOULD SURELY BE KILLED.)
i THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT IF i COULD FIND A STOUT POLE OR A WALL SOMEWHERE,
i COULD DASH THE CAR AGAINST IT. tHE SOUND OF THE COLLISION WOULD AT
LEAST ATTRACT A FEW PEOPLE, MAYBE EVEN A POLICEMAN, OR PERHAPS i WOULD
BE INJURED OR BECOME UNCONSCIOUS AND THEN THIS GANG OF GHOULS WOULD
SURELY LET GO OF ME. aT THAT TIME, IT DIDNíT OCCUR TO MY REPTILIAN BRAIN THAT IN
ORDER TO HAVE A REAL ACCIDENT THERE HAS TO BE SPEED. mY SPEED MUST HAVE
BEEN AROUND FIVE MILES AN HOUR AND A PERSON NEEDS TO BE GOING AT LEAST
TWENTY OR TWENTY-FIVE FOR A SATISFACTORY ACCIDENT. iT ALSO DIDNíT OCCUR TO ME
THAT i WOULD BE COMPLETELY AT THEIR MERCY IF i WAS INJURED OR BECAME
UNCONSCIOUS. tHEY COULD TAKE ME ANYWHERE ON THE PRETEXT OF GOING TO THE
HOSPITAL. oR, THEY MIGHT INJURE ME FURTHER RIGHT THERE. i CONSIDER IT MY
GOOD FORTUNE THAT i DIDNíT THEN SEE ANY OBJECT TO CRASH MY CAR AGAINST AND
CARRY OUT MY PLAN.
aT THAT MOMENT, i REALIZED THE REPULSIVE MAN IN THE GRUBBY YELLOW
SHIRT WAS ALSO HELPING THE URCHINS STALLING MY CAR. ìiíLL NEVER BE ABLE TO
ESCAPE NOW,î i THOUGHT. aLTHOUGH THE SPEED OF THE CAR HADNíT BEEN
AFFECTED MUCH YET, i WAS CONVINCED THE MAN IN THE DIRTY SHIRT WOULD RISK
HIS VERY LIFE TO STOP THE CAR.
ìHOW LONG CAN A MOTHER GOAT HOPE TO KEEP HER KID?î i THOUGHT. i WAS
REMINDED OF A SERVANT OF MY LATE FATHERíS WHO HAD AN APPROPRIATE, ALBEIT
SLIGHTLY COMICAL, COUPLET FOR SUCH OCCASIONS:
HOW LONG WILL THE BABY MANGOES SHELTER BEHIND THE
LEAVES?
oNE DAY AFTER ALL, THEYíLL GROW INTO FULL MANGOES
aND BE SOLD IN THE MARKET.
nORMALLY, i WOULD SMILE WHEN i RECALLED THE COUPLET, BUT TODAY i FELT
LIKE CRYING. FURTHERMORE, AT THAT TIME i SAW MY CHILDHOOD IN A ROSY-PINKAND-
ORANGE LIGHT, FULL OF HOPE AND AROUSING DESIRES FOR SUCCESS, EVEN
THOUGH IN REALITY MY CHILDHOOD HAD BEEN RATHER UNHAPPY AND NOT WORTH
REMEMBERING.
(iT IS SAID THAT ONCE bISMIL sAʿIDI TOLD JOSH mALIHABADI, ìJOSH sAHIB,
WERE YOUR POETRY NOT LACKING JUST A LITTLE BIT IN THE MOODS OF PAIN AND
SORROWFUL THOUGHTS, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EVEN GREATER POET.î JOSH
REPLIED, ì¢ERTAINLY NOT. mY POETRY IS NOT LACKING IN PAIN AND SORROWFUL
THOUGHTS. JUST LISTEN TO THIS COUPLET:
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 185
tHE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE,
tHOSE THAT TELL OF MY WEEPING.î
oN HEARING THIS, bISMIL sAʿIDI BURST OUT LAUGHING AND SAID: ìbY GOD,
JOSH sAHIB, i NEVER HEARD A BETTER COUPLET ON THE THEME OF CHILDHOOD!î
aNYWAY, FORGET ABOUT JOSH sAHIB AND bISMIL sAHIB, THE TRUTH IS THAT MY
CHILDHOOD WAS SPENT BEING THRASHED BY THOSE OLDER THAN ME AND HOWLING
AT THOSE THRASHINGS.) oN THE VERGE OF TEARS, i THOUGHT TO MYSELF, ìi WISH i
WAS SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS OLD, SO THAT i WASNíT IN THIS CAR, IN THIS STATE,
WHERE MY HONOR AND MY LIFE ARE AT STAKE. aFTER ALL, i HAVENíT HARMED
ANYONE, HAVE i?î
i WAS THEN REMINDED OF MY CHILDHOOD DAYS WHEN i WAS SCOLDED OR
BEATEN FOR EVERY LITTLE THING, OFTEN WITHOUT REASON. aND IF THERE WAS A REASON,
THEN MY INNOCENT LITTLE BRAIN WASNíT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS.
iN THOSE DAYS MY SMALL BRAIN WOULD CONCLUDE: tHERE DOESNíT HAVE TO BE A
REASON FOR EVERYTHING. lATER ON, AFTER i UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
CAUSE AND REASON, i CONCLUDED THAT IF ONE KNOWS THE CAUSE OF SOMETHING,
IT DOESNíT FOLLOW THAT ONE CAN ALSO DETERMINE THE REASON. FOR EXAMPLE, A
PERSON IS MURDERED AND AFTER EXAMINING THE BODY THE CONCLUSION IS
REACHED THAT HIS DEATH WAS CAUSED BY A BULLET FROM A PISTOL. tHIS IS SIMPLY
THE CAUSE OF THE MURDER, IT DOESNíT TELL US THE REASON.
aT THAT MOMENT, THE CAUSE FOR MY LIFE BEING AT RISK WAS THAT i WAS AT A
CERTAIN PLACE AT A CERTAIN TIME. iF i HADNíT BEEN THERE, THIS WOULDNíT HAVE
BEEN THE CASE, BUT THERE WAS SOME REASON FOR MY BEING THERE, AND THERE
MUST HAVE BEEN A CAUSE FOR THAT REASON, AND A CAUSE FOR THAT CAUSE Ö
sO, IS THE WHOLE WORLD MERELY A TALE OF CAUSES? iS THERE NO REASON? oR,
PERHAPS, WEíVE COME HERE FOR SOME REASON? mIR tAQI mIR WHISPERED IN MY
EAR: ì¢ONDITIONS AROSE THAT CAUSED ME TO BE HERE FOR MANY DAYS NOW.î
ìfiHAT CAUSES? fiHY WAS i BROUGHT OVER HERE? sO THAT i MIGHT BECOME A
VICTIM OF THESE YOUNG FLESH TRADERS, EVEN AS i RODE IN MY OWN CAR? tO
BECOME THE TARGET OF THE UNHOLY ACTIVITIES OF THEIR LEADER?î i WONDERED TO
MYSELF IN A STATE OF NEAR HYSTERIA.
sUDDENLY i HEARD A NOISE IN THE STREET FROM BEHIND THE CAR. iT SEEMED
AS IF SOME MORE PEOPLE HAD COME OUT TO HELP MY ENEMIES. tHE CARíS
SPEED SLOWED FURTHER. PERHAPS IT WAS MY IMAGINATION, BUT i DECIDED THAT
REMAINING THERE FOR EVEN ONE MORE MOMENT WAS AS GOOD AS INVITING SOME
CATASTROPHE. i RECALLED THAT MY DEVILISH PURSUERS HAD STAYED AWAY FROM THE
aLLAMAíS BUNGALOW. PERHAPS THEY WERE AFRAID OF GOING INTO HOMES? sO THE
BEST THING FOR ME WOULD BE TO STOP THE CAR BY THE SIDE OF SOME GATE IN
SUCH A WAY AS TO BLOCK THE GATE, JUMP OUT AND RUN FOR IT. bUT WHO WOULD i
186 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
RUN TO? fiONíT THESE PEOPLE POUNCE ON ME INSTANTLY AND GRAB HOLD OF ME? i
WAS THINKING ABOUT THESE POSSIBILITIES WHEN, ON MY SIDE OF THE ROAD, THAT
IS, ON THE LEFT SIDE, i CAUGHT SIGHT OF WHAT SEEMED TO BE A SAFE BUNGALOW.
ìGOTCHA!î i SAID TO MYSELF WITH JOY IN MY HEART.
fiITH A FORCEFUL JERK TO THE STEERING WHEEL, i TURNED THE CAR INTO THE
GATE AT AN ANGLE AND STOMPED ON THE BRAKE WITH ALL MY STRENGTH. tHE FORCE
OF MY SWINGING TO THE LEFT AND THE CLAMPING OF THE BRAKES MADE THE CAR
STALL AND STOP AT AN ANGLE IN THE CENTER OF THE GATE. mY PURSUERS, ALSO
UNABLE TO BEAR THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE OF THE SUDDEN MOVEMENT, FELL OFF AND
WERE THROWN ABOUT. i LOOKED BACK AND SAW THAT MY NEAREST PURSUER WAS AT
LEAST TEN OR TWELVE FEET BEHIND ME. i GRABBED THE IGNITION KEY AND RAN
BLINDLY TOWARD THE BUNGALOW. tHAT IS, i ENTERED WHAT i THOUGHT WAS MY
REFUGE.
a RATHER LARGE BUNGALOW, THOUGH SOMEWHAT DREARY LOOKING. tHERE
WAS NO SERVANT OR WATCHMAN OR EVEN A GARDENER AT THE FRONT. tHERE WAS A
VERANDAH WITH A HIGH PLINTH WITH OLD-FASHIONED EASY CHAIRS AND FROG CHAIRS
AND A DRESSING TABLE AGAINST THE WALL WITH A FULL LENGTH MIRROR. a HAT-STAND
STOOD BESIDE IT. i HADNíT THE TIME OR THE COURAGE TO STAY AND OBSERVE MORE.
dASHING ACROSS THE LENGTH OF THE VERANDAH, i SAW WHAT SEEMED TO BE A
ROOM AT THE END. tHE DOOR LEADING TO IT WAS SLIGHTLY AJAR SO i STEPPED
QUICKLY INSIDE AND DREW THE BOLTS.
tHERE WAS A FAINT SMELL OF DISINFECTANT IN THE ROOM. oPENING MY EYES
WIDE, i LOOKED AROUND AND REALIZED i WAS IN A BATHROOM. i FELT AROUND AND
FOUND THE LIGHT SWITCH. a YELLOWISH LIGHT CAME ON AND i SAW THAT IT WAS A
SPACE SEVEN OR EIGHT FEET IN LENGTH AND ABOUT THE SAME IN WIDTH WITH A
TOILET SEAT AND AN AREA FOR BATHING. iNSTEAD OF A DRY COMMODE, THERE WAS A
NEW-FASHIONED FLUSH SYSTEM WITH AN IRON CISTERN ABOVE; A CHAIN WAS
SUSPENDED FROM THE CISTERN. tHERE WERE VERY FEW BATHROOMS OF THIS STYLE
IN iNDIA AT THAT TIME. i WAS, HOWEVER, FAMILIAR WITH THEM BECAUSE TWO BIG
RAILWAY COMPANIES, THE GREAT iNDIAN PENINSULAR rAILWAY AND THE bOMBAY
bARODA & ¢ENTRAL iNDIA rAILWAY, HAD ORDERED SUCH BATHROOMS INSTALLED IN
THE FIRST-CLASS WAITING ROOMS. i WORKED FOR THE G. i. P. rAILWAY MYSELF.
i HAD A TERRIBLE URGE TO PEE. PERHAPS IT WAS ON ACCOUNT OF FEAR OR
MAYBE i REALLY NEEDED TO GO. i DIDNíT EXACTLY FEEL SAFE, BUT THE URGE TO
RELIEVE MYSELF WAS VERY STRONG AND i DIDNíT KNOW WHEN i WOULD NEXT HAVE
A CHANCE TO DO SO. i HAD BARELY TOUCHED MY TROUSER BELT WHEN A LOUD
INCESSANT POUNDING STARTED ON THE DOOR. GOD KNOWS IF THESE WERE MY
ENEMIES OR SOME MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD WHO SUSPECTED THERE WAS AN
INTRUDER IN THE BATHROOM. aNYWAY, i WAS IN NO CONDITION TO OPEN THE DOOR
AND COME OUT. aND THERE SEEMED NO POSSIBILITY OF REMAINING HIDDEN IN
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 187
THE BATHROOM EITHER. fiHERE WOULD i GO IF i CAME OUT? tHEN i GLANCED AT
THE OPPOSITE WALL AND NOTICED A DOOR. i DIDNíT CARE WHERE IT LED, IT WAS AN
ESCAPE ROUTE.
sOFTLY, i SLID THE BOLTS ON THE FAR DOOR. tHANK GOD, THE DOOR ISNíT
LOCKED ON THE OTHER SIDE, i THOUGHT TO MYSELF. iTíLL TAKE THEM LONGER TO
BREAK DOWN TWO DOORS, AND THE PANDEMONIUM CREATED BY THE BREAKING
DOORS WILL SURELY ATTRACT SOMEONEíS ATTENTION. aT THAT MOMENT i HAD FORGOTTEN
THAT THE DEVIL-HORDE COULDNíT ENTER ANY HOMES AND THEREFORE IT WAS
VERY LIKELY THAT THE PERSON OR PERSONS BEATING ON THE DOOR WERE CONNECTED
TO THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE.
fiHEN i CAME THROUGH THE DOOR i SAW THAT i WAS BACK IN THE SAME
VERANDAH AND THAT IT ACTUALLY EXTENDED MUCH FURTHER. oN MY RIGHT WAS AN
ENCLOSING WALL SO THE VERANDAH WAS NOW A CORRIDOR. rIGHT NEXT TO THE
BATHROOM DOOR WAS ANOTHER DOOR THAT MUST OPEN DIRECTLY OUTSIDE. tHE
DOOR WAS PARTIALLY OPEN AND THERE i COULD CLEARLY SEE THREE SERVANTS. tHEY
WERE SEATED ON THE DOORSTEP AND THE THRESHOLD, AND THEY WERE SO ABSORBED
IN GABBING THAT THEY WERENíT AWARE OF MY PRESENCE AT ALL. i DIDNíT
WANT TO DRAW THEIR ATTENTION EITHER.
i MUST HAVE CREPT ALONG STEALTHILY LIKE A CAT FOR SOME TEN YARDS WHEN i
NOTICED A DOOR THAT OPENED INTO THE HOUSE. tHEN i HEARD THE MUFFLED
SOUND OF THE BATHROOM DOOR CAVING IN SO i DIDNíT LINGER ANY LONGER AND
STEPPED INSIDE THE HOUSE.
oNCE AGAIN i WAS IN A HALL, A SPACIOUS HALL WITH ARCHWAYS. iT GAVE THE
IMPRESSION OF A HOUSE OF BUSY INHABITANTS. tWO WOMEN SAT ON A WIDE
BEDSTEAD FINELY CHOPPING SOME BETEL NUTS. i CANíT RECALL THEIR FACES OR THEIR
DRESS NOW. a PLUMP, SOFT-BODIED, FAIRLY GOOD-LOOKING MIDDLE-AGED
WOMAN WEARING A SARI WAS SEATED ON A LARGE PADDED FROG CHAIR NEAR THE
BEDSTEAD. aCROSS FROM HER, TWO RELATIVELY YOUNGER WOMEN SAT ON CHAIRS,
KNITTING. i JUDGED THAT THE MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN WAS THE ONE AMONG THEM
WITH SOME AUTHORITY AND i OFFERED MY GREETINGS TO HER. i THINK THAT FROM
MY BODY LANGUAGE AND SPEECH AND MY AIR OF BEING TOTALLY CONFUSED AND
RATTLED SHE SENSED THAT i WASNíT A VAGRANT OR A HOUSEBREAKER. tHE OTHER
WOMEN CERTAINLY SEEMED A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT THEY DIDNíT PROTEST OR RAISE
AN ALARM. PERHAPS THEY FELT SAFE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE OLDER WOMAN. sHE
DIDNíT RETURN MY GREETING. iNSTEAD SHE INQUIRED IN A COLD VOICE: ìfiHO ARE
YOU? HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE? GET OUT OF HERE AT ONCE.î sHE SEEMED MORE
ANNOYED THAN AFRAID.
ìFOR GODíS SAKE, GIVE ME SHELTER. iíM IN GRAVE DANGER,î i REPLIED IN A
WHISPER.
ìfiHY? aRE THE POLICE AFTER YOU?î
188 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
ìiíLL EXPLAIN LATER. tHERE ARE NO POLICE. iíM A RESPECTABLE ENGINEER.
sOME ROGUES ARE AFTER ME.î
ìrOGUES CHASE ROGUES. rESPECTABLE PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH
THEM. nOW GET OUT. aT ONCE. oR iíLL CALL THE SERVANTS.î
ìHOW WILL YOU FACE GOD IF iíM KILLED?î sUDDENLY THE IDEA FLASHED IN
MY MIND THAT THIS WOMAN, EVEN THOUGH SHE LOOKED HIGHLY RESPECTABLE,
WAS NOT THE LADY OF THE HOUSE. ìFOR GODíS SAKE TAKE ME TO SOME RESPONSIBLE
PERSON!î
mY ARROW HAD FOUND ITS MARK. sHE CHANGED HER POSTURE AND SAID,
ìrESPONSIBLE? fiHO ELSE IS RESPONSIBLE HERE? fiHAT IS YOUR STORY?î HER TONE
WAS SHARPER NOW; THE EMPHASIS WAS ON THE PRONOUN ìYOUR.î
HALTINGLY, i BEGAN TO TELL MY STORY. i WAS AFRAID THAT THE INCIDENT WAS
SO BIZARRE THEY WOULDNíT BELIEVE ME. iF SOMEONE NARRATED SUCH A TALE TO
ME, i WOULD CONSIDER IT MADMANíS CHATTER. tHIS APPREHENSION MADE MY
VOICE SOUND UNCONVINCING, EVEN TO MY OWN EARS, AND IT SEEMED MORE
IMPOSSIBLE THAN EVER. aNYWAY, THOSE PEOPLE APPEARED TO LISTEN ATTENTIVELY.
tHE TALE WASNíT EXACTLY LONG. iT WOULD TAKE ONLY A FEW MINUTES TO
FINISH SO i CONTINUED AND PRAYED IN MY HEART THAT THEY WOULD BELIEVE ME.
tHE DOOR THROUGH WHICH i HAD ENTERED REMAINED OPEN, AS BEFORE.
eVERYONE WAS ENGROSSED IN MY STORY. sUDDENLY THE MAN IN THE GRUBBY
YELLOW SHIRT WALKED IN, QUITE CASUALLY. HE HAD A LONG-BARRELED PISTOL IN HIS
HAND.
i RAN AND TRIED TO HIDE BEHIND THE OLDER WOMANíS CHAIR. tHE MAN
POINTED THE GUN STRAIGHT AT THE WOMAN AND SAID IN A STRANGELY ALOOF, COLD,
HARSH, AND EXTREMELY DERISIVE TONE: ì¢OME, TELL ME, WHAT AM i TO YOU?î
iNSTEAD OF ìYOU,î HE USED THE URDU EQUIVALENT OF THE FRENCH TU, INDICATING
FAMILIARITY OR CONTEMPT.
a SENSATION OF TERROR GRIPPED MY BODY. ìfiERE THEY ALL IN IT TOGETHER?î i
ASKED MYSELF IN TERROR AND AMAZEMENT. nONE OF US WERE IN A STATE TO DO
ANYTHING TO REMOVE THIS NEW DANGER. tHE WOMEN WERE FROZEN AS IF CARVED
IN STONE. tHERE WAS A DOOR RIGHT BEHIND THE PLACE WHERE i WAS TRYING TO
HIDE INEFFECTUALLY, BUT SOME INSTINCT TOLD ME THERE WAS SOMEBODY BEHIND
THAT DOOR.
bEFORE i COULD MAKE UP MY MIND WHETHER THERE REALLY WAS SOMEONE
BEHIND THE DOOR, OR WHETHER HE WAS FRIEND OR FOE, THE DOOR OPENED WITH A
THUNDEROUS CLAP AND SOMETHING BLACK CAME OUT MAKING A LOUD SOUGHING
WHOOSHING SOUND. iT SWEPT INTO THE COURTYARD AND ESTABLISHED ITSELF THERE
LIKE A WHIRLWIND OR DUST DEVIL.
i SAW THAT ALL THE WOMEN LAY ALMOST UNCONSCIOUS, THEIR FACES COVERED
WITH THEIR DUPATTAS. tHE GUNMAN WAS ON HIS KNEES, HIS FACE BOWED. HIS
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 189
HANDS WERE FOLDED AT HIS CHEST IN A MANNER THAT SUGGESTED OBEISANCE. HIS
PISTOL HAD FALLEN FROM HIS HANDS AND LAY AT THE FEET OF THE MIDDLE-AGED
WOMAN, BUT THE LADY HERSELF SEEMED COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM EVERYTHING.
sHE HAD COVERED HER HEAD AND FACE WITH THE HEM OF HER SARI AND
HAD COLLAPSED IN THE FROG CHAIR LIKE A RAG DOLL. mY FEET WEIGHED A TON AND
MY HEART HAD SUNK INTO MY SHOES, BUT MY BRAIN (THE REPTILIAN BRAIN) WAS
STILL SOMEWHAT ALERT. i SAID TO MYSELF THAT THERE COULDNíT BE A BETTER
OPPORTUNITY THAN THIS TO MAKE GOOD MY ESCAPE. PERHAPS i WOULD EVEN BE
ABLE TO GET MY CAR OUT OF THE GATES OF THIS HOUSE.
FULL OF FEAR, ALMOST DRAGGING MY FEET, i CAME OUT OF MY REFUGE (PAH!
WHAT A REFUGE!) LIKE A THIEF. tHAT BLACK FUNNELING WHIRLWIND REMAINED AS IT
WAS IN THE COURTYARD. i COULD HEAR THE WHOOSHING SOUND IT MADE. nOW IT
SEEMED ALMOST LIKE A WAIL. i DONíT KNOW WHY, BUT i FELT THAT i SHOULDNíT
MAKE THE SLIGHTEST NOISE. fiAS IT A DUST DEVIL, OR SOME BAD SPIRIT, OR A
SCOURGE FROM GOD? bUT WHAT EFFECT COULD MY SILENCE HAVE ON IT? PERHAPS
THAT TOO WAS A THOUGHT OF MY REPTILIAN BRAINóCRAWLING ANIMALS OFTEN
FREEZE WHEN FACED WITH DANGER, AS IF THEYíRE DEAD.
aS i CREPT BY THE MAN WEARING THE DIRTY YELLOW SHIRT, i HAD AN URGE TO
DELIVER A SOLID KICK TO HIS RIBS. tHAT BASTARD WAS NOW DEAD ANYWAY. bUT
WHAT IF HE WASNíT? aND THE BLACK WHIRLING FUNNEL? i RESTRAINED MYSELF.
tHEN IT OCCURRED TO ME TO PICK UP THE PISTOL JUST IN CASE THOSE FIENDS WERE
WAITING FOR ME OUTSIDE. bUT WHATEVER SENSE REMAINED IN ME CAUTIONED
THAT i DIDNíT KNOW HOW TO USE FIREARMS, NOR DID i HAVE A FIREARM LICENSE, SO
WHY INVITE MORE TROUBLE UPON MYSELF? i HAD DIED A THOUSAND DEATHS
BEFORE i SURVIVED THIS ONE ORDEAL, i SHOULD GET OUT WITHOUT COMMITTING ANY
MORE FOLLIES.
ìbUT SUPPOSE THOSE WOMEN AND THE MAN IN THE GRUBBY YELLOW SHIRT
ARE ACTUALLY DEAD? tHE POLICE MIGHT PURSUE MEÖ,î i TOLD MYSELF FEARFULLY.
ìsTUPID,î i SCOLDED MYSELF IN MY HEART, ìIF YOU HANG AROUND HERE ANY
LONGER THE POLICE WILL SURELY COME, EVEN IF THEY WERENíT COMING IN THE FIRST
PLACE. sO WHAT IF THESE PEOPLE ARE DEAD? iTíS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. bUT IF
THE POLICE CATCH YOU HERE, YOUíRE IN TROUBLE. ffiOUíLL BE TAKEN AROUND
EVERYWHERE IN FETTERS. ffiOUíLL LOSE YOUR JOB TOO. mOVE YOUR FEET AND GET OUT
OF HERE IMMEDIATELY.î
i WALKED OUT GINGERLY, AS IF ON EGG SHELLS. iT WAS DARK BY THE DOOR IN
THE CORRIDOR. PERHAPS THE THREE SERVANTS HAD FALLEN ASLEEP OR WERE
UNCONSCIOUS, WHO KNOWS? i STEPPED OVER THEIR BODIES AND CAME OUT OF
THAT HOUSE OF GHOSTS AND FEARS.
tHE STREET LAMPS WERE LIT. a VEHICLE OR TWO PASSED BY SLOWLY. eVERYTHING
SEEMED NORMAL, YET CHANGED SOMEHOW. i COULDNíT PUT MY FINGER ON
190 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
EXACTLY HOW IT HAD CHANGED. iN A LITTLE WHILE IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT mClEOD
rOAD WASNíT AS DESERTED AS IT HAD BEEN IN THE MORNING. aLSO, WHEN i HAD
ENTERED THAT BUNGALOW FOR REFUGE IT WAS BROAD DAYLIGHT, PERHAPS ELEVEN
OíCLOCK OR SO, AND i WAS SURE i HADNíT STAYED IN THAT HOUSE MORE THAN FIFTEEN
MINUTES. sO THEN WHY WAS IT DARK OUTSIDE?
nERVOUSNESS AND FEAR MADE ME FEEL NAUSEOUS. mY MOUTH WAS FILLED
WITH BRACKISH WATERY SALIVA, AND BEFORE i COULD CONTROL MYSELF i THREW UP
REFLEXIVELY, EMITTING A DEEP-THROATED, BUFFALO-LIKE SOUND. oNLY A MOUTHFUL
OF BITTER BLACKISH-YELLOW SUBSTANCE CAME OUT. i HAD HAD A VERY LIGHT
BREAKFAST AND MANY CUPS OF TEA THAT MORNING, AND THAT WAS SEVERAL HOURS
AGO (OR PERHAPS AN ENTIRE DAY HAD PASSED), SO WHAT ELSE COULD i EXPEL
FROM MY STOMACH? PANTING LIKE A HEAT-STRUCK DOG, i TRIED TO CONTROL MY
HEAVING CHEST AND STOMACH. mY NAUSEA HADNíT SUBSIDED DESPITE THE VOMITING.
i RECALLED THE BEGINNING OF THE NOVEL tAUBATUíN-nAṣū̄ḥ (nASUHíS
rEPENTANCE) WHEN nASUH HAD VOMITED WITH GREAT FORCE (BLACK LIKE A
CROWíS FEATHERói ALSO RECALLED ANOTHER STORY i HAD READ AS A CHILD IN WHICH
THE VOMIT WAS AS BLACK AS A CROWíS FEATHER). i ASKED MYSELF ANXIOUSLY, ìaM
i TOO SUFFERING FROM GASTROENTERITIS THEN? oR HAVE i PUT POISON IN MY
MOUTH SOMEHOW?î
mY HEAD SPUN UNCONTROLLABLY AND i CRASHED AGAINST A NEARBY WALL. mY
HAND HIT THE WALL, AS IF TO BREAK MY FALL OR TO SAVE ME FROM INJURY. i FELT A
SHARP PAIN IN MY PALM, LIKE THE STING OF A SCORPION. aNXIOUS, i EXAMINED
MY PALM CLOSELY AND FOUND THAT A THICK NAIL THAT WAS PROBABLY JUTTING OUT
FROM THE WALL HAD PIERCED MY PALM CREATING A HALF-INCH DEEP WOUND. tHE
GASH BLED PROFUSELY. mY SHIRT SLEEVE AND TROUSERS WERE SPOTTED WITH
BLOOD. dIZZINESS AND FEAR, TOGETHER WITH THIS WOUND, MADE ME MORE
DISTRAUGHT THAN EVER.
i HAD NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO STAY PUT, SO i LEANED AGAINST THE WALL AFTER
CHECKING IT THOROUGHLY. i BANDAGED MY PALM TIGHTLY WITH A HANDKERCHIEF
TO STEM THE BLEEDING. aFTER A LONG TIME, i FELT A LITTLE BETTER. i SAID TO MYSELF
THAT ALL THIS MUST SURELY BE THE WORK OF THE JINNS, OR EVIL SPIRITS, AND i
SHOULD RECITE THE QURʾāNIC VERSE OF ìtHE ¢HAIRî TO WARD OFF THEIR EVIL. bUT i
COULDNíT REMEMBER THE WORDS, SO i BEGAN RECITING THE SHORT CHAPTER CALLED
iKHLāṣ (DECLARING THE iNDIVISIBLE oNENESS OF GOD) AND ANOTHER QURʾāNIC
VERSE ìlā ḥAULA VA Lā QUVVATA ILLā BIíaLLāHî (tHERE IS NO FORCE AND NO
POWER EXCEPT GOD) OVER AND OVER AGAIN. aFTER SOME TIME MY HEARTBEAT
STABILIZED. mY THROAT FELT PARCHED, BUT WHERE COULD i FIND WATER THERE? i
TOLD MYSELF THAT i SHOULD BE BRAVE, CROSS THE ROAD, GET INTO MY CAR AND
MAKE A RUN FOR IT. tHIS WASNíT THE TIME TO LOOK FOR WATER OR WORRY ABOUT
GETTING PROPER MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR MY HAND.
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 191
i DRAGGED MY TIRED FEET AND WALKED TOWARDS THE GATE OF THE BUNGALOW
WHERE i HAD LEFT MY CAR. i WAS A LITTLE AFRAID THAT THOSE VICIOUS URCHINS
MIGHT STILL BE THERE. bUT THEIR LEADER LAY INSIDE (PRESUMABLY DEAD), SO
THOSE DIRTY BASTARDS MUST HAVE GONE AWAY TOO. HAVING VOICED THESE
THOUGHTS TO MYSELF, i HASTENED TOWARDS THE GATE.
fiHEN i WAS RUNNING TOWARDS IT FOR REFUGE, THE BUNGALOW HAD SEEMED
EXTREMELY LARGE. i HAD IMAGINED THE FRONT VERANDAH AND THE INNER CORRIDOR
TO BE AT LEAST TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FEET LONG. sURPRISINGLY, THE DISTANCE
NOW WAS MUCH LESS. i HAD BARELY WALKED A DOZEN STEPS WHEN i SAW THE
GATE, BUT MY CAR WASNíT THERE. i WAS SHOCKED FOR A MOMENT, BUT THEN i
REMEMBERED THAT i HAD LEFT MY CAR AT SUCH AN ANGLE THAT IT BLOCKED ACCESS
THROUGH THE GATE, SO SOMEONE MAY HAVE PUSHED IT TO ONE SIDE.
bUT THE CAR HAD DISAPPEARED, AND SO THOROUGHLY THAT THERE WERENíT
EVEN TIRE TRACKS AT THE GATE, NO TELLTALE SIGNS OR DRAG MARKS SCORED ON THE
EARTH BY MY SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES TO STOP AND MAKE A SHARP TURN INTO
THE GATE. mY CAR HAD VANISHED AS IF IT HAD NEVER EXISTED. ìdID SOMEONE
STEAL IT?î i WONDERED. bUT PEOPLE DIDNíT STEAL CARS IN THOSE DAYS. fiHERE
WOULD A CAR THIEF SELL IT? FEW PEOPLE HAD CARS THEN, AND THEY WERE MOSTLY
LAWYERS, DOCTORS OR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS. aNYWAY, EVEN IF A THIEF HAD STOLEN
IT, i DIDNíT HAVE THE COURAGE OR THE TIME TO GO LODGE A COMPLAINT. fiHAT
STORY WOULD i GIVE THE POLICE? fiHAT WAS i DOING THERE IN THAT BUNGALOW?
tHERE WAS NO SIGN A CAR WAS EVER PARKED THERE. aLL i HAD WERE THE KEYS IN
MY POCKET. i CHECKED MY POCKET, THE KEYS WERE THERE.
tO HAVE HIS CAR STOLEN WAS NOT AN ORDINARY EVENT FOR A RAILWAY ASSISTANT
ENGINEER. i SHOULD HAVE HAD THE MATTER INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY.
oBVIOUSLY, IT WOULDNíT BE EASY FOR ME TO BUY ANOTHER ONE. PERHAPS i
WOULD NEVER OWN ANOTHER CAR AT ALL. bUT AT THE TIME i HAD NO OPTION. i ALSO
FIGURED THAT A CAR WASNíT LIKE A NEEDLE THAT COULD GET LOST AND NEVER BE
FOUND. aT THAT TIME THE BEST THING FOR ME TO DO WAS LEAVE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. oFTEN THE HUMAN BRAIN CANíT COMPREHEND SIMPLE THINGS, AND THIS
WAS CERTAINLY BEYOND WHAT WAS NATURAL AND NORMAL. iT WAS BEST NOT TO
INVESTIGATE IT ANY FURTHER. i WAS SAVED BY GODíS GRACE. iíVE HEARD OF PEOPLE
LOSING THEIR MINDS FROM FEAR, EVEN OF DYING IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES. i
NEEDED TO THINK OF MYSELF, NOT THE CAR.
¢ONVINCING MYSELF THIS WAS THE BEST ROUTE TO TAKE, i CAME OUT ONTO THE
ROAD UNDER THE STREET LAMPS. FOR SOME REASON, MY CLOTHES SEEMED YELLOWISH
TO ME. PERHAPS IT WAS THE DIM, HALF-BLIND MUNICIPAL LIGHTING. a
TONGA WAS APPROACHING SO i HAILED IT AND GOT IN. mY CLOTHES SEEMED EVEN
MORE YELLOW NOW. GOD FORBID, DID i HAVE JAUNDICE? JUST THEN THE DRIVER
TURNED AND LOOKED AT ME CURIOUSLY. PERHAPS HE HAD NOTICED THE SPLOTCHES
192 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
OF RED ON MY CLOTHES. oR WERE MY CLOTHES REALLY YELLOW? sUDDENLY i WAS
WRACKED WITH A FEVERISH TREMOR. mY VOICE SHAKING, i ASKED THE DRIVER TO
GET ME TO THE RAILWAY STATION IN A HURRY BECAUSE i HAD TO CATCH A TRAIN. tHE
mUGHALPURA sTATION WAS NEARBY. i WAS THERE IN MINUTES. tHE PATHANKOT
eXPRESS WAS PULLING IN WHEN i ARRIVED. i BOUGHT A TICKET, BOARDED, AND
SANK INTO A SEAT. sO WHAT IF i DIDNíT KNOW ANYONE IN PATHANKOT. tHE MAN
IN THE GRUBBY YELLOW SHIRT AND THE BLACK WHIRLING FUNNEL WERENíT THERE
EITHER.
*
a FRIEND OF MINE READ ALL THAT iíVE WRITTEN ABOVE AND SAID: ìfiHAT NONSENSE
HAVE YOU WRITTEN HERE? aRE YOU WRITING A MEMOIR OF YOUR LIFE OR MADE UP
STORIES AND EVENTS FROM YOUR DREAMS?î
ìffiOU KNOW THAT iíVE SWORN NOT TO WRITE EVEN ONE FALSE WORD IN MY
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. tHATíS WHY i MAKE YOU READ EVERY PAGE SO THAT IF THERE IS
ANY ERROR OR UNTRUTH YOU CAN HELP ME CORRECT IT.î
ìtHAT MAY BE, BUT WHAT THE HELL DO i CORRECT HERE? dAMN IT, YOUíVE
CROSSED ALL THE LIMITS THIS TIME. ffiOU SAY YOU HAD AN aMBASSADOR IN THOSE
DAYS. ffiOU IDIOT! tHAT CAR WAS MANUFACTURED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY THE bIRLAS
IN 1957, WELL AFTER iNDIAíS PARTITION IN 1947. tHEY BOUGHT THE BLUE PRINTS OF
THE eNGLISH mORRIS oXFORD AND MANUFACTURED A CAR CALLED HINDUSTAN 14.
fiHEN THE mORRIS oXFORD MODEL CHANGED AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS, THE bIRLAS
CAME UP WITH A COPY OF THE NEW MODEL AND CALLED IT lANDMASTER, AND THEN
AFTER A FEW MORE YEARS THE HINDUSTAN aMBASSADOR WAS BUILT ACCORDING TO
THE LATEST DESIGN OF THE mORRIS oXFORD. HOW ON EARTH COULD YOU HAVE
DRIVEN AN aMBASSADOR AND GONE TO MEET aLLAMA iQBAL IN 1937?î
ìi MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN THE MODEL!î i RETORTED IRRITABLY. ìffiOU KNOW i
ALWAYS HAD A CAR FROM THE TIME i GOT A JOB.î
ìHOW COULD YOU FORGET THE MODEL? ffiOU FORGOT THE MODEL OF YOUR VERY
FIRST CAR SO WELL THAT YOU CREATED SOMETHING THAT DIDNíT EXIST? aND SON, TELL
ME, HOW COULD THE aLLAMA LIVE ON mClEOD rOAD IN 1937? iN oCTOBER OF
1936, OR SOMETIME THEREABOUTS, aLLAMA sAHIB HAD GOTTEN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF JAVED mANZIL COMPLETED ON mUIR rOAD AND HE MOVED THERE SOON AFTER.
iN WHICH LIFE DID YOU MEET HIM ON mClEOD rOAD IN 1937?î
ìmAYBE IT WAS mUIR rOAD, NOT mClEOD rOAD.î i WAS ANNOYED. ìtHEREíS
NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THE NAMES. ¢AN A PERSON REMEMBER SUCH MINUTE
DETAILS? PERHAPS THATíS WHY i DIDNíT SEE sIR JOGINDER sINGHíS BUNGALOW AND
THOSE BIG SHOPS THERE.î
sHAMSUR rAHMAN FARUQI • 193
ìdOUBTLESS, A PERSON CANíT REMEMBER EVERY MINUTE DETAIL, BUT WEíRE
TALKING ABOUT IMPORTANT DETAILS HERE.Ö fiELL, IF ONE WERE WRITING AN ORAL
ROMANCE LIKE THE aMīR ḤAMZA AND CALLING IT AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, THATíS
SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN.î
ìdONíT DRAG THE aMīR ḤAMZA INTO THIS. tHERE CANíT BE A BETTER HISTORICAL
NARRATIVE,î i SAID ENRAGED.
ìaS YOU WISH, BUT DONíT SAY THAT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE OR THEYíLL SEND
YOU TO THE LUNATIC ASYLUM. aND MY DEAR, THE URCHINS YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU
MUST HAVE READ ABOUT THEM IN THE NEWSPAPERS. tHEY BELONGED TO A
NOMADIC TRIBE CALLED THE KANJAR WHICH PRACTICED CRIME AS A PROFESSION. a
BAND OF KANJARS CAME INTO lAHORE ONE TIME AND MEMBERS OF THEIR
COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG CHILDREN, WERE OFTEN CAUGHT COMMITTING
PETTY THIEVERY. tHEY HAD SET UP CAMP IN THE bAGHANPURA NEIGHBORHOOD,
NOT ON mClEOD OR mUIR rOAD. ffiOU MAY HAVE PASSED THAT WAY ONE TIME
AND MUST HAVE HAD A DREAM ABOUT THEM LATER. nOW YOUíRE EMBROIDERING
YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY WITH THEIR TALE.î
ìoKAY, HAVE IT YOUR WAY, BUT LOOK AT THIS!î i THRUST MY PALM RIGHT UNDER
MY FRIENDíS NOSE, ALMOST INTO HIS EYES. tHE OLD WOUNDíS DEEP SCAR WAS
STILL VERY CLEAR ON MY PALM. ìffiOU BASTARD, WHAT IS THIS THEN?î i SAID THROUGH
GRITTED TEETH. ìi CAN EVEN TELL YOU THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR IN PATHANKOT
WHO TREATED THIS WOUND.î
mY FRIEND WAS SHOCKED INTO SILENCE FOR A MOMENT. iT WAS QUITE
APPARENT THAT HE WAS AT A LOSS. bUT HE WAS NO LESS ADAMANT THAN ME. aFTER
A WHILE HE SAID, ìtHE SCAR DOESNíT PROVE THAT THIS WOUND WAS INFLICTED AT
THE TIME AND PLACE YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR STÖ i MEAN IN YOUR MEMOIR.î
ìoKAY, MAYBE NOT, BUT IF THE DOCTOR IS ALIVE, AT LEAST HE CAN VERIFY THE
TIME AND THE YEAR.î
ìiTíS BEEN MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS. GOD KNOWS WHERE THE DOCTOR IS, OR
WHETHER HEíS ALIVE OR DEAD.î
ìeVEN GALEN DIDNíT HAVE A CURE FOR DOUBT, AND EVEN sOCRATES COULDNíT
TREAT OBSTINACY.î
ìGRANTED. bUT iíM ARGUING BECAUSE YOU ASKED ME YOURSELF TO READ THE
BOOK LIKE A HOSTILE CRITIC. i DONíT WANT EVEN ONE ERRONEOUS THING TO FIND ITS
WAY IN.î
ìsO OKAY, BECAUSE YOU DIDNíT REALLY FIND ANYTHING SO FAR, YOU BEGAN TO
INVENT FALSE CHARGES AGAINST ME.î
ìtHE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THERE WERE MANY THINGS IN YOUR
NARRATIVE THAT BOTHERED ME, BUT THEY WERENíT SO IMPORTANT, OR NOTICEABLE.
iN THIS PARTICULAR CHAPTER, YOU HAVENíT WRITTEN EVEN A WORD THAT COULD BE
CONSIDERED FACTUAL.î
194 • tHE aNNUAL OF URDU sTUDIES
ìmANY THINGSóSUCH AS?î i ASKED MAKING A GREAT EFFORT TO SUPPRESS MY
ANGER
ìffiOU HAVENíT MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT THE aLLAMAíS VOICE. bY THEN,
HIS VOICE HAD BECOME COMPLETELY HOARSE.î
ìiíVE ALREADY SAID THAT i DONíT REMEMBER ANY DETAILS OF THAT MEETING.î
ìbUT SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING.Öî
ìsHUT UP. dO YOU KNOW THAT THE WORD ëINCIDENTí (VāQIʿA) ALSO MEANS
ëREALITYí AND ëDREAM,í AND EVEN ëDEATH,íî i SAID WITH GREAT PRIDE, AS IF i WAS
DISCLOSING A MARVELOUS DISCOVERY TO HIM.
ìtHEN i HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. bUT TELL ME, WHY DID YOU GIVE CREDIT FOR
mUNIR nIAZIíS LINE TO KABIR?î
ìfiHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU SPOUTING?î i YELLED.
ìfiELL, NOTHING, JUST THAT THE LINE OF VERSE ëaN EMPTY CITY STOOD AWFUL
ALL AROUNDí IS mUNIR nIAZIíS, AND YOU CAN FIND IT ON PAGE 25 IN HIS BOOK OF
POEMS TITLED dUSHMANōñ Kē dARMIYāN sHāM (aN eVENING IN THE mIDST OF
eNEMIES) PUBLISHED IN 1968. ffiOUíVE ATTRIBUTED IT TO KABIR IN 1937. fiHERE
DID YOU SEE IT IN KABIR? ¢OME NOW, ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOUíVE INSERTED A
STORY IN YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY!î
ìaLL STORIES ARE TRUE! aLL STORIES ARE TRUE!î i SCREAMED AFTER A MOMENTíS
SILENCE, AND THEN BEGAN TO SOB UNCONTROLLABLY. 
ótRANSLATION BY mEHR aFSHAN FAROOQI

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1

شمس الرحمٰن فاروقی

اچھی اردو : روزمرہ، محاورہ، صرف

سوال: مشاعرہ کا صحیح تلفظ کیا ہے؟

جواب: عربی میں ’’شعر‘‘ کو باب مفاعلہ میں لے جاتے ہیں اور ’’مُشاعَرہ‘‘ (اول مضمون، چہارم مفتوح) حاصل کرتے ہیں۔ لیکن وہاں اس کے معنی ہیں، ’’مقابلے کی غرض سے باہم شعر پڑھنا یا کہنا‘‘ یعنی اس میں کسی محفل کلام خوانی اور سامعین کی موجودگی کا کوئی تصور نہیں۔ اردو میں اول مضمون اور چہارم مکسور (مُشاعِرہ) بمعنی ’’شعر سنانے کی محفل، جس میں سامعین بھی ہوں اور کئی شعرا شعر سنائیں‘‘ عام طور پر مستعمل ہے اور اسی کو صحیح سمجھنا چاہیے۔ بعض لوگ میم اور عین پر زبربولتے تھے، یا میم پر زبر اور عین پر زیر بولتے تھے۔ اب یہ تلفظ رائج نہیں ہیں۔ ’’مشاعرہ‘‘ (اول مضمون، چہارم مکسور) بروزن ’’مقابلہ‘‘ ہی صحیح ہے۔

سوال: طیب میں چھوٹی ی پر زیر ہے یا زبر؟

جواب: عربی میں بکسر تحتانی مشدد بمعنی ’’پاک، خوشگوار، اچھا، خبیث کا الٹا‘‘ درست ہے۔ لیکن اردو میں تحتانی کے زبر کے ساتھ بروزن نیز (بمعنی سورج) مستعمل ہے اور اردو کے لیے یہی درست ہے۔ آنحضرتؐ کے دو صاحب زادگان کے نام طیب اور طاہر یا مطاہر، اور بقول بعض طاہر اور مطاہر بتائے گئے ہیں۔ بعض کا یہ بھی کہنا ہے کہ صاحبزادۂ نبی کے نام کے طور پر ’’طیب‘‘ مع فتحہ و تشدید تحتانی (یعنی طَیِّیب) ہی درست ہے۔ یہ قول مختلف فیہ ہے، بہر حال اردو میں ’’طیب‘‘ چھوٹی ی پر زبر کے ساتھ (بروزن نیز بمعنی سورج) ہی درست ہے۔ کچھ ایسا معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ اگر یاے تحتانی مکسور مشدد کے پہلے فتحہ ہو تو اردو والے یاے تحتانی کے کسرہ کو فتحہ میں بدل دیتے ہیں۔ چنانچہ ذیل کے تمام الفاظ میں تحتانی مکسور ہے لیکن اردو میں مفتوح بولی جاتی ہے: جید؛ سید؛ میت؛ وغیرہ۔

سوال: آہستہ مع ہاے ہوز درست ہے یا آہستا مع الف؟

جواب: ’’آہستا‘‘ مع الف کوئی لفظ نہیں۔ بعض لوگ ’’آہستہ‘‘ اور س کی طرح کے بہت سے لفظوں کو، جن کے آخر ہاے ہوز ہے، جب الف پر ختم ہونے والے لفظ کے ساتھ قافیہ کرتے ہیں تو ’’آہستہ‘‘ کو ’’آہستا‘‘، ’’پردہ‘‘ کو ’’پردا‘‘ وغیرہ لکھتے ہیں۔ اس کی کوئی سند نہیں۔ صحیح لفظ ’’آہستہ‘‘ ہے اور اسے ہمیشہ اسی طرح لکھنا چاہیے۔ ’’آہستہ‘‘، ’’پردہ‘‘، ’’جلوہ‘‘ جیسے الفاظ کو ضرورت قافیہ کی خاطر الف سے لکھنے کی کوئی ضرورت نہیں ہے اور نہ اس کا کوئی جواز ہے۔

(سوالات ازشیخ عبداللہ، اکولہ، مہاراشٹر)

سوال: ارمغاں اور فرید کے معنی کیا ہیں؟

جواب: اَرمُغان مع اول مفتوح و سوم مضمون (اردو میں ارمغاں بھی مستعمل ہے) فارسی لفظ ہے۔ فارسی میں عام طور پر اول اور سوم مفتوح (اَرمَغان) رائج ہے۔ اس کے معنی ہیں تحفہ، یا سوغات، یا ہدیہ، خاص کر وہ تحفہ یا سوغات یا ہدیہ جسے سفر سے واپس آنے والے اپنے اقربا کے لیے لاتے ہیں۔ اسی لیے فارسی میں ارمغان کو ’’رہ آورد‘‘ بھی کہتے ہیں۔ ارمغان کے ایک معنی زرنقد کے بھی ہیں، لیکن اردو میں یہ معنی رائج نہیں۔ فرید بروزن شریف عربی لفظ ہے۔ اردو میں اس کے معنی ہیں: یگانہ، یکتا، بے نظیر۔ جو لوگ حضرت بابا فرید الدین گنج شکر کی اولاد ہیں وہ انھیں کی نسبت سے اپنے کو ’’فریدی‘‘ لکھتے ہیں۔

سوال: قدیم کرناٹک میں کی وہ استعمال کیا جاتا ہے۔ کیا یہ صحیح ہے؟

جواب : یہ سوال سمجھ میں نہیں آیا۔ سوال کنندہ کو لکھا گیا کہ وضاحت فرمائیں، لیکن کوئی جواب نہیں آیا۔

سوال: ستر پرچار، ساٹھ پر تین، کیا یہ کہنا صحیح ہے؟ہم نے چورہتر اور ترسٹھ پڑھا تھا؟

جواب : ستر پرچار، ساٹھ پر تین، وغیرہ یہ اردو محاورہ نہیں۔ اردو میں ’’چوہتر‘‘ (نہ کہ ’’چورہتر‘‘) اور ’’تریسٹھ‘‘ یا ’’ترسٹھ‘‘ ہے۔ یہ اردو زبان کی بہت بڑی خوبی ہے کہ اس میں گنتیوں کے لیے الگ الگ لفظ مقرر ہیں۔ ورنہ انگریزی اور فرانسیسی جو بہت ترقی یافتہ زبانیں کہلاتی ہیں، ان کو بھی بیس سے زیادہ گنتی نہیں آتی۔

(سوالات از محمد سمیع اللہ خان باز، ہتلا، شموگا)

سوال : ان دنوں شرجیل، ضویا، شیزان، راحیل، طالش، زارا جیسے نام بہت عام ہو رہے ہیں۔ مگر یہ الفاظ لغت میں نہیں ملتے۔ کیا آپ اس پر روشنی ڈالیں گے؟

جواب: شرجیل، بروزن تفصیل (اول مفتوح، یاے معروف)، بالکل صحیح اور اچھا مردانہ نام ہے۔ حضرت شرجیل بن حسنہ مشہور صحابی تھے۔ بوجوہ ان کی نسبت ان کی والدہ حَسَنَہ سے قائم کی جاتی ہے، ان کے والد سے نہیں۔ اس لفظ کے صحیح معنی نہیں مل سکے۔ غالباً یہ بہت پرانا عرب نام ہے۔ شُرجَیل (اول مضمون، دوم مفتوح) بن سعد بھی ایک مشہور عرب بزرگ تھے۔ بعض لوگوں نے انھیں تابعی کہا ہے۔ مغازی کے اولین مآخذ میں ان کا بھی نام لیا جاتا ہے۔ ہمارے یہاں شرجیل بروزن تفصیل مروج ہے۔ ’’شرج‘‘ مع اول مفتوح اور دوم ساکن کے ایک معنی ہیں، ’’سنگستان سے نرم زمین کی طرف بہنے والا پانی۔‘‘ شرجیل غالباً اسی سے مشتق ہے اور شُرجَیل اس کی تصغیر معلوم ہوتا ہے۔ ضویا نہیں، بلکہ زویا۔ یہ روسی زنانہ نام ہے۔ زویا ایک لڑکی تھی جو 1943 میں جرمن افواج کے خلاف بہت بہادری سے لڑی اور جرمنوں نے اسے بڑے ظلم کے بعد موت کے گھاٹ اتار دیا۔ جنگ کے بعد کے زمانے میں یہ نام روس میں بہت مقبول تھا۔ اب کم سننے میں آتا ہے لیکن ہندوستان کے بعض روس پسند مسلمانوں نے بھی اپنی لڑکیوں کو یہ نام دیا ہے۔ یہ اصلاً یونانی ہے اور اس کے معنی ’’زندگی‘‘ وغیرہ کی قسم Óÿ ÀیŸ۔ ÔیÒÇä ˜æÆی äÇã äÀیŸ¡ ãÀãá Àÿ۔ Çی˜ ãÔÀæÑ ÝÑÇäÓیÓی ãÕæÑ ÓیÒÇä ضروری تھا۔ شیز مع یاے معروف بروزن ’’چیز‘‘ البتہ آبنوس کے پیڑیا اس کی لکڑی کو کہتے ہیں۔ بعض لوگوں نے آبنوسی کمان کو بھی ’’شیز‘‘ لکھا ہے۔ بقول بعض یہ ایک علاقے کا نام بھی ہے۔ ممکن ہے اس علاقے کی نسبت سے کسی نے ’’شیزان‘‘ یعنی ’’شیز کے رہنے والے‘‘ بنا لیا ہو۔ اردو میں بہرحال شیزیا شیزان بطور نام کہیں سننے میں نہیں آئے۔ راحیل (یاے معروف) عبرانی ہے۔ یہ حضرت یعقوب کی بیوی یعنی حضرت یوسف کی ماں تھیں۔ عبرانی میں اس لفظ کے معنی ’’میمنا‘‘ ہیں۔ میمنا نرم مزاجی، نیکی اور حلم کی علامت ہے۔ یہ زنانہ نام ہے لیکن ہمارے یہاں بعض لڑکوں کا بھی نام راحیل سننے میں آیا ہے۔ طالش کی تفصیل یہ ہے کہ قدیم فارسی میں ایک قبیلے کا نام ’’کادوس‘‘ تھا۔ہخامنشی (قدیم فارسی کی ایک نہایت مشکل شکل) میں لکھتے ’’کادوس‘‘ اور پڑھتے ’’تالش‘‘ تھے۔ بعد میں شاید عربی کے زیر اثر تاے فوقانی کو طاے حطی میں بدل لیا گیا۔ جدید فارسی میں ’’طالش‘‘ ایک پہاڑی سلسلے اور ایک دریا کا نام ہے۔ میں نے کسی کا نام ’’طالش‘‘ نہیں سنا، لیکن ممکن ہے کسی صاحب کو اپنے بیٹے کے لیے پسند آگیا ہو۔ زار ابھی روسی، بلکہ وادی قاف کے علاقوں میں زنانہ نام ہے، کہیں کہیں روس میں بھی سننے میں آتا ہے۔ کہا گیا ہے کہ اس کی اصل فارسی ’’زر‘‘ بمعنی ’’دولت‘‘ ہے۔ ہمارے یہاں بعض لوگوں نے اپنی لڑکیوں کو یہ نام دیا ہے۔

(سوالات از جمیل الرحمٰن، کلٹی، ضلع بردوان)

رابطہ

29-C, Hastings Road, Civil Lines, Allahabad (U.P.)

اچھی اردو:روز مرہ،محاورہ،صرف، اس کا لم کی اردو دنیا کے قارئین میں خوب پذیرائی ہو رہی ہے۔ حال ہی میں بعض سوالات ایسے ارسال کئے گئے ہیں جن کا تعلق محض عربی اور فارسی زبان کے الفاظ اور ان کے معانی سے ہے۔ اگرچہ ان سبھی سوالات کے جوابات محترم شمس الرحمن فاروقی صاحب کی جانب سے دیئے جارہے ہیں۔ لیکن آئندہ سوالات کرتے وقت یہ خیال رہے کہ ارسال کردہ جملہ سوالات کا تعلق صرف اردو زبان اور اس کے روز مرہ سے ہو۔ (ادارہ) À

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