Lack of Social and Literary Commitment in Contemporary Urdu Literature
By S. Arshad, New Age Islam
26 November 2021
Urdu
Speaking Community and Urdu Organizations Need To Take Revolutionary Steps to
Stem the Rot
Main
Points:
1. Committed poets and writers
in Urdu are few.
2. Editors like Gopal Mittal,
Zubair Razvi, Sajid Rasheed and Shamsur Rahman Faruqi are no more.
3. Today’s Urdu writers have
not social and literary commitment.
4. Urdu literature has lost
its relevance in the contemporary social milieu.
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(Representational Photo from Files)
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Literature is called the mirror of the
society. But the purpose of the creation of literature is not merely reflecting
the society but also welfare of the society. And human society can progress
only when the individuals of the society are developed intellectually, morally
and spiritually. Literature not only provides intellectual entertainment to the
readers but also makes covert and overt efforts to train the people both
intellectually and spiritually.
The purpose of literature had begun to come
to fore ever since the beginning of the 20th century and the basic problems of
the society got importance in literature. Progressive movement made literature
an important pillar of the social life on which the grand building of political
and social and economic revolution was constructed. The freedom movement
contributed to the significance and importance of literature and literature
became an effective tool against slavery, exploitation and class tyranny. The
writers and poets of that era were had patriots and were ready to make sacrifices
for the welfare of the society. Literature, to them, was not merely a means to
earn name and fame but a ran in their veins like blood. They were not merely
writers and poets but also social activists and literature was a quintessential
part of their activism. They not only waged a war against the power that be but
also tried to create awareness about social ills. They did not hesitate to make
the biggest sacrifice to achieve their social and literary goals. They did not
compromise on their principles for personal gains. They led a life of penury
but struggled for the economic prosperity of the people. They themselves went
to jail but gifted freedom to the people of their country. They renunciated
their posts and jobs but did not accept restrictions on their right to
expression. Famous poet Josh Mallihabadi wrote a poem on exploitation of
peasants and the Nawab of Hyderabad removed him from his job. Munshi Premchand
resigned the government job because the British government wanted to censor his
writings. Qazi Nazrul Islam abandoned the idea of joining the job of deputy
registrar of Bardhaman because while doing government job, he would not be able
to join the freedom movement against the Briitish. Hundreds of other poets and
writers endured the hardships of incarceration, even accepted the noose for the
good of the society.
Literature was an effective means of
achieving social and communal goals for Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. If he wanted
he could lead a life of luxury by being subservient to the British government.
Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Bismil Azimabadi, Ashfaqullah Khan Hasrat warsi, Hasrat Mohani
and hundreds of other writers and poets adopted literature as a powerful means
of achieving their social and political goals and became the victims of the
wrath of the government.
Even after the independence, the poets and
writers of Urdu had a collective sense of responsibility towards their society.
They did not compromise on their principles and remained flag bearers of truth.
Fiction writer, novelist and journalist Khwaja Ahmad Abbas was a communist but
in the preface to Ramanand Sagar’s book “Aur Insan Mar Gaya”, he held also the
communists along with the British government and religious and political
organizations responsible for the post-independence riots. He was expelled from
IPTA and all other communist organizations for this but he stood his ground.
Sadat Hasan Manto and Ismat Chughtai invited the wrath of the fundamentalists
for his depiction of the social evils and were even dragged to the court but
they did not compromise on their literary ideals.
(Representational Photo from Files)
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However, gradually social and literary
commitment disappeared from Urdu literature. Urdu writers became sidekicks of
the power that be. Poets and writers became hungry for luxuries and government
amenities and privileges. Though they praised the acivements of the political
parties they were associated with, they did not find the courage to speak out
about their wrong policies and mistakes. As a result, their literature became
hollow and worthless. It lost its relevance. He standard of research and
criticism and creative literature declined drastically. Books were being
written only to earn fame and to increase the number of books. Urdu periodicals
and magazines, instead of trying to bring reform in literature, became the part
of the same literary corruption suffered from ideological bankruptcy.
Now, editors like Zubair Razvi, Shamsur
Rahman Faruqi, Mahmood Ayaz, Gopal Mittal, Sajid Rasheed are no more. One may
disagree with their literary ideologies but their literary commitment cannot be
denied.
Literature is basically the product of the
creative intuition of the writer but when the number of books is made the
criterion for academic jobs and the standards of research and creativity is
ignored, then literature becomes merely a means of fulfilling economic needs.
Under this faulty system, books are published in great numbers. Men and women
who cannot write a good article become authors of books mysteriously. Today, writing a good article is difficult but publishing a book is easy. A big underground market of
manuscripts has come into existence. Today, Urdu books find very few readers
but Urdu books are published almost daily. The ceremony of inauguration of
books is held with much fanfare and old and seasoned writers attend those
ceremonies and shower praises on the books of budding writers and give the
impression that the publication of the book was a historical event.
Today, the writers of Urdu have no ideals
or social goals. Leave aside having lofy goals like Sir Syed, Allama Iqbal,
Maulana Azad, Faiz and Hasrat Mohani, the writers of Urdu are not even attached
with the common problems and issues of the people. They do not have the courage
to raise their voices against injustice and oppression because the government
privileges have more value for them.
Before the Partition, the Bengali
intellectual Mohammad Naseeruddin published a Bengali literary journal Soughat.
He was a flag bearer of women’s education and was against purdah. This
antagonized the religious section. He helped the first Muslim graduate woman
Fazilatunnisa to go abroad for higher education. For that, the opponents of
Muslim women’s education beat him up in the street.
Today’s Urdu writer can fight only for Mushairas and can use all his
connections to get a government award. Problems of the society do not perturb
him. He is happy in his comfort zone.
To rid Urdu literature of the mediocrity
and ideological bankruptcy, Urdu speaking community need to take revolutionary
steps. Quality of research work and not the number of books should be made the
criterion for academic excellence. Genuine talent should be promoted and
appreciated and Urdu departments of the government should take appropriate
measure to clear the mess Urdu language and literature is in.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-culture/social-liberty-urdu-literature/d/125842
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