Iqbal Ka Mard-e-Buzrg

Yeh Ghazi Ye Teray Pur-Asrar Banday Jinhain Tunay Bakhsha Hai Zoq-e-Khudai

Do-Neem In Ki Thokar se Sehra-o-Darya Simat Ker Pahaar In Ki Haibat Se Raa-ee

یہ غازی یہ تیرے پراسرار بندے جنھیں تو نے بخشا ہے ذوق ِخدائی

دو نیم ان کی ٹھوکر سے صحرا و دریا سمٹ کر پہاڑ ان کی ھیبت سے رائی

It is very difficult for me to say if I have heard this very famous verse of Allama Iqbal, or read Ibne Safi’s “Jasoosi Duniya” first. But I can still remember two things very clearly even after almost 36 years that Ibne Safi’s famous detective series “Jasoosi Duniya” novel “URRAT FAROOSH KA QATIL” (عورت فروش کا قاتل), was the first full size story book that I ever read, might be at the age of 7 or 8, and between the verse and this novel. I think again……that novel was the first.

That second thing which I still remember very well was that whenever I read any novel of “Jasoosi Duniya”, this verse of Allama Iqbal would always immediately come to my mind.

Now here a question arises, why? And the answer is very simple and obvious that just because of the famous and the most favorite character of this series: “AHMED KAMAL AFARIDI”.

Yes, it’s true that usually this verse has always been connected to a soldier and a warrior. Especially, the term “GHAZI” (غازی) is dedicated to a soldier who returns successful from the battle ground. The way Ibne Safi has depicted this character, its nature, behavior, the numinous mannerism and above all the various unknown layers of the personality in the novels, always has drawn a mysterious picture of him in my mind. That picture took the real shape when I had first read or heard this couplet of Allama and immediately on the screen of my mind a name appeared and that was the name of “FARIDI”, as he is famous by this name amongst all the readers.

After reading the first one, I kept reading one after one “Jasoosi Dunyia” series novels. Along with these reading voyages, there was another voyage that was taking place as well. That was the journey of evolution of my mind, thoughts and of course my physical age. With this combine evolution of mind, thoughts and age, the persona of “FARIDI”, which kept building in my mind during the days of my childhood, had now already become a concrete structure and this was the real and actual paraphrase of this couplet.

Soon I had started reading novels of his other famous “IMRAN SERIES”. As I kept reading both series, this idea kept making a firm ground in my mind that out of all other characters that Ibne Safi created, “Faridi” was also the most favorite of Ibne Safi himself.

I think it was a search of a reader for his favorite writer, as he was aware from the bottom of his heart that he may never be able to meet him in person, so he made “Faridi” an easy way and source to meet Ibne Safi. In other words, Ibne Safi and “Faridi” are two different names of a single personality to me.

Actually by this, I don’t mean that Ibne Safi was the representative of that macho man which was an integral part and an unprecedented quality of the personality of “Faridi”. But as a matter of fact, Ibne Safi made “Faridi” a representation of his own thoughts and ideologies. So, this means to me that in any novel, when “Faridi” speaks about his ideology, analysis the psyche of a criminal mind, battles the paradoxes of our society or tries to create an awareness and obedience to law, in reality all these thoughts are the brain children of Ibne Safi and “Faridi” is just a facilitator there, providing his own voice to all these brain children of Ibne Safi.

After all these years, the time has proved that Ibne Safi wasn’t just a detective story writer; he was a true visionary and the pioneer of the Consensus Literature in Pakistan.

Consensus Literature:

Consensus Literature (جہموری ادب) is a term coined by Khurram Ali Shafique who is a historian, educationist and playwright. His published works include The Republic of Rumi: A Novel of Reality (2007), Iqbal: An Illustrated Biography (2006), Damadam Ravan Hai Yam-i-Zindagi (in Urdu, 2003), Parables of Love (1997) and Samandar Ki Awaz Suno (in Urdu, 1993). He is currently working as a research consultant for Iqbal Academy Pakistan (Federal Ministry of Culture) on projects related to the life and works of Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal, including a five volume comprehensive biography, the first volume of which was Dama Dam Ravan Hai Yam-i-Zindagi – Hayat-i-Iqbal Ka Pahla Daur 1904 Tak (دما دم رواں ہے یام ِذندگی – حیات ِاقبال کا پہلا دود 1904 تک). He also wrote two books “Physio Mansion” (2011) and “Rana Palace” (2012). Both of these books has selected excerption from the various Novels of Ibne Safi, which proves that he is a true Consensus Writer.

During a personal discussion, Mr. Shafique disclosed to Mr. Ahmed Safi that he not only thinks that Ibne Safi was the pioneer of Consensus Literature, but also in the light of two poems of Hazrat Allama Iqbal, he believes that Ibne Safi is the true and real “MARD-E-BUZRUG” (The Man of exceptional qualities).

In his arguments to prove this theory, he says that in one of his poem “Hunarwarn-e-Hind” Iqbal shows his abhorrence towards the popular literary trends in India and then in his poem, “Marde Buzrug”, he has mentioned the qualities of a Man of exceptional qualities which exactly matches with none other than Ibne Safi, the pioneer of Consensus Literature.

Now, what exactly is this Consensus Literature?

During the completion of this article, I have received several emails of Mr. Ahmed Safi and in one of his emails, he explained the concept to me very clearly, hence I would like to quote his exact words. He described the Consensus Literature as follows:

“The Key Point is acceptance of that literature by all segments of our society without any prejudice. Instead of taking Ibne Safi’s example just test others… Is Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s writing popular in Raksha Taxi Drivers? Would anyone learn Urdu from those “lower” segments of the society just to be able to read Faiz? His poetry is celebrated only in the drawing rooms or where intellectuals meet! On the exact opposite scale would Mazhar Kaleem be appreciated by Naqqad’s like Abul Khaer Kashfi or Hasan Askari or Behzaad Lakhnavi for that matter???? But in all those segments Ibne Safi is being read with the same love! This is consensus!!! Awaam or Khwaas ka ijmaa hai is adab per. Jamhoor muttafiq haeN so yeh Jamhoori Adab hai…!” (Ahmed Safi)

The Great and immortal literature created by Iqbal, created a vast influence on our literature as a whole which was clearly noticed not only during Pakistan creation movement era but is still alive in our poetry, drama, short stories and novels etc.

By late 1948, Ibne Safi started writing his humorist columns, articles, short stories and parodies in “Nakhat” from Allahabad, India by the name of “Tughral Fargan” (طغرل فرغان), “Sank Soldier” (سنکی سولجر) and “Aqrab Baharistani” (عقرب بہارستانی).

However, he was born and destined to do something bigger and greater than that.

During that time, usually Urdu Literature was crowded by the story writers who mostly depended on the erotic literature and mostly all the available prose in the market was based on it.

In 1952, Ibne Safi was motivated to write something different during a discussion with a peer, who was of the belief that only erotic literature could make its market in Urdu, but Ibne Safi was entirely against this idea because he was of the view that with usage of sensibility one could up with alternatives which could still capture the market.

Then he took this challenge himself by starting a series of novels on a monthly basis and then he started to write a complete novel every month without indulging into what were then current trends of story writing.

He had a clear aim and vision in his mind to provide entertainment with a purpose and the message was very clear and that was:

“Everyone must obey the law”

Though, it’s not the topic of this article, but one can discuss the vast impact of his creative, meliorated, constructive and patriotic writing on our society and if found enough time, Insahallah, I will also discuss this topic some other time and try to cover all the clear and hidden aspects of that too.

However, I would like to limit this article to the very topic and theme on which I intended to write from very beginning and that is “IQBAL KA MARD-E BUZRUG” (The Man of exceptional qualities). I would like to provide real and solid arguments in support and favor of idea presented by Khurram Ali Shafique which says that all the characteristics of Marde Buzrug shown in the poem of Iqbal are reflecting from the writings of Ibne Safi.

But before I proceed further, I would like to discuss a little bit on Iqbal’s other poem “HUNARWARANE HIND” (The Artisans of India):

ہنر وران ِ ہند

عشق و مستی کا جنازہ ہے تخیل ان کا

ان کے اندیشہء تاریک میں قوموں کے مزار

موت کی نقش گری ان کے صنم خانوں میں

زندگی سے ہنر ان برہمنوں کا بیزار

چشم آدم سے چھپاتے ہیں مقامات بلند

کرتے ہیں روح کو خوبیداہ، بدن کو بیدار

ہند کے شاعر و صورت گر و افسانہ نویس

آہ! بیچاروں کے اعصاب پہ عورت ہے سوار

Iqbal says that in their imaginations and apprehensions they just see the destruction of the nation. These, so called artisan of India, are just bored and displeased by the life and instead of providing awakening of the soul, their creations just provokes bodily desires in their admirers and they are constantly thinking of the opposite sex.

Now, as Allama Iqbal explains all the qualities of a “Marde Buzrug” in his next poem, let me say that by “Buzrug”, Allama doesn’t mean just a Man of age but a visionary, far-sighted, elegant, distinguished Man of Honor, Character, Dignity, Purpose, Guide, who has faith on the supremacy of law with positive creativity.

Hence, for anyone who has read Ibne Safi’s novels with even a cursory manner can easily realize that all these great qualities described by Allama Iqbal reflects very well through the themes of this novels and the words he penned and his immortal characters voiced them.

مرد ِ بزرگ

اس کی نفرت بھی عمیق، اس کی محبت بھی عمیق

قہر بھی اس کا ہے اللہ کے بندوں پہ شفیق

پرورش پاتا ہے تقلید کی تاریکی میں

ہے مگر اس کی طبعیت لا تقاضا تخلیق

انجمن میں بھی میسر رہی خلوت اس کو

شمع محفل کی طرح سب سے جدا، سب کا رفیق

مثل خورشید سحر فکر کی تابانی میں

بات میں سادہ و آزادہ، معانی میں دقیق

اس کا انداز نظر اپنے زمانے سے جدا

اس کے احوال سے محرم نہیں پیران طریق

In the first verse of “Mard-e-Buzrug”, Iqbal says that although his love and anger are deeply rooted, unlike an ordinary person his anger instead of being destructive turns into a blessing for other fellow beings.

In his biographic article, Ibne Safi wrote that despite of the fact that he always had sang the songs of oneness and international brotherhood, things that took place during the year 1947 had shattered his whole personality. But like Iqbal presented the great quality of Mard-e-Buzrug, Ibne Safi used that anger and frustration for the improvement of others through his writings.

Now in the next verse, Iqbal says that it might be possible that their imagination started emerging in the dark of pursuance but creativity is the only demand of their nature.

When Ibne Safi started writing Jasoosi Duniya’s inaugurating novel “Dilaer Mujrim” (دلیر مجرم), “Courageous Criminal”, in which just the plot was inspired by the English novel, “Iron Side’s Lone Hand” by Victor Gunn, but the central characters were his own brain children. He admitted in his biographic article that he took plots of his seven novels from English and one or two characters as well, however all the rest of the novels were his original creations.

In the next verse, Iqbal says that he is a kind of man who remains solitary even in the company; still he is in the fellowship of everybody else while making himself separate from them.

Ibne Safi said in his biographic article that he wanted to provide his readers with literature that’s full of purpose and some entertainment too.

By doing this, Ibne Safi was not only able to sustain himself in the crowd, but also proved that he was different from all other writers of his time.

Ibne Safi not only preached good values and abidance to law to his readers, but also provided them a chance to escape. While defending his technique, Ibne Safi said that basically this element of escape played a vital role in the development of human beings because if that element of escape wasn’t a part of human nature then we would be still leading lives of animals like rabbits and jackals because there is not a single example that these animals ever made any fox hole. It was just men who escaped instead of becoming victims and started fighting against coerciveness (استبداد). That escape of human beings from monotony was the reason for bringing them to this nuclear age.

In next verse, Iqbal says that their, thoughts are perspicuous like the morning sun yet they are simple and full of meaning with all the depths.

Ibne Safi has always been criticized by his contemporaries for not serving the literature and according to them he was just wasting his time. But Ibne Safi truly said in his biographic article that he had discussed almost all the matters of life and universe in his writings.

He further said that his ways were entirely different from others. He wrote:

“I am not convinced on portraying very noble thoughts yet publishing only an edition of a thousand copies. How many people does the high literature of my respected friends reach to and what kind of a revolution it brings to their individual or collective lives?”

He further elaborated:

“… for a large part of our society the high literature is totally meaningless then why should I write for a few drawing-rooms. Why should I not write in the style that is liked by the most – perhaps in this way some high Ideas would reach the common man”.

In the last verse, Iqbal says that their views are ahead of the time and even all the Gurus of his time were also unaware of their wisdom.

In his biographic article Ibne Safi says that he kept thinking about what was going on in the society and then finally he reached at the conclusion that until the whole society starts abiding to the law, all this would keep happening and then he chose the path of writing detective novels. He says:

“By this I provide entertainment to the exhausted minds and at the same time try to teach them to respect the law. FARIDI is my ideal who not only respects the law himself but also puts his life at risk in order to get others to respect the law”.

Now after reading both poems of Iqbal and their explanations, I am sure and very confident that all the readers would agree with Khurram Ali Shafique about his theory that Ibne Safi was the true Mard-e Buzrug of Hazrat Allama Iqbal.

Although, now God has stopped sending his Messengers to show the right path to the human beings, instead of sending Messengers in the shape of prophets, I believe, God has chosen people like Ibne Safi to spread words about good deeds and no doubt that Ibne Safi has fulfilled his responsibility towards his fellow beings given to him by God. Like Mirza Galib once said that whatever he said was nothing but the prophecies from God:

آتے ہیں غیب سے یہ مضامیں خیا ل میں

غالب صریر خامہ نوائے سروش ہے

References from biographic article:

How I started Writing by Ibne Safi

Published in Aalami Digest – 1970

I would like to offer my special thanks to Janab Ahmed Safi Saheb, who not only encouraged me to write this article but also very generously provided all the help and guidance and also reviewed the article. I would also like to admit it that without his help and guidance, I would never be able to finish this article.