Urdu Poetry / Jokes / Literature
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ghazi52
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کبھی ہم خوبصورت تھے
کتابوں میں بسی
خوشبو کی صورت
محبت کے شاعر احمد شمیم کو رخصت ہوئے 43 برس بیت گئے۔
ان کا اصل نام غلام محمد زرگر تھا. 30 مارچ 1929 کو سرینگر میں پیدا ہوئے. تحریک آزادی کشمیر میں سرگرم ہونے کی وجہ سے بھارتی جیل بھی کاٹی . ہجرت کے بعد حکومت آزاد کشمیر کے محکمہ اطلاعات میں شامل ہوئے. ڈائریکٹر کے عہدے پر تھے جب 7 اگست 1982 کو راولپنڈی میں وفات پائی.
احمد شمیم نے افسانے اور ڈرامے بھی لکھے. کشمیری زبان کی شاعری میں بھی وہ بلند مقام رکھتے ہیں. انگریزی میں بھی نظمیں لکھیں. ان کی مطبوعہ کتابوں میں اجنبی موسم میں ابابیل(طویل نظمیں، 1983)،ریت پر سفر کا لمحہ (نظمیں، 1988) ،دگ تہ داغ(کشمیری شاعری، 1989) کبھی ہم خوب صورت تھے( کلیات) ،ہوا نامہ بر ہے(اہلیہ منیرہ کے نام خطوط، 1995) شامل ہیں.
ان کی وفات پر شفقت تنویر مرزا نے لکھا احمد شمیم پرندوں کے پروں پر خوب صورت لفظ لکھنے سے آزاد ہو گیا.
ممتاز مفتی نے کہا احمد شمیم ایک چومکھیا دیا تھا جو بجھ گیا.
مظہر الاسلام نے کہا احمد شمیم تمہارے جانے کے بعد موت کا فلسفہ سمجھ آ گیا.
منو بھائی نے لکھا احمد شمیم کے چہرے پر ہمیشہ خوبصورت مسکراہٹ دیکھنے کو ملی ، یہ مسکراہٹ اس نے موت کی گود میں لیٹے ہوئے بھی قائم رکھی، اور یہ مسکراہٹ اپنے دوستوں کے لئے چھوڑ گیا، جنہیں رنگوں کے جگنو اور تتلیاں آواز دیتی ہیں.
احمد ندیم قاسمی نے کہا احمد شمیم کی نظمیں اردو کے شعری ادب میں آیندہ صدیوں تک زندہ رہنے والے اضافے ہیں.
افتخار عارف نے کہا جدید اردو نظم کا منظر نامہ احمد شمیم کے بغیر مکمل نہیں ہوتا، کبھی ہم خوبصورت تھے، اس کی ایک اعلی' مثال ھے.
بشکریہ: اسلم ملک صاحب
احمد شمیم l ریت پر سفر کا لمحہ
کبھی ہم خوبصورت تھے
کتابوں میں بسی
خوشبو کی صورت
سانس ساکن تھی
بہت سے ان کہے لفظوں سے
تصویریں بناتے تھے
پرندوں کے پروں پر نظم لکھہ کر
دور کی جھیلوں میں بسنے والے
لوگوں کو سناتے تھے
جو ہم سے دور تھے
لیکن ہمارے پاس رہتے تھے
نئے دن کی مسافت
جب کرن کے ساتھہ
آنگن میں اترتی تھی
تو ہم کہتے تھے
امی تتلیوں کے پر
بہت ہی خوبصورت ہیں
ہمیں ماتھے پہ بوسا دو
کہ ہم کو تتلیوں کے
جگنوؤں کے دیس جانا ہے
ہمیں رنگوں کے جگنو
روشنی کی تتلیاں آواز دیتی ہیں
نئے دن کی مسافت
رنگ میں ڈوبی ہوا کے ساتھہ
کھڑکی سے بلاتی ہے
ہمیں ماتھے پہ بوسا دو
ہمیں ماتھے پہ بوسا دو
ghazi52
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
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- #199
Esteemed Urdu scholar CM Naim dies at age 89 after dedicating his life to the language
Late professor spent nearly 60 years preserving Urdu for the generations to come
Entertainment Desk
July 11, 2025
KARACHI: Renowned Urdu scholar, author and translator CM Naim died at age 89 on Wednesday in Chicago, his family has told the press.
Naim’s love for Urdu literature was evident in the nearly 60 years he dedicated to painstakingly restore the language he feared was falling out of favour for good in the subcontinent. Born in Barabanki, he attended Lucknow University, followed by the University of California, Berkeley. In 1961, Naim joined the faculty of the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. Years later, he later chaired the department from 1985 to 1991. He remained associated with the university until 2001. As a mark of the impact of his decades of teaching, Naim was conferred the title of Professor Emeritus.
Naim’s extensive bibliography comprises a large collection of research publications, translations, and articles. His notable 1989 essay Two Days in Palestine for the New York monthly magazine The Message International (with the title later being changed to In the Eye of the Intifada, A Muslim’s Journey to the Land of Oppression) still resonates today, over three-and-a-half decades after it was written.
Experts in the field widely agree that among Naim’s most memorable work is his article on Hasrat Mohani titled The Maulana who Loved Krishna, published in Economic & Political Weekly in 2013, as well as his biographies of Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Ghalib.
Scholars leave tribute
As per the Indian Express, Naim’s unique approach towards making Urdu approachable to everyone left an indelible mark on the global literary landscape.
“There was so much knowledge, understanding and research, but also it was so accessible,” said Indian classical singer Vidya Rao, who was also commissioning editor for Urdu Crime Fiction,1890-1950: An Informal History (2023). “He was not writing for just a small group of people. He was reaching out to people who may not be scholars.”
Like so many others who had enjoyed a professional relationship with Naim, Rao fondly recalled the impact of his efforts to ensure the Urdu language remained entrenched within the hearts and minds of those who call it their mother tongue.
“His work was not just on literary studies, but actually on the Urdu language, its history and the cultural world, which is very important because otherwise we tend to see a language as separate from the lived life of the people,” Rao stressed.
As per the publication, Khalid Alvi, Naim’s close friend and former professor at Zakir Husain Delhi College, agreed with Rao’s fond memories of the late Urdu scholar. Commenting on Naim’s commitment to shining the spotlight on the language, Alvi recalled, “He was someone who would write about people and things that one would otherwise overlook. He was the person who brought people like Munshi Tirath Ram Ferozpuri and Mirza Fida Ali Khanjar Lakhnawi — who had written early detective fiction in Urdu — to the forefront.”
Noting that Naim’s expertise was not limited to merely allowing other writers to shine, Alvi added, “He also wrote about Zafar Umar, an IPS officer who took to writing after tragically losing a limb. [He also] wrote about how one of Umar’s stories, Neeli Chhatri, was named after his home in Aligarh.”
However, Naim’s contributions were not limited to the subcontinent; his legacy includes his wealth of influence left behind in the global West for those whose heritage includes the Urdu language.
“He had a multinational personality. He didn’t teach literature, but language - because he knew that language was the foundation,” noted fellow Urdu scholar Khalid Jawed, who had met with Naim in a professional capacity at the University of Virginia and Princeton University. “He had of course written, translated and edited several classical Urdu texts, but his contribution can be felt deeply in the way he shaped three generations of Urdu-speaking people in the US.”
With his endeavours and passion for preserving the Urdu language, Naim entrenched himself in the hearts and minds of those he encountered throughout his professional life. Professor, historian and author Esmat Elhalaby summed it up best with the tribute he left to the late scholar on X: “Peace to the great CM Naim (1936 – 2025). When I started studying Urdu I started reading everything he ever wrote, and haven't stopped.”
ghazi52
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
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- #203
Renowned Urdu humorist remembered
PAL pays tribute to Patras Bokhari's work through a theatrical adaptation of his work
Zulfiqar Baig
July 21, 2025
Urdu writer, humourist, broadcaster and diplomat, Syed Ahmad Shah Patras Bokhari.
ISLAMABAD: A distinguished literary session was held under the auspices of the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) in memory of the legendary Urdu writer, humourist, broadcaster and diplomat, Syed Ahmad Shah Patras Bokhari.
The ceremony also marked the formal inauguration of PAL's newly renovated conference hall by Senator Irfan Siddiqui. The guests spoke about Patras Bokhari's legacy as well as the importance of literary institutions like PAL.
The event took place at PAL's head office on Patras Bokhari Road, Islamabad, and was presided over by prominent scholar, writer and Senator Irfan Siddiqui, while the Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, graced the occasion as the chief guest. National Heritage and Culture Parliamentary Secretary Farah Naz Akbar and Secretary Asad Rehman Gilani, attended as guests of honour.
This unique event comprised two especially notable segments. The first was a theatrical adaptation of Patras Bokhari's famous essay "Sowere Jo Kal Aankh Meri Khuli", performed artistically by Swaang Theatre, which received high praise from the audience. The performance so moved Federal Minister Aurangzeb Khichi that he announced a special reward for the troupe on the spot.
The second highlight was an engaging dialogue session between Dr Farrukh Nadeem and Ayaz Bokhari, grandson of Patras Bokhari. The conversation offered valuable insights into Patras Bokhari's personality, his literary genius and diplomatic endeavours. Documentaries on Bokhari's distinguished life journey were also presented.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui offered a comparative analysis of the literary contributions of Patras Bokhari and Farhatullah Baig in the field of Urdu satire and humour. He also shared memorable anecdotes from Bokhari's life and praised the Academy for organising such a meaningful event in his honour. He reassured the audience of the government's commitment to the preservation and support of literary institutions, especially PAL.
In her welcome note, Chairperson of PAL Dr Najeeba Arif highlighted Bokhari's literary, intellectual and diplomatic achievements. She presented a comprehensive overview of his mastery of language, wit and depth of thought. She thanked the Secretary of National Heritage and Culture Division for releasing the necessary funds for the renovation of the conference hall and expressed special gratitude to Senator Irfan Siddiqui for his continued patronage of literary institutions like PAL.
This session not only served as a tribute to Patras Bokhari but also played an important role in introducing the new generation to the refined tradition of Urdu humour writing. A large number of literary figures and members of Bokhari's family attended the event.
