By Tashfeen Syed
JEDDAH — Majlis-e-Ilm-o-Adab, Jeddah, one of the oldest literary organization that had honored many expatriate Urdu poets, intellectuals and professionals living in the Kingdom, recently feted Shahzad Azam a poet, journalist, editor of literary and science pages of Jeddah based Urdu News daily and organized a Mushairah in his honor.
In a selected gathering of the poets and intellectuals, Shahzad was accorded a warm welcome. The program began with the recitation of a few verses from the Holy Qur’an by IISJ student Syed Mustafa Faizan while Syed Tariq Muhammad recited a Naat.
“The Bride of the Red Sea has left everlasting imprints on my mind and soul. I am leaving the city with fond memories. My stay in this country of the two holy mosques has enriched my soul with divine blessings,” Azam said. “Poetry and humor is not only a showcase of your inner feelings and thinking, but it is a mixture of all that is going on inside you and around you,” he said.
Syed Faizan Ahmed Zaidi, chairman of the Majlis, in his brief address expressed his gratitude to Shahzad Azam and remembered Muhammad Mujahid Syed, the founder of the Majlis Ilm-o-Adab Jeddah, his predecessor. He said, “Majlis Ilm-o-Adab is severing Urdu language in Saudi Arabia since 1985. We have been organizing literary concerts, opening ceremony of books for many writers and poets. We hold educational activities and weekly lectures on the teachings of the noble Qur'an, which is its special identity.”
Tashfeen Syed, master of the event, welcomed the guests and also gave a brief account of the Majlis. He highlighted the activities and objectives of the organization and sketched the literary contribution of Shahzad Azam.
Dr. Syed Sami Ahmed, who chaired the event, said that Majlis-e-Ilm-oAdab, Jeddah has always been in the forefront in organizing such events to promote the Urdu language. “They have always endeavored to do their bit in popularizing Urdu.”
The mushaira consisted of two sessions, Naat and Ghazal, began with several of the noted poets and some of the upcoming young poets. They included Faisal Tufail, Altaf Shaheryar, Zamurrad Saifi, Sajjad Bukhari, Afsar Barahbankawi, Tanvir Ahmad Tanvir, Yavar Muzaffarpuri, Syed Asad, Syed Faizan, Syed Afif Siraj and Muhammad Mujahid Syed (Afif and Mujahid Syed attended mushairah through video conferencing from Lucknow, India). Noted columnist Mohammad Amanatullah presented his write-up.
Shahzad Azam recited a few humorous and satirical quatrains in which there were glimpses of the daily life of the common man.
A few examples of the Naats and Ghazal of the poets:
Altaf Shahryar:
Jo dil hai Muhammad ki ulfat se khali
Use dil nahin sange larzan samajhiye
Meri shayeri ko jila jisne bakshi
Wo zikre e nabi hai faqat haan samajhiye (Naat)
Tanvir Ahmad Tanvir:
Samne mere roza-e-khairul wara mere moula main maangun dua koun si
Mujh ko bin maange hi sab kuch mil gaya mere moula main maangun dua koun si
Aankh hairan hai, dil pareshan hai, samne sab jahanon ka sultan hai
Mustafa mil gaye, mil gaya hai Khuda, mere moula main maangun dua koun si (Naat)
Afsar Barahbankwi:
Charag-e-fahm-o-firasat jala ke rakh dena
Andhere wahm-o-guma’n ke mita ke rakh dena
Her ek ahl-e-qalam ka yahi fariza hai
Hikayaton ko ujalon me la ke rakh dena
Zindagi ka tay safar karna hi hai
Raste behtar nahin to kya hua
Dast-e-qatil se tapakta hai lahu
Haat me khanjar nahin to kya tua (Ghazal)
Sajjad Bukhari:
Baad az sana-e-rabb-e-do aalam nabi ki naat
Zakhm-e-jigar pa rakhti hai marham nabi ki naat
Sarkar ke kamal-o-sharaf per main kya kahoon
Padhtre rahe bahisht me Aadam nabi ki naat (Naat)
Yawar Muzaffarpuri:
Talim ke nizam ka meyar dekhiye
Shamil hai filmi tazkerah ab ke nisab me
Mahngai ne kiya hai bura haal is qadar
Ab jhuk gayi kamar meri ahd-e-shabab me
Faisal Tufail:
Maqam-e-rask hai goya yeh aasmaan ke liye
Hai arz-e-taiba mayassar hamen amaan ke liye
Guzar raha hoon madine ke rahguzar se hunooz
Uda raha hoon sitare main aasmaan ke liye (Naat)
Zamurrad Khan Saifi:
Takhliq se besat tak her lamha-e-tabindah
Us khaliq-e-yakta ki hikmat ka isharah hai
Humne bhi to dekhi hai firdous-e-barin Saifi
Humne bhi madine me kuch waqt guzara hai (Naat)
Syed Afif Siraj:
Wo sadqe me jiske sama wo samak
Wo jis se hai shamsul zuha me lahek
Wo jis se hai khunki-e-baad-e-nasim
Sallallho Nabiul Karim (Naat)
Muhammad Mujahid Syed:
Umr Tamam roz-o-shab khoob thi ek sada ki dhoom
Aankh to nam hui magar dil me rahi bala ki dhoom
Chak gireba’n sil gaye, zakhm hue hain mundamil
Khatm hui bahar kya, khatm hui fiza ki dhoom
Log nikal ke ghar se kyun raah me aa khade hue
Rahti hai kya sada yahi, aamad-e-aashna ki dhoom
Aadmi ki nigah me aadmi jaise kuch nahin
Dekhi hai hamne kya nahin, umr-e-gurez paa ki dhoom (Ghazal)
Shahzad– Azam:
Gori chitti ladki ka jab naam shabana ho sakta hai
Punjabi me ghubbare ka naam pakana ho sata hai
Ladke walon ka ladki ke ghar bhi jana ho sakta hai
Ladke aur ladki me koi rabt purana ho sakta hai
Kaisa anjan hai mumkin se siwa chahta hai
Barhana sir hai ye izzat ki rida chahta hai
Ye dil ajib hai ab lutf e wafa chahta hai.
