Death of a Renowned Urdu Literati

Naqshbandi

Ashiq of which type? Ilamdini or Hussaini ?

Naqshbandi

Ashiq of which type? Ilamdini or Hussaini ?

Inna lillaha wa inna ilayhi raji`oon! A great writer and a great ashiq e Rasul has passed away.

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Ata-ul-Haq Quasmi in Jang says : `` Ashfaque Ahmad always maintained that Pakistan has been ruined and Plundered by the highly educated class. It is because of this category that Pakistan is in the mess it is now``.

He further added that Ashfaque also said: `` it is the ``lower`` working class in Pakistan which is far more advanced and learned than the highly-educated types``.

Something to reflect upon. The giant of a man was held in awe & esteem by people from all walks of life ; from `lowliest` to the `loftiest`; man or women; mullah or maadrate; sinner or saint; etc etc.

9 by hamid_ 81

I am syed, so to say, an ethnic Muslim, but not of your type. I can assume that the `touheen` of `Aale Rasool` is also tentamount to `touheene Rasalat`. Would you then justify it if I lynch a person insulting me accusing him of `touheene Rasalat` without giving him the chance of going through due process of law and justice? Would it not be damaging the image of the Prophet (PBUH) as `Rematulaalimin` which we cherish so much? As for `touheen` of any person, it is crime no doubt and should be punished suitabely and more so in the case of ;Rehmatulaalimin`, but not without due process of law and justice as it would lead to sheer anarhy if you allow every person to be an accuser, a judge and executioner, all in one.

This eulogy is more about Mohammad Gill than Ashfaq Ahmad. What an affront to the dear departed soul.

It is possible that some of the visitors here may not have come across this remarkable piece of writing. In more ways than one it exceeds a Manto. ..#11 by echoboom on September 11, 2004 3:49pm PT

Now just a day or two later Jamil-ul-Din Aali, reminiscing while paying homage to Ashfaque in his column for Jang, Karachi, shares this with us:

loose translation:

`` I myself somewhere around 1950-51 heard Manto , in his unique biting and condescending manner say this (to Ashfaque): ``Oye Ashfaque , if you ever write another afsana like Gadarya again, then I`ll ruin you completely``

Ashfaque, though pretty sharp of mind himself, nevertheless panicked: ``well sir! what is it the matter``

and Manto said: `` O then where will I be? Am I not the topmost short-story writer?``

and ashfaque and I nodded in unison, in agreement:`` Well of course, no argument there``.

---

A nice tingling feeling there , after I read that.

#9 by teshah on September 10, 2004 8:50pm PT

What Should Ashfaq had done? Like said that the person accused of tauheen-e-Risalat should be allowed to express his ideas, put them in writing, publish them get modern intellectuals giving beautiful construtive criticism on a piece of writing about the wrong doings of Prophet Muhammad? Or should the guy be made a member of parliament for insulting the Prophet? Or should he be gievn national recognition? What sort of an individual are you? Soofis, mullahs, muslims, hard-liners, soft-liners, EVERYBODY who is a MUSLIM would agree that the penalty for Tauheen-E-Risalat should be death. No question asked. So I think Ashfaq Ahmad was a great man and said something absolutely correct. You on the other hand need a lesson in Islam. Are you a Muslim? I would be very happy if you are not and so would the whole Muslim world.

Gadaria: by Ashfaque Ahmad ( He will always live; through his books)

It is possible that some of the visitors here may not have come across this remarkable piece of writing. In more ways than one it exceeds a Manto.


Gadaria: by ashfaque Ahmed.

Those who somehow missed this short-story has must have missed an important aspect of life.
This is the story that when I read it, I was not even aware who Ashfaque Ahmad was.

If only this story is taught as a MUST read both in India and in Pakistan then a lot of the ``educated`` discussions which take place on CHOWK and elsewhere would br rendered meaningless and frivolous. It is this kind of learning which is sorely missing from our system of education which produces only robots and clerks , who have cno clue how ignorant they really are.

And that kind of ignorance is really the highest form. No wonder a madressa and a taat-boree student , when he gets a level-playing field, excels and leaves the citi-bank bean-counter and army-general type jahils to relish the duties to be the drooling-dogs of chitti-chumRRee.

I am also One of the many Unknow Orphans ... Left in this world....

after the demise or Our Spritual God father......


Ina lillah eh inna elahay rajaoun

This is the most insipid article from Mr. Gill. Mr. Ashfaq required a more in-depth and a critical appreciation in view of his long literary life, especially his prgramme `Talqeen Shah` on the radio. Being a Punjabi Paindu myself I liked his straightforward paindu style of writing and speaking. He posed to be a soofi intellectual of a sort and some times juxtaposed with Mumtaz Mufti. I was however shocked when I read an article in the Suday Megazine of the Daily Jang a year or so back. The article was about `Touheene Rasalat` in which the writer put a question to Ashfaq as to what punishment would he suggest to a person he finds guilty of Touheen Rasalat. He said,`` He should be killed straightaway without any trial varial``. This was his purport but the wording may be different which I do not rmember exactly. I was shocked to see a man who paraded as a soofi intellectual to fall to the level of Illam Din, a seventeen year old tarkhan (carpenter) who was sentenced to death for murdering a Hindu who had published a collection of Ahadees regarding the family life of the Prophet (PBUH) though he had denied comitting the murder. And this man`s name is mentioned alongside the great Mumtaz Mufti. I remember the addrress of Mufti in a meeting called by him in the then National Centre of Islamabad in early seventies in connection with the Mullah`s objection to his `Safar Nama` Labbak which was then being serialised in Sayyara Digest. Mufti had said, ``I am afraid more of a mad mullah than a mad dog and so I have stopped serialization of the Labbak in the Digest``. Was Ashfaq not a mad mullah inside masquerading as a soofi intellectual. May God bless him.

Freethinker: The leading passage of your feature on AA is very interesting and sweet. It was indeed very sad to hear about his demise. May God rest his soul in peace. Somehow, his stories and plays always had life in them. I cannot say the same about Bano Q`s writings. Thanks for the update. Regards.

Asmaan teri lahed per shabnum-afshani karey
sabza-e-naurasta iss gher ki nagihbaani karey

From the very early age when I started reading Ashfaq and saw his ek mohabbat sau afsanay in plays, I consisdered him my spiritual and intellectual godfather (and Qudsia Bano my spiritual godmother). I am an orphan now.

May God rest his soul.
His work for Literature is an asset for generations to come in Pakistan and aspiration for Literature Lovers around the Globe.

may Allah place him in Janat-e-Fardoos -- Ameen !

It`s sad, very sad when people like Ashfaq Saab leaves us all . Ashfaq Saab`s work in Urdu will always be remembered especially Aik Muhabbat Soo Afsanay and Guria .. some plays which will always be part of everyone of us ( Pakistanis ) - Ashfaq Sahib turned religious 5-6 years back and stopped most of his works but he regularly came on television for his lectures which everyone listens ..
Khudahafiz Ashfaq Sahib -- ( the tea cafe`s in lahore will miss you so will everyone of us )