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By Shafique Ahmed Shafique

Name of book :Chand Muasir Qalam Kar(چند معاصر قلم کار)

Author’s name:Frof Haroonur Rasheed

Publishers:Media Graphics, A-997, Sector 11-A, North Karachi

Page:192

Price:Rs 500

The name ”Professor Harunur Rasheed” has created confusion among those who are in the fields of literature, education and journalism as there are three ”Haroonur Rasheeds” in Pakistan.

One Haroonur Rasheed is a columnist the second Haroonur Rasheed is a prominent educationist taught in colleges and writes essays on the issues related to education and the third Haroonur Rasheed is a senior professor, scholar, literary historian, educationist, poet, critic, novelist as well as researcher.

My this write-up is on the third Haroonur Rasheed who had come from India to East Pakistan and after fall of East Pakistan he had to migrate to Pakistan and residing in Karachi. Born on July 3,1937 in Calcutta now Kolikata. Passed matric, inter, B.A and M.A (Urdu) from Dhaka. Taught in several colleges including the famous Jagannath College of Dhaka.

Prof Haroonur Rashed is an author of 33 books written on various subjects. He has ten books on history and criticism of Urdu literature and its historical facts with authenticity. He has written four books about the Urdu literature and litterateurs of East Pakistan.

These four books are very much precious in view of authentic study and short survey of publication of books, journals and newspapers as well as information of poetic and prose creativities in former East Pakistan now Bangladesh.

The title to these four books have been given a separate name “Dabistan-e-Mashriq” by the author in the list of his latest book ” Fikro Fun.” Nine books are written on the subject of religious and its related thoughts.

Being critical books one may think that books would be dry in view of subject matter, expression and narration. But it is not so, the book is very interesting and informative and it has the capacity of arresting the readers’ attention.

Prof Haroon has also assessed critically the Urdu poets’ effort of Na’ats under the name of “Urdu Na’at Goee Ka Tanqidi Jaiza”(An critical assessment of Urdu Na’at-writing), This book has been written on Na’at creation by those poets who do not know very much about religious affairs and write against the accepted believes and ethics.

Due to inadvertence and exageration they disrespect  God and Prophet  Muhammed (PBUH). They give higher respect to Hazrat Muhammed Mustafa (PBUH) than Almighty God and commit sin unknowingly. “Aik Gumnam Deeni Mohaqqiq” and”Foghan-e-Durvaish”are also his important books.

He has very successfully written his own autobiography “Zindagi Nama.” This book is not only giving his own life story but also portraying the big and small events of his time.  It has precious information about the political, cultural and economic situations in its skirt. There are also some historical facts such as religious skirmishes, linguistic bigotries, sectarian and communal prejudices.

The style of expression is very simple but meaningful and magnificent. It may be called one of the best autobiographies written in Urdu language. From very outset of his school time he never spent his precious time by sitting in hotels and restaurants.

He always remained serious in life and literary activities that is the reason he has written 33 books causing great diversity of thoughts and opinions. The book under review “Chand Muasir Qalam Kar” has 27 write-ups in its skirt. These essays are written on Urdu writers such as poets, short story writers, novelists and critics.

There are some write-ups on journalists a well as scholars and few are memoir and biographic-like sketches. It has been stated in the beginning of this review that the author Prof Haroonur Rasheed is a seasoned critic, researcher, novelist, literary historian as well as a good autobiographer so the  write-ups of this collection which are related to different genres of prose are vividly representing the author’s that very abilities which I discussed and highlighted previously.

The write-ups on Qaiser Saleem, Dr Hasrat Kasganjvi, Prof Azher Qadri, A Khyyam, Awer Farhad,, Syed Muhammed Qasim, Shair Siddiqi, Prof Shaukat Ali Jauher, Dr Zahid, Ebn-e-Azeem Fatmi, Noon Javaid, Zahid Muzaffer Puri and Shoaib Azeem are written marvelously.

The author’s deep insight studies about personages and their lives and services are magnificently and scholarly depicting. The author very keenly and seriously has assessed the penmen along with their services and struggles towards life and literature. The book is highly appreciable.

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