Book & Author
Dr Sadiq Naqvi: An Eminent Scholar and a Distinguished Poet
By Dr Ahmed S. Khan
Chicago, IL
Dr Sadiq Naqvi, a renowned academician and a prolific writer, was a professor at the Department of History, Osmania University. He was born on October 6, 1936, in the princely State of Hyderabad Deccan. He obtained his MA in History from Aligarh Muslim University, and MPhil and PhD degrees from Osmania University. His research focused on Medieval History, particularly of the Deccan, related to this area he presented and published more than fifty papers at various national and international conferences, and in journals. He served on many academic boards. He visited the ancient city of Mohenjodaro in Pakistan to study its history. He supervised a number of graduate students for their MPhil and PhD dissertations. Presently many of his former students serve as faculty members at various universities in North America. He passed away on June 21, 2017.
Dr Naqvi was an acclaimed Urdu scholar and poet. In Urdu, he penned “Tareekh Aur Aadab kaa Bahami Rabt ,” a book that explores the relationship between History and Urdu Literature. His seventh book of poetry collection is titled Roshan Dairaay (Radiant Circles). During his youth, he excelled as an agile sportsman in soccer, hockey and athletics. He was a resident of Darulshifa, the old part of Hyderabad, Deccan, and also served as the editor of the Islamic Research Journal “The Noor,” published by the Bab-ul-Ilm society, Hyderabad. Dr Naqvi had authored a number of books; his major works include:
• The Ashur Khanas of Hyderabad City
• The Iranian Afaquies Contribution to the Qutub Shahi and Adil Shahi Kingdoms
• The Iran-Deccan Relations
• The Muharram Ceremonies among the Non-Muslims of Andhra Pradesh
• A Thousand Laurels: Dr Sadiq Naqvi, Studies on Medieval India with Special Reference to Deccan
• Rooshan Dairaay (Radiant Circles), Urdu Poetry Collection
The Ashur Khanas of Hyderabad City, published in 1982, is the first work of its kind because the historian never wrote on this topic earlier. The “Ashur Khana” which is also known as the Astana, the Bargah, the “Allava” and the Imambara, is a building that houses the “Alams.” In addition to their religious value, they have also served as the centers for the socio-economic activities of the people, particularly during the Qutub Shahi period. The book not only deals with the history of the “Ashur Khanas,” their buildings, architecture inscriptions, ceremonies, but also their contribution to Urdu literature, and impact on the cultural life of the people.
In “The Iranian Afaquies Contribution to the Qutub Shahi and Adil Shahi Kingdoms,” Dr Naqvi explores the history of arrival of Afaquies and their contributions to the political and economic sectors of Hyderabad. The work is based on primary sources both in Persian and Decani Urdu.
After the foundation of the Behmni Kingdom in Deccan, Iranians, also known as Afaquies or Gharibes started to arrive in large numbers. The downfall of Behmni Kingdom led to the formation of five independent kingdoms. Two of these kingdoms, Adil Shahi Kingdom with Bijapur as its capital, and Qutub Shahi Kingdom with Golconda as its capital, attracted most of the Afaquies. Dr Naqvi observes that the Iranian Afaquies differed with other foreign nations in several respects, they neither came as invaders nor exploited the political or economic conditions of the Deccan. They came to serve various sections of the already established kingdom of Deccan. Furthermore, they did not impose their culture or religious ideology over the local population and exhibited a spirit of tolerance. They happily identified with the local culture and traditions. The policy of “Sulh-e-kul” resulted in a new pattern of culture, which could accommodate all people irrespective of religion, caste or sect. This culture reflected various facets of culture: art, architecture, literature, costumes and traditions. Dr Naqvi observes that in spite of the Afaquies’ remarkable services, no exclusive study was done either by contemporary historians or modern scholars. So, Dr Naqvi decided to pursue this topic.
In “The Moharram Ceremonies among the non-Muslims of Andhra Pradesh,” Dr Naqvi observes: “Contrary to the religious policy followed by the great Mughal Akbar, which ended in the declaration of Deen-Illahi, a new religion, which became ‘a monument of folly and not wisdom,’ the Qutb Shahs exhibited their wisdom. They neither interfered with the religious laws of any religion nor formulated any new religion. Instead, they created a culture which could accommodate people of different religions…The Hindus of the Gungodu village observed Muharram which they called Govind. The Peerla were installed in the Peerla Chavidi, as soon as the moon of the month of Muharram was sighted in the presence of a large number of people. The caste system though had lost its traditional rigidity, yet it still existed in Qutb Shahi villages. Muharram was the only occasion when the caste differences were forgotten, and the people of all castes were allowed to participate.” The book has also been translated in Persian.
The two-volume book “A Thousand Laurels: Dr Sadiq Naqvi (Studies on Medieval India with Special Reference to Deccan): A Festschrift, is a collection of eighty-four papers on Medieval Indian History, published in 2005, by Department of History, to honor Dr Sadiq Naqvi’s forty-five years of dedicated service to Osmania University, Hyderabad.
Dr Naqvi, an acclaimed Urdu scholar and poet, also penned seven collections of poetry, which include Fikr-e-Sadiq [collections of poems in the praise of Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.)], Rooshan Zaweaay (Radiant Angles), Rooshan LakeeraiN (Radiant Lines), and Rooshan Dairaay (Radiant Circles).
Dr Sadiq Naqvi’s poetry is a mosaic of various themes: love, societal inequity, and suffering of humanity. But introspection and self-criticism are the hallmarks of his poetry; in Rooshan Dairaay, he observes:
Kaar Ra’hah HooN TanZ Au’rooN Par
Mujh koo Aa’ena Aab Ba’tah Dee’jeah
Aap say Hoo Sa’kay too Sadiq Key
Aik Tasveer He ba’nah Dee’jeah
I am making fun of others, show me a mirror now
If you can do it, Sketch a picture of Sadiq
Describing the nature of poetry, Dr Sadiq Naqvi says:
Shayari kay was’tay yah bhi Salee’qa Ho’nah chai’yah
Sha’ir koo haa’laat say mur’boot Ho’nah chai’yah
For the sake of poetry, proper protocol must be adhered to
The poetic expression ought to be synchronous with the circumstance
Commenting on the cruelty that exists in the world, he notes:
Lam’hooN maiN badal’tey hay Dun’yah
Kah’nay key Jasa’raat mut Ka’roo
Joo Cha’hoo ka’roo Iss Dunya maiN
La’shooN key Teja’raat mut kur’nah
The world changes in moments
Do not dare to say this
Pursue whatever you wish to, in this world
But never deal in the trade of dead bodies!
Describing the feeling of homesickness while visiting Chicago, he observes:
Wa’tan key yaad Aa’gar tum koo saa’tai Apni Bas’tey maiN
Huma’ray mukh’tasir lay’kin Ha’seen Aa’waan maiN Aa’nah
Chicago maiN bhi Hind-o-Pak ka ma’hool mil’tah hay
Aa’gar yah Daik’nah cha’hoo toh tum Devon maiN Aa’nah
If the memories of home come to mind in this town
Visit our short but exquisite avenue
Chicago offers the homeliness of Indo-Pak
If you want to experience this, just visit Devon
Remembering the culture and civilization of Hyderabad Deccan, he observes:
Ma’rey Tah’zeeb Bay’wa key Tar’ah Aab
Ga’ley kay MoR par Tun’hah Kha’Ree hay
My civilization, like a Widow
Is Standing at the corner of the street
Feeling the plight of homeless street children, he notes:
Woo Joo Footpath pay soo’taa hay may’rah Bacha hai
Aao Ma’soom koo Pa’tooN Ka liba’dah day daiN
That who is sleeping on the footpath is my kid
Let’s provide this innocent, an attire of the leaves
Thay Kha’bhi Yah Bhi Phool say Ba’chay
Hoo Gai haiN joo Dhool say Ba’chay
Once these children were like flowers
Now these children have become dust
Reflecting on the on the trials and tribulations of life, he states:
Sadiq koo joo Dai’kah toh mu’jah Yah mah’soos Huwa
Jai’say Koi Ha’laat key Su’ley pay Cha’Rah Hai
When I saw Sadiq, so I felt like
Someone is being crucified by the circumstance
Reflecting on the beauty of poetry, Dr Sadiq Naqvi observes:
Shayari Bay’dar Zah’nooN kay haiN Sadiq Mooj’zay
Aitabar Fikr e In’saaN kay haiN yah Rooshan Dhairaay
Poetry is like the miracles of awaken minds
The radiant circles reflecting the conviction of human thoughts
Indeed, Dr Sadiq Naqvi was a man of letters and a unique poet. In today’s pandemic-ridden world, his poetry offers comfort and refuge for the perturbed minds and restive souls. Rooshan Dairaay is a valuable addition to the annals of Urdu literature. (Dr Ahmed S. Khan (dr.a.s.khan@ieee.org) is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar, 2017-2022).
