an excerpt

June 17, 2003

an excerpt from a preface

here is an excerpt from the introduction to an Urdu Classic written in 1880s:

ìQaum ki halat tabah hay. Aziz zaleel hogai haiN. Ilm ka khaatma ho chukka hay. Deen ka srif naam baqi hay. Iflaas ki ghar ghar pukar hay. Pait kay charouN taraf duhai hay. Ikhlaque bilkul bigaR gaíaaye haiN aur bigaRtay jatay haiN. Taíasísoob ki ghanghoor ghata tamam qaum per chaíee hui hay. Rasím-o-riwaaj ki baiRi aik aik kay paouN main paRi hay. Jihalat aur Taqleed sub ki gardun per sawar hay. Umíraa, jo quam ko buhat kuch faida pohancha sakhtay hain ghafil aur bay perwa haiN. Ulema, jin ko qaum ki islah main buhat baRa dakhal hay, zamanay ki zarooratouN aur maslehatouN say naíwaaqif haiN. Aisay main jis say jo kuch bun aaíaye tou behtar hay, warna hum sub aik hee naío main sawar haiN, aur sari naío ki salamati humari salamti hayî


does it sound ever so familiar?Ödo you know who wrote this?Öcan you name the book?

Öit is an eerieÖdejavu feeling one getsÖlife was different in 1880sÖgeo-political and social realities are vastly different nowÖbut if you can read and understand UrduÖthe conditions described by the author apply fully todayÖ

jub kashti saabit saalim thee saahil ki tamanna kis ko thee
ab aisi shikasta kashti maiN saahil ki tamanna kauN karay