A Critical Review of Na’at Rung (34th Volume)

A Critical Review of Na’at Rung (34th Volume)

A Reader’s Response to the Articles and Sections of the Journal 

Na’at Rang regularly contributes to creative and critical articles on Urdu Naat, Manqbat and allied fields. A galaxy of researchers, scholars and critics all over the world feel honored to be its contributor.

A renowned writer, critic, poet, vocalist, Syed Sabihuddin Rehmani is editor-in-chief and seasoned and veteran researchers are in the editorial and managerial boards.

Every word of the editor speaks a volume of worldly wisdom, provides guidance to the readers and guidelines for new and even seasoned contributors. The 34th volume of Na’at Rung has recently been published by Na’at Research center. It is a great contribution to critical aspects of Na’at writing. This essay is an overview of the essays and studies contributed by renowned authors. It will provide an abridged synopsis of Na’at Rung for English readers in Pakistan and abroad. It may also introduce them to the great Urdu writers, Urdu poets especially Naat poets and literary critics. It may generate counter narrative and develop peaceful co-existence, patience, harmony, sympathy, generosity and forgiveness, which are chief attributes of The Holy Prophet ﷺ and are adorned in Naat poetry. 

In the 34th volume of course, Na’at Rung, the editorial has raised some vital questions on the production of Na’at genere by the by-gone poets. The scientic Era demands rationalization of expressions and justification of claims made by the Na’at poet. In this context, the metaphysical proactive narrations of the poets enter into the area of superficial expression or turn into dreamy visions not to be justified by anyone. This tantamount to distrust of even our new generation on unscientific narratives. This hyper-critical situation needs rethinking and re-modelling on logical and rational foundations based on the authentic evidence and subjects taken from the Quran and Searah of The Holy Prophet ﷺ.

Mr. Sabeeh, the editor, puts the burden on “he who knows” that he should not only warn the violator to shun producing such poetry but also accept the responsibility of pruning the faith/dogmas of the producer. Mr Sabeeh is unhappy with all these poets who express personal dilemmas and yarnings in Na’at especially in the last concluding verse of Na’at.

He feels sick of the personalization of emotive feelings, showing catharsis and tragic trauma in Na’at writing. He rightly says that this depressive attitude provides a psychic vacuum to the poet by eulogizing his miseries and yearnings. His analysis broadens its canvas gradually as these Na’at poets run away from the harsh realities of life and take refuge in the soft realm of Na’at Verses waiting for what remains an illusion. Mr. Sabeeh is scared whether this illusion may not be the outcome of a national or international deluge over stancing the thought process as a whole. Mr. Sabeeh makes a concluding statement in the editorial that the Na’at poets must not let their art get stagnated, and the reader must have a cautious study of the subject and language employed in the Na’at. This two-way proactive approach could improve the standard of Naat writing. 

Mr. Sabeeh has a very clever pen blessed with intellectual vision and a crafty and inquisitive mind to say what he wants to say. Though his inquiries are hard to answer by the major lot of writers, his soft natural desire to know what he already knows is very interesting. This is the ticklish ground where Dr Tariq Hashmi in his article “Urdu mai muzhbi Tarz-e-Ahsas aur Sinfi Tahdeed” : An emotive feeling in Religious Poetry and its Limitations” seems rolling. He has written a complete analytical history of composers of all types of religious poetry with its emergence and has discussed its phases as a literary genre, but his style of raising fingers instead of gestures like those of Mr Sabeeh made some readers upset and a non-literary discussion broke out on social media. It is true that researchers formulate research questions, but it is more imperative not to hurt anyone’s feelings on religious grounds. Wisdom demands to be tactful, crafty or careful on such topics.

Ghulam Mustafa’s article “Na’atiya Salam” talks about the poetic form, linguistic features and spiritual meanings of Salam. The main emphasis is on comparative discussion of Na’at and Na’atiya Salam, which shows, although they share the same devotional background, they follow different thematic, stylistic and emotional paths. This analytical study also introduces the various popular themes / aspects of Na’atiya Salam.

Professor Dr Riaz Majeed takes the lead by taking strides in the world of gadgets. He has coined the term “Mazkari”, the field where artificial intelligence is used. His practical experiment in M. Phil class opened new doors / ways of conducting AI-based research. He recommends that AI users should be allowed to use AI as a productive tool. He has discussed the three options:

i. Getting a complete version of AI

ii Partial writing by AI

iii. Giving topic and points to AI for the composing of Na’at.

Dr Riaz recommends the third option and narrates that he who knows how to give the best command will get the best reward from AI. However, he cautions that the overuse of AI will make the future of creative literature doubtful.

Mr. Safeer Saddiqui has built his discourse entitled “Urdu Na’atia Poetry: in Intertextuality perspective.”

He has based his discourse on Julia Kristeva’s literary theory and criticism. The theory rejects the idea that a text is an isolated, autonomous object. She introduced the concept of intertextuality, defining any piece of writing as a “mosaic of quotations” that intersects, absorbs and transforms countless prior cultural codes, historical contexts and other texts. Kristeva’s approach to text and meanings relies on the following concepts:

i. Intertextuality and Transposition

ii. The Semiotic and the Symbolic realms.

iii. The Death of the isolated author (Reader Response Theory)

iv. Subject-in-Process

v. Abjection — the boundaries between “self” and “others”

Mr. Safeer claims that the study shows that intertextuality is a structural feature of Na’at poetry, reflecting processes of expansion, reinterpretation and transformation, making it a vital site for literary analysis. He quotes Graham Allen that “Meaning becomes something which exists between a text and all the other texts to which it refers and relates, moving out from the independent text into a network of textual relations.”

Mr. Safeer combines intertextuality with interdisciplinary studies to enrich the discourse and make it more prone to the comprehension of the common reader. These fields are new for Urdu readers yet are very productive. Mr. Safeer says that Na’at is the most useful genre to study intertextuality in literature. He claims that this theory will bring about harmony among Na’atiya poets by following the boundaries of intertextuality. Some critics may not agree with Mr. Safeers approach and vote for Reader Response Theory, which argues a text has no fixed meaning until a reader engages with it. Moving away from text-centric methods like New Criticism, it asserts that meaning is created dynamically through an active transaction between the reader’s personal experiences and the text’s symbols. 

The following are the Core Concepts of Reader Response Theory:

i. Louise Rosenblatt says reading is a two-way process. The text acts as a blueprint, while the reader provides the emotional and intellectual framework to bring the story to life.

ii. It focuses on:

a)aesthetics focusing on the experience, feelings, and emotions of reading

b)efferent i.e. focusing on extracting specific information or facts from the text

iii. Developed by Wolfgang Iser, this concept suggests texts are built with a specific, hypothetical reader in mind. The text contains “blanks” or gaps that the real reader must fill using their imagination to make sense of the narrative.

iv. Championed by Stanley Fish, this concept explores how our shared cultural, social, and educational backgrounds guide how we interpret texts collectively.

Reader Response Theory democratizes the reading experience, acknowledging that two people can read the same book and walk away with entirely different, yet equally valid, interpretations based on their own unique lived experiences. If Mr. Safeer rewrites his critique under Reader Response Theory, I am sure his creative sense of him will generate many layers of meaning and if such findings of other readers can be put together to come to a better interpretation and finer review of the book.

Dr. Syed Urfi Hashmi’s article: “Protest and Na’at”

Dr. Hashmi puts two questions to the readers:

i. What is protest?

ii. Is it merely the intensity of a clenched fist, the transformation of a voice into a scream, and the awakening of rebellion in one’s tone? Or is that silent trembling also a form of protest—the one that arises in the depths of the heart’s vast ocean and, by the time it reaches the shore of words, turns into a prayer?

After developing a state of mind in the second question, he says:

It is precisely at this point that Naat appears distinct from other literary genres. In my view, protesters can enter Naat through at least four pathways.

First, as a simile, when the poet compares a collective wound to a burning lamp, a blood-stained dawn, or a leafless tree.

Second, as a metaphor, when Karbala or Palestine directly assumes the form of a semantic framework and becomes a vehicle of meaning.

Third, in the form of allusion, when the poet points toward an event without explicitly naming it, and in a single moment, an entire history unfolds before the reader’s eyes.

And fourth, as a symbol, when a single word conceals within itself an entire system of resistance and protest. He further says that:

Yet, once these four pathways enter the domain of Naat, they undergo a remarkable transformation. The sharp edge of the simile’s dagger becomes softened; the metaphor reduces the intensity of its fire; the allusion, instead of wearing the attire of agitation, clothes itself in dignity and grace; and the symbol, rather than blazing like a passionate flame, begins to shine like a dewdrop glistening in the light.

Dr. Hashmi presents psychological, sociological approaches and analogies from English poetry to prove his point of view. He further narrates that the mentioning of the Holy Prophet ﷺ does not make the verse a Na’at. He quotes Annemarie Schimmel, J. A. Arberry, Khalifa Abdul Hakim, Mustansir Mir and Syed Nazir Niazi, who name Allama Iqbal’s poems as thought-provoking, spiritual, or civil discourse and not Na’ats.

This discourse gives a befitting reply to the thesis built up in the editorial of this volume why Na’at poets do not take up subjects like social issues, everyday life, economic crises and the adverse socio-political condition of Muslims. Dr. Hashmi’s analysis reveals that these are not the topics of

Na’at and if ever they were taken up, their status or nature would be transformed into softer mode and they lost their intensity.

Dr Tahra Inam’s article “Urdu Na’at and Sir Syed’s Motivation” appreciates Sir Syed’s contribution in motivating his colleagues in writing Na’at. She writes that, first of all Molana Haali gave a modern touch to prophetic literature and then other poets tried to vast its horizons. Finally, Iqbal lead Urdu Na’at to the highest level.

Saleem Shahzad’s article “Use of Hindi words in Farqelit”, the poem by Abdul Aziz Khalid presents an overview of code switching of multilinguists and its impact on Urdu Naat. Dr Khalid has used Hindi words in his Na’at poetry as a common lexical practice. Though she has focused on a few examples to prove her stance, the article discusses where the use of Hindi vocabulary aligns with the aesthetic and spiritual temperament of Na’at and where it fails to do so.

Many Classical poets like Rumi or Jami mixed Arabic and Persian in their religious poetry. In the Indian subcontinent, Urdu and regional languages are intermixed by the Na’at poets for emotional deepth, identity or the rich background of the poet, for using clear context of the familiar phrases so the readers may understand them clearly. Dr Kathleen Waller states that even tiny inclusions can add levels of authenticity as well as intrigue, so it is not as difficult as it sounds. Mr Shahzad is highly critical of the hybridity of Urdu and Hindi in these Na’at narratives, where many standards have been compromised by Mr Khalid. 

Dr Tariq Hashmi in his article “Tala al-Badru Alayna states that Salahuddin Parvez’s poem portrays the Hijrah as a revolution in human consciousness through symbolic imagery, historical references and Quranic echoes. He further says that the images of Madinah’s blessed spaces, softened heart, Yathrib’s inner change and the collective voice of Banu Najjar emphasize ethical and social renewal. The recurring refrain “Tala al-Badru Alayna affirms the timeless presence of prophetic guidance. The poem thus stands as a significant example of contemporary Urdu Na’atiya poetry uniting reverence with symbolic and cultural depth.

Qaseeda Al-Shuqratisiyya — Ghulam Mustafa Daim

Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Daim’s article on “The Qaseeda Al-Shuqratisiyya” by the Maliki jurist and poet Imam Abdullah Ibn Abi is a fine study of the technical aspects of Qaseeda writing and an analytical study of this Qaseeda. He envisions that the poem embodies both devotional and disciplined artistry. It mirrors the Prophet’s virtues, miracles and the community’s spiritual bond with him. The two merits of the poem are praiseworthy: it unites western impression with eastern eloquence, manifesting the harmony of faith, intellect and art; and, secondly, Imam Al-Bausiri followed this literary style in his Qaseeda Al-Burda. The writer has beautifully introduced the biographical note of Imam Abdullah, the literary merits of his works and the attributions of other renowned scholars of various ages on it. It has given a historio-literary touch to the study and adds a lot to the information of the readers. He calls it the first ever Qaseeda that meets all the technical and stylistic boundaries of a Qaseeda.

Na’at in the Shibli School — Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Al-Azami

Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Al-Azami’s article on Na’at in the Shibli School is a traditional survey of the Na’at writings of contemporary poets of Hazrat Shibli Naumani. His Darul Musannifeen (Writers’ Guild) provided a sound platform for writers and poets of the age to write and compose in commemoration of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. He rightly claims that the Shibli School significantly enriched Na’at literature, combining intellectual depth with strong spiritual devotion. The reader enjoys a rich introduction of the 19th-century Na’at poets, from the mid-19th century to the first quarter of the 20th century.

Tazkira—Writing of Dr. Syed Latif Husain Adeeb — Dr. Rafaqat Ali Shahid

Dr. Rafaqat Ali Shahid’s article is a literary overview of the tazkira-writing of Dr. Syed Latif Husain Adeeb. It is a biographical and critical documentary of the Na’at poets of Bareilly. The study highlights that Dr. Adeeb’s book is considered one of the earliest and most significant research-based compilations on Urdu Na’at poets.

Section: Fikr-o-Fun

The section “Fikr-o-Fun”, is a thought-enriched by stylistic and artistic beauties, and encompasses three articles on three distinguished figures of this century. The first is Dr. Shabir Ahmed Qadri’s article on Munawar Badaayuni’s analysis of Na’at writing. The critical analysis of Dr. Qadri pinpoints the grey areas of his writing where the poet oversteps the boundaries of Na’at writing. This Saqi Naama seems to be meant for a Qawwali, where the reciters use ishqia / temporal terms and shift the burden to Na’at in the concluding lines. Dr. Qadri represents millions of devotees of the Prophet ﷺ when he disagrees with Munawar and gives wise advice to all to compose Na’at within the measured parameters of Na’at writing. Otherwise, their writing reflects the split-personality of the poet, who simulates himself to be a Na’at poet.

In this context, Dr. Aziz Hassan also supports this point of view in his article “Jalil Aali’s Sher-e-Aqeedat”. He claims that Jaleel Aali is a true devotee of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and that he has written his “Noor Nahaya Rasta” as a guideline for the Na’at poets. 

Mr. Shahzad Anjum Burhani’s article focuses on Majaz Aashna’s Na’at poetry. Mr. Burhani examines his verses in the light of the classical Na’at tradition. The article reflects a harmonious blend of devotion, intellectual balance and aesthetic refinement, making it a meaningful and dignified contribution to modern Na’at literature.

Section: Ghoosha

In the section “Ghoosha”, Dr. Tahira presented an overview of Dr. Shahida Yousif’s contribution to Na’at writing. She has used the tazmeen / rhyming schemes of Allama Iqbal, Amjad Islam, Sabeeh Rehmani, Iftikhar-ul-Haq Noori and other poets in an artistic way. She has selected a few samples for the enlightenment of the readers.

Section: Na’at Study

The section “Na’at Study” encompasses three articles. Saleem Shahzad’s article is on the commentary of Chandar Bhan Khayal’s poem “Lolak” written by Dr. Syed Taqi Abedi. The study confines itself to the analytical study of language, expression and rhetorical usage within the commentary. The author has raised new questions and has invited the readers to comment on them. This article is an eye-opener for those Na’at poets of this century who are deficient in the proper background of the subjects which they use and consequently present fragmented poetry, either stepping down from or overstepping the Na’at poetry.

Dr. Usman’s review of the translation of Qasida Al-Burda by Dr. Khurshid Rizvi into Urdu poetry is an analytical study of the Qasida translation, highlighting its merits by combining close textual fidelity with creative poetic expressions. He claims that it exemplifies translation as an act of aesthetic judgement, intellectual engagement and devotional creativity, thereby reviewing the classical text for the modern Urdu reader.

Syed Sabeeh Rahmani’s article, “A Review of Tehzeeb-e-Subhan”, is an excellent and classical example of the Reader-Response Theory which has been discussed earlier. Ahmad Javed’s book is a primary response on Iftikhar Arif’s poetry, and Syed Sabeeh’s review is the secondary response on Iftikhar Arif’s poetry and a primary review of the book. Mr. Ahmad Javed seeks to understand not only the text of the poem but also the poet’s inner personality, spiritual experience and his mode of sensibility. Syed Sabeeh appreciates the elements of self-surrender, spiritual elevation and Sufi-consciousness, which gives the reader a new sense of consciousness to understand a fresh perspective on contemporary Na’at criticism.

Sections: Awan-i-Na’at and Na’at Nama

The section “Awan-i-Na’at” presents a rich collection of Na’ats by renowned poets. The section “Na’at Nama” presents a collection of opinions and appraisals of the readers on the previous issues and the contribution of Na’at Rung for the Urdu-loving community. This is the feedback of the readers and the sole source of encouragement, showing that the current volume has been studied by the chosen readers.

Dedication and Cover

This issue has also been dedicated to Sheikh Abdul Aziz Debagh, a renowned researcher, critic, poet and translator. This dedication pays a great tribute to Mr. Debagh for his multifarious services to Naat literature. The back covering page appreciates Prof. Tahir Sadiqui’s book, “Aswat-e-Na’at” — a unique emblem of 555 voices out of the 54 letters of Urdu and writing a Na’at on each. It is a great service to Naat and the Urdu phonic system. It speaks volume of Mr. Siddiqui’s expertise as a writer, poet, grammarian and innovator.

Concluding Note

The writers of the critiques of the 34th volume of Na’at Rung and other critics may agree, or may disagree with any of the points I have written in this essay. They are requested to convey their valuable suggestions to Syed Sabeeh Rahmani, the Editor of Na’at Rung. All observations and thoughts will be welcomed and accepted with a note of thanks. 

Prof. Jawaid Aslam Bajwa

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