‘It’s political manifesto, not just literary magnum opus’

Literary scholars and poets sat together on Monday to cherish prominent philosopher and eminent educationist Ahmad Javaid’s poetry collection ‘Taqreeban’, which was silently—or rather secretly—published a few months ago. Yet its first edition was sold out in no time—thanks to word of mouth.

During the ceremony held at the Pakistan Academy of Letters, literary aficionados were visibly jubilant for having Ahamd Javaid, a unique poet who never spoke of his poetry collection in any of his lectures uploaded on his popular YouTube channel. Neither did he talk about it at any public gathering.

Thanks to Shahid Awan of the Danish Forum, however, who persuaded Ahmad Javaid into attending the event that his forum organised in collaboration with literary organisation Zawiyah.

In his talk, noted poet Akhtar Usman said he got hold of Taqreeban only last week. “But since the day I got it,” he told the audience, “I have had no time for anything else – I have just been reading it day and night.”

In his opinion, Ahmad Javaid’s creative expression is a beacon of hope for Urdu poetry. “Poets should learn from him that how he transforms his experiences into a creative journey.”

Dr Najeeba Arif said it was quite intimidating for her to speak about language and poetry in presence of Ahmad Javaid given his “command over linguistics and intellectual capacity”.

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She, however, brilliantly explored metaphors employed by Ahmad Javaid in his poetic work. Besides her, other speakers too lauded Ahmad Javaid for his broad and creative use of metaphors such as hell and fire.

Prof Jaleel Aali said Ahmad Javaid’s poetry collection is the first to feature Nasri Qitaat. “The way he transforms his imagination into experience is just brilliant.”

According to him, the greatest contribution of Ahmad Javaid is that he has proved to the literary world that traditional religious thought possesses an infinite tendency to produce a new world of meaning.

Reminiscing about Ahmad Javaid’s mentor and literary giant Saleem Ahmad, literary critic and linguist Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik, who presided over the ceremony, said Saleem Ahmad’s poem Mashriq Haar Gaya was the precursor of Ahmad Javaid’s thought process.

“Ahmad Javaid’s poetic work is just not a literary magnum opus, it’s a political manifesto for the people of East,” he stressed.

At the end, the programme saw Ahmad Javaid reciting his poems and the audience showering praise on him. The event was moderated by Mehboob Zafar.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2021.