Literary Role of Local Poets & Writers of Muzaffargarh District

Muzaffargarh is an important district of South Punjab and it is considered a backward area but the fact are totally against this perception. Lot of poets and scholars belong to this small region and they had always played a splendid role in the social construction of the society. In this research paper it has been tried to explore the literary efforts of some famous intellectuals of the district Muzaffargarh. Among them Kashfi Multani, Naseem, Mehabdul Haq and many others are very famous. This paper is an attempt to highlight their literary contribution.

For this research paper the concerning books are the main source of literature review as the District Gazetteer, Multan Nama, Adbiat, “Multan men Urdu Shairi” Saraiki Khazana, Tareekh Layyah, News Papers etc. While historic method has been adopted for this research on qualitative basis.

Some prominent intellectuals and their role is as following for the construction of the society.

Hafiz abdul aziz pirharvi

Hafiz Abdul Aziz Pirharvi was a scholar of the district Muzaffargarh. He was a great personality of the district Muzaffargarh. It is not false that he was the scholar of the eighteenth century. Hafiz Abdul Aziz was born in 1199 Hijrah of 1784 in the house of Ahmad Khan at Pirhar village Tehsil Kotadu district Muzaffargarh [1]. He got his early education from Hafiz Jamal Ullah Multani and Khawaja Noor Mohammad Maharvi. After the study of the Quran Pak and Hadith Sharif he received other education. He got his education from the great saints and scholars of the time. He had an excellent memory anything he had learnt once, he never forgotten. He was the auther of large number of books. Such of them were Tafseer-e-Quran, Laoh-e-Mahffooz, Seer-Ul-Asma, Zamrud-e- Akhzar, Yaqut-e-Ahmar, Muntaha Kmal, Kausar-un-Nabi, Haram-ul- Kalam, Gulzar-e-Jamaliaand Nabras was the explanation of faiths. He was proud on Nabras. Another famous book was Al-Aksir of Madical whose translation is famous as the name of Makhzan-e- Sulaiman [2]. He was a famous scholar of the time, Dr. Atta Ullah Siduqi says that his books had been taught in the Jamia-ul-Azhar University of Egypt. He died in 1234 Hijrah. It is very unfortunate that his heirs were ignorant or they had no love with knowledge. They did not protect these books [3]. That, why a costly treasure of knowledge has destroyed now and the lover of knowledge has become disappointed from this irresponsible act of his heirs which is a great loss.

Kuashfi multani

The real name of Kashfi was Faqeer Allah Bukhsh. He used kushfi, Asadi, Qalandri and Deen Panahi as a title, but he is famous as Kashfi Multani. Kashfi was born in 1902 at Dera Din Panaah. He passed his matriculation in 1921 [4]. After this he passed J V class from Normal School Muzaffargarh in 1925. In this year he was appointed as a teacher .In the same year he was transferred to Islamia High School. He was a teacher by profession. But he was interested in poetry. Actually his poetry was started in 1913 when he was only 11 year old. He continued it with full zeal and zest [5]. Later on kashfi made his head quarter of poetry at Multan. In 1944 he resigned from the government service.

Naz Kr Naz Aye Muzaffargarh KIA muqadr tera Nirala Ha.

Gurmani tera governor Ha Aur dasti tera wazir Aala Ha [6].

Kushfi was a great poet of the district Muzaffargarh and he had a unique place in poetry. His two verses are famous:

Rind Bukhshey Gay Qiamat Me Sheikh Kahta Rraha Hisab Hisab

Any Lgi Thi Un ki Jabin Pe Zra Shikan Izhar Ishq Kr k Mukarna Para Mujhy

Who kab Aata Hay Robaru Kushfi Jis Ki Har Har Ada Ho Hijab Hijab [7]

At last this glorious figure lost his life and breathed his last at Multan. With the death of Kushfi in 1976, and a great chapter of the poetry became end. His death was a great loss for this area because Kushafi was considered the most intellectual poet of this region.

Pathaney khans

Once who got fame in classic music was Pathaney Khan. He was famous classical singer and the winner of presidential award. He was born in 1928.He belonged to a small village Tanbu wala Tehsil Kotadu District Muzaffargarh. His father name was Khamisa Khan and he was a potter man. While his mother was a pious lady and she was a Hafiz Quran. The real name of Pathaney Khan was Ghulam Mohammad. But he was famous as Pathaney Khan [8].

It was due to an event when a woman saw him in the first time and she said him Pathana. Because his physical shape was like as a Pathan child. He played the role of hero in a theater drama “Khoni Shamshir” which was performed in 1952 at the Mela Noor Shah Tilai. He sang the Kafies of Hazrat Khawaja Ghulam Fareed of Kot Mithon. He died in 2003. He had three sons and a daughter. His sons are Mohammad Yaqub, Mohammad Aashiq and Mohammad Iqbal. His one son Iqbal is a nice singer and poet. The other son is a government servant [9]. He had said that I got spiritual comfort when I sing the Kafi of Khawaja Farid.

Meda Ishq vi tu Meda yar vi tu Meda Din vi tu meda Eman vi tu

Meda jism vi tu Meda Roh vi tu Meda qalb vi tu, jind jan vi tu

Meda Kaba, Qibla, Masjid, Minber Mashaf tin Quran vi tu

Dr. Maher abdul haq

Dr Maher Abdul Haq was born on 1st June 1915 at Thal Layyah in house of Maher Noor Mohammad Sumrah. He passed his primary from M.B middle school Layyah and passed his matriculation from Bhirtri high school Layyah in 1930. In 1932 he passed his FA from Sadique Edgerton College Bahawalpur H had honoured to meet Allama Iqbal in 1933. He passed his graduation in 1935 from Emerson college Multan. After graduation he appointed in Deputy Commissioner office. In 1942 he got admission in Central Training College Lahore for B.T class [10]. After this he appointed as an English teacher at government high school Jampur in 1942. From1945 to 1947 he remained as teacher in government high school D.G. Khan. In 1950 he appointed at government high school Layyah. He appointed as an assistant education officer in 1950 at Jampur.

He passed MA Urdu in this year. He completed his P.H.D degree in 1957.His thesis was Multani Language and its relation with Urdu. He was appointed as a subject expert and textbooks in 1958 examiner in Publication Section of the Directorate of Education Lahore. He was appointed as Head Master at government high school Muzaffargarh in 1961.He was retired from service on 1st February 1970 at the age of 56 year after the extension of one year. After this worked very aggressively on Saraiki literature. He wrote more than 29 books. He translated large numbers of books in Urdu Saraiki Mai Gulf, Noor Jamal, Qasidah Burdah, Konain Da Wali, and Saraiki Translation of the Holy Quran, Vision of Khawaja Farid Present and Past. The Sumrahs, Lalrian, Saraiki Lok Geet, and many others famous books he had written likes as The Kings, Famous Governor and Invaders of Multan [11].

He remained the president of Sumrah association Multan, General Secretary of Saraiki Literary Board. He received many honorary awards like as Daaud Literary Award, Presidential Award, and Khawaja Farid Award. Member of the syndicate of B.Z.U, academic member of B.Z.U, Member of the Study Board of the Islamia University Bahawalpur. He died [12] on 25th December 1995. His death was a great loss for the district.

Abdul sami naseem

Naseem was a famous poet of the district. He belonged to Tahsil Layyah. His real name was Abdul Sami, but he used Naseem in his poetry. He was born in 1933 in Layyah. His father Molvi Ghulam Nabi was a scholar of the time. Naseem had no interest to education. He was in his youth, when the freedom movement of Pakistan was on its full climax. Naseem always joined the protest and he had sung the song of Pakistan during the freedom movement. He was a servant of grade one in the Municipality of Layyah [13]. He was a good poet of the district. He started his poetry in the age of ten years. He was a reformer and his poetry was against the problems and difficulties of the society. He criticized the religious differences and groups. He said in his verse,

Ma Israeliyat-e- Waqt se takrane aya hon

Kalam Ullah ki hikmat tumhin samjhane aya hon

Mera shewa nahi taseer ko rang-e-Ghazal dena

Mera maslak nahi Quran k Mani badil dena [14]

He discussed the problems of the common and poor men .He believed that earning is burning problem for the poor people. He was also a poor peon and bitterly had known the humiliation of poverty. He always remained in poverty and lived from hand to mouth. He said about the poverty in these words.

Faqazda hen jene ka haq chahiye hamin Roti k falsfe ka sabaq chahiye hamin

Bhok hi mjko mili hay apne kheton say Naseem Wasy to gudum ka hr dana mere qadmon me hay [15]

His poetry is a model of good advice for the people. He had given a lesson of hope and self-respect. He told through his poetry that never lose your freedom and self-respect. He used good and charming word in his verses. He had full control and grip on Urdu and Sraiki.

“Kab se aflas k tlatam me hon Lash ki tarh bah raha hon man”

“Bawjod is k meri himat dekh Tuj KO raziq kah raha hon man”

He died in 1990 in the age of 57year and buried in Layyah

The paper explained literary contribution of the above mention intellectuals that how they worked for the improvement of the society through their human philosophy. They focused the society and advised the people to work for the mutual co-operation of mankind. They give a lesson of hope, happiness and joy. They also raised their voice against the cruel and tyranny system of capitalist elites which exploited the poor nation.

1. Umer Kamal Khan (1998) Nawab Muzaffar Khan Aor Uska Ahad, Multan, Pakistan, p. 85.
2. Disttrict Gazetter (1929) p. 199.
3. Umer Kamal Khan, p. 285.
4. Tahir Ttaunsvi (1984) Multan Main Urdu Sshairi. Lok publishers, p. 61.
5. Ibid.
6. Weekly, Bishart. Muzaffargarh, Pakistan.
7. Interview, Nazeer Ahmad Bhatti, Ex. Joint secretary Sraiki lok Sanjh, Muzaffargarh, Pakistan.
8. Faizi Bahawalpuri (2006) Sraiki Khzana, Jhok Publishers, Multan, Pakistan, p. 134.
9. Interview (2008) Mohammad Aashiq, S/o Pathney Khan.
10. Adbiyat (1993) Academy Adbiyat, Islamabad, Pakistan, p. 201.
11. Adbiyat, p. 202
12. Daily Jang (2008) Lahore, Pakistan, p.12
13. Noor Muhammad Thind (1991) Tareekh-e-Layyah, Layyah. Pakistan, p.670.
14. Ibid. 672
15. Multan Main Urdu Sshairi, p. 61.