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Shafiq-ur-Rahman (humorist)

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Shafiq-ur-Rahman
شفیق الرحمن
Born
Shafiq-ur-Rahman

(1920-11-09)9 November 1920
Rohtak, Punjab, British India
(now Haryana, India)
Died19 March 2000(2000-03-19) (aged 79)
Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
Occupation(s)humorist, Physician
AwardsHilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan in 2001

Shafiq-ur-Rahman (Urdu: شفیق الرحمن) (9 November 1920 – 19 March 2000) was a Pakistani humorist and short-story writer of Urdu language.[1][2]

He was one of the most illustrious writers of the Urdu-speaking world. Like Mark Twain and Stephen Leacock,[3] he has given enduring pleasure to his readers. He was a medical doctor by profession, and served in Pakistan Army. He also received the Hilal-e-Imtiaz for his military and civilian services.[1] He has widely been appreciated by the writers and critics of Urdu literature.[3]

Biography

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Rahman was born on 9 November 1920 in a Muslim family in Kalanaur, Rohtak district, British India. He received his education in Bahawalpur. He completed his MBBS from King Edward Medical College, Lahore in 1942, and post-graduation in tropical medicine and public health from Edinburgh, in 1952. Rahman began writing humorous stories during his school days. His stories were published in a literary monthly magazine Khayyam. His first book Kirneyn was completed before he joined the medical college and was published in 1938, while he was still a medical student.[1]

Rahman joined the Indian Army Medical Corps and served at different war fronts during the Second World War. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, he joined the Pakistan Army and eventually rose to the rank of general. By then, most of his important works like Shagufay, Lehrein, Parvaaz, and Hamaqatein, had been published. Later in 1954, another collection of his humorist essays Mazeed Hamaqatein was published. He also served as chairman of the Academy of Letters of Pakistan from 1980 to 1985. He continued to write till his death.[3]

Rahman had three sons, Attique, Khalique and Ameen. He died on 19 March 2000 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.[3]

Style and themes

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Rahman's work added a new dimension to humour in Urdu literature.[3] He created a world that was very real with all its joys, pains and anguish. It was an affirmation of life and of human values: empathy, compassion and respect. Even the seemingly frivolous and trivial situations had hidden meanings that probed deep into the human psyche. His language was simple, spontaneous and expressive. His unforgettable characters include Razia, Shaitaan, Hukoomat Aapa, Maqsood Ghora, Buddy, Judge Sahab, Nannha and many other girls including Sarwat, Kishwer, Sa'da, Azra Aapa, Nasreen, Akhtar, Ainak etc.[1][3][4]

Awards and recognition

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He was awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan for his military and civilian services after his death on 23 March 2001.[1]

Views

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In 2015, the Dawn Newspaper included Rehman's book Parvaaz in its list of "The 100 best Urdu books".[5]

Rahman has highly been praised by Urdu writers, like:

"Though Shafeeq's humour is not shy of practical jokes, he uses it sparingly and his playfulness stops just in time to save the humour from becoming tragedy, which sometimes is the case with Chughtai. Secondly, Shafeeq is the master of parody".[3]

"Then he often philosophises about joys and sorrows, sweeping the young readers with the bouts of optimism and pessimism, giving semi-philosophical, semi-romantic explanations to the queries that haunt the youth. In addition, his many essays are nothing but a collection of jokes and the essay itself is only the thread that binds them together. His characters, novel and funny, such as Rufi or Shaitaan, Maqsood Ghora, Hukoomat Aapa and Buddy, make reading joyful".[3]

An excerpt

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Owais Mughal talks of Shafiq-ur-Rahman, the humorist. He recalls:

"Following 'azad' poem is by one of my favorite writers, Shafiq-ur-Rehman and it comes from his book Lehrein. The poem is actually a satire on modern day poets who write 'azad' Urdu poem by using all the 'azadi' they can get. The poem describes a situation of fighting cats in a garden. I hope it brings a smile to you just like it has been bringing smiles to me for the past 20 years".[6]

Here is an approximate translation of the poem:[6]

Bibliography

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  • Kirnein (Rays of Light) 1942
  • Shagofey 1943
  • Lehrein (Waves) 1944
  • Madd-o-jazar (Ebb and Flow) 1946
  • Parwaaz (Flight)[7] 1945
  • Himaqatain 1947
  • Mazeed Himaqatain 1948
  • Pachtaway (Regrets) 1948
  • Turup Chaal 1948
  • دجلہ Dajla (a travelogue) 1980
  • Insaani Tamasha (an Urdu translation of The Human Comedy)
  • Dareechay 1989
  • Jaini
  • Muskurahatein (smiles)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "شفیق الرحما ن کی بر سی Shafiq-ur-Rehman Death Anniversary". Pakistan Radio News Network. 19 March 2012. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Humour and Satire in Urdu Literature" (PDF). Qurtuba.Edu.PK. p. 183. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rauf Parekh (1 July 2009). "Shafeeq-ur-Rahman: Humorist Par Excellence". All Things Pakistan website. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  4. ^ "شفیق الرحمان کا افسانہ اور مزاح". Daily Dunya (in Urdu). 11 October 2017.
  5. ^ "LITERARY NOTES: The 100 best Urdu books". Dawn. 16 March 2015.
  6. ^ a b c Rauf Parekh (24 March 2009). "Shafeeq-ur-Rahman: the inimitable humorist". CriticalPPP.com/ PAKISTAN'S ALTERNATIVE MEDIA. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  7. ^ "10 hilarious Urdu works you can read during this pandemic". Dawn. 9 June 2020.
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