Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: June 17, 2022 | 
| 中文
Iftikhar Hussain Arif
A Karachi-based literary journal 'Ijmaal' conducted an interesting survey in 2016, asking 21 distinguished Urdu poets and authors about the best Urdu poet alive. According to the results, Iftikhar Hussain Arif stood second in the Nazam category, and third in the Ghazal category. Iftikhar was the only name to be listed in the top three in both Nazam and Ghazal, which is a statement of his stature in Urdu poetry in the current era.
Young Iftikhar Arif
It is pertinent to note that there is no consensus on what makes one a great poet or what makes a poem great, whether it is the content that makes a poem great or the style. Everyone has his own preferences and personal criteria, some gauge literary pieces according to the depth of the philosophy or emotions, while others rate imagery and style highly. Mirza Ghalib was unarguably the greatest poet of his time, and so was Mir Taqi Mir. Iqbal was also regarded the greatest poet of his time. Faiz and Ahmed Faraz shone in the second half of the 20th century. After Faiz and Faraz's demise, Iftikhar Arif, who started writing poetry in the 1970s, has emerged as the leading poet to fill the void created by the passing of the great Urdu poets.
Iftikhar Arif with Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi
iftikhar's poetic prowess not only impressed his contemporaries and juniors, but also the famed poets and acclaimed critics. Famous poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz has paid tribute to Iftikhar Arif, in the preface of Iftikhar's first book 'Mehr Do Neem' (Sun Divided Into Two Halves) by claiming that he has not only found the traces of Mir and Ghalib in Iftikhar’s poetry, but also of Firaq and Rashed. Many other experts have eulogized Iftikhar for his poetic prowess. Professor Mujtaba Hasan writes: "Iftikhar Arif's poetry has the dash and pomp of Aatish and Yagana but he is without their aggression." It is Iftikhar's command of his art that he is being compared with the maestros of Urdu poetry. His expertise in expressing his grave concerns and societal injustices with the use of poetic tools feels refreshing yet revolutionary. Only a poet of his caliber can eloquently write about the burning issues of society without his poetry turning into political rhetoric.
Iftikhar Arif with Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Zehra Nigah
"He is modern in his use of language, but classical in the way he hides his burning concerns in allusions, symbols and metaphors – an art perfected by classical Persian and Urdu poets", wrote Annemarie Schimmel, Professor, Department of Eastern Languages and Civilization, Harvard University, in the preface of the translation of Iftikhar's book Barhwa Khiladi, titled 'The Twelfth Man'.
Iftikhar Hussain Arif was born in 1943 in Lucknow, and represents the modern era in his poetry, a reflection of his times and circumstances: his dislocation by Partition, a longing for what he could call home, resistance to tyrants, and a battle against depression and loneliness. Poetry is influenced and shaped by social, political, cultural, and educational movements and the poet’s own response to them. The prolonged colonial rule, the independence movement, different intellectual organizations and movements, like the Halqa Arbab Zauq (Circle of the Men of Letters) and the Taraqi Pasand Tehreek (Progressive Movement), and finally, the Communist and progressive thought remain at the heart of Urdu literature. Iqbal's Islamic revivalism was a rebellion against colonialism and a call for Islamic revivalism, while Faiz's revolutionary and Marxist ideas were inspired by the international socialist movement.
Iftikhar Arif speaking at the Karachi Literary Festival in 2017
Individualism, Iftikhar maintains, has led society into an abyss of loneliness and depression. This loneliness, depression and individualism have made men unsympathetic and self-serving. In his famous poem, 'The Twelfth Man', he mourns the circumstances of a modern man. A theme relevant to the loneliness that is prevalent in Iftikhar's poetry is longing for home, and he considers home and house two different things, the first being a structure within a wall while the second is completed only with the presence of a family.
Iftikhar Arif with his daughter
Ghar Ki Wahshat Se Larazta Hun Magar Janay Q
Sham Hotay Hi Ghar Janay Ko Je Chahta hai
(I quiver at the solitude at home; don’t know why
I yearn to go home when the night comes)
Existential themes are predominant in Iftikhar's poetry, like hope and despair, life and death, love and emptiness. Social and political issues are also expressed in Iftikhar's poetry, like exile, homelessness and wandering in strange lands, themes that are also present in his contemporary poets.
Azab Yeh Bhi Kisi Aur Per Nahi Aaya
K Ik Umer Chalay Aur Ghar Nahi Aaya
(No one faced this agony that home is not yet in sight
despite travelling for a lifetime)
Iftikhar's poetry is immersed in the love and reverence for the Holy Prophet's family, which he considers an inseparable part of his faith. Iftikhar's poetry has numerous references to Islamic history, which is the basis of his resistance to the authoritarianism. Iftikhar emerges as a staunch critic both of materialism and tyranny, inspired by the tragedy of Karbala.
Iftikhar Arif speaking at the Pakistan Academy of Letters
Recipient of Hilal Imtiaz, Sitara Imtiaz, Pride of Performance, Naqoosh Award and many other accolades, Iftikhar served as Chairman of the Academy of Letters and President of the National Language Authority (Muqtadara) . Iftikhar's famous books include Mehr-i-Doneem (1984), Harf-i-Baryab (1994), Jahan-e-Maloom (2005), Shehr-e-Ilm Ke Derwazay Per (2006) and Kitab-i-Dil-o-Dunya (2009) . Iftikhar Arif sahib currently lives in Islamabad.
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