Dr Maqsood Jafri: The Poet Of Seven Languages And One Humanity

By Professor Mohammad Shanazar

The Literary Persona and Intellectual Legacy of Dr Maqsood Jafri

History, like cats, doesn’t engender kittens in abundance, rather it keeps us waiting for centuries and millenniums to give forth and bless the humanity, men and women, of gigantic characters bearing greatness of soul, aptness of heart and loftiness of mind,  who stand upon very high pedestals and maintain communion with both: God and  contemporary world to achieve high futuristic ideals.

I with least hesitation may claim that Dr Maqsood Jafri is one of those stalwarts for whom humanity waits for centuries and I am the most blessed and proud of being his student, in the session 1979-1981, at Gordon College Rawalpindi. He was the most genuine teacher who infused in me inspiration that works as a fuel even today.

Dr Maqsood Jafri has multi-dimensional and multifarious persona like a diamond that reflects a legendary poet, scholar, orator, philosopher and columnist, who rendered his dynamic role and performed contribution to literature and academia with wholeheartedness and all sincerity by chiselling and refining two generations which made him a perennial figure and worth-remembering, even in the unpredictable future. I feel myself the blessed one that I had an opportunity of sipping a drop out of an unfathomable ocean.

Being a man, Dr Maqsood Jafri, he is utterly humanitarian, a man of resilience, his true greatness lies in service to society by overcoming diversity, hurdling odds of the route, impediments between the lofty ideals and the leader. I still remember one sentence that he spoke once in the class, perhaps he himself might have forgotten, “sleep is not necessary to dream.”

He is one of those towering figures who struggled and bridged the gap between life and death that is why he has become a perennial character and edified greatness. He never deliberately sought applause from the contemporary world which candidly indicates he never uncaught the hem of humility and patience and he is well aware of the fact that these are the keys to perpetuity.

He has apt knowledge of several languages: English, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Punjabi, Kashmiri and Poonchi. His poetry reflects his deep understanding of social justice, freedom and the issue confronted by the contemporary world. It is owing to his literary prowess, he earned the title of “Shair-e- Haft Zaban”, (The Poet of Seven Languages).

His poetry deals with the themes of freedom, justice, moderation, humanity and peace. His poem, “I Smile At Your Chains”, offers a scathing critique of imperialism and hypocrisy. By nature, he is a tireless aspirant for social justice, democracy and righteousness. Intellectual enlightenment is a beacon for the descending generations. His voluminous literary works have been etched in the world’s famous libraries enriching their elegance. He blends traditional forms with the modern realistic themes revealing human emotions through high serious poetic narratives and profundity of human feelings felt and sustained in the hearts with clarity and simplicity of expression, interpreting life as really it exists.

The poetry of Dr Maqsood Jafri has a unique artistic charm and elegance. It contains gravity of thoughts and philosophies. It begins with intellectual pleasure and ends with mystical wisdom. The qualities of tenderness and sadness with high seriousness blend into oneness creating zealous impacts on the reader and engender complete fervent human emotions, the beauty and harshness of nature prevail all times.

The major works of Dr Maqsood Jafri cover a vast amphitheatre of literature in several languages, he has authored 35 books and serious articles on various subjects, including poetry, philosophy, and comparative literature. His book “Chiragh-e-Afkar”, is a collection of columns that showcases his insightful perspectives on society and politics. Besides, his books of poetry in English, Persian and Urdu, the books of his prose in English, on philosophy, literature, Islam, Dr Allama Iqbal, Kashmir, international relations and comparative literature have won the laurels and accolades of appreciation worldwide.

He supports the cause of Kashmir, socially and politically. Kashmiris have  been struggling for freedom for the last seven decades. He speaks in favour of their freedom movement,  showcasing his commitment to the genuine cause and has made the world aware that without resolving the Kashmir issue, the world will keep sitting on the heap of explosives and collision between two nuclear powers may push the world into an atomic war, therefore, it is imperative to the world’s major powers to exert their influence in resolving the serous issue between India and Pakistan.

Dr Maqsood Jafri, is characterized for his intellectual personality, passion for literature and commitment to social justice. He is known for his ability to improve his students and scholars alike. As a professor of English literature, he has taught at several institutions and left indelible marks on the path of scholastic excellence.

Categories: Literature, Opinion, Poetry

Tags: Allama Iqbal, Arabic, English Literature, Kashmir, Persian Language, Poetry, Urdu