Book Review: An anthology of personal essays and a valued literary journal

By Syed Afsar Sajid

1. ‘Wadi-e-Sutlej ka Roshan Sitara: Syed Shahid Hassan Rizvi’

Compiler: Syed Ruhul Amin

Publisher: Izzat Academy, Gujrat

2. Quarterly ‘Az-Zubair’, Bahawalpur

‘Wadi-e-Sutlej ka Roshan Sitara: Syed Shahid Hassan Rizvi’

Syed Ruhul Amin is a well-known literary figure. He is a dedicated votary of Urdu with an enviable record of service in the cause of Urdu language and literature, extant in the form of books, newspaper columns, articles, and compilations such as the present one. His life-long struggle to adopt and promote Urdu as a national language has been widely recognised and appreciated.

The instant work is focused on an eminent intellectual, historian, teacher, researcher, travelogue writer, editor, and literatus Prof. Dr. Syed Shahid Hassan Rizvi, who is also a scion of a distinguished literary family headed by late Syed Masood Hassan Shahab Dehlvi, settled in Bahawalpur after Partition of India. He is currently editor of two literary journals viz. quarterly ‘Az-Zubair’ and monthly ‘Ilham’.

The book bears a thoughtful preface by Prof. Dr. Moeenuddin Aqeel highlighting the life, person, and achievements of Syed Shahid Hassan Rizvi, followed by his detailed biographical sketch by the compiler. The essays contained in the book have been contributed by the latter’s friends, colleagues, students, and literary contemporaries like Dr. Mukhtar Zafar, Durdana Nosheen Khan, Dr. Shahida Dilawar Shah, Dr. Mazhar Hussain, Hafiz Safwan Muhammad, Azra Asghar, Syed Meraj Jami, Qudratullah Shahzad, Hussain Ahmad Madani, Dr. Munawar Usmani, Dr. Rahim Yar Abbsi, Safdar Hussain, Muhammad Safdar Javed, Prof. Almas Fatima, Dr. Saeed Ahmad Kilasra, Muhammad Suhaib Khakwani, Saeeda Ali, Dr. Shaheer Rizvi, Syed Tabish Alwari, Dr. Hameed Raza Siddiqi, Javed Akhtar Bhatti, Dr. Muhammad Suhail Shafiq, Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Qadri, Muhammad Ahmad Tarazi and others.

Some photographs too have been included in the book intended to enhance its academic value.

Quarterly ‘Az-Zubair’

Edited by Prof. Dr. Syed Shahid Hassan Rizvi, the journal is published by Urdu Academy, Bahawalpur, under the patronage of Commissioner, Bahawalpur Division. The advisory committee of the magazine comprises among others Dr. Moeenuddin Aqeel, Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir, Dr. Zafar Hussain Zafar, Prof. Dr. Abdur Rauf Rafiqi, Dr. Shafiq Ahmad, Dr. Ali Rifad Fateehi, Dr. Khalil Toqar, and Dr. Ali Beyat.

The variegated contents of the magazine include Hamd, Na’at, critical and personal essays, book reviews, ghazal, nazm, a special corner for late Dr. Abid Siddique, reminiscences, short story, inshaiya, travelogue, comments, and letters.

Some notable authors whose creative work decorates the magazine are Khurshid Beg Mailsvi, Bedil Haideri, Farhana Kausar, Hamid Raza Wattu, Dr. Mukhtar Zafar, Prof. Dr. Najeeb Jamal, Dr. Nawaz Kawish, Kaleem Ihsan Butt, Syed Shahab Dehlvi, Anwar Sha’ur, Muhammad Iftikhar Shafi, Tariq Raees Farogh, Fayyaz Tehsin, Anwaar Anjum, Dr. Aurangzeb Alamgir, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Azmi, Prof. Nasim Baloch, Rizwan Azim, Uruj Rao, Khalid Siddiqi, Bedar Sarmadi, and Raja Shafqat Mehmood. The learned editor deserves kudos for maintaining the quality and continuity of the journal.