MY DAD, 12th RABI-UL-AWWAL & CELEBRATIONS

A PAGE OF MY DIARY

MY DAD, 12^th RABI-UL-AWWAL & IT'S CELEBRATIONS  

Mahtab Bashir

Islamabad

03335363248

They often say only ghosts haunt in men but to me- memories do to. The revered day of 12^th Rabi-ul-Awal till the year 2012 had been celebrated in our house overwhelmingly led by my beloved father Bashir Hussain Nazim from dawn to dusk.

This day’s celebrations could have been started with special prayers for the propagation of harmony, compassion and unity for all. As I recall my memories, being a stanch lover of the holy prophet (peace & blessings upon Him), father started this day bringing something to cook (usually a sweet dish) and in couple of hours, he distributed himself nearby houses. Then he went to attend the annual ‘Seerat-un-Nabi Conference’ organized by Ministry of Religious Affairs. Interestingly my dad was among those three judges who scrutinized the Naatia poetry books and thesis- of which the recipients received prizes from chief guest (either PM or President of the country). Many a times, father himself conducted the proceedings of the conference (being a stage secretary).

The birthday of Holy Prophet (pbuh) also falls on Friday this year- a day for which father had been contributed his research-based article on weekly basis in one of the leading Urdu national newspaper (Nawa-e-Waqt) religious page since three decades. I’m sure, had my father been alive this day, his produced article on the day could have been worth reading than many writers and where over 99% religious scholars (writers) wrote رحمت ا للعا لمےن   instead of رحمت للعالمےن terming those Mullah illiterate who never read this word in Quran and Hadith (father was of the view this word has no ALIF in it). I remember once I used Alif while writing Rahmatallil Aalameen with adding Alif and he promptly scolded me saying, “You are also writing like an illiterate Maulvi, erase the Alif”, and I did accordingly. My father was the one who always emphasized to write Quranic words as it is used in the Holy Quran.

This day would have been a more blessed one if my dad was around. Being a literati of Urdu, English, Arabic and Persian, he wasted no time to correct the wrongly pronounced words whenever a poet, intellectual or an author made a mistake. Throughout his life, he bitterly complained … “Education is becoming rife but knowledge is not so”. People are getting away of books that is a primary source of knowledge.

On this particular day (12^th Rabi-ul-Awal) father remained busy as he was among the judges penal who ascertained the Naatia Poetry Books and thesis of which the recipients received cash prizes, certificates and other distinctions at National Seerat-un-Nabi Conference. He was also among the judged of All Pakistan Naatia Contest at Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television and at night we all family members got together and used to watch father sitting among Iftikhar Arif and other leading Naatia poets at Pakistan Television (PTV) and other private channels at various Naatia Mushairas to wrap up this auspicious day of 12^th Rabi-ul-Awwal.

This Friday, he was also missing from newly recorded PTV Naatia Mushaira. As soon as Iftikhar Arif (the last poet of Mushaira) finished off, I hurriedly texted one of the participants of this Naatia Mushaira Noreen Talat Uruba saying “Good to see you reciting Naat but I am desperately missing my dad who is no more a part of this holy gathering, and she replied, “For you, Bashir Hussain Nazim was just a father, but – I have deprived of a legend Naatia poet, a great teacher, and a flawless scholar. He was undoubtedly an institution. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”       

SILSILA NAAT KA KYA KHOOB CHALA MERE BAAD

QABR PARHTI HY MERI- SALLE ALAA MERE BAAD.