By Mohammed Saleem
Sayyid Mohammed Shabib Rizvi, fondly known Shabib Sahib, visited Kashmir around 1961, married and settled here for good. He spent his early days at Khanqah-e-Sokhta with late Moulana Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, being his classmate at Sultanul Madaris Lucknow, and finally shifted to Kathidarwaza. Besides being an effective Unani doctor, he was a learned Islamic scholar. He served in the J&K State Health Department, (Indian System of Medicine), for 30 years and retired as Assistant Director.
Poetry, Marsiya Nigari, Maada-e-Tareekh (set of words in which abjad numbers associated with each letter are added to get a certain year) and calligraphy were his expertise. Had mastery over Urdu, Persian and Arabic languages, though chose to write in Urdu and Persian. He started poetry at the age of 11 years. His father and elder brother have been the poets. His contemporaries and admirers admit that Shabib Sahib’s poetry possess magical metre and basic rhythmic structure of verse. His Nasr, Rubayaat, Ghazals, Qasidas, Nouhas and even letters reflect beauty of articulation and Persianised Urdu form which mesmerise the readers – Urdu and Persian alike.
Shabib Sahib remained involved with Doordarshan Srinagar (DDK) & Radio Kashmir for about 50 years and gave nearly 400 programs on Radio Kashmir over Sehat-e-Urdu Zuban and often participated in Mushairas even of national level held once at Tourist Reception Centre here. These institutions were his second home. From gatemen to directors all there had reverence for this man of letters. His contemporaries too loved his scholarship, simplicity and manners. Some of his notable fellow poets and scholars include: Farooq Nazki, Mohammand Amin Indrabi, Mohammed Yousuf Teng, Shafaq Sopori, Mohammed Zaman Azurdah, Syed Muhammed Reza, Rukhsana Jabeen, Akbar Jaipuri, Margoob Banhali, Akbar Ali Ansari (Shahbaz Premi), Showkat Ansari, Zamir Ansari, Nishat Kishtwari etc. Among the seniors I recollect names of Ali Sardar Jafri, K.K.Nayyar (former Director Radio Kashmir), Kamal Ahmed Siddiqui, Firaq Gorakhpori, Sagar Nizami, Aale Ahmed Saroor, Mir Ghulam Rasool Nazki, Tanha Ansari, Rasa Javedani and Ghulam Rasool Kamgaar.
During my youth, like others, I would oftent participate in the Muharram procession daera (orbicular grouping) of Bota Rajas of Kathidarwaza as elegy lyrics and message of Karbala in their Nouhas would invite attention and melodious voice of Raja Jahangir and others would fill the air with notes of devoutness and valour of the martyrs. Later I came to know about the poet behind it – Shabib Sahib! He penned the pain and chivalry of the martyrs of Karbala and their followers in a most symbolic manner and portrayed the canvass of tragedies, exemplary patience, willingness, sacrifice of Aale Abba, alyhissalam, in a dignified manner.
First time I met Shabib Sahib was in 1988 perhaps in Radio Kashmir. I found him humble and a noble soul with captivating voice laced with humour. Ever since we met frequently. In our journey of affinity, we met another friend, late Prof. Syed Mohammed Reza, an able Urdu scholar and articulate Kashmiri Marsiya Nigar. We were fortunate to work together around 1999 to 2003 regarding Muharram programs on DDK, Radio Kashmir & local cable networks – a new venture then. Around 2000 AD Shabib Sahib headed the Imam Hussain (a.s.) Chair of Educational Trust Kashmir and I served as its Secretary. Often we would meet Director DDK and Radio Kashmir to discuss Muharram program formats and speakers. Two TV programs were conceived and produced by us in the process – Yaadein Shahidoon Ki (6 episodes) and Shyam Hoyee Sahra Sahra (2 episodes), both were repeatedly telecast on DDK & local cable networks. We shortlisted popular Urdu & Kashmiri Nouhas (recited decades back during the Muharram processions), discussion topics, speakers, graphics, fills etc. Challenge remained the vocalists / Nouha khwans to recite around typical central tunes of the Nouhas. We involved the best vocalists and traditional Nouha khwans, young & old. For Kashmiri Salam late Molvi Manzoor Ahmad of Pampore and for Arabic Salam Molvi Nasir Ali Nasri of Leh. Late Akhtar Rasool did graphics part. Shabib Sahib, late Syed Yaqoob Dilkash and I tirelessly attended the Audio Lab of NA Qazi & Waheed Jeelani at Zero Bridge for continuous audio recordings during chilling cold winters. Then followed hectic professional videography at Imambara Zadibal & Iqbal Khomeini Hall with good number of men & material. Shabib Sahib was very active and keenly oversaw the process. Subsequently, on my request, he wrote brief events of Karbala based on authentic sources and named it “Mukhtasar Waqayat e Karbala”. I got his voice recorded.
Subsequently, in a Hussaini Conference organised by Mohibbane Ahlulbayt at SKICC Srinagar in November 2012 we chose to show the Persian Musaddas of Sheikh Saidi on the Twelve Imams, a.s., with Urdu translation. Shabib Sahib was kind enough to recite the Persian Musadas in an audio lab for graphic portrayal which was immensely liked by the audience.
Shabib Sahib would often read magazines like Mahnam-e-Islah, Shab o Roz, Hadees etc. A newspaper vendor named Showkat on footpath opposite Tyndale Biscoe School would specially get him copies of Hadees magazine for its rare readership. Before advent of internet and Google Shabib Sahib would easily convert Islamic calendar dates into Gregorian and vice versa. It was an art, he knew well. He had excellent knowledge of geometrical sequence of numbers called abjad.
The published works of Shabib Sahib include: Four elegy compilations: Rasaee Majmooye, 1961, Aatash-e-Chinar, selection of Nazms & Ghazals (1969), Harf-e-Farozaan on Hamd, Naat & Manqabat (2000), Bachoon ke Mushairey (2010), Laho Laho Ghazal, selection of Ghazals (2012), Mouj-e-Furaat, Compilation of Nouhas (2016), Abshaar-e-Noor, Urdu translation of Kalam e Shaikhul Alam (2017) published by J&K Cultural Academy, Nagma’e Kohsaar, Nazms about Kashmir (2021) – 150 Nazms by him on Kashmir in Urdu being highest. Besides he wrote more than 65,000 couplets and nearly 1,000 Maada’e Tareekh. He contributed immensely to Urdu literature in Kashmir and remained closely associated with J&K Cultural Academy, Doordarshan and Radio Kashmir. During my last posting he was honoured by the Cultural Academy in a special programme “Meet the Urdu Poet & Scholar” in presence of eminent scholars. I was fortunate to be present there as Government Secretary.
Best tribute to Shabib Sahib would be to bring forth his unpublished writings to the charm of readers and his eldest son Sayyid Shamim Rizvi seems able to do it.
To conclude in his words:
Faasla ta ba sarre hadey nazar kitna hai/ Kis se poochein ke abhi aur safar kitna hai
- – The author is Former Commissioner/Secretary to J&K Government Culture Department
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