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Ibrahim Ashk’s Poetic Genius

Shaikh Mujeeb Shaikh Zameer
Assistant Professor
A M College of Education, Malegaon

Biographical sketch of Ibrahim Ashk Asad Badnagari. Ibrahim Ashk was

Ibrahim Ashk was born on 20 July inspired by him to write poems. Hakim
1951in Badnagar of Dist. Ujjain in M.P. Asad also liked Ibrahim Ashk’s style and
His family originally belonged to accepted him as a disciple. Ibrahim Ashk
Rajasthan. Shabrati khan was his father belonged to a line of great Urdu poets like
and Hasina Bi Bi was his mother. His Dard, Sauda, Mir Khalik, Mir Anis, mir
mother had a deep influence on him. Kaym Raza, Merza Wahid, Hakim
Ibrahim Ashk has complete his Ainuddin Ain, Hakim Gulam Abbas Asad
primary education in Badnagar. In his Badnagari. His stay in Indore, Ibrahim
childhood, he was interested in wrestling. Ashk benefited from the literary circles,
He was a good singer too. He used to libraries and persons. One of such men
recite Hamd and Naat in the school was Prof. Shri Vyas a music teacher. His
programmes. In 1962, China attacked company gave Ibrahim Ashk a sense of
India and the country was filled with music and guaranty of his being a
patriotic feelings. Ibrahim Ashk composed successful lyricist.
a poem (Geet) in Hindi. This was his first Ibrahim Ashk completed his M.A.
attempt as a poet. He has completed his Hindi and went to Delhi. There he worked
intermediate through science stream and as an editor for a popular film magazine in
joined Islamiya Karimiya College. He was Urdu “Shama” his works started to appear
still in B.A II year when his financial in almost all the prominent literary
difficulties made him work as a journalist journals of Urdu. He then turned to
for “Indore Samachar”. After wards, he Bombay to find a career in film industry as
became the sub-editor of it. During this a writer. In 1981, he first wrote the songs
period could foster his interest for literary for a film by the producer “Taher
works. Hussain”. Unfortunately, the film was not
In Badnagar, he had learned Arabic released. But Ibrahim Ashk got settled in
and Urdu. There was a poet in Badnagar Mumbai. Since them he has been writing
whose name was hakim Gulam Abbas for films and T V. Many of his gazals are

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singing by the prominent singers like, linguistic capabilities and innovative

Ustad Gulam Mustafa Khan, Madhurani, potentialities.
Jagjit Singh, Chitra Singh, Anup Jalota,
Anuradha Podwal, Talat Aziz, Chandan Ibrahim Ashk as a Nazm poet
Das, Rupkumar Rathod and others. Nazm is a different form of poetry.
Films have made him popular Unlike Gazals, Nazm has a continuity of
among the common people but his thought and subject. In the beginning, the
contribution to Urdu literature is not poets have followed the rules of poetry but
limited. after wards they accepted the socio-
political and cultural changes around and
Ibrahim Ashk as a Gazal poet the influence of western poetry. This
Gazal is the most popular form of transformed the style of poetry. These
poetry in Urdu. Every major poet in Urdu changes were seen in the form as well as
has tried hand with this form. Gazal the subject. So, in the 19th century free
develops with couplets. Every couplet has verse come forward. It was known as
an independent and, couplet sense and “Aazad Nazm” in Urdu.
existence. Ibrahim Ashk had done justice with
Ibrahim Ashk has written fine the form of Nazm. His poetry has the
collections of poetry. Four of which have depth of feeling and the height of thought.
Gazals as a major form. He has made In his collections, we find sensual poems
Gazal a medium for expressing the dealing with inner complexities and
complexities of human psyche. At the realities of life in such a simple and lucid
same time, he puts question marks on the way that they are imprinted on the minds
socio-political situation in the country and of reader. Mother is a central character in
on the so-called progress. Ibrahim Ashk his poems.
has given a new dimension to Gazal by After reading Ibrahim Ashk’s
presenting both the problems inner and poems we become aware of his honesty
outer. and sincerity. Ibrahim Ashk’s poems make
These and many other completes us accept the honesty and sincerely of the
reveal the depth of his experience of life. poet.
His Gazals are traditional as well as
modern traditional in form and modern in Ibrahim Ashk as a Marsiya poet
sense. In short, Ibrahim Ashk has been The word “Marsiya” is taken from
successful in maintaining the balance with the Arabic word “Rasa” which means to
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mourn or cry. So, Marsiya is written on variety of observation of heart and a range
the death of some eminent person. of experiences.
According to Mulana Hali, the praise of Ibrahim Ashk’s art of Rubai
the living one is Quasida and that of the writing, no doubt, testifies all these
dead ones is Marsiya, which has a sense of characteristics. His experiments with this
sorrow. In Urdu, Marsiya, Hamd and Naat form are praiseworthy. He has widened the
are not simple forms. Even Galib and Mir scope of Rubai with contemporary issues
did not dare to compose these poems. It is and diction. His humanism finds
said that to write in these forms is like manifestation in his Rubais.
walking on the path thinner than lair and All forms of poetry require
sharper than sword. practice. Everyone can be a Gazal poet but
In such a difficult form, Rubai is not every body’s cup of tea. In
Ibrahim Ashk has given fuel collection of such a scenario, Ibrahim Ashk has a
Marsiya entitled as “Karbala” which is an prominent position among the new Rubai
example of his linguistic and artistic quest. poets. His subjects are morality, love,
His elegies fulfill all the parameters of a beauty, confidence and so on.
good elegy. They are especially Thus, Ibrahim Ashk has taken
remarkable for their pictorial effect. Rubai seriously and sincerely. He made
Ibrahim Ashk is the first rate Rubai popular and Rubai has in turn made
contemporary elegy poet. His contribution him popular among the readers.
in the revival of Marsiya cannot be
overlooked. His unique style has added Ibrahim Ashk’s creativity in other
glory to the poetic expressions in Marsiya. forms of poetry
In Urdu, Galib and Meer are
Ibrahim Ashk as a Rubai poet known for Gazal, Sawda for Qasida, Anis
This form of poetry demands and Dabir for Marsiya, Mir hasan for
unequalled mastery over language and the Masnavi, Amjad Hyderabdi for Rubai and
art of poetry because it requires clarity and Iqbal for Nazm. But there are only a few
brevity of thought. But it is different from poets who could equally handle more than
“Quata”. The first, second and forth, lines one forms of poetry.
rhyme. The word “Rubai” is taken from Ibrahim Ashk is one of those few
Arabic, which means ‘having four’ or one poets. He has composed Gazals, Nazm,
forth this form needs depth of study, Marsiya, Rubai, Masnavi, and Geet alike.
His songs and Qasidas are unparalleled.
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Doha is an old and unique form of Urdu recorded in the pages of Indore Samachar
poetry. His Dohas deserve praise for their and Shama.
subjects. Following Kabir, he has
presented politics, Sufism, love, Ibrahim Ashk’s contribution to Films
patriotism, and rustic life in a vivid Ibrahim Ashk has given beautiful
manner. songs to the films like Kaho Na Pyar Hai,
Ibrahim Ashk’s thoughtfulness Koi Mil Gaya, Krish, Das Kahaniya, Jina
can be seen in his song. It has both the joys Marna Tere sang, Aap Mujhe Acche
and pains of love. This has made him a Lagne Lage, Janashin. Among the T.V
successful film lyricist. It takes him serials, he has written songs for Office
beyond his contemporaries. Office, Shakuntala and Sanskar. Apart
from this, the music companies like
Ibrahim Ashk’s contribution to Urdu T.Series have released his albums. In
prose 1984, Ibrahim Ashk wrote the songs and
Creative, writings and criticism are dialogues for the film, Geet mere pyar ka.
the two sides of the same coin. According Unfortunate the film was not released.
to T.S. Eliot, “honest criticism is required Ibrahim Ashk’s film career is still on its
for the growth of creative writings”. top. He is writing songs for the films of
Ibrahim Ashk is a rare genius. many major production houses of
Ibrahim Ashk has written four Bollywood.
books of criticism. They are “Andaze
Bayan Aur, Muhafize millat Allama Iqbal Conclusion
, Tanqidi Shaur, and Maulana Azad Aur Ibrahim Ashk is a towering literary
Musalman. He is short story writer also. figure in Urdu. From childhood, he penned
His style is fresh and thought provoking. poems in Hindi. The influence of Hakim
Humanism is at the center of all his stories. Gulam Abbas Asad Badnagari made him
He has written 13 short stories which are write in Urdu. “Ilham” is his first
collected in “Afsane Aur Tajziye” by Dr. collection of poetry, which was published
Manazir Ashiq harganvi. in June 1991. His poetry has confidence,
Ibrahim Ashk has worked as a self-esteem, meaningfulness, lucidity,
journalist. At the age of 22, he had become simplicity, sensitivity, and truthfulness.
the sub-editor of Indore Samachar. His His second collection of poetry was
bold and investigative writings are published in November 1916. It was
entitled as “Aagahi”. His poetry fulfills all
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the demands of the new generation and vise- versa. His expression has freshness
represents the inner and outer experiences and novelty.
and observations, which can function as a He has creative mind and critical
lighthouse for the new travelers. diction. His prose works deal with social,
Ibrahim Ashk’s poetry has form as political, historical, moral issues. He has
well as meaning “Karbala” is the written short stories, research and critical
collection of elegies by him. He has not articles. In short, this chapter will
also presented the contemporary issues. summarize the achievements and lacunas
His poetry reaches from mind to soul and of Ibrahim Ashk.
couplets Mumbai
12 Karbala Ibrahim Ashk
Bibliography Collection of
couplets
13 Alaw Ibrahim Ashk Sukrati 2004
S Books Writers Publication Year
Collection of parakashan
N Name
Hindi Haryana
01 Tareekh-e- Jameel Jalebi Educational 1977
couplets
Urdu Publishing
14 Almas Ibrahim Ashk Sheri Acadmi 2010
House Delhi
Collection of Bhopal
02 Urdu adab ki Naseem Friand’s Book 1966
Hindi
Tareekh Kuraishi House
couplets
Aligadh
15 Mahefooz Ibrahim Ashk Satyendra 2008
03 Mukdma Dr. Masood Sir sayyed 1970
Mujhe Karlo Mitra
Zaban Urdu Husain Book dep.
Prakashan
Aligadh
Meerut
04 Jadeed Ab. Qadar Azad Book 1945
16 Allah –hi- Ibrahim Ashk Shairy 2010
Urdushairi Survery Dep. Amritsar
Allah Academy
05 Mukaddma Altaf Husain Milli Kutub 1964
Bhopal
sher-o- Hali Khana Delhi
17 Tanqudi Ibrahim Ashk Takmeel 2004
shairi
Shaur Publication
06 Urdu Shairi Prof. Urdu Markaz 1956
Mumbai
Per ek Nazar Kaleemuddin Patna
18 Mohafeze-e- Ibrahim Ashk Takmeel 2007
Ah.
Millat Publication
07 Farang-e- Saleem Manzarnuma 1998
Allama Iqbal Mumbai
Adbiyaat Shazad Malegaon
19 Ibrahim Ibrahim Ashk Nadeem 2002
08 Naya Adab Bashar Nawaz Image 1976
Ashk Publication
Naye Masail Publication
Andaz-e- Mumbai
Aurangabad
Bayaon Aur
09 Urdu Nazm Dr. Khursheed
20 Ibrahim Ibrahim Ashk Dr Manazir 2006
Ahed-b- Numaani
Ashk Naye Aashique
Ahed
Ahed ke Hargavi
10 Ilham Ibrahim Ashk Takmeel 1991
Geet kar
Collection of Publication
21 Ibrahim Ibrahim Ashk Takmeel 2009
couplets Mumbai
Ashk Afsane Publication
11 Aaghi Ibrahim Ashk Takmeel 1996
Aur Tajziya Mumbai
Collection of Publication

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