Rafiuddin Raz
Encyclopedia
Mirza Rafiuddin 'Raz' Baig (born 21 April 1938) is a Pakistani
poet.
Raz published his first volume of poetry Deeda-e-Khush Khwab in 1988 and followed it with Beenai (Sight), Pairahan-e-Fikr (The Dress of Thought), Roshni Kay Khad-o-Khaal (Features of Light) and Abhi Darya Main Pani Hai (There is Water in the River, Yet), all books which won him renown in Urdu literary circles.
Since 2000, Raz has released a book roughly every two years. His last book, Itni Tamazat Kis Liye? (For What, this Blazing Heat?), was published in 2007.
writer, but he has also experimented - though not extensively - with other forms of poetry, such as free verse
or rhyming couplets.
Raz's poetry can be seen as an extension of his personality, as it majorly deals with his experiences and surroundings, and the lessons he has learned from life. Raz claims this in a couplet, saying:
Adhering to ghazal tradition, Raz's work often contains an abundance of metaphors and similes. Common among them are the words pathar and sang, [stone] for difficulties, ego or hardheartedness, pair or darakht [tree] for prosperity or shade, dasht or sehra [desert] for emptiness and terror, and dhoop [heat] for hardwork, labour and adversity. His most-used metaphor is clearly the word aa'ina, the Urdu substitute for "mirror."
Although Raz may philosophize about the dilemmas of the world, ego and tragedy in his work, his poetry is, for the most part, highly optimistic, and focuses on the importance of love, good character ["The light of high things, enter the bossom of character/ For beauty - 'tis in snake, and flame, too!], patience, labour and hard work, to live and polish life.
word aa'ina [mirror in English] in his poetry, and integrating it into his work in different ways. Noted poet and reviewer, Afsar Mahpuri notes this in his article, "Rafiuddin Raaz - A dreaming poet," in which he mentions the "focal position and importance" the mirror has been awarded over time, and presents the following partial list of couplets, containing the word aa'ina, by Raz.
Noted poet Dr. Jameel Azeem Abadi makes a similar observation in his article "What for, this Blazing Heat? - An Overview," saying that, by using one word in so many ways, Raz ties "the subject of one hue, to a hundred hues" which is "a proof of his artistic abilities." Like Mahpuri, he too presents a compilation of some aa'ina-focused couplets, by Raz:
Shan ul Haq Haqqi has written that, "Rafiuddin Raz's poetry contains both beauty off thought and beauty of style... [and is] successful throughout the body of Urdu poetry
," while Urdu language great and renowned Karachi University professor, Aslam Farrukhi, claims that "Poetry, itself, has picked Raz for its expression." Similarly, Athar Hashmi speaks of finding "the features of life" in Raaz's work, and Shabnam Romani of his "uniqueness", and his "eloquent [use of] language and civilized tones," saying that, "the raz (secret) is that Raz's poetry is new!"
Raz's ghazal
has received widespread applause: Professor Najmi Siddiqui calls it "a fragrant puff of air that, having touched the fertile shores of classical tradition, gives life and lesson to the reader" and Mushaffiq Khwaja finds it "a custodian of the highest traditions of Urdu
ghazal
" which has "not only adhered to tradition, but taken it forward." Similarly, Hafeez Taib has praised him for opening "new horizons" for the ghazal
, and saying that "his verses seem to beat with one's own pulse."
greats, including Ghalib, Meer and Yagana
. In his article, Afkaar ki Taazgi [The Freshness of Thoughts], modern-day poet Afsar Mahpuri draws a parallel between Raz and classical, ghazal
poet, Yagana
, saying that "some of Raz's verses are close to Yagana's voice" because he "has not begun his poetry with romantic exaggerations, in which countless poets waste their lives."
Dr. Rasheed Nisaar, on the other hand, compares Raz to Persian-language poet Bedil and one of Urdu poetry's greatest philosophers, Ghalib, saying that Raz "possesses the same style of thought and beauty of narration as Bedil and Ghalib."
by the Urdu Department of the Karachi University.
In February 2009, the monthly Rang-e-Adab [The Hue of Literature] dedicated its 9-10 issue to Raz, compiling a list of articles on him and his work, reviews of his books, and selected poetry into an honourary, 432-paged book entitled Rafiuddin Raz: Shaksiyat aur Sha'iri Kay Aa'inay Main [Rafiuddin Raz: In the Mirror of Personality and Poetry.]
In early 2010, the noted poet Zia Khan 'Zia' published a selection of Raz's poetry, titled Jamal-e-Hurf-e-Raz [The Beauty of Raz's Word]. It contained 125 of Raz's ghazalyat, as well as a lengthy essay on the finer points of Raz's poetry.
Raz has been the subject of various poetic tributes, including "Abhi Darya Main Pani Hai" aur Rafiuddin Raz ["There is Water in the River, Yet" and Rafiuddin Raz] by Sohail Ghazipuri, Pairahan-e-Akfaar [The Dress of Thoughts] by Dr. Abdul Manaan Tarzi, Kharaj-e-Tehseen [The Gift of Praise] by Khwaja Manzar Hassan Manzar, Azeez Dost, Rafiuddin Raz ki Nazar [For a Special Friend, Rafiuddin Raz] by Maqbool Naksh, Baleegh Andaaz [Sophisticated Style] and Roshni Kay Khad-o-Khaal Ka Shaa'ir [The Poet of "Features of Light] by Sadeeq Fatahpuri, and Rafiuddin Raz Kay Liye [For Rafiuddin Raz] by Junaid Azar.
buy tulip - narcissus - rose -
but,
to place a note in a flower's bossom,
is murder of beauty of beauty!
It is now,
that I have come to know,
the lines of the hand,
do not know the hand.
In the pursuit of happiness,
I have come to know pain,
in longing for the day,
I have come to know the night.
It is a friendship of old,
we have known each other for centuries,
the difficulties of this world - I,
I - the difficulties.
Each person here,
is bent upon flying,
none knows,
the timing of wisdom.
The bossom of each heart,
is not the desert's bossom,
- Each eye is not,
acquainted to rains.
The condition was travel,
of faith-acquainted paths -
- We had to learn of,
newer pains!
Continued to grow,
within me, the wish to live,
continued to get to know,
my heart - death of life.
, India
. His father Fariduddin Baig's family belonged to Darbhanga
, and his mother Hajra's to Begusarai
, both districts of the state Bihar
.
Raz has claimed to be an exceptionally bright child with an amazing memory, in his early years. He attended BPHE School, Begusarai before switching to the Muslim High School Lehrya Sarai but, after his parents separated in 1945, was sent to live with his father's elder brother, Hameeduddin Baig. Unfortunately for him, Hameeduddin was not interested in educating him, and Raz had to work as a conductor and, subsequently, driver, in Hameeduddin's transport company. He continued, however, to persist in juggling his studies alongside the job, and finally passed his Inter-Commerce Exams from Quiad-e-Azam College, Dhaka.
, Raz migrated to Dhaka
, then a part of East Pakistan
, and declared himself a Pakistani.
After the proclamation of Bangladesh
, Raz was a prisoner of war from 1971 to 1973. He migrated to Karachi
as soon as he was released, but found himself facing much poverty. He switched between several jobs in an attempt to earn, from tutoring kids to working as a government employee. He eventually started a business with his commanding officer, Colonel Aakil Abbas Rizvi, and established himself as a self-made and financially stable man.
He married Noshaba Khatoon in 1964, and has six children - two daughters named Naheed Anjum and Ambreen, and four sons named Tariq, Rehan, Saqib, and Waqiuddin - with her. Currently, Raz holds a Masters degree in General History, and has said that, more than anything else, it was an act meant to provide "moral support" to his children.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
poet.
Raz published his first volume of poetry Deeda-e-Khush Khwab in 1988 and followed it with Beenai (Sight), Pairahan-e-Fikr (The Dress of Thought), Roshni Kay Khad-o-Khaal (Features of Light) and Abhi Darya Main Pani Hai (There is Water in the River, Yet), all books which won him renown in Urdu literary circles.
Since 2000, Raz has released a book roughly every two years. His last book, Itni Tamazat Kis Liye? (For What, this Blazing Heat?), was published in 2007.
Style and themes
Raz is basically a ghazalGhazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
writer, but he has also experimented - though not extensively - with other forms of poetry, such as free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
or rhyming couplets.
Raz's poetry can be seen as an extension of his personality, as it majorly deals with his experiences and surroundings, and the lessons he has learned from life. Raz claims this in a couplet, saying:
"Not for a friend, nor for advising the enemy,
I speak of the mirror for my own needs."
Adhering to ghazal tradition, Raz's work often contains an abundance of metaphors and similes. Common among them are the words pathar and sang, [stone] for difficulties, ego or hardheartedness, pair or darakht [tree] for prosperity or shade, dasht or sehra [desert] for emptiness and terror, and dhoop [heat] for hardwork, labour and adversity. His most-used metaphor is clearly the word aa'ina, the Urdu substitute for "mirror."
Although Raz may philosophize about the dilemmas of the world, ego and tragedy in his work, his poetry is, for the most part, highly optimistic, and focuses on the importance of love, good character ["The light of high things, enter the bossom of character/ For beauty - 'tis in snake, and flame, too!], patience, labour and hard work, to live and polish life.
Repeated usage of Aa'ina
Raz is noted for repeatedly playing with the UrduUrdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
word aa'ina [mirror in English] in his poetry, and integrating it into his work in different ways. Noted poet and reviewer, Afsar Mahpuri notes this in his article, "Rafiuddin Raaz - A dreaming poet," in which he mentions the "focal position and importance" the mirror has been awarded over time, and presents the following partial list of couplets, containing the word aa'ina, by Raz.
"Protect thy mirror-like eye,
Faces can leave mirrors sans reflection."
"That one dream, which makes eyes, a mirror,
That one thought, which makes loyalty, civilized."
"Behind the mirror - I; in front of it - I,
My face - present at both."
"What incident would be greater,
A mirror - and its breakage soundless!"
"The mirror, on seeing a mirror,
Itself, donned facelessness!"
"Is battle 'tween mind and heart, or within feeling's vein?
In front of the mirror, is placed a mirror."
"Saved in each stone, the reflection of days' direction,
The stone of my age is like the mirror!"
Noted poet Dr. Jameel Azeem Abadi makes a similar observation in his article "What for, this Blazing Heat? - An Overview," saying that, by using one word in so many ways, Raz ties "the subject of one hue, to a hundred hues" which is "a proof of his artistic abilities." Like Mahpuri, he too presents a compilation of some aa'ina-focused couplets, by Raz:
"Raz, there is no scene, no background,
One wonders what he said to the mirror!"
"Look at the faces of mirror-like people,
- Ask now how much the impurity beneath this layer of water!"
"Today, too, play with broken mirrors,
Wither, often, in the longing to touch fire."
"Neither dust of path on face, nor defeated the mirror,
Why, head-to-toe, are thee an unknown reflection of me?"
"The face cannot escape, even its shattered pieces,
Even after defeat - the mirror is a mirror."
"Why should joyful he not be, when he sees my face,
A complete mirror stands in front of the mirror-maker!"
"Even now, my eyes respect the mirror,
Mistakes cause my head to hang in shame."
"This mirror's height - astounding,
I had thought the sea of glass had shattered!"
Critical Reception
Raz's poetry has been highly well-received by both contemporary poets and critics. Reviews have been almost unanimously positive, with Dr. Professor Shafeeq Ali Khan calling him "a modern poet in every respect," and stating that "his feelings, emotions, observations and experiences are not traditional - they are, rather, a reflection of his own self and personality." Mehshar Badaiwani has called his work "a living example" of meaningful poetry, showing Raz's "poetical greatness."Shan ul Haq Haqqi has written that, "Rafiuddin Raz's poetry contains both beauty off thought and beauty of style... [and is] successful throughout the body of Urdu poetry
Urdu poetry
Urdu poetry is a rich tradition of poetry and has many different types and forms. Borrowing much from the Persian language, it is today an important part of Pakistani and North Indian culture....
," while Urdu language great and renowned Karachi University professor, Aslam Farrukhi, claims that "Poetry, itself, has picked Raz for its expression." Similarly, Athar Hashmi speaks of finding "the features of life" in Raaz's work, and Shabnam Romani of his "uniqueness", and his "eloquent [use of] language and civilized tones," saying that, "the raz (secret) is that Raz's poetry is new!"
Raz's ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
has received widespread applause: Professor Najmi Siddiqui calls it "a fragrant puff of air that, having touched the fertile shores of classical tradition, gives life and lesson to the reader" and Mushaffiq Khwaja finds it "a custodian of the highest traditions of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
" which has "not only adhered to tradition, but taken it forward." Similarly, Hafeez Taib has praised him for opening "new horizons" for the ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
, and saying that "his verses seem to beat with one's own pulse."
Comparison to classical poets
Raz is often compared to different Urdu poetryUrdu poetry
Urdu poetry is a rich tradition of poetry and has many different types and forms. Borrowing much from the Persian language, it is today an important part of Pakistani and North Indian culture....
greats, including Ghalib, Meer and Yagana
Yagana Changezi
Mirza Yaas Yagana Changezi was one of the most important Urdu poets of the twentieth century and indeed among the masters of Urdu poetry. Real name was Mirza Wajid Hussain . He was born in Azeemabad, now Patna in 1884...
. In his article, Afkaar ki Taazgi [The Freshness of Thoughts], modern-day poet Afsar Mahpuri draws a parallel between Raz and classical, ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
poet, Yagana
Yagana Changezi
Mirza Yaas Yagana Changezi was one of the most important Urdu poets of the twentieth century and indeed among the masters of Urdu poetry. Real name was Mirza Wajid Hussain . He was born in Azeemabad, now Patna in 1884...
, saying that "some of Raz's verses are close to Yagana's voice" because he "has not begun his poetry with romantic exaggerations, in which countless poets waste their lives."
Dr. Rasheed Nisaar, on the other hand, compares Raz to Persian-language poet Bedil and one of Urdu poetry's greatest philosophers, Ghalib, saying that Raz "possesses the same style of thought and beauty of narration as Bedil and Ghalib."
Honours
A book entitled Rafiuddin Raz: Shaksiyat aur Fan [Rafiuddin Raz: Personality and Art] was written by Naima Parveen, under the supervision of Dr. Sohaila Farooqi, and published as part of a study for MA, UrduUrdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
by the Urdu Department of the Karachi University.
In February 2009, the monthly Rang-e-Adab [The Hue of Literature] dedicated its 9-10 issue to Raz, compiling a list of articles on him and his work, reviews of his books, and selected poetry into an honourary, 432-paged book entitled Rafiuddin Raz: Shaksiyat aur Sha'iri Kay Aa'inay Main [Rafiuddin Raz: In the Mirror of Personality and Poetry.]
In early 2010, the noted poet Zia Khan 'Zia' published a selection of Raz's poetry, titled Jamal-e-Hurf-e-Raz [The Beauty of Raz's Word]. It contained 125 of Raz's ghazalyat, as well as a lengthy essay on the finer points of Raz's poetry.
Raz has been the subject of various poetic tributes, including "Abhi Darya Main Pani Hai" aur Rafiuddin Raz ["There is Water in the River, Yet" and Rafiuddin Raz] by Sohail Ghazipuri, Pairahan-e-Akfaar [The Dress of Thoughts] by Dr. Abdul Manaan Tarzi, Kharaj-e-Tehseen [The Gift of Praise] by Khwaja Manzar Hassan Manzar, Azeez Dost, Rafiuddin Raz ki Nazar [For a Special Friend, Rafiuddin Raz] by Maqbool Naksh, Baleegh Andaaz [Sophisticated Style] and Roshni Kay Khad-o-Khaal Ka Shaa'ir [The Poet of "Features of Light] by Sadeeq Fatahpuri, and Rafiuddin Raz Kay Liye [For Rafiuddin Raz] by Junaid Azar.
The note and the flower
With a note, you can,buy tulip - narcissus - rose -
but,
to place a note in a flower's bossom,
is murder of beauty of beauty!
It is now
It is now,
that I have come to know,
the lines of the hand,
do not know the hand.
In the pursuit of happiness,
I have come to know pain,
in longing for the day,
I have come to know the night.
It is a friendship of old,
we have known each other for centuries,
the difficulties of this world - I,
I - the difficulties.
Each person here,
is bent upon flying,
none knows,
the timing of wisdom.
The bossom of each heart,
is not the desert's bossom,
- Each eye is not,
acquainted to rains.
The condition was travel,
of faith-acquainted paths -
- We had to learn of,
newer pains!
Continued to grow,
within me, the wish to live,
continued to get to know,
my heart - death of life.
Childhood
Raz was born in BegusaraiBegusarai District
Begusarai District is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India, and Begusarai town is the administrative headquarters of this district.-Etymology:The name of the district apparently comes from "Begum" + "Sarai"...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. His father Fariduddin Baig's family belonged to Darbhanga
Darbhanga District
Darbhanga district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state in eastern India, and Darbhanga town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Darbhanga district is a part of Darbhanga Division...
, and his mother Hajra's to Begusarai
Begusarai District
Begusarai District is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India, and Begusarai town is the administrative headquarters of this district.-Etymology:The name of the district apparently comes from "Begum" + "Sarai"...
, both districts of the state Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
.
Raz has claimed to be an exceptionally bright child with an amazing memory, in his early years. He attended BPHE School, Begusarai before switching to the Muslim High School Lehrya Sarai but, after his parents separated in 1945, was sent to live with his father's elder brother, Hameeduddin Baig. Unfortunately for him, Hameeduddin was not interested in educating him, and Raz had to work as a conductor and, subsequently, driver, in Hameeduddin's transport company. He continued, however, to persist in juggling his studies alongside the job, and finally passed his Inter-Commerce Exams from Quiad-e-Azam College, Dhaka.
1951 onwards
In 1951, when riots were taking place in the aftermath of the Partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, Raz migrated to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, then a part of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
, and declared himself a Pakistani.
After the proclamation of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Raz was a prisoner of war from 1971 to 1973. He migrated to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
as soon as he was released, but found himself facing much poverty. He switched between several jobs in an attempt to earn, from tutoring kids to working as a government employee. He eventually started a business with his commanding officer, Colonel Aakil Abbas Rizvi, and established himself as a self-made and financially stable man.
He married Noshaba Khatoon in 1964, and has six children - two daughters named Naheed Anjum and Ambreen, and four sons named Tariq, Rehan, Saqib, and Waqiuddin - with her. Currently, Raz holds a Masters degree in General History, and has said that, more than anything else, it was an act meant to provide "moral support" to his children.
Books
| Title | Translated title | Year published | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deeda-e-Khush Khwab | 1988 | |||||||
| Beenai | Sight | 1997 | ||||||
| Pairahan-e-Fikr | The Dress of Thought | 2002 | ||||||
| Roshni Kay Khad-o-Khaal | Features of Light | 2005 | ||||||
| Abhi Darya Main Pani Hai | There is Water in the River | 2006 | ||||||
| Itni Tamazat Kis Liye | For What, this Blazing Heat? | 2007 | ||||||
| Jo ik din aaeena dekha | azmain | 2008 | ||||||
| Suqrat say shaikh chilli tuk | Inshayee | 2010 | ||||||
| Saaz o raaz | Rubiyat ka mujmoa | 2010 | ||||||