Bunyad: A Journal of Urdu Studies
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ہائیڈل برگ میں لکھی جانے والی اقبال کی ایک نظم اور چند مغالطے
No full textThis article critically examines a widely circulated misconception regarding Allama Iqbal’s poem "Sulaimā" from Bāng-e-Darā, allegedly written for Atiya Fayzee during his stay in Heidelberg, Germany. Drawing on Iqbal’s own handwritten manuscript and tracing the origins of the confusion to misread or misremembered claims by scholars such as Akbar Haideri and Gyan Chand Jain, the article argues that there is no concrete evidence that Iqbal ever titled the poem “Atiya” or explicitly dedicated it to her. By carefully revisiting primary sources, including Iqbal’s personal notebook housed at Javed Manzil and Sabir Kalorvi’s critical article, the article reveals the speculative and occasionally misleading nature of the interpretations that link the poem to personal relationships. The article also contextualizes Iqbal’s Heidelberg stay, highlighting the poet’s academic, social, and linguistic pursuits, thereby offering a nuanced understanding of the creative atmosphere in which "Sulaimā" was composed. In doing so, the study not only corrects historical inaccuracies but also emphasizes the need for caution when dealing with biographical readings of literary texts
ادب کی تخلیق میں صدمے کا کردار
No full textThis paper explores broadly the role of trauma in shaping social consciousness, moral values, and literary expression, and particularly focusing on Karbala as a site of enduring collective memory. Beyond a historical tragedy, Karbala functions as a symbol of resistance, sacrifice, justice, and ethical identity within Muslim societies. Engaging Trauma Theory and cultural memory studies, the research examines how the traumatic imprint of Karbala is transmitted across generations through rituals, storytelling, and literature. It argues that trauma does not merely destroy; it also becomes a creative and moral force, shaping aesthetic traditions and social values. The intergenerational transmission of trauma, as seen in oral histories and commemorative practices, reveals how communities cope with pain by transforming it into a narrative of resilience and meaning. Literature, in this context, becomes not only a space of mourning but also one of moral imagination and cultural survival. This article highlights the intersection of trauma, memory, and creativity as a foundation for both personal identity and communal ethos
ایڈورڈ سعید کی اورینٹلزم اور اس پر ہونے والی تنقید
No full textEdward W. Said’s Orientalism, published in 1978, offers a critical analysis of the West’s colonial project. In this book, Said argues that it is essential to recognize and understand three distinct traditions within Orientalist discourse. The first is the centuries-old intellectual tradition in the West, within which scholars have sought to understand the East. The second is a particular Western mindset reflected in ontological and epistemological frameworks, primarily aimed at establishing the superiority of the West over the East in every respect. The third aspect is the political objective of the West: to justify and sustain its dominance over Eastern societies through various political means and specific way of knowledge production. Said makes it clear that his focus in the book is on the latter two aspects of Orientalism. He attempts to show how these elements have been deeply intertwined with the goals of Western imperialism from the late eighteenth century to the present day. He demonstrates how major Orientalist works have served the social and colonial interests of the West. As expected, Orientalism has been the subject of extensive critique. Since its publication in 1978, it remains extensively read and discussed. This article examines significant critical reactions to Said’s work—ranging from Orientalists and academics to Marxist theorists and philosophers. Although the book has its shortcomings, a key challenge for critics has been understanding Said’s main argument. Said challenges the epistemological underpinnings of imperialism instead of providing a definition or historical account of Orientalism. This essay argues that Orientalism ought not to be interpreted merely as a book about Orientalism, but rather as a postcolonial text
پشتو-اردو لغات: ’’خیراللغات ‘‘اور’’ لغاتِ افغانی ‘‘کا تحقیقی و تقابلی مطالعہ
No full textThis article traces the history of Pashto-Urdu lexicography and the development of comparative dictionaries between Pashto and other languages. It offers a critical analysis of Kher-ul-Lughat and Lughat-e-Afghani, two seminal dictionaries in Pashto and Urdu, highlighting their structural and lexical parallels. The study argues that Lughat-e-Afghani may be a reworked version of Kher-ul-Lughat. Additionally, it brings to light new and overlooked aspects of Qazi Kherullah’s life and contributions to Urdu lexicography, restoring attention to his original and authentic work. Overall, the article deepens our understanding of these dictionaries and their significance in the linguistic and literary traditions of Pashto and Urdu
مقبولیت اور فراموشی کے تسلسل کا استعارہ:رتن ناتھ سرشار
No full textWhile Sarshar and his magnum opus, Fasāna-i Azād, have been the subject of considerable discussion, a thorough and objective assessment of his works, as well as a well-documented account of his life, remains lacking. Does his widely discussed character, Kohji, truly represent the decadent society of Lucknow, or does it transcend our understanding of it? Does Azad's language, often criticised as ornate and contrived, actually explore the profound potential of spoken words? And does Azad’s translation of Don Quixote and other texts fall short on several counts? These questions are addressed with documentary evidence, in this article
غالب ،علم لغت اور قاطعِ برہان کا قضیہ
No full textThis paper examines the controversy sparked by Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib’s Qat‘e-i Burhan, a Persian prose work first published in 1862, in which Ghalib harshly criticized Burhan-i Qat‘e, a widely used Persian dictionary compiled by Muhammad Husain Burhan Tabrizi in 1652. A revised edition of Ghalib’s critique appeared in 1865 under the title Dirafsh-i Kāwiyāni, further intensifying the debate. The publication provoked numerous rejoinders—both in prose and verse—from defenders of Burhan-i Qat‘e, to which Ghalib also responded. While many Urdu critics have historically sided with Ghalib, portraying his criticism as justified and Burhān-i Qāt‘e as a flawed work, later scholars such as Qazi Abdul Wadood and Prof. Nazeer Ahmed have shown that Ghalib exaggerated the dictionary’s shortcomings. This paper argues that Ghalib’s knowledge of lexicography, lexicology, and Old Persian was limited, and that his critique included factual errors, partiality, and a disregard for scholarly decorum. It further highlights Ghalib’s use of coarse humour and satirical tone, often overlooked or downplayed by his admirers. The study draws on textual evidence from Persian and Urdu works written in response to Qāt‘e-i Burhān, challenging the perception of Ghalib’s authority in this scholarly dispute and drawing attention to the racial and cultural biases embedded in his critique
اردو شاعری میں معنی آفرینی اور مشرقی وسائلِ معنی
No full textoai:bunyad.lums.edu.pk:article/68598362ab74fThis article discusses the concept of meaning and the process of meaning-making. It explores the role of civilization, society, and the individual in the creation of meaning. The elements of rhetoric involved in meaning creation are examined, which play a significant role in the process of meaning-making. This is important because many critics and researchers limit themselves to merely identifying these elements. Furthermore, the article attempts to understand the process of meaning creation by figures of speech, style, tone, recitation, ambiguity, punctuation marks, appropriateness, and verbal consistency. The practical application of these elements is explained through the examples from modern Urdu poems and the verses of various poets to clarify the process of meaning-making
خالد آفتاب کے افسانوں کا تانیثی و صنفی تجزیہ
No full textIn the early twenty-first century, women worldwide faced various novel challenges in their personal, familial, professional, and social lives, particularly in their interactions with men. Pakistani womens had to confront more challenging circumstances. In this article, Khalid Aftab's short stories are examined in the context of gender studies and feminism to identify the problems and challenges faced by women in Pakistan's unique socio-cultural environment. The thematic analysis of selected short stories from three fictional works, Jahān ander Jahān (2014), Bhedī (2018), and Potlī (2024), has been conducted. Most of the stories involve gender issues, including the dynamics of power relations between men and women, constructions of gender and sexuality, and concepts of masculinity and femininity. Additionally, critical topics such as homosexuality, male dominance, violence against women, sexual exploitation, forced marriages, and marital rape have been discussed. The narratives illustrate that women are becoming increasingly cognizant of their human rights due to advancements in education and increased economic participation. This growing awareness fosters women’s self-confidence, enhances decision-making capabilities, and contributes to their empowerment, which is leading to significant societal transformations in Pakistan. Khalid Aftab's fiction is a substantial breakthrough in advancing the contemporary discourse on gender equality and women's rights in the region
ہنری پوٹنگر کا سفرنامہ بلوچستان و سندھ : مابعدنوآبادیاتی تجزیہ
No full textThis article presents a postcolonial reading of Henry Pottinger's Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde (1816), a travelogue that played a significant role in imagining the British imperial project in South Asia. Far from being a neutral account, Pottinger's narrative constructs a colonial knowledge system through his Eurocentric representations of geography, ethnicity, language, and everyday life in Baluchistan and Sindh. By critically analyzing the text, this study reveals how colonial discourses of domination and cultural othering are embedded in Pottinger’s descriptions. The article draws on postcolonial theoretical frameworks to examine how such travel narratives contributed to the ideological underpinnings of empire, simultaneously shaping and justifying British expansionism in the region