Professor M Taha Khan: A man of culture, values and substance

The ECG reading and other instruments stopped showing any vital signs. Duty nurse at the ICU was called who checked the pulse and other readings and immediately called the doctor on duty. The doctor carried out professional checks and confirmed the death of the patient, at 1:30am in the morning of August 25, 2014. Staff on duty completed formalities by getting the signatures of the inheritors and handed over the dead body to the inheritors.

“Maut ne aakheri sher ko likhha

Khoobsoorut ghazal tamam huwee”

With the death of Mr Taha Khan, concluded an era that expanded over 83 years. The travelogue started from Lucknow and ended in Peshawar. Representative of the generation, which sacrificed everything for Pakistan; they who preached Pakistaniat, honesty, merit, hard work, commitment and trust in Almighty. Those who felt pride in themselves and would always thank the Almighty for His blessings. Those who remained well dressed and well spent, leaving no room to be discussed about their economic state outside their house. Friends like Ahmed Faraz, Maqbool Butt (Kashmiri leader), Waheeda Ghafoor and Durr-e-Shahwar joined him as classfellows in Masters of Urdu class at the Peshawar University. Coincidently, Faraz and Taha died at the same date of 25 August. Today, the Peshawar University is awarding degrees on PhD on Mr Taha Khan in recognition of his services in promoting Urdu language in KPK.

Taha was complement of name and personality, like the rhythm of Surah Taha of the Holy Book. He would think, feel, talk, write and act rhythmically like the rhythm of Surah Taha. Addition of Muhammad in his name made him a true lover of the Holy Prophet (SAW). He earned name as a writer, poet, critic, researcher, historian, teacher, philanthropist, media-man, translator, grammar specialist, column writer, linguist, Humd-o-Naa’at writer, orator and a patriotic citizen. He had sharp reflexes and observations. Like John Milton and Professor Taha Hussain of Egypt, his lost sight didn’t deter him in his literary efforts. The handicap got strengthened in translating Rehman Baba and Khushhal Khattak from Pashto to Urdu poetry in the same rhythm and rhyme with the same message during his blindness. For this meaningful translation of Rehman Baba, he was awarded the Pride of Performance by Govt of Pakistan in 2008.

He contributed Qata’ats for Daily Mashriq on daily basis. He did not require visiting the newspaper office but would narrate a fresh Qata’a to the desk editor on mobile phone. He had contributed about 3,000 such Qata’ats on daily basis.

Mufliss ho tum agar mera kashkol bech do

Ay ahl-e-sheher hosla dekho faqeer ka (Taha Baba)

(Sell out my pot of beggary for your bread and butter. Natives see how rich this beggar is?)

It’s a philosophical couplet by Mr Taha Khan. A Pathan by origin and an Urdu speaking by language, he established himself in an entirely different culture of Pashtuns in Peshawar. Like so many who migrated from India and promoted new colors in the local cultures throughout Pakistan, he introduced several literary terms of Urdu literature in Pashto language. He also translated norms and traditions depicted in Pashto folk poetry into the Urdu language. His poetry has literary traits of Purbi, Arabic, Pashto, Urdu and Persian language. He had grip on the subject like Meer Anees, thoughts of Meer Durd and comic touch of Nazeer Akbar Abadi. His poetic mind got influenced by the spiritual poetry of Rehman Baba. He made his lost sight his strength by developing his vision.

Unable to read, he hired a Pashto speaking person to narrate the poetry of maestros’ Rehman Baba and Khushal Khan Khattak. He translated both these stalwarts of the Pashto language and earned Pride of Performance on translations of 1,600 verses of Rehman Baba. The linguistic experts say, it is very difficult to translate the literary terms of a language to another one, especially Pashto and that too in the same rhyme and rhythm with the same expression. I take liberty in naming him Taha Khan Baba and I am sure in the heavens he does not mind it.

Ka zahir de ka batin de ke mabaen de

La huma o khabardar de rabb-e-zama (Rehman Baba)

Kiya hay israr zahir-o-batin

Khoob waqif hay kibria mera (Taha Khan Baba)

Rehman Baba is a believer in the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SA) and praises his stature as the last messenger of Almighty.

Nabuwwat pa Muhammad (SA) bande tamam she

Nishta puss la Muhammad (SA) ambia (Rehman Baba)

Too kamal-e kamiliyat ikhtitam-e-ambia

Ye amal Allah tere baad duhrata naheen (Taha Khan Baba)

Taha Baba a staunch follower of Rehman Baba developed belief of self-negation. He would proudly travel on public transport intercity and on rickshaw within the Peshawar city. To his siblings, he always taught “Biggest wealth I’m leaving behind for you is the education, which I managed to impart to you.” He left behind thousands of disciples throughout the world, to promote education and knowledge.

Khan_adnan040@yahoo.com