hat will a man achieve by becoming serious when he knows one day he will die with all his seriousness?”

— Ibne Safi

This is the mantra by which Asrar Ahmed lived his life. Known worldwide by his pen name, Ibne Safi, he is one of the bestselling authors of all time in Pakistan. The country recognised his services a bit late (he was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz or the Star of Excellence only in 2020), but his legacy goes beyond such awards and numbers. His impact in promoting a reading culture and simultaneously entertaining and educating the masses, especially the youth, positions him as one of the most influential personalities in this country. He is also the first Urdu writer to be considered a genuine bestseller, earning a living from this profession rather than treating it as a hobby or a secondary pursuit.

The start of detective novels is generally attributed to Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841), which was followed by the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, who first appeared in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet (1887). It revolutionised the detective novel genre globally. The subcontinent was no different, and we find novels dating back to the late 1880s, but Priyanath Mukhopadhyay is generally recognised as the pioneer in the field of mystery and detective fiction in Bengali literature. His work, The Inspector’s Files, first appeared in 1892, although foreign authors like Doyle heavily inspired some of his stories. In Hindi literature, Gopal Ram Gahmari is considered the genre’s founder. He launched and ran a magazine called Jasoos (Spy) for almost 40 years while writing over 200 novels. In Urdu literature, the detective genre remained relatively untouched or, more appropriately, unrecognised as proper literature until Ibne Safi took it up in the early 1950s.

Many others, like Akram Allahabadi, who introduced characters like Hazoor Ahmed aka Khan and Sergeant Iqbal in 1953, or H Iqbal (Humayun Iqbal), who launched his series in 1964 with Major Parmod and Colonel D as his leading characters, tried their hand at the detective genre. Later, Ishtiaq Ahmed wrote over 800 novels for his Inspector Jamshed, Inspector Kamran Mirza and Shoki Brothers series. However, none of them reached the level of originality and popularity found in Ibne Safi’s Jasoosi Duniya and Imran Series.

Born as Asrar Ahmed in 1928, in the village of Nara in Allahabad district of UP, India, he came from a family of landlords and learned men. He was about eight years old when he got the opportunity to read the classic tale Tilism-i-Hoshruba, considered one of the largest and grandest tales of all time. The impact of this classic can be seen in some of his work as well, where one can observe some of his proposed scientific inventions originating from the tales of Emperor Afarasyiab and some clever tricks remind you of Amr Ayyar.

Ibne Safi ventured into the world of writing at a young age. By the time he reached the seventh grade, his debut story was published in a weekly magazine. He also explored his passion for poetry. Influenced by poet Jigar Muradaabadi, his initial poetic works revolved around khumriat. In 1947, Ibne Safi enrolled at Allahabad University, where the lectures of Dr Syed Ejaz Hussain played a significant role in fostering his literary and intellectual development. Dr Ejaz was a big fan of his work as a poet and later lamented that he did a big injustice to himself by “killing Asrar Narvi.” Fortunately, his ghazals and poems have been published in a full book, giving us an excellent insight into the quality of his thoughts.

During his student days, he delved into the world of writing, crafting short stories, humour and satire. Writing under various names like “Siniki (Cynic) Soldier” and “Tughral Farghan,” he explored various genres. He disseminated several satirical articles through magazines, offering commentary on various subjects, from politics to literature and journalism.

As a young man, Ibne Safi saw the Partition and migration, which deeply impacted his personality and writing. He witnessed a face of humanity unseen before; he was disappointed in political leaders who failed to stop the bloodshed and rise above ethnic or geographical divides to save lives. This is reflected not only in some of the prefaces he wrote but also through the dialogues of some of his characters, especially whenever the topic of humanity and globalism comes up. His work was not beholden to any of the “-isms” trending globally and nationally. Rather, he had a simpler mantra: good prevailing over evil while respecting the law. He believed that unless people respected the law, crime would keep recurring.

Having completed his education, Ibne Safi migrated to Pakistan in August 1952. He was accompanied by his mother and sister. Around this time, he delved into the genre that would later make him a household name. The inception of his work in this genre originated from discussions during a literary gathering in 1951. During the gathering, a senior participant made an observation about Urdu literature, suggesting that only erotic stories seemed to sell, overshadowing other genres. Ibne Safi held a different view, arguing that no one had attempted to address the abundance of such literature flooding the market. Another participant added that this trend could only be curbed if alternative literature was developed and introduced. This prompted Ibne Safi to deeply contemplate the type of literature that would resonate with readers. In that moment of contemplation, the image of an eight-year-old child emerged in his mind. Recalling how even elderly individuals were captivated by Tilism-i-Hoshruba, he committed himself to exploring the creation of alternative Urdu literature.

The debate about the place of this medium in literature is still ongoing, but one thing is certain: over time, Safi’s legacy has surpassed that of a simple novelist. His work is now considered ahead of its time, with the kind of scientific inventions and interventions he proposed.

He began with a series of monthly novels titled Jasoosi Duniya (The World of Espionage), introducing his original characters, Inspector Faridi and Sergeant Hameed, in the first novel, Dilaer Mujrim (The Daring Criminal), in March 1952. The novel drew inspiration from Victor Gunn’s work, Ironsides’ Lone Hand. This was followed by the launch of the Imran Series in 1955, introducing Ali Imran, also known as X2. The series debuted with the first novel titled Khaufnaak Imarat (The Frightening Building), which hit the stands in August 1955. He left behind a body of work comprising more than 250 novels, short stories, poetry, humour and satire.

Starting in 1957, Ibne Safi’s writing pace significantly accelerated. By 1960, he had authored almost a hundred short novels, all set in the captivating and fantastical world he had created. However, amidst his prolific literary output, Ibne Safi began to distance himself from reality. Gradually, he became withdrawn and by 1960, his career appeared to be in jeopardy due to schizophrenia. It took three years, but with the support of his loving family and Hakeem Iqbal Hussain, he made an astonishing recovery and comeback to writing. His return was celebrated throughout the subcontinent. On November 25, 1963, he published the bestselling Imran Series novel Dairh Matwaalay. The book’s release in India was graced by the presence of the former interior minister (later prime minister of India) Lal Bahadur Shastri. The novel was in so great demand that a second edition was published in India within a week. Former governor general of Pakistan, Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin and President Ayub Khan were also said to be regular readers of his novels. In his work, Aalmi Encyclopedia, Yasir Jawad reports that renowned crime fiction author Agatha Christie not only knew of him but also once described him as “the only original writer in the subcontinent.”

In September 1979, Ibne Safi began experiencing abdominal pains. By December of that year, it was confirmed that these pains resulted from cancer at the head of the pancreas. While his health deteriorating seriously and rapidly, he did not give up writing. At the time of his demise, an incomplete Imran Series novel, Aakhri Aadmi, was by his bedside. It was later completed under the supervision of his sons. On July 26, 1980, Ibne Safi passed away, leaving behind a rich legacy.

He created and took forward two separate universes, which, on the surface, appear poles apart. Jasoosi Duniya was created and set before Partition, while the Imran Series was set in the post-Partition era. He never explicitly mentioned cities like Lahore or Karachi by name, but you got the idea, especially as names like Waheed Murad and Mehdi Hassan showed up in dialogues among the characters. He also created a series of fantasy lands like Shakraal, Karaghaaland, and Maqalaaq, which had proper cultural and social settings. His most famous creation is Zeroland, which cannot be found on any map but is run by the smartest and shrewdest minds in the world. Its characters embark on global adventures, exploring real-life countries like Italy, Spain, Brazil, England, Zanzibar and South Africa. For a person who hardly travelled outside Karachi, let alone outside Pakistan, his depiction of these places and social, cultural and geographical information was remarkable. He used to conduct thorough research before writing, gathering insights from magazines, books, TV shows and movies. He regularly watched shows like High Road, The Prisoner, The Saint, The Man from Uncle, Danger Man and the Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Throughout his writing career, there were two camps among his readers: one who loved and adored the young, carefree, shrewd and sharp Ali Imran and those who worshipped the graceful, law-abiding, witty and fatherly figure, Ahmed Kamal.

Ahmad Kamal Faridi is the only son of an aristocrat, Nawab Azeezuddin Khan, who left him immense wealth. He is a highly educated man with a passion for solving mysteries. His official position is that of an inspector. He always declines promotions because he wants to continue doing ‘real’ detective work. He is awarded the rank of an honorary colonel for bringing down an international criminal. Sometimes, he works directly for higher authorities and reports directly to the head of state. He is a well-built, tall and attractive man in his early thirties (precisely 32 years old). His personality and methods are mysterious and he usually operates in the background. Importantly, he is a man who upholds the rule of law. He believes in strictly following the law and never uses illegal means or deception to achieve his goals. An avid reader, he has some unusual hobbies, such as domesticating snakes and dogs. Faridi is Ibne Safi’s ideal personality. This is how he wanted people to be in terms of respect for the law and morals. He is on record saying that this was his ideal character, but at times he felt ashamed of creating him too good a character to be true.

On the other hand, Ali Imran is a complex and versatile character. He is in his late twenties and holds MSc and PhD degrees. His most outstanding trait is deception, which he uses skilfully to bring down notorious criminals. He is a well-built man with great sex appeal but presents himself as stupid, innocent and sometimes moronic. He can be found doing the craziest things in the most dangerous situations, such as playing the violin while surrounded by hundreds of enemies. He is an opportunist and always takes every chance to make a decisive move. His alter ego is X2, the chief of Secret Services, although only three people know about this. None of his friends and colleagues take Imran seriously, but they are terrified of their chief, X2, which leads to hilarious interactions. Despite his personality shifts and conflicting scenarios, he adheres to the basic human rights principles and abide by law. He is a witty man, making satirical comments on almost every aspect of life. His personality is enjoyable and thought-provoking. Imran, perhaps, was the more relatable character as people could see themselves living like him in a flat while driving a two-seater. He was more of a doer who wanted to get things done with whatever means necessary. He came from a strict and conservative family but lived on his own terms. This again depicted the mind-set of the youth of that time, but like Faridi, he never compromised on the law and always aimed to get things right, no matter what.

Much of Ibne Safi’s work follows the typical crime fiction template. A crime has been committed or is about to be committed. There is a mission to stop or solve it, and there are more or less the same set of characters led by one brilliant mind. In addition to the main characters and supporting cast - Sergeant Hameed, Julia and Safdar - his villains are not typical either. There is an illustrious list including the likes of Gerald Shashtri, Ad Lava, Allama Dehshatnak, Sing Hee, Dr Dread, Finch, Theresia Bumble-Bee of Bohemia, Bogha, and Humbug the Great. A close look at these villains reveals you that selfish, individualistic reasons do not drive them. Rather, they often give the most thought-provoking speeches about the reasons behind their actions, which shake you to the core. From being born out of wedlock and shunned by society to fighting colonial minds that dominated them for years, these are not simple criminals or even evil minds. They are, at times, heroes to their own tribes or groups. One thing Ibne Safi sticks to in all his dealings with these villains is: evil cannot beat good.

His work led to the country’s premier spy agency inviting him to deliver a series of lectures on the art of espionage to trainee officers. One of his novels was broadcast on Radio Pakistan, with SM Saleem playing the lead role of Sergeant Hameed. Another famous work, Doctor Duago, was adapted into a drama by Pakistan Television; Ali Imran was played by Qavi Khan. Unfortunately, the drama was never aired due to “political reasons.”

In 1975, film producer Muhammad Hussain Talpur, also known as Maulana Hippie, embarked on an experimental film project titled Dhamaka, inspired by the Imran Series novel Baibaakon Ki Talaash. The film marked the debut of actor Javaid Sheikh (then Javaid Iqbal) in the role of Zafar-ul Mulk, the main character. Maulana Hippie portrayed Jameson, while the talented actress Shabnam took on the role of Sabiha. Interestingly, the movie did not feature the characters of Imran and X-2’s team. Notably, Ibne Safi lent his voice to the character X-2 in the film.

Some of his work was translated into English. Shams-ur Rahman Faruqi translated four books of Jasoosi Duniya and Bilal Tanveer translated some of the Imran Series stories into one book.

During his lifetime, especially during his illness, many copycats had emerged. Some of them continued to use his characters to write their versions of the Imran Series. Notable among them were MA Rahat, Mazhar Kaleem, S Qureshi, H Iqbal, and Mushtaq Ahmed Qureshi. They tried their hand at the Imran Series but never attempted Jasoosi Duniya, perhaps because they knew it was easier to add elements in the former, while the latter was more challenging to handle. None of them reached the level of popularity among Ibne Safi fans.

The debate about the place of this medium in literature is still ongoing, but one thing is certain: over time, Ibne Safi’s legacy has surpassed that of a simple novelist. His work is now considered ahead of its time on account of the kind of scientific inventions and interventions he proposed. His work goes beyond providing entertainment; as Anwar Maqsood says, he trained his readers to be part of a model society. Veterans like Amjad Islam Amjad and Iftikhar Arif have credited him with developing the habit of reading and cultivating a love for literature, which later led to their journey of literary greatness. Maulvi Abdul Haq credits him with teaching Urdu to those whose native language was not Urdu. He was never interested in his work being limited to bookshelves; rather, he preferred it to be under the pillows of the people. He successfully created a series of works where each book was re-read repeatedly and chose a medium that helped him reach out to a large number of people. In this, he was successful. His legacy is unparalleled.

The writer is a digital communication expert and consultant currently working in the public sector. He is the mastermind behind the digital platforms, Sukhan, Mani’s Cricket Myths and Over The Line