An Exclusive Interview 𝒃𝒚 Alizay Najaf

Shahab Zafar Azmi, who wrote the book “Urdu Novel ke Asaleeb” (Flairs of writing Urdu Novel) “wherein the history of Urdu novels has been narrated for the first time in the light of linguistic, flair and style of expression” and the book got the position of the  most famous and popular research book immediately, winning two prestigious awards to received accolade for him.  

Born on April 1, 1972 in Gaya city of Bihar province. His forefathers hailed from Mubarakpur District of Azamgarh. After initial education in Jamia Ashrafia Mubarakpur for a few years under the patronage of his father — who was head teacher there — his academic journey from BA to PhD continued from Magadha University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Jawaharlal Nehru University. During this time, he also worked as an Urdu teacher in a government high school for seven years. In June 2003, he was appointed as Assistant Professor in Urdu in Post Graduate Department of Urdu, Patna, the Bihar University — the best university of Bihar province — where now he has been serving as Head of the Department. He has also been teaching and doing administrative services in the Department of Aeronautics of the same university for about 21 years. He says, “The journey from a small seminary to chairing the Department of Urdu at Patna University has been incredible for me. It is Allah’s infinite bounty and mercy that He has brought me to this position and given me respect and importance in the society.” He also worked as Course-coordinator of P.G.Diploma in Urdu Journalism and Mass Communication, Patna University from August 2007 to June 2011 and is editor of Research journal of Department of Urdu, Patna University “Urdu Journal”. He has published eight books of non-fiction (literary criticism): Kalimuddin Ahmad (Monograph), Mutaleat-e-Fiction, Saleha Abid Hussain Fikri aur Fanni Jehat, Matn aur Maana, Jahan-e-Fiction, Urdu Novel ke Asaleeb, Furat: Mutalah Muhasba, and Urdu ke Nasri Asaleeb and research paper: Urdu Afsano me Dalit masail ki Akkasi. He has many awards on his credits: Junior Research Fellowship Award in 1999 by U.G.C; First prize from U.P.Urdu Academy for “Urdu Novel ke Asaleeb” in 1996; First prize from Bihar Urdu Academy on the same book in 1996; First prize from Bihar Urdu Academy for “Jahan-e-fiction” in 2013; “Kalimuddin Ahmad Award” for criticism in Urdu from Bihar Urdu Academy in 2013 and “Abdulmughni Award” for criticism in Urdu from Ilmi Majlis Bihar,in 2013.

In a chilly evening of last week of December 2023, when I telephoned Shahab Zafar Azmi, a fabled critic of Urdu fiction and an Assistant Professor in Urdu, Department of Urdu Patna University, Bihar, India, I heard a polite voice from the other side. After formal greetings and introducing myself, I came directly to the resolution — taking of his interview. He happily agreed to. We concluded this interview in the month of February after many nonconsecutive conversations and exchange of drafts.  

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ALIZAY NAJAF:         

You keep a close eye on Urdu fiction. Are you satisfied with the fiction written today? Don’t you nous that the young writers are guilelessly emulating instead of discerning their own uniqueness?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

First of all, I do not have a keen critical eye on fiction. I am simply an ordinary reader. Since, fiction is my favorite genre, so I offer my feedback on what I read. I hardly find any young generation fiction writer mimicking. And it is promising that every fiction writer today likes to write emancipated. He is neither a supporter of any ism nor a preacher of any ideology. He has kept himself aloof from the imams of literature, so he shows a dispositional preference for not counterfeiting. Fictionists have realized that fiction is no longer read merely for aesthetic evolution or personal expression, but to explore new acumens of man and the universe. They are consciously struggling to bring a radical change in the sentiency of fiction. They have created a large group of themes, motifs and idioms, making Urdu fiction rich and varied. Their fiction is not just a source of inspiration but lofty work of art, proving to be an effective source of vision for the enigmas of life, society and the universe. This period of modern fiction is also significant that the opus of the story has expanded to all continents, enabling our young fiction writers to see, show, examine and to experience global humanity as a unit. And in this process, they feel absolutely no need to follow anyone.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Does a fictionist must have critical sentience or is it merely a job of the critic? And what aspects do you pay special attention during critically analyzing a piece of fiction?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Why fictionist only? A critical consciousness is essential for a creator of any genre. Unless the creator won’t utilize a critical cognizance in his observation, reading and selection of style and technique, he cannot produce a good work of art. Every creator has an inner covert critic who not only looks critically at the literature of the past and present but also endeavors to make his creation fairly in a better way. In my view, fiction criticism is patience demanding and relatively difficult work because it places multiple demands before the critic. For example, looking at the whole story with niceties, language, plot and art, familiarity with the art of storytelling, consistency in style and theme, etc. are important components of fiction criticism that require deep and sustained devotion from the critic. For the evaluation of a fiction writer, the study of his entire works — apart from the entire fictional literature — is a very time-consuming and complicated process. I think the main tenacity of fiction criticism is to know the short story or novel has achieved the status of creation by employing what linguistic, contour and configuration assets. The fiction reading necessitates that linguistic treatment — along with characters, events, culture and socio-psychological factors — is vital, that shapes the story. Obviously, apposite use of every word and every sentence in the story and ambience conjunctions envision the creative experience. I have written somewhere earlier that it is only the style which distinguishes literature from non-literature. This is most true of fiction because the purpose of the fiction writer is not solitary to convey the story, character, atmosphere and social, anthropological and cultural information to the reader, but also to reveal the internal paradoxes, emotive layers of the characters, convolutions of the life and the universe through the linguistic comportment of the story. Consequently, it is my duty as a critic to do a stylistic ethnographic analysis of the story and to try to identify the experience which has given that short story or novel its creative identity and which has created a talismanic quality of elation and transcendence in the story. This kind of appraisal of the stylistic and linguistic structure of fiction determines interplay. I have tried, as much as possible, in my writings to work with the same perception so that I can analyze the context of the events, characters, milieu and agglutinating language of the artwork.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

You are associated with Urdu language and literature and have been the Head of the Urdu Department, Patna University. My question is how do you view the existing state of flux of Urdu and then its future?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Urdu is our mother tongue which preserves our intellectual heritage and which connects the threads of our civilization and society. Marvelously, it has not only proven its charisma in its native land, but also at the international level, fascinating peoples of the new lands. It has not only contributed in bridging the borders of different countries but has also fulfilled the duty of bridging hearts. Regrettably, this language — a symbol of common civilization — has been dealt derisively in the past by associating it with Muslims alone. The fact is that all adopted it as their language regardless of their religion and nationality and all and sundry generously contributed in its growth and evolution. Even those, whose mother tongue is not Urdu, are also captives of its allure and admit:

جب سے اردو  سے محبت ہو گئی  ہے

میری ہندی خوب صورت ہوگئی ہے

(Ever since I fell in love with Urdu

My Hindi has become embellished)

The promising thing is that now people have started to realize that Urdu is not the language of Muslims merely. On one side new towns of Urdu are being settled, on the side even in our own country university departments are full of non-Muslim students or teachers of Urdu. Though environments of Urdu institutes, schools and colleges in North India appreciable, but they are not despairing all together. Its future is bright, not gloomy. Internet and modern technology have played a vibrant role in its promotion and dissemination. The publication of books, seminars, lectures and literary summits do not at all suggest that Urdu is in danger. But I think, it is like spraying petals. The roots of Urdu are definitely getting weaker and weaker. Until these roots of Urdu won’t robust, no definite prediction could be made about the bright future of Urdu. At the elementary level, we have to do several important things to keep ablaze the fading flame of Urdu lamp. For example:

1. Urdu education must be arranged in English and convent schools. Urdu academies, councils and other institutions should allocate half of their funds to provide Urdu teachers in English schools.

2.    Appointment of Urdu teachers should be ensured in all primary level schools.

3.    Gadgets are more common in children’s hands than pens and books. These gadgets must be made tools of conveying Urdu to children. Video games and cartoons etc. should be produced in Urdu to attract them towards this language.

4.    At the secondary and higher education levels, programs such as paraphrases, Mahfil Bait Bazi, Tahseen-e-Ghazal, Fiction Reading, Shaam-e-Zarafat and writing and speech competitions should be included in the curriculum along with the textbooks so that  by developing an interest the students can familiarize and associate themselves with Urdu language and its literature.

5.    Teachers and students who show good results with regard to Urdu at Madrasas (schools which also impart Islamic religious education), schools and colleges must be invigorated by awarding prizes and stipends.

6.    There is a need to make school, college and university curriculums skill based. Through the workshop, it can be found out which subjects can be included in the existing curriculum, which will support in providing livelihood to the students.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Why is it to limit the responsibility of growth and elevation of Urdu language only to Urdu literature and journalism? Is it not obligatory to speed up the transfer or creation of other sciences, too, in this language?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Urdu is the language of all of us, of the whole of India. So, it cannot definitely be supposed that the responsibility of promoting Urdu language lies only with writers and journalists. Everyone has an equal role in its revival and impetus. Everyone can effort for its elevation from his place. Undoubtedly, our journalists and writers are invigorating it with their writings. But I’ll reiterate that the responsibility lies more on the shoulders of teachers and people associated with teaching job. I have just held that the transfer and inclusion of other sciences in the curriculum will be expedient in provision of both interest and employment to the students. For instance, courses in printing, designing, information technology, translation, computer education, media, journalism, Urdu website building, Urdu blogging and competitive exam preparation courses can be made a part of the Urdu curriculum. Even, no big and positive effort for Urdu education and promotion can be fruitful without long-term planning, keen interest and hard-hitting decisions. Those who are transferring the literature of other languages into Urdu through translation or trying to relate it to other sciences are laudable as they are contributing a great to the progress and growth of Urdu language.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Which three prominent efforts will you enumerate, among your other exertions for the uplift of Urdu language and literature that have played a key role in promoting Urdu literature?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

I joined my first school job under the patronage of my father. On the way back after joining, he advised me, “Son, devotion to work is also devoutness. Try to do it as earnestly and with integrity as you worship.” I bore it my mind, Alhamdulillah I’m still stick to it. After joining the Department of Urdu, Patna University, I  always tried to help students not only in fulfilling their curricular needs, but also to play an important role in the multidimensional growth of their personality. To achieve this goal, I made curricular and extracurricular activities an integral part of the department. If only these activities are to be counted from all of them, they will be: First, publication of an “Urdu Journal”. On the juncture of seventy-five years anniversary of establishment of the Urdu department, this initiative was taken that at least an annual magazine should be published because till then no periodical was being published from the department. In 2010, the publication of a research journal named “Urdu Journal” started, which, Alhamdulillah, still continues. So far, its 14 issues have been published. Its distinguishing feature is that its each issue contains a distinct section. The journal is incorporated in the list of UGC approved journals.  Secondly: Conducting national and international seminars and conferences on a regular basis. I tried to organize seminars and workshops in the department time and again not only to establish identity of the department but also to provide speaking, writing and administrative training to the students and research scholars. In this regard, I also started the monthly “Makalma” (Conversation) series, to facilitate the students with an opportunity to benefit through expanded training discourses. And thirdly: No Urdu journalism course was taught in the university. In 2007, on the request of the department, one year course in Journalism and Media “PG Diploma in Urdu Journalism and Mass Communication” was started, and I was appointed as its Coordinator. This course was inaugurated by the prominent fiction writer Intar Hussain. Apart from this, refresher courses for Urdu-Persian and Arabic teachers were also accomplished twice during my coordinator-ship. For these services, Alhamdulillah, I was awarded the Best Teacher Award by the University in 2023.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

We’ll continue our discussion. Here, a question is haunting in my mind. Why suffix Azmi with your name, while you belong to Bihar?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

My full name is Muhammad Shahab Zafar Azmi and father’s name is Maulana Abdul Al-Azmi Ibn (son of) Hafiz Abdul Rab Mubarakpuri. Certification reveals that I was born in Gaya city of Bihar province, while my native town is Mubarakpur district of Azamgarh. Consequently, my name is suffixed with Azmi. My ancestors were the important scholars of Mubarakpur, who have been cited in “Tazikra Ulema Mubarakpur” (Memoirs of the Scholars of Mubarakpur). My father’s government job was as the President of Jamia Sharifia in the town of Rafiganj near Gaya and he was married into the family of Hafiz Habib Ahmad, a respected businessman of Gaya. So, the city of Bihar province “Gaya” became our second homeland.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

What kind of milieu you were nurtured in? What were the values of that ambience, which played a significant role in shaping your personality?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

I was brought up in decently oriental and religious environs. As I mentioned earlier, I received my primary education under the tutelage of my father in his madrasa, which played a very chief role in the development of my personality. I learnt religious, social and moral values from my teachers in Madrasas of Rafiganj and Mubarakpur (Azamgarh) and improved my writing and speaking skills by participating in the literary and reformatory associations of these Madrasas. My paternal family has been a complete lover and representative of Oriental studies, while maternal have an environment of modern, contemporary and English education.

Upon my maternal uncle’s advice, I continued my education through college and university and finally joined Jawaharlal Nehru University. I think, there I found a unique atmosphere which other universities lacked. Although I did not stay there for a long time, but the awareness of wide-ranging, perception of muse and broad intellectual, and conceptual freedom that changed my personality. There I had the opportunity to learn from teachers like Prof. Siddiq-ur- Rahman Qadwai, Prof. Sharab Rudolvi, Prof. Aslam Pervez, Prof. Naseer Ahmed Khan, Prof. Anwar Pasha, Prof. Shahid Hussain and Prof. Mazhar Mehdi. Their teaching and training not only explained the meaning of literature, civilization, culture, history and ethos, but also made me conversant with the secrets of the understanding of poetry and literature and their transmission as well. I had started writing religious and moral articles during my period in madrassa, but from Jamia and JNU I began to express my views on poetry and literature. In this way, I can say that both seminary and university have played a vital role in shaping my personality. And I think that a good and successful persona can be built only by the combination of both.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

How different was the standard of educational institutions during your student days from todays’? Is this change degenerative or a form of evolutionary change?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

This is a problematic question. Every person would answer it varied. If the means of education, the number of educational institutions and external beautifications be measured as quality, they have increased significantly today. The facilities that are available today were not there in our student-life days, but if we consider the intellectual and moral values locus, you’ll find a substantial change in the tenacity of education itself. In the past, the primary resolution of education was character building and secondarily to get employment, whereas today the situation is the contrary. Now educational institutions have been converting into economic institutions, where professional courses are given priority. The impetus of those in power is rapidly goading these institutions. Due to privatization, affluent people can easily enroll their children there, while poor but talented and proficient students lag behind only due to poverty. Consumerism has done a lot of damage to the educational institutions. An important thing is that today experiments are being conducted at such a fast pace in the educational institutions that the teachers are also staggered. Apparently, it seems that efforts are being made to improve the quality of our educational institutions, but in reality nothing seems to be happening. Perhaps, the positive upshots of these experiments may appear in the future.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Since you are a university professor, what kind of propensities have you noticed flourishing in the students during your teaching journey? Why is it that they fail to connect with teachers on an emotive level?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

I have been teaching for about 28 years from school to university. I have noticed that students have also become very nippily victims of repercussions of this consumer society. Education has become a mere means of earning money and getting a job, and to earn a salary. Teachers have become professional, who, apart from receiving a good salary, always remain contemplating how to reinforce and improve their economic condition through tuition, coaching and other sources instead of giving importance to impart better education. Consequently, the relationship of sincerity, reverence and affection between teachers and students — which flourished our studentship — is no longer exists. It has always been my effort to enlighten my students of Urdu with the facts of language and literature, civilization and history. I convey them that language, dress and history are the identity of any nation’s nationality, collectivity and civilization. A nation that cannot protect its language is forever expunged from the history of civilizations. Urdu as mother language is a symbol of our civilization. From the first day, it hailed all without discrimination of religion and nationality and stimulated national unity. The simplicity, modesty and diversity of Urdu language and literature have given it the summit, greatness and distinctiveness that everyone else and others enamored of it. Still, it is a fact that the new generation is deserting away it. Earnest teachers of Urdu openly admit the fact that language and literature teachings from primary to higher education level has been passing through its worst times. First of all, the new generation is less attracted towards literature and if some students are turning towards it they lack seriousness and interest.

In my view, there are three factors of this plummet. Firstly, “inferiority complex” viz Urdu students feel that they are inferior to science or English language students. They assume themselves as second or third class students. Secondly, “Termination of correlation with pen and book”. Although Computer, internet and smartphone are undoubtedly useful inventions yet they have alienated students from books and pens. To gain interest and proficiency in Urdu language and literature, the connection between the pen and the hands, and the book with the eyes is imperative. We usually see students learning from mobile phones instead of books and note-books in the classroom by typing key points on the mobile. As a result, language errors are common in their writing and speeches. Thirdly, “Restricted Study”. Urdu students restrict themselves only to the study of their own language and literature. Whether it is the culpability of curriculum or our teaching method, however, generally they don’t entice themselves towards other sciences as well as the changes taking place in the world, nor do they develop an appetite for competition and struggle. Due to these reasons, their emotional association is weakening not only with their teachers but also with the learning of their language and literature.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Online education system has gained a lot of momentum since the Corona pandemic. To what extent do you find online mode of education beneficial for Urdu students in the post pandemic time? Do you feel that this will pose any threat to offline education in the future?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

During the Corona pandemic, the world faced an unexpected revolution. It also affected Urdu teaching. But the teachers acted courageously and accepted their responsibility of teaching and preaching along with the salvation of language and literature. In fact, the teachers had discerned necessity of their acclimation according to the requirements of the time for the survival and promotion of language and literature, and the entire team of students should also be simultaneously adjusted to the changes. That’s why, a series of online webinars, sessions, mushairas, meetings and classes were started without delay in a situation like lockdown. It proved that Urdu is a language that has powers to survive even in the worst conditions. The orders issued by the government for online teaching gave more stability to the Urdu teachers and teaching was imparted rapidly side by side literary meetings. Urdu departments of most universities in India, utilizing their available capacity and facility, not only engaged the students in online teaching but also involved them in literary studies by joining them to various literary programs.

There are more or less 1000 universities and 55000 colleges in our country India. In all of these institutions online teaching method was adopted as per UGC guidelines. Since there had been no such situation earlier, so no university had a formal and complete infrastructure to provide fully online education. Had this structure been in place, the National Testing Agency would not have needed private companies to conduct online tests of various competitive examinations. In big cities, there were fewer problems due to provision of electricity, internet and 4G facilities, but in towns and villages, which were deprived of these facilities, the experiment did not prove to be very useful. Online teaching had certainly been an achievement to some extent as experimentation in difficult times, but it could not been able to replace classroom teaching.

In fact, it is not very easy to involve Urdu language students in online teaching. There are number of issues for this. 1: Majority of Urdu students are economically indigent, who are not equipped with smartphones or laptops etc. 2: Electricity situation in most parts of India is not satisfactory. 3: A large number of Urdu teachers are not well skilled in using modern equipment, computers and online systems. 4: It causes many problems for handicapped students. Such frail and disabled students prefer to study offline. 5: A statistical organization “Indian Statistical Institute” reports that only 27%of families in the country have access to the Internet. An organization called “Quake Alley Simmonds” (QS) reports that internet connectivity and signal in the country is a problem that students have to cope with even on normal days.

Despite these difficulties, online teaching can be employed as a substitute and it can be tried to be implemented due to the necessity of the crisis period. But before that, it will be crucial to overcome the difficulties faced. Otherwise, it will never prove better than offline method of teaching, nor can it pose any threat to classroom teaching.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Can we hope that the presently created fiction will gain the status of classicism in the future? What would be the approximate percentage of such a creation? What do you see?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Alizay Najaf! This question is of enormous significance. The answer couldn’t so simple. Long stretch of time will choose which novel gains reputation in the future, but this can be said indubitably that very outstanding and worthy novels are being transcribed in Urdu. The contemporary Urdu novel world is packed of creativity. We can’t criticize of impoverishment in any way. These novels are representatives and protectors of different civilizations and cultures. These are not just things to pass the time. In them, we find the entire history of folks combating and struggling for centuries. It seems that as if a new history is being preserved in these novels. These are experimenting with technique, composition, themes as well as expression and style. I am convinced that some of these novels will emerge not only as an indispensable part of history but will also attain the eminence of classicism.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Due to many changes, people’s attention span has been going to diminution. Now, they prefer visual and audio sources over reading books. To what extent has this diversion affected the readership of novels? Will it be the motive to thrive the micro and flash-fiction?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

As I have said before that new technology has destabilized the correlation between our hands and pen and eyes and books. Now books are also available in audio and visual formats. This facility has left unaesthetic smudge in the reader. The tangibility of books and the passion to find more and more between the lines bestowed to the reader a lot is missing in visual and audio sources. The intellectual training of the reader, the fascination with language and literature and the determination of the value of works of art — nothing like this can be done. Visual and audio sources have made the reader sluggish and of phony aesthetic. He does not like philosophy, thought and creative enigma in fiction. He does not know the difference between the public novels of Rano or Masafir, and the literary novels of Intar Hussain or Khalid Javed. Not only in novels, but in short-stories and micro or flash-fiction also, he attempts to hunt the same shallow pleasure which is available to him from TV and OTT.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

What is your opinion about the overall role of women fiction writers on the creative platform of Urdu literature in the 21^st century? Which names do you find to be the best? What do you expect from the new generation women fictionists?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

The enlargement of Urdu fiction by the women writers and the wide range of human experiences they have introduced to it are invaluable. The prominent fiction writers of the 21^st century have a robust sense of feminine thought and feeling. The diversity of styles, thronging of experiences and courage of expression are the bright features of art of our new women fiction writers. Their tone of revolt against the patriarchal society is gradually getting stronger. It seems that in spite of their exertions they are unable to forget the scars of a lifetime of faithful experience. They are sick of the privileges that smell of mercy and pity. A society, where about half of the population consists of women, she cannot be deprived of freedom just because of being a woman. Why do the norms of authority for men and women discriminate? This question has been repetitively raised by our women fictionists. Today’s female fiction writers react to this situation in the same way, but the levels of distinction in terms of expressions and intensities are diverse. Some women’s voices are extremely loud, while others’ are supportive and affirmative. The tone of some writers is soft with deep muse, while the writing of some is full of irony and satire. But yes, there is a complete unity between their thoughts and expressions, muse and narrative. In the same way, they are genuine and true in the expression of their emotions, as though they have learnt expressing themselves now. Read fiction of Zakia Mashhadi, Nigar Azeem, Sarwat Khan, Shaista Fakhri, Ghazal Zaigham, Sadiqa Nawab Sahar, Lali Chaudhary, Nastaran Fatihi, Ghazala Qamar Ejaz, Salma Sanam, Anbri Rehman, Nusrat Shamsi and among the new fictionists Shahnaz Rehman, Qamar Jahan, Safina Begum. They have diversity and freshness. This is the fiction which our traditions lacked and our hearing was unfamiliar. Not only feminine pains and sufferings, contemporary problems have also been depicted beautifully and artistically in the stories of these women writers. They are also writing stories on topics like Naxalite movement, child labour, old age home and sex. It is expected that soon they will also make world events and revolutions a part of their fiction.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

You have published nine books and some books are under process. Which one of these books was the most challenging for you to write and why?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

“Urdu Novel Ke Asaleeb” (Flairs of writing Urdu Novel) is my most famous and popular research book, wherein the history of Urdu novels has been narrated for the first time in the light of linguistic, flair and style of expression. It was utterly a new angle, so I worked hard with patience and meekness to complete it, giving much more time. The novel is the essence of the novelist’s analysis, observation and depth of vision. He wants the reader to bear the anguish he goes through. One who passed this stage he presented the reader that novel which can stimulate his consciousness. In this process, the choice and use of language and style plays the most imperative role. In the context of the novel, the study of the language and flair of the novel from a purely stylistic point of view, its art of fictional structure and literary value help in understanding and evaluating it. There is also the semantic status and combinations of words and even more, the imaginative aspects of the creative language guide to understand the inner structure and meaning of the novel.

During the course of research, I found that a major weakness of stylistic studies has been that it is not very suitable for huge works of art such as novels because a comprehensive stylistic analysis requires the content to be brief and limited. I concluded that this weakness arises when stylistics is treated as a substitute or synonym for linguistics and quantitative data is used as a basis for determining the additional frequency and proportion of linguistic features of an artwork. Such a scientific, technical and mathematical study would certainly not be suitable for a gigantic work of art. Style is not merely study of a language. It is also study of literature along with language, and literature is not only language, sound, word, sound and composition. If only the qualities of letters, words and phrases are explored in the novel, then it will be called the study of the appearance of the novel and the discussion of the renovation of the novel will end. Neither the uniqueness of the novelist’s flair of writing will be revealed nor will any excellence of the novel be established. In the same way, the external knowledge of stones etc. is not enough to know the marvelous beauty’s impression of the Taj Mahal. For this, exploration of the history, culture and characters will be indispensable to feel the feelings and emotions associated with the Taj Mahal. Similarly, the expressive disposition, the different aspects of mutable life, the motives behind melancholy and merriness, and the states of curiosity, and interest that create fascination in the novel are important to understand the style of a novelist. The reader is not swayed simply by the language of the novelist, but also the life, characters, generalizations, intensity and spread of events wrapped in that language do enthrall him. Therefore, I have proved in this book that the formula of the stylistic study of the novel will be “linguistic analysis + stylistic features”, but the range of stylistic features will outspread beyond linguistics to all those elements of the novel that created and formed the atmosphere, events and thoughts. We can also call this study “literary styles”.

 ALIZAY NAJAF:        

What other hobbies do you have besides teaching and writing? How do you find time for those hobbies? Do you take any exceptional measures to spend time with your family — and with yourself?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Mirza Ghalib wrote in a letter that it is a luxury to have a hobby and a means of livelihood together. Teaching is my passion and also my livelihood. So, teaching activities are enough for me as a hobby. There are also writing and speaking tasks associated with teaching that I enjoy. I regularly conduct seminars, symposiums etc. in Urdu department and also participate in them outside the department. I have some interest in journalism also, which is reflected in “The Journalism and Media Course” and the editorship of an Urdu journal. Finding some time for family is definitely difficult with all these engagements, but not impossible. My evenings are mostly spent with family. I take one or two trips a year with my family to places that are considered recreational and tourist destinations. One day of the week “Sunday” is entirely dedicated to the family, spending sometimes at home, sometimes in the market and sometimes with friends.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

What is your outlook about life as a human being? What are the values that are necessarily required to keep a person a human?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Life is a blessing of Allah. While thanking Him, one should ponder over why He has sent you into this world. Allah has entrusted every human being with a special ability. We should use this potential for the welfare of humanity, society and country. Tolerance, love and humanity are the values that make man a human and distinguish him from all other creatures. Apart from this, it is also important for a person to have faith, good character and ethics which must be evident from both his thoughts and acts.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Have all of your early age dreams come true? Do you have any goals for the future?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

I think every age has different dreams. The dreams of the early age were not what are today in denouement. It is the favor of Allah Tabarak-wa-Taala that He has blessed me with honor and dignity beyond my dreams. I started my education from Madrasa and in that environment around me the teaching in one of the leading universities of the country could not be dreamt at all. My father was a religious scholar and it was his wish that I should also become a religious scholar too. To achieve it, he also arranged my educational journey from Rafiganj to Mubarakpur madrasas. But later some circumstances arose that I left that field and entered into college. Success in college and university with distinction marks boosted motivation and finally reached the current position. I have always been looking for the best. That’s why I didn’t stop dreaming even after the job. Sometimes, I dreamt the progress of the department, sometimes dreamt realizing literary and moral responsibility and sometimes dreamt the success of our students. I always try to perform the duties of my small position that I have been blessed with, and to be successful in fulfilling the social, academic, literary and teaching responsibilities. I pray to Allah to enable me to fulfill these responsibilities in the future as well.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Nominations for awards in Urdu literature are now manifestly accused of partiality. What are you views about this? How are its negative effects causing harm to Urdu literature?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Look! The first thing is that the brilliance of literature is not determined by awards and prizes. This excellence is determined by the time. Many great artists are alive in the history of literature without any honor or reward but they are milestones. And some have lost in the darkness of history despite the fact that they received dozens of awards. As for the allegation of favoritism, it is not a new issue either. If you look back to the past, you will see that several domestic and foreign awards have been objected to or criticized. But there was not a DGAF to the honor and award, nor the work achieved brilliance that received the award.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

What message would you like to convey to our readers through this interview?

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Urdu is not only a language but also our culture and identity. For its survival and preservation it is obligatory for us to adopt it along with its distinct script. From the linguistic point of view, only the language in use survives. We must make it public. Urdu literature is being written a lot, but the Urdu readership is declining. We must provide elementary education of Urdu language to our children. We must induce Urdu newspapers and magazines in our homes so that Urdu may be made a part of our domestic milieu. In this age of consumerism, cultural and linguistic identity is an important issue. In such a situation, all the nations of the world are trying to protect their languages. We —the inheritors of Urdu — must also seriously strive in this direction.

ALIZAY NAJAF:         

Thank you, sir, for giving your precious time.

SHAHAB ZAFAR AZMI:

Alizay, thank you too. God bless you.

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