Shamsur Rahman Faruqi plagiarises
Dr. Abu Mohammad Sahar’s book
Shamsur Rahman Faruqi may be a
big name in Urdu criticism but a new book has exposed him over the matters
lifted by him to write his books and articles. It is alleged Shamsur Rahman Faruqi has been lifting
material from various articles and books and then presenting them in somewhat
new shape to own credit of the original idea. The most glaring example, is
lifting of matter from the famous book of Dr Abu Mohammad Sahar titled “Urdu
Imla Aur Uski Islaah’.The plagiarism came to light when Shamsur Rehman
Faruqui’s book “Urdu Ka Ibtidai Zamana” was published. Soon after, literary
persons of Bhopal
raised a hue and cry over the matter. Some people even wanted to sue Shamsur
Rehman Faruqui for copyright infringement but Dr Abu Mohammad Sahar, who was a
saintly person, prevented them doing so. Interestingly, Shamsur Rehman Farqui
had admitted that his book “Urdu Ka Ibtidai Zamana” is akin to the book of Dr Abu Mohammad Sahar.
He had made this admission in the year 2003 in a letter to Dr Saifi Sironji,
the editor of trimonthly Intesab, published from Sirong. This letter has been
published in Sada-e-Urdu, Bhopal,
edited by short story writer Naeem Kausar. In the letter, Faruqui had written
that he did not know that a similar book by Dr. Abu Mohammad Sahar was in
existence and he came to know of it only after publication of his (Faruqui’s)
book. He said that he would make a mention of it in the book being published in
E0nglish (Which he later did, though under pressure after being exposed). Here
is the transliteration of the letter by Faruqui, admitting his plagiarism,
which throws light on plagiarism-like activities of Faruqui, who has been
unfortunately bestowed with top Urdu literary awards in India, Pakistan and
abroad. Due to his manipulations and manoevring Faruqui has established himself
as a ‘great’ writer and critic. But in the process he has stooped too low. This
is despite that fact he Faruqui was most vocal against Gopichand Narnag, whom
he had alleged of plagiarism.
Shamsur Rehman Faruqui to Dr Saifi Sironji.
Aap ka taaza shumaara abhi mila.
Is shumare ke sufha number 204 par aap ne bradaram mukarram professor Abu
Mohammad Sahar ki kitab par tabsira karte huey bilkul durust likha hai ke unhon
nay is kitab mein Urdu-Hindi ke mas’ale say muta’alliq baaz haqaaiq meri kitab
“Urdu ka ibtidai zamana” kay shaya honay say pehlay bayaan kar diye thay. Koi
shak naheen ko baaz baton mein un ko awwaliyat haasil hai. Meri kotahi aur laa
ilmi thi ko mein nay unkaa mazmoon us waqt na padhaa tha jab wo awwalan shaya
huaa tha aur unki kitab mein nay tab dekhi jab meri kitaab chhap chuki thi.
Main nay apni kitaab kay angrezi roop mein (jo zer-e-taba hai) Abu Mohammad Sahar
Sahib ko munasib khiraj-e-aqeedat pesh kar diya hai. Meri kitab ka zer-e-bahas
hissa “shab khoon” mein chhap chukka tha. Lekin Abu Mohammad Sahar Sahib ki
be-niyazi dekhiye ko unhon nay us waqt mujhe mutawajjah na kiya ke tum meri
tehrir to dekh lo. Ab kitab milnay par main nay un say ihtijaaj kiya to us
mard-e-darwesh ne kaha ke koi baat naheen. Aap munasib mauqe par eiteraaf kar
dein. Eitezaar ghair zaroori hai.
(Taken from monthly Intesab,
volume 43 December 2000).
