Dr.Ebadat Brelvi

Dr.Ebadat Brelvi is considered to be one of the greatest critics of the twentieth century.Dr.Ebadat took his masters in Lucknow University.He had later received his doctorate also at The University on Evolution and Development on Urdu Criticism.At Lucknow,where he had had his school and higher education,he had been with some of the distinguished men of his generation,for example Agha Hasan Abdi who had been a leading banker of the Muslim world and Prof. Nur-ul- Hassan,a famous authority on the Mughal Period who had been India’s Education Minister in Indira Gandhi’s government.

Although Dr. Ebadat is primarily known for his criticism, his earliest passion was poetry as he wrote a few poems in his early times. Though the manuscript remained unpublished, as he never wished to continue the poetical journey.He incorporated many of his thoughts and ideas into his poetry but his poetic identification was not understandable as Ebadat mostly concentrated on the prose works. Some excerpts include Bazgasht, Inqilaab and Taraqi Pasand Adab from the entire collection.

                                                   EXCERPTS

                                          Baazgasht
                                          Inqilaab
                                          Taraqi Pasand Adab

Dr.Ebadat was the Head of Urdu Department in the Anglo- Arabic College,Delhi before he migrated to Pakistan and joined the Oriental College, Lahore in 1948.

Dr.Ebadat Brelvi was a scholar of classical disposition .He gave a lot of time to the editing of manuscripts which he had come across during his tenure of the School of Oriental and African Studies,London.His works also consist of the publication of rare manuscripts of Fort William College,Calcutta .He gave expositions of Dr.Gilchrist’s contributions to the Urdu language,and in
this manner extended the academic background of Urdu teaching.It is said that in his younger days, Dr.Ebadat had taken some interest in writing poetry,but his talent was mostly prose-oriented.Even in his appreciation of his poetry his evaluation had been rhetorical and he gave greater importance to a writing’s linguistic relevance than to what is regarded as the impressionistic response of a critic.His approach to literature had been mainly historical and in the tradition of pre-modern Tazkirahs,which evoked his image of teacher of old classics.

Probably this image of the teacher had been evolved during his stay as visiting Professor at The School of Oriental Studies where the academic requirement has been mainly language based.The approach to Urdu literature there is also mediated through the study of the language.Dr.Ebadat Brelvi had developed this basic interest as a pronounced dimension of his profession,and it was this characteristic with which he had served also at Ankara.There is always a middle path between the linguistic and the language approach to literature.Dr.Ebadat belonged to that area of literary communication and it can be said that he was perhaps the last man of this tradition at Oriental college .

However,whatever be our view about the Progressive Writers,the movement had been largely responsible for relating literature to live and also for the propagation of the literary taste among the younger generation of students.As Head of Urdu Department at Oriental college and then as it’s Principal,Dr.Ebadat Brelvi laid great emphasis on extra curricular activities and seminars,while lectures were arranged to give meaningful awareness of literature to students.During his tenure Ismat Chughtai had visited the college and given a talk to students on the art of fiction. Prof. Mariah Stepanens of Moscow University had also
delivered a lecture on Iqbal in 1977.Ralph Russell who was a regular visiter to the college whenever he came to Lahore from London.

It is interesting to relate that Agha Hassan Abedi had made and endowment to The School of Oriental and African Studies for the creation of an urdu Professorship.This endowment was processed by Ralph Russell who wanted Dr. Ebadat to fill the chair.
This was Agha Hassan Abedi’s wish too.But some how the London University could not waive its regulations which did not allow Professorship to a foreign scholar.As a result of it the endowment was returned with thanks by the university. But Agha Hassan Abedi was reluctant to have the moneybag. Ths a foundation was created and the Urdu Markaz was founded with that endowment which has been doing a useful service since then on the generosity of the great philanthropist.

On the eve of independence, Dr.Ebadat was in the Anglo-Arabic College, Delhi. Communal riots had started in Delhi which had made the muslims panicky. The High Commission of Pakistan had asked Ebadat to look after the relief work. He managed the safe conduct of Muslims to the Delhi Railway Station, and had also done a lot of other things for the comfort and resolution of those who were held up in the city. When he arrived to Lahore , he was no better than other refugees who had migrated to Pakistan.

Dr. Ebadat was a good prose writer. His character sketches and travelogues make impressive reading and create a picturesque view of man, events and people belonging to different countries. He had the talent of writing an emotionally warm prose, which revealed the sincerity of his personal relations. He was a very obliging person. He helped students of meagre means during their studies. He also helped those who had a talent and showed a promising interest in literature. Unluckily he had faced acute hardships on retirement but his steadfastness and confidence had helped him pass through these difficulties quite safely. He was indeed a very reliable teacher of Oriental College, Lahore in the days soon after independence when the post-graduate degree in Urdu was introduced for the first time at the Punjab University.

LAST MANUSCRIPT

Molana Hasrat Mohani
1999