Ritual Literature in the Poetic Verses of the Urdu Poet Iftikhar Arif

• Published in: Funūn-i adabī Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 91 - 120
• Main Authors: Ambreen Ashraf, Kazem Dezfoulian, Sayyed Mahdi Tabatabaei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Persian
• Published: University of Isfahan 01-12-2022
• Subjects: iftikhar arif; poetry of ashura; ritual literature; urdu poetry
• ISSN: 2008-8027; 2322-3448
• DOI: 10.22108/liar.2023.136040.2211

Denomination and ritual are subjects that have fascinated writers all around the world for many years. The denomination is a wide-ranging topic that cannot be included in concise books or writings. Poets, especially Urdu poets, express specific beliefs toward their denomination, ritual, and religious leaders. Denomination and ritual are involved effectively in human life and are evident in his speech and writing. The present study investigates the concerns and interests of the Urdu poet Iftikhar Arif. It studies his denomination and understanding and the influence of Islamic leaders. He has been able to take his name and his poems to the top of the literary sky in religious literature. His poems are full of a deep understanding of Islam, love for the Prophet (PBUH) of Islam, and his household. It can be said that he has a sufficient understanding of religion and has expressed the issues of the present age in the context of religion. IntroductionRitual literature is not apart from other common literature in the Persian language in terms of its verbal structure and appearance and the use of various styles, artistic techniques, and verbal and spiritual arrays. What distinguishes ritual literature is its spiritual form and content. Any prose text or verse that is influenced by the speech of the Holy Quran, the history of Islam and religious leaders, the speech of Imam Ali (AS) in Nahj al-Balagha, and prayers such as Sahifa Sajjadiyyah is placed in the realm of ritual literature.Ritual literature has been included in human institutions since the beginning of creation. It includes prayers to God, prayers and praises of religious and scholastic elders, the mourning of elders, local and religious rites, asking for rain, morals and education, waiting for relief and opening in religious and worldly matters, as well as verses that are full of Quranic teachings, school subjects, religious and divine teachings. Poets, by taking inspiration from the school of revelation and heavenly orders, have been able to create works in the field of Persian thought and literature and present them to the scientific and literary society (Ramadhan Khani, 2015). Materials and MethodsThe present descriptive-analytical research used printed books and online materials about poets’ life and works. Iftikhar Arif and his poems have always been the focus of discussions and critics, and many articles have been written about his theories and thoughts. Studying his works is the basis of this research, but so far, a review of ritual literature in the poems of Iftikhar Arif has not been written in the Persian language. In this study, an attempt has been made to examine the topics and content of religious literature, the influence of the poet on Islam, and the life of the pioneers of Islam. Since the poems by Iftikhar Arif have religious and ritual content and themes and have not yet been translated into Persian, in presenting examples of his works, translation and then collecting examples are used. Research FindingsIn the present study, we came to the conclusion that Islamic history, the forerunners of Islam, the Quran, and Hadith had a vast impact on the poet. The main topics we found in the verses are Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the tragedy of Karbala, and the massage and the impact of Karbala. Further, we see that the poet used the sayings of Imam Ali (AS), especially from Nahj al-Balagha.Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is an eternal character of the religion of Islam and humanity. The characters of Imam Ali and Imam Hussain (AS) are also the topics mentioned in Iftikhar’s poetry. Iftikhar Arif has beautiful poems praising the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), the Prophet's city, the importance of sending greetings and the desire to visit the Prophet's city and important events such as the ascension and migration of the Prophet. Moreover, the shining face of Imam Ali (AS) and his importance in Islam is the main part of the verses of the poet in the form of the one who gave life to the lifeless body of Islam.Discussion of Results and ConclusionBased on the results, we conclud that the poet has his own opinion in the field of religion and wrote poems in this regard, the language of which is simple and easy to understand for the general public. The poet has been able to attract the reader's attention with his new and fresh combinations and terms and the use of different topics in his poems. He has always been able to express long themes with the power of reciting poetry and his complete mastery of literary presentations using a minimum of words and without making his compositions long. In a verse or in short order, he has been able to express vast and extensive topics in one place with the simplicity of expression and fluency of words. Religious topics are mentioned in the poet's poems and the poet has been able to use religious topics not only to express religion but also to portray the situation of his society and the solution to the problems and oppression in religious messages, especially in the events of Karbala. The poet's imitation of the Karbala event and the bravery of the faithful companions of Ahl al-Bayt and the Prophet's family is very clear.