Predictions of Nemat Ullah Shah Wali (Book Review)

Few days back, while searching some good read at our online office portal, I accidentally came across this book. Main content of this book has been written in Persian poetic form. Translations of this book in different languages are available including Urdu. The version I came across was translated by Mr Zaid Hamid.

Although I have much ideological conflicts with Zaid Hamid but still, the translation can be catagorized as good read.

Nemat Ullah Shah Wali was a pious man centuries before. He basically wrote a sort of Trans-Literature. I won't call his subject matter as prediction because of the reason that finality rests in the hands of Allah. Secondly what a saint can see is just a fair illusion of the happening but in actual scenario, these illusions are altered by Allah Almighty in the greater interest.

He starts from Mughal Empire and goes till the arrival of Jesus Christ. All events come up in an order of their happening. Most of the scenarios described in the couplets happened in reality but not all. Rise and fall of Mughals, British Government and then creation of Pakistan are the main events to be mentioned. Then he described the age of looting and hypocracy in Pakistan. In this era, he especially mentioned the role of hypocrate learned scholars.

He ended up the tale with the happening of Ghazva-e-Hind and arrival of Imam Mehdi followed by arrival of Jesus Christ. Qudrat Ullah Shahab also mentioned few of his predictions in his autobiography named Shahab Nama (شہاب نامہ). The point of writing this review is to spare some time for this book as well. Finality rests in the hands of Allah. 

Understanding Shahab Nama (شہاب نامہ)

Let me take you about fifteen years back when I, surprisingly got the joining letter of Cadet College Hassan Abdal. Me being there amongst the elite of Pakistan was a bit unique but I had to take the challenge. Me, belonging to remote Southern Punjab was going to attend the boarding school for the next five years.

Qudrat Ullah Shahab 

The day I left my home town, my father added a line to me "Always guard your character and read Shahab Nama". What an aweful addition it proved to be in the time to come.

I read Shahab Nama twice during my stay at Cadet College Hassan Abdal. The thing worth mentioning here is that I stole Shahab Nama every time I read it. I don't know what and how it happened. But I did it.

Most part of history of Pakistan is here in this chaptee of Shahab Nama

Coming over to the peripheral horizons of Shahab Nama, let me admit one thing that we are sometimes associated or affiliated to some one upto an extent where we can't even expect human behavior from him. We make him something supernatural via our affiliations. Same happens to Shahab Nama when most of us read it.

Here  are few things to be kept in mind whike reading this masterpiece;

1. Let Qudat Ullah Shahab , author of Shahab Nama be a human being and give him room for human behaviors.
2. Accept this book as an angle to see what all happened infront of the author.
3. If this book has infuelned millions, it doesn't mean it would mark an impression upon you as well. You are a free mind, let it roam about in your mind.
4. Keep in mind, this is autobiography, not some refrence or history book. Although writer has covered history portion and perhaps it is most authentic book regarding history of that time but still it is an autobiography. Let it be like that.
5. Last chapter is also a personal observation of the writer regarding religion. Let it be like that and the writer as human being. Give him room to love some girl at his youth as well. After all every sinner has a future and every pious had a past.
6. What best you can do for a writer who leaves his impression at your mind is to offer fateha for him even once.

Shahab Nama

This is what I feel foe Shahab Nama. More about Shahab Nama can also be read at Qudrat Ullah Shahab (Facebook Fan Page) and Group.