‘Knowing a Turkish Genius’

Bureau Corr., "104th birth anniversary of Kisakurek commemorated" - The News International - Islamabad, Pakistan
Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Najib Fazil Kisakurek (NFK) was an intrepid genius who had dedicated his entire life to the service of Islam and awakening of the Muslim Ummah

As a flag-bearer of Islam, NFK’s thinking is very close to that of Allama Iqbal, particularly in his denunciation of the rigidity of the ‘mullah.’

It was NFK who, through his untiring literary pursuits, put the thinking and conduct of a whole generation of Turkish youth on an even keel.

It was in these words that Turkish language scholar Colonel (r) Masud Akhtar Shaikh recollected the tremendous contributions of NFK, a multi-dimensional Turkish genius who is rated as a short story writer of the calibre of Maupassant and Edgar Allan Poe, and a playwright of the caliber of Shakespeare.

The occasion was an exclusive commemoration of NFK’s 104th birth anniversary. Organised by Rumi Forum, the ceremony was addressed by Masud Shaikh as the key resource person.

Sharing the podium with him were the chairman of Rumi Forum Harun Koken; head of the Department of Turkish, National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Dr. Durmus Bulgur; and visiting associate professor of the Faculty of Islamic Studies, International Islamic University, Dr. Abdulhamit Birisik.

Masud Shaikh lamented that in spite of his prolonged stay and frequent visits to Turkey, and his interest in Turkish language and literature, he had not heard NFK’s name till 1988, five years after his death.

He was introduced to NFK’s literary masterpieces by Mustafa Miyasoglu, who had just then joined the National Institute (now University) of Modern Languages to teach Turkish.

“Those reading NFK’s works with an open mind can be sure that their complete outlook on life would undergo a metamorphosis.

This is what has happened in Turkey where the thinking and conduct of a whole generation of Turks has been put on an even keel due to NFK’s untiring efforts,” stated Masud, who recently published ‘Knowing a Turkish Genius,’ a book that portrays NFK’s achievements in various literary fields and as a flag-bearer of Islamic rennaissance.

Masud said it is a pity that NFK has remained almost unknown to the world outside Turkey. “A mere peep into his works makes one look differently at life and death, religion and the life Hereafter, one’s rights and responsibilities as a member of the society and the nation to which one belongs, in fact at every aspect of life.”

Masud told the audience that ever since he came to know about NFK, he has made it a mission to introduce this genius to the English speaking world and to Pakistani readers.

“I have spent 20 years of my life in translating his short stories, poems, and plays into English, and partly into Urdu and Punjabi,” he said, fondly remembering Turkey’s former ambassador in Pakistan, Kemal Gur, for supporting the publication of two of NFK’s plays which he translated into English under the titles ‘Money Games’ and ‘Creating a Man.’

These were published in 2005, a year dedicated to commemoration of NFK’s 100th birth anniversary.

(...)

Responding to a question, Masud Shaikh informed that 1934 was the year that brought about a revolutionary change in the life and thinking of the then 30 year-old NFK.

It was a year in which he met Abdulhakim Avrasi, a great religious personage. The meeting created in NFK, a serious intellectual crisis from which he could not extract himself for a very long time.

The first work that he produced after undergoing this unique experience was published in 1935 under the title ‘Tohum’ (Seed), Masud Shaikh informed.

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