Muhammad Mujahid Syed Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – “I am overwhelmed and spellbound by the literary treasures that I left behind in the Kingdom. Many beloved friends and dear ones have left the Kingdom. Some of them have even departed for the heavenly abode. But this heavenly Kingdom still is a favorite and flourishing center of the Urdu language, literature and poetry for the people of the Indian Subcontinent,” said Pakistani intellectual, writer and a long-time resident of the Kingdom Mohammed Riyaz Malik. The Kingdom is our spiritual center as well as an important cultural center for Urdu-speaking people. The glitter of the functions that are held by literary circles in the Kingdom have dazzled me. Majlis-e-Ilm-o-Adab, Jeddah, is one of the oldest literary societies that has honored many Urdu poets and intellectuals earlier,” he said. “I don't have words to express my gratitude for the honor being given to me by my old friends and members of this respectable literary forum,” he added. Riyaz Malik and senior Indian poet Rabab Rasheedi's services for Urdu language and poetry were honored by a special gathering of Indian and Pakistani poets and intellectuals at the residence of Syed Faizan Ahmad at Al-Ruwais district. Riyaz Malik is the general manager of Pak Arabian Manpower Services. He is presently in the Kingdom briefly. During his stay in the Kingdom Malik used to write literary and thought-provoking papers and delivered lectures in the literary circles of Urdu-speaking community. He is visiting the Kingdom after 10 years. Rabab Rasheedi, a senior Indian poet from Lucknow, whose name has been among the leading lights in the realm of Urdu poetry for 56 years, is a disciple of Rasheed Rampuri, of the famous Dagh School of poetry. Rashidi, who is famous for his Quatrain genre of poetry, said: “Wherever I go, the lovers of poetry ask for Ruba'i (Quatrain) from me. Quatrain is not easy, it has special meter and it needs careful selection of words and topics. The people who have mastery over Urdu Ghazal can tame this genre of poetry,” said Rasheedi. Rasheedi also thanked the office bearers of Majlis-e-Ilm-o-Adab, Jeddah, for their selfless service for Urdu poetry, language and literature. Engineer Aziz, a famous Pakistani social activist and a long-time resident of Jeddah, Mansoor, Syed Sarfaraz too addressed the event. The Mushairah session was presided by Rabab Rasheedi in which Faisal Tufail Muhammad Mukhtar Ali, Mahtab Qadr, Nasir Barni and Muhammad Mujahid Syed recited their poetry. Verses of the Holy Qur'an were recited by Muhammad Imbesat Syed. Muhammad Ashfaq Badayuni, Pakistani radio announcer, who was master of ceremony of the event recited a Naat too. The vote of thanks was proposed by Syed Faizan Ahmad.
