Intellectual Yet Idiot

Intellectual Yet Idiot (IYI) is a term coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his essay by the same name that refers to the semi-intelligent well-pedigreed “who are telling us 1) what to do, 2) what to eat, 3) how to speak, 4) how to think… and 5) who to vote for”. They represent a very small minority of people but have an overwhelming impact on the vast majority because they affect government policy. IYI are often policy makers, academics, journalists, and media pundits.

We do not think the Government can do anything. Only the Pak Army is left. Spread everything on the net, make this hybrid war a challenge to the nation. If required BLOCK all destructive scenes. All is fair in love and war. We are in perpectual war. Show no softness for those who want to undo our country. Make our people so strong that a hundred Black Swans will not make a difference. Hold on to the Quran itself. The way out is there.

UNIQUE PRESENTATION CUP MADE IN LAHORE 17TH CENTURY

PRESENTED TO ALI MARDAN KHAN BY EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN

Although the present whereabouts are not known, it was a grand cup with grand engraving and with inscriptions. It coincided with the arrival of Ali Mardan Khan to Lahore and it seems that Shah Jahan presented same to Ali Mardan Khan. Both Shah Jahan (was born in Lahore) and Ali Mardan Khan (his mausoleum was buried here) are linked to Lahore in many ways, including the passion of architecture of both.

No one tries to save our heritage. Few do try but are erased by the malignancy of society  in pursuit of material good.

AN ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT OF MASJID WAZEER KHAN

SYED BUTE SHAH THE LAST OF THE ORIGINAL MUTAVALLIS

Some years back we presented a research book on the LEGACY OF NAWAB WAZEER KHAN and it contained original information found nowhere else. As new information came, we presented a small pamphlet highlighting the new information. Yet information keeps pouring in and we wrote it in our blog too. The present of the city of Wazeerabad by Mirza Izzad Baksh (the last male descendant of Nawab Wazeer Khan) to a Hindu friend, instead of his son in law Mirza Chajju Baig. We came across fresh information about the Bageechi of Nawab Wazeer Khan. We heard this first in the account of Nur uddin Chisti as a small garden in which Nawab Wazeer Khan used to sit, but there was more, as it turned in the private graveyard of the Mutavallis. .

It is sad that all Muslim monuments made in good faith are contested by the later generations through conspiracies and legal suits. Materialism wins over good faith. Like our present politicians, there was no business transaction in Lahore, in which Wazeer Khan did not take a share and contemporary historians call him the most corrupt of his period. It seems that his legacy succumbed to the Makufat law itself. The honest people attached to the mosque were in stages kicked out of their domain. We will add to that.

The Mutavallis appointed by Nawab Wazeer Khan, possibly Emperor Shah Jahan himself, also came from Bokhara, as the Imam family of Jamia Masjid Delhi. The list includes:

Syed Ghulam Muhammed Shah;

Syed Hussain Shah;

Syed Mir Muhammed;

Syed Muhammed Yusuf;

Syed Mazhar Shah;

Syed Hussain Ali urf Bhute Shah.

List is given of a number of other descendants of the Mutavallis in the attached document.

The Bageechi was the private grave yard of the Mutavallis and a full description as well as a map is given of the same. Even the Kocha is named after Mutavalli Bute Shah.  There are a couple of court cases too, related to construction of a toilet and a drain pipe of waste water. Assistant Commissioners were involved in setting the drain pipe (Mori) corrected in desire. Historical record and truth laid bare. The same was presented to Dr Abdullah Chaghatai and we now present the documents after decades of same. The court case involved with Deputy Commissioner Charles Aitchison is still missing from the record. This is the open kutchery which de-seated the Mutavallis and put Mirza Chajju Baig on the throne of the mosque. The object to take the sanctity of the mosque and the power enjoyed by it over the citizens of Lahore. After decades of dispute President Ayub Khan formally annexed all these portions to the Auqaf department, much to the disarray of the old and the new Mutavallis. More later.

DEATH OF FORMER MAYOR PARIS, PRIME MINISTER AND PRESIDENT OF FRANCE,

JACQUES CHIRAC GENTLEMAN EXTRAORDINARY FRIEND OF CHUGHTAI MUSEUM

A HEART FELT TRIBUTE TO HIM ON HIS DEATH AT THE AGE OF 86 YEARS.

Chughtai Museum was in touch with Jacques Chirac when he was the Mayor of Paris. Later as Prime Minister he became closer to the idea of an art show of M.A. Rahman Chughtai at Musee Guimet. This exhibition was accepted by Jeanine Auboyer, the Director of the museum and an expert on Islamic arts. J. Tolleti CEO of IBM Europe volunteered to finance it. Although both the French Ambassador as well as Pakistani Ambassador in France, Nawab Qazilbasch were involved in the venture. But the Ministry of Culture did not bow an inch, and a golden chance was lost. In words of M. Jacaues Chirac, “M.A. Rahman Chughtai was the greatest artist of Modern Muslim Civilization”.

We present some correspondence as memory of his relation with Chughtai Museum. These are specimens of other correspondence too. He was a fine gentleman, a man of arts and aesthetics. We found him so responsive at all times. Rare breed of people who are no more. We appreciate his love for Chughtai art and we presented him with a number of things. He tried his best to see the Chughtai show happen in Paris. We pray for him. May his soul rest in Peace!

P.S. Originals are presented in French, not the translations in English. French are proud of their language.

ENGLISH FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES IN LONDON

ART GIFTS FOR ARTIST M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI

There are a number of art works of English artists and etchers of 1930s who were companions of Chughtai Sahib in the class of Sir Frank Short in London, and presented their own works to him. Preserved by us as part of his museum in the future. Obviously further research as well as cataloguing is required for the purpose but we do try our best. These are the artists who saw Chughtai work in London and eulogized his works by offering their own works to him. We pay homage to them in this small way.

Famous artists like Graham Sutherland and Carol Weight were also introduced to M.A. Rahman Chughtai and we have written a lot about them in our book “East met West”. We will add more in the future. Our local morons forget that M.A. Rahman Chughtai made his name in the Arts in Western circles and he had proved his mettle to the best at that time. We will add Roger Fry and Eric Gill to the list too.

A GERMAN ARTIST LADY AT THE GERMAN PAVILION IN PARIS IN 1937

FEW DAYS WITH ART GROUP IN BERLIN LED BY MANUELLA HARTUNG

Berlin is far away from the sea, but the Germans made up this loss by making artificial beaches in the city. Perhaps the oldest one is the Strandbad-Wannsee beach in Berlin made in 1907. Some are very near the Berlin wall itself. We find a photograph of a German lady in one such beach, possibly this very one. The number of pebbles declare the beach to be artificial and man made for particular requirements. The lady on the beach is unknown but could very well be Ms Manuela C Didier Hartung, companion of M.A. Rahman Chughtai in Berlin on 27th June, 1937.

We know that Hartung is an important German name. We find the well known Fritz Hartung, the historian in that time period. Also we know of the famous artist Hans Hartung also in Berlin at that time. Manuela could be related to any of them or even more. But we hear of so many artists in Berlin at that period. Two sons of Paul Gaugain, Emil and Jean Gaugain were in the city as well as a Jewish artist who was scribbling political messages on panes of show cases during the night. One thing Chughtai does tells us is that a group of German artists, poets and intellectuals had assembled in Berlin to welcome him and some of them wrote poems on him (probably lost). June was also an important month for William Lyon Mackenzie, Prime Minster of Canada was also visiting at Adlon Hotel. The famous American journalist Ms Ruth Hamilton was also there with her own questions. Berlin was center of attraction for many. The passport of Chughtai tells us that he entered Germany on 24th June, 1937, a police report on 25th June, and it ends with 3rd July, 1937, when he exits Germany. The dates may be deceptive but the same are documented in  the passport.

We know of  number of Germans befriending M.A. Rahman Chughtai. Foremost Elza Huiffner, Hannah Huiffner, Agnes Werner, but we have no first hand account of Manuela, for reasons unknown. The autobiography of Chughtai is full of many details, and there could be a reason for same. The name may be sensitive in nature to those times as Chughtai was a British subject. And by this time he was titled too with the title of Khan Bahadur. So there may be political reasons for same. Our job is to record history and we do it well.

P.S.

SELF INDICTMENT HAS BECOME A HABIT OF CERTAIN KIND OF PAKISTANIS

DEMONIZING OURSELVES NEEDLESSLY AS PART OF MASSIVE PROPAGANDA

Follow the trail of many out spoken people in Pakistan, and it makes you wonder as to the reasons of indicting the nation on every issue. Well one may ask simple question: Which nation is perfect at the moment? There are slavish followers of demoralizing foreign lobbies. Has India progressed in any way with passing decades? Is the present people in power there have any minute sense of idealism. Western lobbies are going up the ladder or following barren to the ground. Zionist lobbies are talking of the return of epitome evil and erasing at least three fourth population of the world, to indulge in sin and riot. Do we not believe that the Judeo-Christian-Muslim moral values are essentially the same, and we can co-exist in peace? War mongering everywhere, when Islam even in its definition talks of PEACE. Know thyself is a Socratic ideal and surely we too believe in it. But what can habitual alcoholics tell us! Nothing. Disparaging all our efforts and not talking about the massive campaigns in last 72 years to undo us. And the strength of our national resolve, that those who predicted our down fall within months and years, see us getting stronger and stronger every year. If we were not strong, we would have been obliterated long ago.  Our strength comes from Divine. It cannot  be undone by mischievous elements.

Media can only brainwash a segment of our society. The main population is under attack from Mullah indoctrination. The Secular from fairy tales of Sin cities. The Quranic revolution stands to be retarded, for as long as the people hold on to the Quran, no one can undo them in any way. So next time someone questions our morality and sense of right and wrong and intellectualism, ask the person his or her ideal nation. It is not even there in the books. Idealism is a pursuit and in Allah’s path, we find it, sooner or  later. And it is the promise of Allah to all of us, that every action will be rewarded or punished accordingly. We pursue Idealism here, we pursue Idealism in the next dimension.

A SYMPOSIUM OF NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION BUREAU 1961

INTELLECTUALS OF PAKISTAN GUIDING NATION ON CHARACTER

A simple comparison between intellectuals of the early period of Pakistan shows us the vulgar characteristics of so called know everything people of today. Those were dedicated people, dedicated to Islam and dedicated to Pakistan. And carried brains within framework of Islamic morality. And they were not few, they were many. Today people of those standards are very rare indeed. East Pakistan was represented by the kind Dewan Mohammed Azhraf and gracious Mrs Akhtar Imam, both from Dacca. Enlightening us about building up the National Character of Pakistan. Well done you people! We will keep your message alive.

INTELLECTUALS MADE PAKISTAN FOR RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM,

STREET SMART MORONS CAPTURED PAKISTAN AS A HOSTAGE

From the time of the Prophet (PBUH) to the present times, the most visible aspect to  be noted is a gradual shift from the Quran itself to two bit fairy tales of concocted illusions, prophesies, happenings, which were far from the permanent values given by Allah. Thousands of Hadees many conflicting with each other, and each Mullah has his favourite lot. Deen became a religion and fight between one set of Mullahs with another. The Quran itself is the judge of right and wrong. Our finality was in adoring the Quran from far, putting it at a high place in the house, or running ones fingers through its lines, without understanding anything. Instead of intellectual interpretations, we referred to translations which in the other languages could not do justice to the Quran  itself, and actual led to misunderstandings. The extent was endless, even putting the finality of Prophet hood in question. Then came the charlatans who claimed they could communicate with Allah and get fresh instructions and could abrogate sections of the Quran at their will. Taking Allah as a whimsical Feudal lord, siting and doing things in their terms. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was possibly the pioneer of the new renaissance, and Dr Allama Iqbal bold venture into stagnating minds. Jamal uddin Afghani continued talking about the Uma in the Quranic spirit. We had number of exceptional thinkers who took this challenge, which includes Muhammed Asad, Ghulam Ahmad Pervez, Hafiz Muhammed Aslam Jairapuri, Rafi ullah Shahab, Dr Abdul Wadud, Maulana Muslim, Maulana Ghulam Murshid, and many others. Some of them were personal favourites of Quaid e Azam and some sponsored by Dr Allama Iqbal himself. Maulana Ghulam Murshid was appointed Imam of the Badshahi mosque by Dr Allama Iqbal himself. These stalwarts were pitted against Mullahs who called Quaid e Azam as Kafir Azam and the making of Pakistan itself a cardinal sin. Once regular columns were written by Rafi ullah Shahab for both Dawn as well as Nation. Now no more. Safdar Mir alias Zeno wrote exceptional articles in the “Pakistan Times”. Ms Mariam Habib did exceptional work for women. Major General Ehsan ul Haque started working on the Quran itself but probably left it at some point. A few brilliant articles are still there. Ms Saleena Karim working on same project. In short intellectuals tried their best, but as political power was in the hands of morons, those people actually patronized the anti ideology people of the country, some forced on us by our neighbouring country (actual payroll of foreign lobbies). The desire of disrupting us in persuading us to stay away from the Quran and its teachings.

Mian Ifftikhar uddin left Congress and joined Muslim League. And of all the persons, he was the single authority who opposed the Objectives Resolution of 1949, culminating to the belief by many, that he was sponsored by Congress to infiltrate the Muslim League and its objectives. The legends of Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Saadat Hassan Manto were spun in that period too.  Certainly Faiz himself wrote that it was not the Pakistan they saw in their dreams. The Pakistan of Quaid e Azam was there. Manto said things in disguise as well as in the open, which conflicted with  the very idea of Pakistan. Of course everybody has a right to disagree, and they were welcome to their ideas, and as John Kennedy coined the statement to “disagree without bring disagreeable”. Ms Saleena Kareem has exposed the way in which the statements of Quaid e Azam were twisted by Justice Munir  to serve different interests. The Ideology of Pakistan was under attack from both so called liberals and so called religious figures. You cannot take the love of Pakistan from the hearts of the people.

Intellectuals under attack from both right and left wing fanatics was the order of the day. It goes to the credit of the Pakistani Army that it failed to get attracted to anti Pakistani imagery and remained committed to the Pakistani dream. In fact instead of protecting the Pakistani geography, the Pakistani Army is also protecting the Ideology of Pakistan. It should be understood that India remains our enemy and now at the hands of low IQ leaders it has every reasons to make blunders which will culminate in elimination of the world itself. With so many unexpected wars in the past, expected wars are there in the future. We need no prophesies to know that. It is well understood. And perhaps the time would come to use our depleted uranium bombs to stop them from their cold start doctrine. Two-bit journalists acting like intellectuals bombarding our sanity with meaningless banter. Everyone talking of end times when Allah says in the Quran itself, this information Allah has not shared with humankind in any way. It is a brand new world, with good fighting evil. Inshallah Pakistan will defeat the Indians at their games, as also the lobbies hiding behind them to bring us down. When Quaid e Azam embraced the cause of Palestine and rejected Israel, we reject Israel too. We hear of the torture Adolf Hitler committed on the poor Jews. Does it give a right to Zionists to do the same to people of Palestine and Kashmeer. The gallantry of the Mussulman is well known. There is a joy in even embracing shahadat. But we  need to come alive out of this. We need to be pioneers to carve a brand new world in the direction required by Allah. Pakistan is indeed the first step towards a brighter tomorrow! We want to see our children frolic, play and think for betterment of humankind. We want a balanced way of Saratul Mustaqeem. We are chivalrous. We do not want to harm others, we want to protect ourselves. BRING BACK THE TEACHINGS OF THE QURAN IN OUR LIVES! Do not mix them with fairy tales gathered over a thousand years. Thinking and pondering is our way of life.

P.S. If some names missed, sorry for that!

ABDAL MALEK NAQASH AND MUHANDIS ARCHITECT OF MASUDI PALACE

GEM OF GHAZNI CITY AT THE HANDS OF A GRAND ARCHITECT OF HIS TIME

The palace was built in 1121 by Mas’ud III (reigned 1099-1114), son of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna, on a site to the southeast of the walled Ghaznavid capital. It suffered many calamities, from being burnt down to actual demolition by the Mongols of Genghis Khan. Incredibly the ruins were excavated by an Italian team, but to no avail, as the Afghan war inflicted further damages to the site.

“The excavated foundations show a palace with a roughly rectangular outline, its corners placed roughly on the cardinal axes. Fortified walls of 120 to 150 meters in length enclose the palace and a bazaar street located to the its northwest. The bazaar, which spans the entire length of the palace, is entered from gates located at either end (northeast and southwest), and contains the palace portal. The portal opens into the northwest iwan of the palace courtyard. Thirty-two meters wide by fifty meters long, the courtyard is enveloped by four central iwans and thirty-two arched niches. The grand iwan to the southeast leads into the throne room, which has an oblique rear wall abutting the exterior wall of the palace. An inner courtyard, entered via a passageway from south corner of the courtyard, adjoins the throne room to the southwest. The hypo style palace mosque was excavated at the western corner of the main courtyard. It is three bays wide and five bays deep and is entered from four niches along the southwest courtyard wall. Its interior walls were built at a slight angle with the rest of the palace in order to align with qibla.”

And its description is further told to us as:

“The walls of the palace courtyard were adorned with an exceptional marble dado, consisting of an estimated number of 510 panels around the courtyard, each about 70cm high. The panels formed three distinct bands. The wide central band contains carved arabesques on a floral entrelac and sits above a narrow band of interwoven scrolls. A narrow band of floriated Kufic script tops the dado. About a tenth of the panels were found in situ during the excavations, allowing a reading of the Persian inscription. Composed in the mutaqarib meter, the verses offer praise to Masud III’s predecessors and in particular, to Mahmud of Ghazna. The letters were originally painted in lapis lazuli blue, with a red or gilt background. A marble footpath, about five meters wide, encircles the courtyard below the dado.”

Many of the items recoverd were later stolen during the Afghan crisis and it is unknown where they exist now. The Afghans are really famous for this kind of plunder and could have sold them anywhere in the world. Western collectors offer much higher prices than third world countries, otherwise many could have landed in Pakistan itself. I remember a complete graveyard tombs with stone inscriptions were offered for sale here. No takers of graves however.

The Architect is known as well as the Prince’s own design interests in same

There is a detailed account of the Prince and the Architect in the History of Bayheki, and we reproduce the whole page of same. The personal interest shown by Prince as well as his mathematical calculations are told to us and the enormous amount of money spent on it. The interesting part is the designation as Muhandis and Naqash. It seems instead of the term Mimar, this was the term in vogue at that time. In fact this term is also used for Lutufullah Ahmad Muhandis of Lahore in the 17th century. Also descendant of Ustad Yusuf Burkurwdar Herawi of same place. Read: