Non-Muslim poets write, recite 'naať for pluralism past week at Marine Lines hosted a unique event.

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MUMBAI TIMES: Non-Muslim poets write, recite 'naať for pluralism. This past week, the Islam Gymkhana at Marine Lines hosted a unique event.

This past week, the Islam Gymkhana at Marine Lines hosted a unique event. A group of non-Mus- lim poets were invited to reci- te naat or panegyric poems about Prophet Muhammad. As part of Prophet for All', a celebration of the 1500th birth anniversary of the Prophet on September 5, the non-Mus- lim naat reciters paid tribute to the Prophet in the spirit of upholding India's pluralism.

The poets, who learnt Ur- du out of sheer love for the language, said naat is a popu- lar genre in Urdu poetry, and they couldn't skip it. "When I learnt Urdu and began wri- ting Urdu poetry, it was natu- ral for me to write and recite naat too,' said senior poet Sa- gar Tripathi, who was tasked with roping in fellow non- Muslim poets to participate in an exclusive naatiya mus- haira (recitations of exclusi- vely panegyric poems extol- ling what the Prophet stands for) four years ago.

'Prophetfor All'campaign committee member Farid Khan, who alsorunstheNGO Urdu Caravan, was asked to plan a programme that is off- beat. "Inviting Muslim poets to a naatiya mushaira isnot a big deal. Muslims have been penning and reciting poems praising the Prophet for ages. So we wantedto do something different and planned an ex- clusively naatiya mushaira featuringnon-Muslim poets,"' said Khan. "This is the fourth year, and the event is eagerly awaited since it is unique and very rarethat all thepoets at a mushaira arenon-Muslims."

Tripathi maintained that the Prophet's message is uni- versal since he is Rahmatulil Aalmeen (mercy for the world) and not just Rahmatu: lil Muslameen mercy for Muslameen)."

Medical practitioner Dr Laxman Sharma Wahid le- arnt Urdu from Hindustani Prachar Sabha at Charni Ro- ad. As he began writing Urdu verses, he couldn't escape the influence of devotional songs and shairi. His studies of the Prophet's life only strengthe- ned his resolve to explain the qualities of the Prophet and the purpose of his life thro- ugh verse.

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"Naat khwani or recita- tions of the panegyric poems isapopulargenre,andIbegan writing the naat soon after I learnt Urdu. I have grown with my Muslim friends, and paying tribute to the Prophet became a hobby. My first col- lection of Urdu poetry has many panegyricpoems," said Wahid.

How does it help remove misunderstanding between the communities and bring people of different faiths clo- ser? There is an old tradition in Urdu where Muslim poets, ïincluding Allama Iqbal of Sa- re Jahan Se Achcha fame, wrote in praise of Lords Ra- ma and Krishna. Similarly, many Hindu poets are knownto have praised the Prophet through their shairi. "In` our times, this needs to be encou- raged," said Wahid.

It was to get acquainted with the Prophet's life and his message that Anushka Ni- kam consulted many Mus- lims, including her mentor in script writing, Ibrahim Afg- han, before writing devotio- nal poems and songs. "'I initi- ally thought the Paighambar or Prophet was like an avatar: Then I consulted people and beganreadingabouthim.AsI read more, I knew how God chose him to lead humanity. I think the expression of love and respect forthe Prophetby poets of other faiths will help bridge the gap between the communities,"' shesaid.

Poet Hira Lal fell in love with Urdu poetry while he was graduating at National College, Bandra. Then he be- gan listening to naatiya ka- Tamordevotionalshairi in Ur- du. "Igot attracted to it as the form allowed me to express my feelings for the Prophet. I began penning the verses, and now I feel privileged to present my poems before so many senior poets, said Lal, whose poems struck a chord with the audience.