At the end of the 19th century the Muslim community of the Indian sub-continent tends to have been awakened for it cannot lag behind in all walks of life of the progressive world.
After the Palassey debacle in 1757 and the fall of Sirajud Dowla, the English regime faced another thrust of the Indian freedom fighters in 1857- Sepoy mutiny. The English could manage to crush the mutiny. The fate of the Muslim community was almost shielded. Basically then the Muslims were suffering socially, politically and economically. They had to cope up with the situation for their bare existence. Sir Syed Ahmed of north India took the initiative to bring about a radical change of the untoward situation of the Indian Muslims with the cooperation of the ruling English power. He set up Aligarh Muslim University. It was then noted as Aligarh movement. Another great personality in the then Bengal was Nawab Abdul Latif who established Mohamedan Literary Society in 1863. Hence both the leaders inspired the Muslims to be educated and developed literarily in the spree of time.
The Hindu community took the advantage of English education earlier and advanced to the tune of time while the Muslims were lagging behind. Meanwhile the Christian clergymen tried to convert the weak and poor Muslims into Christianity propagating against the Muslim religion vilifying Islam and its Prophet by means of allurement and falsehood. In this critical juncture some special and outstanding writers among the Muslims came forward courageously and withstood and overcome impostors and attackers against Islam. Among those writers Munshi Meherullah (1861-1907) was a great orator and writer championing Islam who subdued those Christian preachers by strong argument. Even some of those preachers embraced Islam owing to its humanitarian essence, liberalism and magnanimity. He (Munshi Meherullah) was said to be the Rammohan of Muslim Bengal.
Mir Mosharraf Hossain (1847-1912) pioneered the prose writers of Bengal among the Muslims. After him poet Mozammel Hoque of Santipur, Nadia (1860-1933) and the epic, writer Kaikobad (1858-1952), Md. Nazibor Rahman (18601923), Syed Emdad Ali (1880- 1956), Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Husain (1880-1932), Kazi Emdadul Hoque (1882-1926), Sheikh Fazlal Karim (1883-1936), Dr Muhammad Lutfur Rahman (1889-1936), Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899-1976), Jasim Uddin (1903-1976), Sheikh Abdur Rahim (1859-1931), Pandit Reazuddin Mashhadi (1860-1918), Munshi Muhammad Reazuddin Ahmad (1862-1933), Syed Ismail Hussain Sirajee (1870-1941) Muhammad Moniruzzaman Islamabadi (1874-1950)-came forward to feed the vacuum of the nation with their literary works.
Sheikh Fazlal Karim (1883-1936) was the contemporary of Mir Mosharraf Hossain (1847-1912) had his excellent hand in Bengali prose as well as poetry. He was also one of the greatest writers of that period.
Sheikh Fazlal Karim was born at Kakina village of Kaliganj upazilla of Lalmonirhat district (former Rangpur district). This village is situated by the bank of the Tista river. His father’s name was Md Amirullah Sardar and mother’s name Meherunnissa. His was a respectable middle class Muslim family of religious mindedness. However in that period under British colonial rule life was not so easy and favourable, but Fazlal Karim being born in the remote Kakina village of Lalmonirhat prosecuted his studies as well as steadily advanced towards literary and cultural works. His literary works were appreciated by the educated and cultured Hindus and Muslims persons of letters. His place in the history of Bengali literature in the last lap of 19th century Bengal was absolutely courageous no doubt. He maintained Muslim traditional idealism upholding the truth and beauty of creative arts of Bengali literature. That brought his name and fame all over the country. His art of writing of Bengali prose and poetry appear to have been superb till now like those of Mir Mosharraf Hossain and poet Muzammel Hoque. He was the stern supporter of using Bangla language in all walks of life as the mother tongue. His prose and poetry write-ups along with its rhythmic syntax and colloquial are still adorable, sweet and compatible in modern Bengali language and literature. His lyrics bore textural arts and as such it was heart soothing. His poem Swargo O Norok (Heaven and Hell) is still pragmatic and popular:
Where is the heaven?
Where is the hell?
Both heaven and hell
and gods and asuras (demons)
are lying set
among mankind.
On exhaustion of cardinal passions
our conscience gets lost
and then one has to be burnt
of hell-fire in self-repentance.
When we get together in the bond
of mutual ‘sacred love and affinity,
there at our cottage heavens land.
(Translated by Mizanur Rahman)
Sheikh Fazlal Karim wanted to set idealism in honest footing among the fallen Muslim community all along in his literary endeavour. His arduous efforts to this extent served the nation. In that he never failed. In his poetry he sent the message of ethics of love and peace in life and as such his glorious works enriched Bengali literature of not only of his time but also for all times to come. His making of Bengali language is lucid in prose style and poetry style that appears still modern. The Bangali nation will ever remember him in the mirror of his literary works he presented to them.
Literary works of Sheikh Fazlal Karim :
Layli Maznu (1903), Total edition is eight. Paritran Kabyo (1903), Path O Patheo (1913), Khaja Babar Jibon Charit (1913), Bibi Rahima (1918), total four editions.
Rajorsi Ebrahim (1924), Poigomborgoner Jiboni (partly discovered), Sheikh Fazlal Karim er Kobita edited by Md.Abdul Kuddus (1990), Amar Jiboncharit (partly discovered), Khaja Moinuddin Chishti (1904), Afganistaner Itihas (1909), Vokti Puspanjoli (1911), Gantha (Lyrics-1913), Bibi Khodejar Jiboni (1927), Chintar Chas (1916), Hatemtaier Golpo (1913), Harun-ur Rasider Golpo (1917), Sonar Bati (Juvenile lit.1914), Joar Vata (Novel. 1918), Bibi Fatemar Jiboni (1921).
Some unpublished scripts: Premer Smriti, Trisrota (Novel), Poroshmoni (Biography of Hazrat Muhammad (SM), Beheshter Phool, Rag O Bahar, Munshi Meherullah Sokghatha, Rajorshi Mahimaranjon, Raja Mahimaranjoner Paschim Bhramon, Bibi Aeshar Jiboni, Kantonama (Edited Punthi), Hazrat Abdul Kader Jilani’s Biography, Manikjor (Panjegonar onubad), Chand Sultana; Omar Khayamer Onubad, Chheleder Shakespeare, Protidan (Novel), etc. n
(Author of this article is a poet, essayist,
translator and columnist)
