By Syed Shamsuddin
One cannot help appreciating Walir ur Rehman Hami of Markhor Times for connecting with Syed Najam Ul Hassan, a retired teacher from Sakwar village near Gilgit city. Notably, Syed Najam also happens to be a poet who has showcased his remarkable poetic works in the poetical symposia organized by the Literacy Circle Gilgit, thereby establishing a distinguished place for himself in the literary domain. With a deep aspiration to carve out a niche in the Shina language, he began contemplating this goal in December 1978 and successfully achieved it. He states that he seriously commenced the translation of the Holy Qur'an in 1998, adhering to the research principles followed by numerous previous translators of the Holy book.
During the interview, he reads out portions of his stupendous work, highlighting the lucidity of the original phraseology in the Shina language. Listeners or readers can appreciate that the carefully chosen Shina words are so captivating that every Shina-speaker may be enchanted. Apart from its spiritual significance, his work also helps to revive the Shina language in its original form.
It is quite promising that a flurry of activities remain underway to revive the Shina language in its original form and diction. In addition to these efforts, there are significant initiatives to build a consensus among literary circles within Shina-speaking communities across the Shina-speaking areas—primarily in northern Pakistan and parts of Indian-held Kashmir. These efforts aim to popularize and universalize a homogenized approach to a unified code, with the goal of sustaining and preserving this language, which is unfortunately in decline.
For example, Shakil Ahmad Shakil conducted research resulting in works like ‘Dade Shilokeh’ (Grandma’s Tales) and Shina Grammar, while Aziz-ur-Rehman Malangi produced the Shina Diwan. Notably, Haji Shah Mirza’s translation of the Holy Qur'an into Shina has greatly contributed to the existing Shina literature. Similarly, Syed Najam Ul Hassan’s translation in hand is a remarkable addition to Shina literature. There is no denying that, in terms of its original form, diction, and etymology, the Shina language has undergone significant transformation, assimilating innumerable words from other languages over time. This period of change can be seen as a transitional phase. The mentioned literary works set unprecedented milestones in Shina literature, arriving at a crucial moment when the language is in dire need of revival and resuscitation efforts.
This is fundamentally because no timely attempts were made to preserve it. It must be acknowledged that languages categorized as endangered, and lacking their own code, are more susceptible to vanishing faster than those with a structured grammatical syntax supported by allied literature. The more abundant the available literature, the more secure a language becomes from endangerment and eventual disappearance—a phenomenon linguists refer to as the death of a language. Given this, the creation of such codes is essential. Conversely, languages without these structures may face rapid extinction.
Examining 'Tribes of Hindoo Koosh' by John Bidulph, which includes glimpses of Shina folktales, one can easily conclude that the original language and usage of those times differ significantly from the present. This clearly shows that the Shina spoken by respective communities a century ago is fundamentally different from contemporary usage. This difference highlights how modern Shina is antithetical to its olden diction, syntax, and phraseology. Today's Shina speakers struggle to understand the connotations of phrases used in the past, indicating that the language has undergone a dramatic transformation over time.
One may safely conclude that things would have been quite different if society had been literate and engaged in documenting the cultural, linguistic, and traditional activities of the time. This would have allowed for the preservation of knowledge and traditions for future generations, known as the 'takeover generation,' in written form. Such an ideal situation would have also enabled the documentation of the area's history.
Despite this, individuals with a deep passion and keen intellectual perception have continuously struggled through their literary endeavors to revive the Shina language in its original form. This write-up aims to highlight the broader scenarios associated with the Shina language and reflect on insights gained from a year-old video circulating on social media about a significant literary product. The outcomes of this must be addressed in detail.
It is evident that the author has meticulously accomplished the enormous task of translating the Holy Qu’ran into Shina - a truly arduous endeavor. This achievement follows the earlier monumental work of translating the Holy Qur'an by Haji Shah Mirza of Bagrote, which came to prominence a year or two ago.
It may be noted that the entire population of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) had traditionally been engaged in mountain farming and remained largely ignorant of the concept of education sans educational institutions prior 1947. This historical lack of knowledge resulted in an undocumented historical record of the region and an absence of literary activity. During this time, the Shina aphorism ‘daree han to dasee noosha’—meaning having male children was considered a boon—reflected the belief that having male members in the family would ensure a dominant majority and resultant economic prosperity. In such a milieu, the focus was traditionally on involving male members in broad economic activities, particularly agrarian ones, as other pursuits were unfamiliar to the people of that era.
However, after 1947, gradual changes began to occur with the expansion of primary and secondary education. The first college in the region was established in Gilgit in the early 1970s, marking the beginning of a shift towards valuing education and documenting the region's cultural and historical legacy.
It can be safely asserted that Syed Najam – a product of the post-independence schooling system, took up teaching profession. He had a great flair for broadening his knowledge and a keen interest in research. He persistently pursued his goal of mastering Arabic at his own home, which, to him was the language of his heart and soul given his family traditions.. This suggests that his passion for Arabic was innate in him, and rather a family tradition to acquire the same. It seems that he also diligently employed a self-teaching methodology as well, focusing on self-correction and self-improvement, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to advancing his knowledge of Arabic. This dedication, which may be viewed as a Divine gift, reached its zenith in his referenced work. Indeed, it is an inspired literary piece that should be regarded as one of the finest specimens in the field.
Remarkably, despite not studying Arabic in a formal seminary, Syed Najam became well-versed in its delicacies, subtleties, and intricacies. This deep understanding enabled him to accomplish his present scholastic work in Shina with great finesse and assiduity, producing a marvelous piece that reflects his devotion and skill.
It appears that he took great care to ensure that only the most appropriate and original Shina words were used to translate and render the Arabic text into Shina.
As said before, his passion for Arabic and Shina was so innate and irresistible that drove him to nurture the language with his lifeblood. This passion eventually compelled his Muse to spread its fragrance far and wide, enriching the entire atmosphere with a highly concentrated aroma of borrowed and lent linguistic beauty. The impulse within him led to the creation of peerless pearls, which, alongside being an invaluable contribution to the Shina language, serve as a significant achievement in both religious and spiritual contexts.
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