The Na'at Research Centre (NRC)
is a unique institution devoted to the genre of Na'at among all the genres of
Urdu poetry. Focusing on Naat, it has made a rapid and immediate impact on the
literary activity in Pakistan and especially in Karachi.
The NRC is the brainchild of Sabih Rehmani who is known for his melodies
rendering at Na'ats at religious gatherings in Pakistan and abroad. He has the
singular distinction of composing his own Na'ats and rendering them himself in
his distinctive mode of delivery. This intelligent idea of establishing a centre
where the literature devoted to Naats could be assembled, consulted and
added-to, was a much desired step in the right direction. Not only this, the NRC
has also the pride-of-place in the publishing of Literature devoted to this
special area. Its recent publications are :
1. Urdu naat ka Tehqiqi o Tanqidi Jaiza by Rashid Warsi
2. Naat kay Tanqidi Afaq by Aziz Ahsan.
3. Fun-e-Idariya Nawesi aur Naat Rang by Dr. Afzal Ahmed Anwar.
4. Ghalib aur Sana-e-Khwaja by Sabih Rehmani.
5. Fehrist-e-Kutub Khana Naat Research Centre by Tahir Quraishi.
6. Naat mai kaisay kahun by Prof. Muhammad Iqbal Javed.
7. Naat aur Tanqid-e-Naat by Dr. Syed Abul Khair Kashfi.
8. Naat Rang Ehl-e-Ilm ki Nazar me by Dr. Shabbir Ahmed Qadri.
9. Naat Nagar ka Baasi by Sabih Rehmani.
10. Urdu Naat aur Jadeed Asaleeb by Aziz Ahsan.
11. Isharia Naat Rang by Dr. Sohail Shafiq.
Earlier on, The NRC published a catalogue of all the material books/periodicals/
journals [related to naat] present in its library. The vast
range and variety of its contents surprises one, while examining the catalogue.
Certainly, the NRC has the potential of becoming a great and specialised library
devoted to Naat Literature.
Two other publications are on the relation of naat to the media and the other
giving valuable information on the proper method of making bibliographic entries
for Naat literature have already been published and have received deserved
acclamation from literary critics. Another useful publication is the English
translation of Sabih Rehmani's Urdu Naats titled 'Reverance unto his feet'
[2007] by Sarah Kazmi and 'Jada-i-Rahmat' by Justice (R) Dr. Munir Ahmed Mughal.
Such useful and productive literary activity all within a short scope of time -
is something to be commended especially when interest in books and reading is on
the decline. The NRC is also a suitable place where collections of Naats in
Arabic and Persian may be deposited and later re-printed. The moving spirit
behind the NRC is the dynamic Sabih Rehmani and we look forward to his
achievements in the future.
Professor Syed Munir Wasti
M.A, M.Phil., Ph.D.
Department of English karachi university