RAB ul BASHAR (Sumera Hameed)- Novel review by Shoby
Before you jump to the novel, what grabs your attention instantly is its title. Sumera Hameed is known for naming such unique titles for her novels that are hard to find in today's Urdu literature. After some real inspiring writings (& obviously unorthodox titles) primarily including Yaaram, Wali, Jog Aas & Prem Reet, this time she has selected yet another thought provoking & truly attractive title, RAB ul BASHAR (GOD of the man).
It starts with an abducted Seebal somewhere in mountainous area of Lebnon. She believes that whatever curse was left to be done on her mother has been descended upon her.
Her mother Adeena has died earlier. Died in calmness. Died as she had a firm belief that only one thing can give her salvation and that one thing is none other than the death itself. However she thinks other wise. That is why she says, "Maut KHUDA se qurb ka imkaan hai, lakin jo dunya mein KHUDA key qurb ki khaak na pa sakey, maut us ke liye inaam nahi". No matter what, her mother has died leaving her in pain, anguish & off course grudge.
For all through her life, she was always requested by her mother to pray for her redemption. Her mother wanted an escape from all the sins that she has committed in the life.
She came to Lebanon with her friend Fredrick. Fredrick was a rebel, just like her. He was a drug dealer & at times blackmails people after spying on them just for a change. They started spending quality time together. They like each other because they both are same in term of their personality traits. See how both of them compliment each other:
Sebel: Tum meri khushi ke liye kiya ker saktey ho?
Fredrick: Main tumhari khushi ke liye kuch nahi karu ga. Albata agar tum meri khushi ho to main bht kuch ker sakta hoon. What a dialogue between Sebal & Fredrick.
Sumera never forgets keeping her readers glued to the ongoing. The time when he gives her the ring is a magnificent sequence. Honest at its core... Brutally honest.
On her trip with Fredrick, Sebel meets Musa and her first meeting was not at all a pleasant one. Musa who looks like the epic of Jesus. Musa who has a habit of praying for others. Musa who was a gentleman, the real pious one. And she hates him by heart... She hates him in the real sense and this is depicted in each & every sequence written by Sumera Hameed.
Sebal: Main larki hoon or khoobsurat bhi hoon... Or yeh dono cheezen khaas bhi hain or matloob bhi.
Musa: Khaas Riza e ILAHI hai or Matloob bhi yehi hai.
And then one night, while she was in a deep sleep, Musa kidnaps her.
In the past, Adeena was under Nikah with Yaqoob when she happened to travel to the hill station. There she spent two years of her life for the sake of her love. She started loving Yameen and denied marrying Yaqoob but her father tried to persuade her.
Adena: Main usey nahi bhool sakti.
Father: Insan sab se pehley KHUDA ko bhoolta hai, kiyo ke WOH insaan ko yaad ker leta hai or yehi se us ke shirq ki ibtada hoti hai.
She did not left meeting Yameen even after her marriage. However she could not live with her and stepped out of the house with him. She asked for the divorce & he gave it to her.
Her father died & then she gets twisted. She starts hating her second husband Yameen, who was once her love. She wanted to kill both Yameen & Sebal (her daughter) and then she asked for the divorce, this time from Yameen. Yameen tried his level best to stop her making this decision but she have had enough of this. Yameen could not take it & commits suicide. Although, he did not died due to his suicidal attempt, rather he died of her hatred.
Back in the present, Sebal is bound to live at Ume Haani's place. Ume Haani who is the sister of Musa is a very kind hearted woman who feeds Sebal with her own hands even though Sebal has injured three of her fingers. A standing ovation to Sumera for giving a very beautiful & authentic lesson in this episode. Every pain you take is somewhat a reflection of a sin you have committed in your past. Ume Haani tells her that she recalls three of her sins after getting injured from Sebal, which she has forgotten earlier.
In the flashbacks, Adeena continually asks Sebal to ask ALL for forgiveness. She pleads her to ask every other person to pray for her salvation but she denies doing so. Another lesson that has been delivered so beautifully by Sumera here here is that those who do not suffer anything in life, those who do not have to go through a bad patch and those who never fell ill are basically the ones who are who are not considered worthy by ALLAH to put in a trial. "Dekha tum ne... Ab main azmaish ke qabil bhi nahi hoon".
Sebal leaves the home as Adeena request her to find someone who is close to GOD. Someone who can pray for her salvation. And Sebal asks almost everyone on the road to do the same. She was noticed by few of her school fellows and they all mocked her. And then Adeena asks her to do one last favour. She asks her to beg forgiveness from those who she cheated in the life, Adeena's sons. She went there to ask forgivess but cam back without any hope. Forget the word hope, she was beaten, she was humiliated.
Sebel: Woh mohabbat mein andhi ho chuki thi.
Ahad (Adeena's Son): Hum nafrat mein andhey hain or behrey bhi.
Sebel: Gunaah kesa bhi ho, aik din us ki saza khatam ho jati hai.
Ahmat (Adeena's son): Agar humari nahi hui to us ki kesey ho gi.
Coming back to the present, Musa reveals that Fredrick has sold her as a business transaction because he could not pay back his partner. therefore he sold her but it came to the knowledge of Musa and he kidnapped her for the sake of saving. Sebel thinks its a fake planted story. Musa tries to explain her that ALLAH is RAHEEM and HE loves everyone regardless of what someone does. HE loves all of his creations. He further explains how everyone has to find GOD at the end of the day, "Jo gir ker uthta hai, darja usi ka buland hota hai. Sab rastey ALLAH ki taraf jatey hain. Her insan ka aik alag rasta hota hai, ALLAH ki taraf janey ka".
And then she was sent back to Brooklyn. And then she was no more the same Sabel which she used to be. And then she searched for all those scholars & pious people who once used to be the guest of her mother. And then one day, she found herself in front of a school with many balloons in her hands and she stopped every child and asked her to pray for her. And check what she asked for:
Sebel: Kiya tum mere liye dua kar saktey ho?
Kid: Haan lakin main do ghubaarey lu ga.
Sebel: Dua karo, meri yaad usey usey aisey aey ke ke woh faramosh na kar sakey.
Dua karo, akhri baar hi sahi... Musa, Sebel ke paas wapis aa jaey...
And then one day, Musa came to her for real.
Musa: Unhon ne university ka naam or pata mujhey diya tha. Yeh dekho yehi wala hai na".
Sebel (smiles): Tum university ke samney kharey ho... yaani yeh darust hai...
Although its a reunion after much pain, suffering & waiting, still Sumera did not losse the grip and neevr missed the chance to put in that one one-liner that can bring a sweet cute smile to its readers.
Sebel: Tum mujhey dhoond rahey they?
Musa: Tumhain dhoondney ke liye gum karna zaruri tha.
I cannot put in a few words what I am right now thinking about this written piece known as RAB ul BASHAR. Its valid to say that no doubt, Sumera Hameed is one such writer who knows each & every trick to amalgamate social issues with mysticism. The overall impact of her writings are so strong that you cannot get over the whole thing for many of the moments after reading and this novel is no different in this regard.
Let me confess, RAB ul BASHAR is not an easy read and it is a hallmark of Sumera Hameed's writings that she chooses to write difficult concepts and narrates them in such a wonderful manner that readers cant help but to like them thoroughly. Same is the case here as it is based on a dark theme with so much of pain, helplessness & anger present in the premises of the story but you still enjoy reading this very unique written material.
RAB ul BASHAR opens up a very diverse horizon in front of its readers with a strong social message hidden in the heart of it. Guilt of a sin can never let you lead a peaceful life. It always teases you and makes your life a hell in true sense.
Through RAB ul BASHAR, Sumera Hameed has yet again proved that you do not need a typical lovey dovey story or a so called exaggerated saas-bahu family drama to make one classic novel. There are only handful of writers who have given the digest stories a whole new dimension and undoubtedly, Sumera is one of them. The uniqueness of her concepts and overall portrayal of the story is so different that you cant help but just praise. It shows what magic you can do through your pen. Sumera Hameed, you rock big times. You have literally taken digest writings to an altogether different level.
