YOUNUS EMRE: MOHABBAT KA SAFAR

Saying goodbye to the last night of 2019 and welcoming the first night of 2020 with great fanfare, it was expected that the new year would dawn with new traditions, new aspirations and new happiness, but who knew that the decision of fate is something else. Planning has its own decisions and destiny has its own. Everyone knows that the decisions of nature are irrevocable and they remain and what happened was what was written in the destiny of the world. The sun of 2020 rose with the deadly coronavirus pandemic in its wake, and as soon as we saw it, the four of us set up camp. The sparkling and noisy universe began to present a picture of terrible silence. Schools were closed, offices were closed, markets were closed, transport was closed. There was only one breath left, which had to be closed. The wheel of life stopped. Man began to fear man. Aristotle had called man a social animal that he could not live in solitude. Now it seemed that this theory was also starting to die and Darwin's theory was starting to find its reality in reverse.
In such a situation, to pass the time and entertain themselves, some people connected with books, some with films and dramas. Some sought refuge in Facebook, some in the Internet. If life was visible, it was only on Facebook, but even there, there was a constant stream of scary news and information. In this fear, the Turkish drama serial "Diriliş Ertuğrul" became popular in Pakistan, Urdu dubbing was done and this drama went on air. This magnificent drama serial shows a glimpse of the glorious past and culture of the Turks. The drama was broadcast and became the center of attention of children, old people and young people. Prime Minister Imran Khan had already announced the airing of the Urdu dubbing of this drama. Later, he also mentioned another Turkish drama serial, "Yunus Emre: Journey of Love", in a press conference. The public had heard the name of Yunus Emre for the first time and it was also related to their favorite topic, i.e. love and humanity. I was waiting for PTV. I searched for this serial on YouTube and then started watching it. As the drama progressed, my heart became more attached not only to the drama, but also to Yunus Emre's personality. In other words, through this drama, my spiritual relationship with Yunus Emre continued to strengthen. I started reading material related to Yunus Emre from the Internet, YouTube, and wherever I could find material related to Yunus Emre, I started reading it. In this way, my brother Amar Shahid, the spirit of Book Corner, Jhelum, expressed his desire that he intended to publish a book on Yunus Emre. Love and devotion to Yunus Emre's impressive personality had already been established, now the opportunity to practically express this love also became available. Devotion to Yunus Emre's personality, the influence of his words, and respect for Amar Shahid's wishes, I read Bismillah and started working. The short time of a few months and the repeated feeling of my own inadequacy kept getting in the way of my intentions, but I did not lose heart. I knocked on the Internet and libraries in search of material. I requested cooperation from friends. When the candle of hope started burning, I started working in its light. Let's go, Khaama Bismillah.
It is surprising that there are only two books in Urdu on the figure whom Turks love more than Rumi. One book was published in 1974 by the Regional Cultural Institute (RCI). This book is a translation of the sermon "Yunus Emre's Humanism" by the famous Turkish writer and politician Talat Saeed Halman. He delivered this sermon in an international seminar on Yunus Emre in Turkey in 1971. This book includes partial and complete Urdu translations of some of Yunus's poems. The translator's name is "Ahsan Ali Khan". There is no doubt that the translator has demonstrated excellent translation skills. This book is very helpful in Yunus's studies. The second book is "Yunus Emre: Biography, Thought, Art and Selected Words of the Great People's Poet of Turkey". Its editor is Dr. Nisar Ahmed Asrar, who worked at the Pakistani Embassy in Ankara for 26 years. He was an information officer. Dr. Nisar Ahmed Asrar also did a lot of academic and literary work in Turkish, Urdu, and English and also translated the poetry of the famous Turkish poet Akif Ersoy and introduced it to the Urdu-speaking class. This book was published in 1991 by the Pakistan Academy of Letters, Islamabad. This book includes Urdu translations of about 150 poems and two articles each on the personality of Yunus Emre. Apart from these two books in Urdu, the third book did not pass the eye of the author. However, when Prime Minister Imran Khan mentioned Yunus Emre, a few columns on Yunus Emre were published in some newspapers and magazines. There are a large number of books available in Urdu on the personality, poetry, thoughts and ideas of Maulana Rumi, but it is surprising how Yunus Emre was ignored in Urdu. There is a need to include Yunus Emre in the English and Urdu syllabus studies of the subject of world literature in the curriculum of universities.