بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Mushaf is the most extra-ordinary, intellectual and creatively written fictional story by Nimra Ahmed, who is one of the best, inspirational and thought-provoking writers of Pakistan. The name of the novel “MUSHAF” (Arabic name of the Holy Quran) gives us a hint that it is a story related to religious content or it might contain some verses with beautiful meaning and deep tafseer. Yes it is connected with all these aspects with such beauty and intellect that one might have never thought of Quran that way.

A reader of this novel journeys through suspense, excitement, love, trust, betrayal, crisis and harsh realities of a brutal life. Despite having all this, this novel leaves a permanent place in the reader’s heart. It starts with a glimpse of the magnificent beauty of morning. A girl reaches a bus stand and she has a strange bag on which her name is written “Mehmal Ibraheem”. She was really curious about the black skinned girl who was always there at the bus stand, sitting upright, wearing a scarf, with a strange shine in her eyes and had a strange book with black cover. Nimra Ahmed nailed the conversation between the black girl and Mehmal. It just makes you stick to the novel and it actually showed that the book had some kind of “magic” and that if you follow it you would have the whole world and if you would leave it you would be devastated.

The whole novel revolves around the life of the girl, Mehmal Ibraheem, who is displeased and irritated from the world. She is a beautiful girl with crystal-like shiny eyes and brown hair often tied up in a high pony tail. Her father passed away and she with her mother (Musarat) lives with her father’s family. Mehmal gets angry easily as she can’t withstand the atrocious behavior of the family members. The house was her father’s property and they had no right over it.

The novel takes a very strange turn when Mehmal decides to return the Mushaf to that black skinned girl and tries to make her realize that it was not the kind of a book that she portrays it to be and she knows about the Quran.

The next big twist happens when Fuwaad, her cousin, fools Mehmal and sells her to Hamayun and at that time I was shocked. Nimra Ahmed just beautifully showed that you have to trust no one especially a na-mehram. She is locked in a room and at that time I felt like there was no way Mehmal could ever get out of it. But there was something really impressive waiting for Mehmal, she somehow manages to run away and reach the roof of a madrassa. Humayun is later revealed to be a police officer who wanted to gather proof against Fuwaad.

اللهم اجعل في قلبي نورا
وفي بصري نورا وفي سمعي نورا
وعن يميني نورا وعن يساري نورا

And then the noor spreads in the life of Mehmal and guides her in a way one can never imagine. The way Nimra Ahmed has achieved it with her creative skills is amazing. The introduction of perfect verses related to the the appropriate situation is worth pondering over; for example the time of the death of her mother and how for every situation Quran had all the answers.

After this unusual event the life of Mehmal Ibraheem changes, she starts to cover her head, reads Mushaf and tries to understand the meaning of the holy verses of the Holy Quran. Quran starts to talk with her as it is called Kalaam Paak and Kalaam in Arabic is talk. Whatever she thinks, is answered in the Quran.

Farishtay a hidden and masked character she met in madrassa is the cousin of Hamayun. She is later revealed to be Mehmal’s sister and actually helps Mehmal a lot in understanding her life. Mehmal thinks highly of Farishtay and everyone would have thought that. It was a beautiful, mature and sensible character but by the end of the novel I started hating that character.

Nimra Ahmed beautifully conveyed the ups and downs of life and magnificently connected verses of Quran with the happenings in Mehmal’s life. This actually showed that how Quran is a miracle. It’s not just as most people say اساطير الاولين i.e. stories of old times. It is a reminder for the people of the present age and this novel changed the perspective of life in my opinion.

Another important lesson it gave was that we should trust Allah and no one else. Indeed guidance is for those who seek for it. Another important thing I realized was that people who are good from the very beginning they also get mislead by shaitan. Practicing Islam is a life long journey you are tested every single time even if you are very Achi. 

I recommend you this novel and I am sure even if it didn’t change your life it would definitely leave you in great awe. In every incident of this novel is a hidden message. May Allah grant us the noor and insight to actually understand the treasure of each verse revealed by Allah.

We might not be Mehmal but we can actually learn a lot from her.
Life is all about choices :)

Asma Jamali

ps: I introduced the first part of the story but for the second part I want you to read it and let me know what do you think about this novel.

Hello everyone.. I hope you have been following karb. These two episodes have collectively taken the story somewhat ahead. After a lot of drama, Hamza is also in love with Hania and now they are on to the next step of fighting Zalim Samaj to get married.

Aina’s wedding has brought Hamza and Hania really close. On the offer hand, Hania’s ammo jan has chosen a millionaire cousin of her daughter in law, Faisal for Hania. He is shown to be a very rich man but certainly does not have a personality to match :) especially the way he is free enough to come to his cousin’s house daily. Hania has zero interest in him but all her family has already started treating him as son in law. She goes out with Faisal to buy gift for Hamza, but Faisal has fallen head over heels for her.

Another interesting thing we got to know was that Alia is also in love with Hamza, she even has his picture hidden in her diary which Hania was just about to discover but Alia came back& snatched it before that moment. Hania spends ages shopping for Aina’s wedding. Nothing seems good enough to her, and yet when she showed up at the wedding, not an ounce of preparation was evident. If this was the attire she chose, I wonder what she did from shop to shop :) to find this to wear at the end :)

She hides the present she bought for Hamza in his drawer and then hides behind the cupboard when she sees his coming. Predictably, he finds her there and goes crazy angry. He scolds her and to be honest, it seems well deserved, but she leaves the function in tears and the scene is witnessed by Mahnoor who and Aina then finally conclude the reason and intention behind all this silly behaviour by Hania. Hamza overhears that he is so much loved and that makes him think and day dream about Hania. He apologizes to her and both of them are engaged in mafi talafi when Faisal arrives to take Hania home.

Hamza’s family decides to ask for her hand for Hamza but he rejects which is heard by Hania and for the first time in four episode, she speaks sensibly. And that does away with whatever last bit of resistance Hamza had in her heart. And he confesses his love for her. Hania’s mother is resisting this proposal with all her might but Hania is determined. She lands up in the hospital, so now her mom has no option but agreeing. She can’t let her beloved daughter get harmed, even though she is very afraid of Hania’s future, knowing how she has raised Hania and how less off are Hamza and his family than them.

So this play also has wedding bells sounding soon. One thing that bothered me was that these dramas are making marriage a pretty casual issue for this generation. Just like Alvida, here also the marriage is taking place because one party has his or her heart set on it. Makes you wonder if this really is a gudday guria ka khel now. Hamza, for all his maturity and practicality could not comprehend that a girl as emotional as Hania might not be as much in love with him as she happens to think. Without any understanding or common interest, they have just decided that they are in love. Let’s see how it goes for them :)

Mehwish

                                                                        “AAB-E-HAYAT:
                                                      Alif: Adam aur Havva (Adam and Eve)
                                                    Bay: Bait-ul-Ankaboot (House of spider)
                                                   Hay: Hasil-o-Mehsool (The acquired and the toll)
                                                  Yay: Ya Mujeeb-us-Sayileen (O You Who answers to prayers)
                                                Alif: Abdan abada (The Eternal)
                                                Tay: Tabarak-alladhi (The Blessed)”

Aab-e-Hayat (Elixir of Life in English) was probably the most awaited novel in Pakistan after its phenomenal and life-changing prequel Peer-e-Kamil ﷺ. We had been hearing news of its publication for almost 5 years and when Khawateen digest finally announced that the first episode was due to appear next month, fans were over the moon (and so were Khawateen digest’s sales :) )

First, a little background on why is Aab-e-Hayat is so near and dear to us! Peer-e-Kamil ﷺ was and remains to this day the most influential saga for our generation, that inspired, intrigued and then transformed many lives. The story however, remained incomplete as Hashim family’s side of the story had been paused when Imama left her house to save her Imaan. They still need to see the Light and still need to be saved. Both Salar and Imama’s life had been transformed in Peer-e-Kami ﷺ and now Aab-e-Hayat came to flip the coin and narrate the tale of their journey beyond.

The first episode was more of a teaser of what comes ahead and looks very promising. Knowing Umera Ahmed and her skills, and getting glimpse in terms of ‘taash kay pattay’, one remains assured it will be a novel par excellence. Will it exceed Peer-e-Kamil ﷺ, only time will tell. Reviewing it is a huge task as I am extremely biased towards it ;), but will try to remain as critical as possible.

Pace (3 out of 5)

Seven episodes later, I regret to say, we do not have much progress in the story. Majorly, the story focuses on the couple’s bumpy married life, Salar’s attempts at being a perfect husband and Imama’s cycles of ungratefulness, realization (in some cases) and regret. One major breakthrough was seen at the end of the sixth episode when Salar and Imama were confronted by Hashim Mubeen and son at a restaurant. We had all been expecting this confrontation but still my pulse raced while reading that scene. A blueprint was provided in the first episode, keeping that in mind, we have a long long way to go. No complaints though, the more the merrier. :)
“Aurat kay liye buhot sari naimaton mein se aik naimat us k shauhar ka us ki zaat par paisa kharch karna bhi hai. Aur ye naimat kiun tha, wo isay aj samajh payi thi.”

Character Evolution (4.5 out of 5)

No one can make you simultaneously hate and love a person more than Umera Ahmed. I knew Imama from the prequel as a mature, reasonable and understanding person. Now she has turned into a typical ungrateful, grudge-keeping and self-pitying wife. In her, Umera Ahmed depicts a woman who has braced hardships and trials bravely and patiently, but now when she is in the hands of a loving and caring husband, she is being extremely judgemental. One thing I cannot understand is her materialism. The way she has been planning and insisting about owning a villa or estate is beyond me. May be we will get an insight later.

“Woh sirf aik hi bat ka jawab dhoondhnay ki koshish kar rahi thi: Usay Salar par ghussa kiun ajata tha? Yun chhoti chhoti baton par…itnay salon mein jis aik ehsas ko who mukammal taur par bhool gai thi who ghussay ka ehsas hi tha…
…who namaz mein dair tak is sawal ka jawab dhoondhti rahi aur usay jawab mil gaya. 9 saal mein us ne pehli bar apne lye kisi ki zuban se muhubbat ka izhar suna tha. Woh ‘ehsan’ karney walon kay hujoom mein thi, pehli bar kisi muhubbat karne wale kay hisaar mein ai thi, Gila, shikwa, naaz, nakhra, ghussa, khafgi ye sab kaise na hota? Usay ‘pata’ that kay jab woh roothay gi to woh usay manal le ga, khafa hogi to woh usay wazahatein de ga, maan tha ya gumaan tha…lekin jo kuch bhi tha ghalat nahi tha. Itnay salon mein jo kuch us k andar jama hogaya tha , wo kisi lavay ki tarha nikal raha tha. Ahista ahista woh normal ho rahi thi.”

As for Salar’s character, he has exceeded my expectations at being a good human being and a loving and understanding husband. The way his mindset has evolved is evident in his actions. But I have a feeling (and I am afraid to express it) is that one day or the other he will crack and his fears towards Imama’s disloyalty will take a toll off their married life. Just as it did when Imama went to meet Jalal Ansar (who has ‘evolved’ or should we say ‘devolved’ very much on his own).

Anticipation for the Next Episode (3.5 out of 5)

The way story has been appearing up till now, there was little room for anticipation on the basis of narration alone. BUT, as the first episode has teased a lot of great stuff to look forward to, anticipation for next instalment remains high every month.

On a different note though, scar on Salar’s shoulder due to knife attack by Hashim Mubeen was superb. In Peer-e-Kamil ﷺ I thought it would be because of his many adventures, but the way it was connected to the next part of the story was mark of a brilliant writer.

Humour (3.5 out of 5)

Umera Ahmed is notorious for her heart-wrenchingly sad stories, but occasionally there are bits of one-liners that lift off the mood. This criterion may not be the best for judging a good novel, but common people like us love these little jokes, right? :)

Some examples are:

“Saeeda Amma: ‘Ye samnay wale Zahoor sahib ka baitay ne Amina ko kaheen dekh lia tha, Maan baap ko saf saf keh dia tha kay shadi karoonga to sirf isi larki se. Khala ki beti se bachpan ki mangni bhi tor di’
Is bar Salar ne halvay ki plate table par rakh di. Woh kam az kam Imama kay kisi aisay rishtay ki tafseelat mazay se halva khate hue nahi sun sakta tha.”

“Saeeda Amma: ‘Ooncha lamba jawan hai. Qad tum se bhi koi adha foot zyada hi hoga’
Amma mubalighay ki akhri hadon ko chhoo rahi theen. Salar ka apna qad 6 feet 2 inch kay barabar tha aur adha foot zyada hone ka matlab taqreeban ponay 7 feet tha, jo kam az kam Lahore mein paya jana mumkin nahi to mushkil zaroor tha.”
“Aurat izhar-e-muhubbat aur satayish ko kabhi hum-maani nahi samajhti. Ye kaam mard karta hai aur ghalata karta hai.”

Well that is it from my side. This is my first review for Reviewit, so if there are any shortcomings (I am sure there are), please do let me know.

Looking forward to your feedback. :)

Noor-us-Saad

This drama is predictably going in the same direction as of now. Whatever decency or rather it’s face was left in Firdous and Shehbaz has left and they have openly thrown Maryam and Amman out of the house. They have gone to his mother’s old home and despite its size and lack of facilities, they truly seem to breath fresh air in there.There was a beauty in those two people coming together in adversity and then finally finding a small space free of the troubles and hatred and twisted plots that was following them in that huge mansion of Ibrahim Shah.

Salman on the other hand is finally getting to see the real faces of his mother and brother. His anguish and loss were well portrayed. Finally Amman gained himself one brother after years of sacrificing for his step family. It was nice to see Salman standing up for his brother and bhabhi even though it did no good as Firdous is determined to bring out the hatred of decades. Anoushey was also verbal about this cruelty though she ended up being abused badly for it :(
Among all this, what struck really funny was Firdous’s dialongue “meray naseeb main yehi larkian reh gyin thin” was hilarious.. as if she is just your ordinary saas who is frustrated with both her bahus.

Maryam’s father on the other hand was totally justified in insisting that Maryam and Amman live with him and Amman even work with him. Any father in these circumstances would want his daughter to get back into the comforts of her home but Amman preserved his dignity by refusing. His logic to Maryam was brilliant; his dad’s business had depended on him, he had made it reach the heights it did whereas joining Maryam’a dad at this time did seem like taking the easy way out and not finding his own place. I loved that it was not the typical male egoism us with him because it’s his wife’s father’said business. I think some of his shock is wearing off as well and we might see him fighting the fake will.

The thing with Maryam is that it has brilliant characters and the actors are very appropriate and seasoned but they seem under played here. If only the drama had more in storyline and less of over dramatisation, it could have been one of the best among its peers because of the way all the actors fall into their characters almost effortlessly.
The confrontation between characters is quite powerful like the one between Firdous and maryam’s father. The dialogue delivery, the expressions were just perfect but it was not of any effect. It seems we are going rou d and round in circles while watching this play. Sheraz’s frustration at his employees and their dependence on Amman should show him it’s easy to grab something from someone unjustly but putting it your benefit requires sense, wisdom and hard work and that you cannot just snatch out of your jealousy. Hopefully Amman and his work will be a source of envy to Sheraz soon…

The end suggests that Behram has some surprises in store for us as well.

Mehwish