Books And ‘National Narratives’

Z.G. MUHAMMAD

Four new books, published from Srinagar during May vied for space in my small work place. Out of them, two have been written inside the Central Jail, Srinagar by two prisoners Dr. Muhammad Shafi Khan Shariati and Dr. Muhammad Qasim. Both convicted for life. Ess Ahmed Pirzada and Shabnam Qayoom have authored the other two.
The book by Dr. Muhammad Shafi Khan Shariati is an Urdu translation of controversial book ‘The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order’ by Samuel P Huntington. Translated into almost every important language in the world the book has been for past two decades at the centre of discussion in academia, passageways of power in the West and the Muslim World. Seen as gospel for Muslim bashing the adversaries of Islam intensely played up Huntington’s  ideas: ‘In the clash of civilizations, the Islamic civilization was the most troublesome and greatest source of secondary global conflict for the generations or two, with the attendant dangers of terrorism potentially leveraged by nuclear proliferation.” Muslim and many other scholars around the world have been demolishing his theories built on pedestals of bigotry and prejudices.
Samuel Huntington’s philosophy of clash of civilization again became point of discussion during the Arab Spring. In the Arab uprising   many an important voices in the West like David Brooks of New York Times saw his philosophy crumbling under its own weight. He wrote, “Huntington’s thesis set off a furious debate. But with the historic changes sweeping through the Arab world, it’s illuminating to go back and read his argument today.  In retrospect, I’d say that Huntington committed the Fundamental Attribution Error. That is, he ascribed to traits qualities that are actually determined by context.” Dr. Shariati’s Urdu translation of this book is quite lucid and a good contribution towards Urdu literature.
The book would be of interest to a selected Urdu readership but it would hardly catch the imagination of the struggling people of Kashmir. As against this people will largely identify themselves with three other books namely, ‘Dr. Muhammad Qasim: The Victim of Political Vendetta,’ Vaadi-e-Khoonaab’ (Valley of bloodshed) by Ess Ahmed Pirzada and ‘Phansi’ (Hanging to death) by Shabnam Qayoom. On the assumption, whatever happened yesterday is history today. The three books like many other earlier works   for retelling what happened yesterday are books of history that strengthening the ‘national narrative’.  To understand how the three books strengthening the Kashmir narrative there is need to understand what a ‘national narrative’ means and how its ‘incorporation helps in the conflict resolution.’
Many scholarly and insightful works enable one to understand the idea of a national narrative and its importance for struggling nations. Without lacing my column with scholarly quotes, I will try to briefly explain what a national narrative means. “National narratives’ are concrete stories about the dramatic events in the recent history or distant past of a nation. These stories are centered around national heroes who have legendary spiritual or physical powers, embodies the ethos of the people and its  national identity, and provides it with a source of national pride and comfort at times of trouble.”  These provide “the ideological and moral foundation of the nation being formed, and they represent its ethos as well as the legitimacy of, and justification for, its establishment and existence.” In fact, the ‘national narratives’ work like magical potions for invigorating the nations, relieving them of traumas and driving them with full force towards their goals.
Many as I would call them, “NGO-Scholars” visiting Kashmir and organizing seminars at Delhi and Srinagar on “Kashmir Problem” show aversion to mentioning of 1947 and  developments thereof or UN resolutions on Kashmir. In friendly-didactic tone, they tell participants to ‘come to terms with the realties’ as the needles of clock cannot be reversed. Taking recluse under an archaic phrase, “much water has flown down the Jhelum’ they very subtly suggest to people to forget history- their ‘national narratives and meta-narratives. I will not be pioneer in saying, many others have said it before, “ “ the national narratives as solid historical facts   must be recalled and retold to the youth in order to reinforce belief in the righteousness of the cause – certainly against those perceived as enemies who threaten the people’s very existence”
The book ‘Dr. Muhammad Qasim: The Victim of Political Vendetta that has been published on the completion of his twenty years imprisonment is a compilation of the court proceedings. Holding the view that the trial of Dr was not fair  in his foreword to the book Syed Tassaduque Hussain, author and Sr. Advocate writes, “ Dr. Qasim has done a yeoman service to the cause of prisoners throughout the developing countries who have the misfortune of getting implicated in such political trials, by presenting to the outside world in his dissertation a narration of facts that spotlight the iniquitousness of these trials.”  The book provides an insight into the justice system as has been obtaining in the state.
The year 2010, has added one more carmine chapter to the scarlet history of contemporary Kashmir. The bloodshed during the year has nursed the Kashmir narrative. The book Vaddi-e-Khoonaab (The Valley of Bloodshed) by young writer Ess Ahmed Pirzada published by Kashmir Studies Foundation, Srinagar is result of hard work and commitment. The author in this book lucidly narrates the stories of   hundred and twenty unarmed children and teenagers who fell to the bullets of men in uniform. Every story narrated in the book is blood curdling and heartrending. I see the book for its details, veracity and lucidity of style   as an important milestone in documentation of contemporary Kashmir history. It memorizes the stories that provide warp and woof to the Kashmir narrative.  The book “phansi” by Shabnam Qayoom recapitulates the story of Muhammad Afzal Guru from arrest to gallows. The book is an important addition to Urdu literature on hanging of Guru. It is translation of some important articles published in various newspapers and magazines in English.
In the history of conflicts, even in the contemporary world  there are umpteen example that suggest resolution would not be possible without addressing historical memory.