By Asrar Ali
Mustaque B Barq is a revolution in Sufi Poetry Translations, a revolution in bringing broadcasting personalities to the forefront, a revolution in highlighting unsung heroes in the fields of art, culture, and literature, and a revolution in disseminating Sufi Saints’ sayings all over the world through his translations. Mushtaque Barq is in fact an ambassador of Sufi poetry who has brought the Sufi sayings once again to such a level that all over the world, these sayings are admired, applauded, and well accepted. Mushtaque Barq is primarily a multi-personality as he is an author, a novelist, a columnist, a translator, poet, reviewer, artist, social activist, good orator, teacher, and whatnot. One important factor is that while remaining in each of these characters, he has done justice to every field. He is indeed a path shower to the knowledge seekers, a guide to the young writers, a seasoned poet, and the valley’s first translator of most of the Sufi sayings. Simply put, he is a living legend who has done exemplary work in the fields of art, culture, and literature.
My pen palpitates in writing this tribute to a person who has written countless tributes, columns, poetry, books, and his words are well crafted and framed as I cannot find words to describe such a praiseworthy and laudable person. The words don’t remain in order while portraying such a legend who is playing himself with words. It is very difficult to write about a person who himself is an architect of numerous biographies, columns, and tributes of world-famous poets, broadcasters, and other equally important people who have contributed towards society in their respective fields. So this write-up is just an endeavour to bring the extraordinary and exemplary work of this maestro to the limelight. This noble and humble person has himself highlighted the personalities of different fields and their contributions. In fact, he is continuously doing so, and at present, he is working on a YouTube programme under the name “Adbi Safarnama.”
Mushtaque Barq is a household name who is continuously making a substantial contribution to art, culture, and literature. His contribution towards Sufism is unmatched. Besides, his poetry collection, fiction writing, and translations of Sufi sayings are world-renowned. Sufism is considered the most sensitive issue, and Sufi sayings are considered the most difficult to translate into English. Mr. Barq has accepted this responsibility on his shoulders, which is not an easy job, but a herculean task to translate the Kashmiri Sufi sayings.
He has served as an editor of “Jay Kay Publishers” wherein he has highlighted the contributions of a number of poets, artists, writers, and broadcasters from the valley, which has been appreciated and admired from all quarters. Indeed, through these write-ups, some unsung heroes have come into the limelight whose contributions have not been brought before the public. He has done this just to apprise the masses about these personalities and their contributions in the respective fields. I deem it my utmost duty to bring this humble personality before the public so as to call attention to his own contribution towards our society.
Hailing from Bagh-i-Ali Mardan Khan Nowshera, Srinagar, he is a simple, down-to-earth, soft-spoken person who, because of his noble deeds and hard work, inspires the younger generation. His hard work has created an indelible imprint on the minds and hearts of his readers. He is simply a priceless gem in the fields of art, culture, and literature. Globally acclaimed and recognised as the best translator with an unparalleled creative and imaginative mind. For him, a satisfying life is serving people in any manner whatsoever. Despite being a popular figure in the fields of art and literature, Mr. Barq is working harder for his mission to propagate the message of the Sufi saints of the valley and by translating the same into the English language, which has already transcended the geographical barriers. Mushtaque Barq has authored a number of books. Among them are Mystic Voices of Kashmir, Verses of Wahab Khar, Withered Petals, The Wings of Love, The Feeble Prison, The Songs of Soch Kral, Shades and Shadows ( a novel) Zephyr of Veth. His translation works include: Folios of Lost Treasure (Hindi Poems of Satish Vimal), Nosegay of Nazms (Urdu Nazms of Shabnam Ashaie), The Eternal Insight of Kashmir (Co- Authored), and How That Abode Would Be. He is the co-author of a number of books, and other publications. Mr. Barq has published countless articles, blogs, and columns and has reviewed more than 30 books. He has been a guest columnist for Kashmir Images, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Pen, Asian Age, etc.
Mushtaque Barq has 20 years of teaching experience at the Higher Secondary level. He has worked as a trainer at the British Council and was a Master Trainer at INTACH. He has been associated with a number of national and international workshops like the Creative Writing Workshop at the J & K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages, Work Ratna Sagar 2011, Heritage Education Program, World Voice Project Trainer at the British Council 2017, and Woman and Literature by the JK Youth Council. Barq has been associated with a number of newspapers and magazines as an editor and has hosted countless conferences, symposiums, and debates. In addition to these, Barq has hosted scores of online Adabi programs, including one in the style of Adabi Safar Nama, which is currently the most popular show among art lovers in particular and the general population in general. Mushtaque Barq is a torchbearer in the fields of art, culture, and literature as the author has deep research-based knowledge. The author is a multilingual person and has a good grasp of Hindi, Kashmiri, Persian, Arabic, and English. In addition to this, Barq has a good hold on the Quran, Hadith, and sayings of Sufi saints. Briefly, he is dedicated to divine qualities. By reading his books, columns, and articles, the common mind gets allured, and his work becomes perspicuous and graspable for the readers.
His marvelous and unmatched work has been appreciated and applauded from all quarters. Barq has been conferred with a number of awards at the state level as well as at the national level. Among which, a few are as follows: State Institute of Education Science Exhibition Award 2000, Editor’s Choice Poetry Award USA 2004, Taj Diamond Contest Recognition Award 2008, Most Active Teacher Award 2013, Aizaz-i-Alamdar 2017, Award from the Criterion (An International Journal in English 2017), Youth Power Award, Best Columnist Award 2021, Kalidas Theatre Literary Annual Award 2021, and so on. We wish him good luck for the future and hope he will continuously inspire us all the time.
We wish him good luck for the future and hope he will continuously inspire us all the time. I am duty-bound to thank Mr. Sheikh Waseem of Jay Kay Publishers (Kitab Mahal) without whom this write-up could not have been possible. I deem it my proper to conclude this write-up with advice from Mr. Barq, who says: “There are five thieves stealing time out of our lives with each passing moment. They are: Lust, Anger, Avarice, Attachments, and Ego. And if we are ever to find peace of soul, we must free ourselves from these five crooks.
“Strive to discover the mystery before life is taken from you
If while living you fail to find yourself to know yourself,
How will you be able to understand?
The secret of your existence when you die”.
Asrar Ali is an Advocate by profession and a columnist.
