Ibrahim Ashk was born on 20th July 1951 in the town of Badnagar in Dist. Ujjain in M.P. He hailed from a humble background, born to Shabrati Khan, a farmer by profession and Hussaina Bi, a devout and strong woman. Ibrahim was their first child into an unhappy marriage, which soon collapsed when his father married another woman, leaving his mother and little Ibrahim to their own devices. Hussaina Bi did not lose hope and strived hard to raise Ibrahim with love, and she ensured a good education for her son, always pressing him to study and live a good life. Although Ibrahim’s young age was plagued with financial and familial difficulties, it didn’t deter his hope. He did multiple odd jobs, starting from a tender age and supported his family, donning the role of a father and shouldering the responsibility of his family. Despite all odds, Ibrahim maintained a smile on his face and a spring in his step, and he decided to study and carve a name for himself.
Ibrahim completed his primary education in Badnagar, while he took interest in a few hobbies like wrestling and singing. In his school days, Ibrahim would recite Hamd and Naat in school programmes and would take great delight in different forms of songs and poetry. In 1962, when China attacked India and the country was imbued with patriotism, Ibrahim penned his first geet in Hindi. This was his first attempt as a poet, and from this point, there was no stopping him. Whie he was still in B.A II year, he was surrounded by financial difficulties and he began working as a journalist for “Indore Samachar”, where he progressed to become the sub-editor of the newspaper. This period fostered his love for literary works, and he began to learn Urdu and Arabic with great interest. Ibrahim was greatly influenced by works of a well-known poet of Barnagar, Hakim Gulam Abbas Asad Badnagari and found great inspiration from him to write poems. Hakim Asad also liked Ibrahim Ashk’s style and accepted him as a disciple. Ibrahim Ashk belonged to a line of great Urdu poets like Dard, Sauda, Mir Khalik, Mir Anis, mir Kaym Raza, Merza Wahid, Hakim Ainuddin Ain, Hakim Gulam Abbas Asad Badnagari. During his stay in Indore, Ibrahim Ashk benefited from various literary circles, libraries and people. One such man was Prof. Shri Vyas, a music teacher, whose company gave Ibrahim Ashk a sense of music and laid the foundation of him becoming a successful lyricist.
Ibrahim Ashk completed his M.A. Hindi and went to Delhi, where he worked as an editor for a popular Urdu film magazine “Shama” for six years. Soon, his works started to appear in almost all the prominent literary journals of Urdu. After Shama, he worked in popular Hindi magazine, Sarita for a few years. After a couple of years of working in various magazines, Ibrahim wanted to do more with life. So he turned to Bombay to find a career in the film industry as a writer. In 1981, he first wrote the songs for a film by the producer “Taher Hussain”. Unfortunately, the film was not released. But this chance gave Ibrahim Ashk a chance to settle in Mumbai and kickstarted his career as a lyricist and ghazal writer. Many of his gazals sung by prominent singers like, Ustad Gulam Mustafa Khan, Madhurani, Jagjit Singh, Chitra Singh, Anup Jalota, Anuradha Podwal, Talat Aziz, Chandan Das, Rupkumar Rathod and others. Although he is more popular amongst the mass for his contribution in films, his contribution to urdu and hindi literature deserves much praise and recognition.
Ibrahim Ashk as a Ghazal Poet
Ibrahim Ashk was a poetic marvel and he made Gazal his medium for expressing the complexities of human psyche. At the same time, he used this form to question the prevalent socio-political situation in the country and address matters of collective relevance. Ibrahim Ashk has given a new dimension to Gazal by presenting both, the inner and outer problems that man is riddled with. His poetry reveals the richness and depth of his life experiences and retains traditional form despite having a modern approach. In his collections, we find sensual poems dealing with inner complexities and realities of life addressed in such a lucid way, that they are imprinted on the minds of reader almost instantly.
Ibrahim Ashk as a Marsiya Poet
According to Mulana Hali, the praise of the living one is Quasida and that of the dead ones is Marsiya, which has a sense of sorrow. In Urdu, Marsiya, Hamd and Naat are not simple forms. Even Ghalib and Mir did not dare to write in these forms. It is said that to write in these forms is like walking on the path thinner than lair and sharper than sword. In such a difficult form, Ibrahim Ashk has given a complete collection of Marsiya entitled as “Karbala” which is an example of his linguistic and artistic quest. His elegies fulfill all the parameters of a good elegy. They are especially remarkable for their pictorial effect. Ibrahim Ashk is the first rate contemporary elegy poet. His contribution in the revival of Marsiya cannot be overlooked. His unique style has added glory to the poetic expressions in Marsiya.
Ibrahim Ashk as a Rubai Poet
This form demands unequalled mastery over language and the art of poetry because it requires clarity and brevity of thought. Ibrahim Ashk’s art of Rubai writing, is impeccable and his experiments with this form are praiseworthy. He has widened the scope of Rubai with contemporary issues and diction. His humanism finds manifestation in his Rubais. Ibrahim Ashk has a prominent position among the new Rubai poets. He made Rubai popular and Rubai has in turn made him popular among the readers. His subjects are morality, love, beauty, confidence and so on.
Ghalib and Meer are known for Gazal, Sawda for Qasida, Anis and Dabir for Marsiya, Mir hasan for Masnavi, Amjad Hyderabdi for Rubai and Iqbal for Nazm. But there are only a few poets who could equally handle more than one forms of poetry. Ibrahim Ashk is one of those few poets. He has composed Gazals, Nazm, Marsiya, Rubai, Masnavi, and Geet alike. His songs and Qasidas are unparalleled.
Ibrahim Ashk as a Doha Poet
Doha is an old and unique form of Urdu poetry. Following Kabir, Ibrahim Ashk has presented politics, Sufism, love, patriotism, and rustic life in a vivid manner. Ibrahim Ashk’s thoughtfulness can be seen in his song which contains both the joys and pangs of love. This has made him a successful film lyricist, with all his songs becoming chartbusters.
Other Works of Ibrahim Ashk
According to T.S. Eliot, “honest criticism is required for the growth of creative writings”. Ibrahim Ashk is a rare genius in this regard and has penned four books on criticism. They are “Andaze Bayan Aur, Muhafize millat Allama Iqbal , Tanqidi Shaur, and Maulana Azad Aur Musalman. He is short story writer also. His style is fresh and thought provoking. Humanism is at the center of all his stories. He has written 13 short stories which are collected in “Afsane Aur Tajziye” by Dr. Manazir Ashiq harganvi. Ibrahim Ashk has worked as a journalist. At the age of 22, he had become the sub-editor of Indore Samachar. His bold and investigative writings are recorded in the pages of Indore Samachar and Shama. Ibrahim Ashk’s contribution to Films Ibrahim Ashk has given beautiful songs to the films like Kaho Na Pyar Hai, Koi Mil Gaya, Krish, Das Kahaniya, Jina Marna Tere sang, Aap Mujhe Acche Lagne Lage, Janashin. Among the T.V serials, he has written songs for Office Office, Shakuntala and Sanskar. Apart from this, the music companies like T.Series have released his albums.
Ibrahim Ashk – A poetic genius
Ibrahim Ashk was a towering figure who had great contributions in both Hindi and Urdu literature. His poetry represents the inner and outer experiences and observations, serving as a lighthouse for new poets and people from small towns looking for inspiration. His fresh and novel approach towards poetry as a form and his profundity as a writer will forever guide young poets and writers. And he will always be remembered as the man, who lived and breathed poetry, and who dedicated his life to this form pouring all the love and strength he had to do justice to it. His songs and his words will forever live in our hearts, reminding us of the undying power of human spirit, and of the magic that is possible if only one chooses to live by love and faith.