Dr. Virendra P. Singh, Silchar India
(August 6, 2007)
Dear Friend,
I feel great pleasure
after surfing contents of your website. I belong to Meerut city (U.P.,
India). I read almost all the novels in Hindi version of "Jasoosy
Duniya" published from Allahabad during my school and early
college days. In his novels (in Hindi) Col. Vinod and Captain
Hamid, Kasim were the main characters and this series was
popularly known as Vinod- Hamid series. In Hindi version of Imran
series Imran was characterised as "Rajesh" and the series was
known as "Rajesh series". Both the series were very popular among
Hindi readers to the extent that a number of writers particularly
published from Meerut (U.P.) have adopted not only the characters
of Ibn-e-safi's Hindi series but also copied the format set by
him. For example, H. Iqbal followed same set of characters of
Imran series in his novels. Ved Prakash Kamboj followed the same
format (of Imran) in his Vijay-Raghunath series novels and became
very popular among Hindi readers. Om Prakash Sharma also based his
novels on a character named Rajesh. Untimely death of Ibn-e-safi
created a big gap emerged in the world of detective novels. The
style of investigation of Col. Vinod (Hindi version of Col. Faridi)
was very impressive. His (Col. Vinods's) personal character,
strong determination had a deep influence on the reader's thinking
and personality system in contrast to Hamid. It helped in shaping
strong personality of the readers of his novels. Later on many
Hindi writers followed his style and characters but could not be
very successful. Jasoosy Duniya" started to republish his early
novels after his death. But as most of his novels were already
read by the readers (of that time) it could not attract the reader
much because most of the reader were not aware about the untimely
death of the author and were looking forward for new novels. I
Observed this trend for few years. I do not know the current
status of the Hindi version of Jasoosi Duniya, but I feel that all
the novels written by Ibn-e-safi are uncomparable. I am fully
agree with many other readers of his novels that in the history of
detective novels in Indian sub-continent if beginning was made by
Babu Devki Nandan Khatri in 19th century. It was Ibn-e-safi who
set the beat of detective novels in the second half of the 20th
century in Indian subcontinent. His contributions are not just
confined only to urdu literature but he was having almost equal
number of readers of Hindi versions of his novels. But
unfortunately his work has not been taken into account in the
literary world of the sub continent as reading of Jasoosy novels
was not appreciated by the elders at that time. I hope that there
is a need to make available e-version of his novels so that proper
research work can be done on his historic contributions in the
field of literary world. I personally congratulate you for such a
wonderful website on Ibn-e-safi one of my favorite writers even
today. I am including your website in my favorites. Thanking you,
Dr. V. P. Singh
Reader, Department of Sociology, Assam
University
|
Muhammad Arif, Hyderabad Pakistan
(July 15, 2007)
This website is really the great tribute
to the great writer from the great and sincere fan Muhammad Hanif.
This is homage to a writer who made the building of laughter
sitting in the flames and produced humor in such detective world
of novels, which was not seen in Urdu previously. He kept writing
for providing entertainment to tired minds and broken souls.
Ibne Safi's writing wasn’t just a writing
for fun or not only to fulfill his financial needs but he wrote
for a sacred cause; to keep the Urdu readers away from the novels
or stories that are pregnant with vulgarity and obscenity.
He was totally successful in his mission
the purpose of writing he chose to save the Urdu readers from the
flood of vulnerability in the writings of so-called commercial
writers. He diverted the readers’ attention to his detective
novels, which was a better alternative.
In a literary sitting Ibne Safi was keyed
up by an old man who passed remarks that in Urdu language only
seductive stories can get the appreciation of readers (this was
true at that time also agreed by Ibne Safi) but he was against
this opinion and accepted this challenge to provide a better
alternative to Urdu readers which can attract them. So he started
writing detective novels, which was very successful.
I thank to the old man in the literary
sitting who pinned Ibne Safi, this is the turning point what made
Asrar Ahmed the famous Ibne Safi and using his talent he did
proactively that his name is still alive not only in Urdu
literature but in the world detective literature.
|
Saad Ahmed, Karachi Pakistan (June 22,
2007)
Dear Mr Hanif,
I must admit that I stumbled upon your
site, courtesy wikipedia.com, while trying to look up Urdu
literature. Although Wikipedia was informative, it is nothing
compared to what you have produced. You deserve the best
compliments for accomplishing the task that you took upon
yourself.
I don't claim to have read all of his
works, not even most of his works, maybe a few, but having gone
through your site has rekindled my affection for this great
proponent of Urdu thrillers. I am from a generation that has grown
up more with The Famous Five, The Secret Seven and The Hardy Boys
than with Faridi or Imran, nevertheless I was, and still am, a
great fan of Ibne Safi.
What I suggest is to include in the
website, a section dedicated to condemn plagiarists of the great
Maestro. I understand that it might not appeal to your aesthetics
or values; I just want you to know how I feel about it. I am sure
there will be many others who share my view.
Once again, please accept my best
compliments for your achievement, for it is by no means, a small
one. May Allah be with you.
Sincerely,
|
Hafsa Amin, India (June 20, 2007)
Assalamo Alaykum,
I am Hafsa Amin. I belong to India. I am
a big fan of Ibne Safi's books and I want to read all books of
Hameed/Faridi series. I have just few books of this series. But
now, as you know the books are not available in the stores.
Sometimes ago, I lost the hope that I will read anymore due to
lack of books but one of my friends told me about your site and
now, again I am expecting. So, please tell from where I can get
the novels? I want them from beginning that was "Thandi Aag".
It’s really most appreciating work that
you are doing for that great man" IBN-E-SAFI". It will be very
glad for us if you provide the Ibne Safi's books online. Because
there are many other people who wants to read Ibne Safi's books
but that are not available for them.
Thank you
|
Anupam Sinha, New Delhi India (June
18, 2007)
I have come across some novels of Ibne
Safi, which were printed in Hindi (not translated just using the
Hindi script). Do you have any idea if there is still a
copyright holder of his work in India? Does any publisher have
the copy rights of Jasoosi Duniya? I think that a great writer
like Ibne Safi needs to be introduced to the new generation as
well. For me reading about Hamid and Kasim were better than
James Bond himself. They belonged to us. Unfortunately I do not
know how to read Urdu. My father can read Urdu and he has a few
books of Ibne Safi in Urdu still left with him (old prints from
1950s and 1960s). He also had a few of his books in Hindi but
unfortunately they are no longer with him. Your answer to my
mail is much appreciated and it just goes out to show with all
the boundaries between us ... we are still brothers at heart...
in love with the same stories by the leading light of Detective
literature - Ibne Safi.
Warm Regards,
|
Dr. Christina Oesterheld, Heidelberg
Germany (May 29, 2007)
Dear Mr. Hanif,
It is a great pleasure to hear from you!
In fact I mentioned your website in my presentation as one of the
best, if not the best, source of information on Ibne Safi. The URL
is also given in the list of references. The article will be
published in Sahitya Akademi's periodical "Indian Literature" as
soon as I send them the revised version.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Christina Oesterheld
Department of Modern South Asian Studies (Languages and
Literatures)
South Asia Institute
University of Heidelberg
Germany
|
Ali Khan, United Kingdom (May 25,
2007)
Just wanted to say thank for creating
this site, brought back memories of my childhood.
Keep it up and if at all possible make
the novels available online.
Thank you
|
Mehdi Ali Khan, (May 14 2007)
Dear Mr. Hanif:
It gave me so much pleasure to see your
very informative website on our favourite writer Ibne Safi. I
would really like to know about you as well. Are you a dedicated
fan like me (or even better, obviously) or related to Asrar
Ahmed in some way?
I also want to tell you that many of
the pages on your website don't show up accurately, although I
am using high speed DSL to access it.
Hope we'll stay in touch and share to
make this site better and help it sustain. I do want Ibne Safi
to stay at web longer this time.
Many regards,
|
Rashid Ashraf , Karachi Pakistan
(May 08, 2007)
I wrote an article in 1995 in magazine
Nae-ufaq on Ibne Safi titled "Qalam ka Qarz". It was a 10-page
article, which was commended by Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Qureshi. My
article was published as a lead/cover story in that issue.
Then I received a lot of comments in
letters to editor section in subsequent issues of the magazine.
One lady wrote from Rawalpindi that she got tears in her eyes
while reading that article. All those comments are worth for me.
I got another letter from Hyderabad, India. My article is
regarding a boy who is fond of reading Safi sahib but indulged
in passion of Safi sahib after 13 years of his death (in fact it
was me) and offered others to read him. I want you to add that
on your prestigious website.
|
Yousuf Saeed, Delhi India (May 3,
2007)
Dear Mohammad Hanif
I hope I have got the name right. I saw
your website/blog on Ibne-Safi, and was very fascinated with the
material. I have been a regular reader of jasoosi novels myself
and maybe we will discuss the details later. But at present I
wanted to let you know that your collection of novel covers is
quite archival. I am part of a group that is trying to make a
digital archive south Asia's popular culture especially printed
images of 20th century. I would like you to visit our site
called Tasveer Ghar and see if you would like to contribute
something out of your collection to our archive. It would be
really great to work together.
http://www.tasveerghar.net
|
Zainul Abedeen, Karachi Pakistan
(Apr 18, 2007)
I have gone through your nice and kind
efforts to illuminate our great writer Mohattarram Ibne Safi. At
this juncture I don’t have the proper words except to appreciate
what you have done so far and pray that God give you strength to
continue it further and ever.
Although its not an easy task but as
you know that Mohattarram made one film 'DHAMAKA'. If my memory
is not wrong, I last time saw this film in Dec. 1978 and
afterwards never witness it to any cinema house. Is it possible
if you make few copies of the same on DVD and can sell it to
Mohattarram's fans (like me). I guess that in return to your
real nice efforts the persons (like me) will not mind to
purcahse it at a prime cost.
Another my suggestion is that you
should make Mohattaram's fans club and I am sure that his fans
will surely join you. You may have some monthly contribution
from them and can arrange some evening attributing to the
Mohattaram's name (after 4 or 6 months) and particularly
celebrate his anniversary with the dignity he deserve.
My his soul be in eternal peace ever.
|
Abdul Hai, Jawaharlal Nehru
University, New Delhi, India (Apr 03, 2007)
Assalamo Alaikum,
Really It's the brilliant and wonderful
site for the lovers of Urdu's most successful Novelist. People
have learnt Urdu to read the novels of Ibne Safi. This site is
really a great gift for every person who wants to know any thing
about Ibne Safi. I am a great fan of His Excellency king of
Dhump, Founder of Zero Land Ibne Safi. I have read all novels of
Ibne Safi and have all of his novels. Still I read his novels
again and again.
Congratulations from my side. Khuda
Aapko aapke iraadon men Kaamyab Kare.
|
Zishan Haider, Riyadh Saudi Arabia
(Mar 27, 2007)
Dear Mr. Hanif, Salam Alekum,
Accidentally I happen to come across
your website on Late Mr. Ibne Safi, it was a tremendous &
exemplary work and kudos to your efforts. My name is Zishan
Haider and I am the grand son of Mr. Abbas Hussainy, and
working in Riyadh since 1993.
Thanks once again & Regards
|
Ahmed khan Ghaznavi, Makkah
Mukarramah Saudi Arabia (Mar 18, 2007)
Assalaam u Alaikum
Your site is very good to know about
Ibne Safi but it will be best if you upload all of his novels in
this, and if you know about any link where I can download his
novels for free so please send me I will be thankful to you.
|
Kamaal Ashrafi, Pune India (Feb
16,2007)
I am one of the fan of Asia's biggest
writer Marhoom Ibne-Safi. Can I know how to purchase his all the
Novels of both Jassosi Duniya and Imran Series? Hope to hear
from you shortly.
With Kind Regards
|
Amin Muhammadi, Toronto Canada (Feb
6, 2007)
Hanif Sahib,
First of all I would like to
congratulate on your GREAT WORK.
You have put together great stuff, I
have been reading Ibne-e-Safi's novels since I was a child I
have read his novels thousand times or may be more, but getting
to know about him was great. One again Thank you.
I am an IT Consultant working in
Toronto, I have done so many websites, I would like to offer my
services if needed, it would be a great honour if I could help
you with the website.
|
Rishab Garg (Oct 17, 2006)
Hello sir, I am a very big fan of Ibne
Safi. I have around 200 books of his as my collection but still
in search for the rest. Can u tell me any link whatsoever from
where I can get his rest of the books in Hindi or in English
only? I will really be thankful to you if you can do this. You
have created an excellent info on Ibne Safi and I am sure all
his fans like me are very happy. I will wait for your reply
until I am alive on this planet.
Regards
|
Mishal Rashid Toronto, Canada (Oct
10, 2006)
Assalamo-Alaikum
First of all, a very, very
congratulations to launch the legend of Ibne Safi website. You
cannot imagine how much I am happy to see when I type Urdu
website in search and click on one of the address and then
opened “Ibne Safi page” than I was very much surprised and
screamed and my family said: what happened are you out of
mind” than I said: I found a treasure.
This is a really treasure for me to
find information about Ibne Safi in Toronto, Canada. I started
these novels when I was only 14 years old and now I am 29
years old and still want to read novels. It’s very nice even I
do not have words to saying how much I love these novels.
God bless you very mush and keep hard
working to doing on it. My parents coming to Canada than they
bring some books of Jasoosi Dunya and Imran Series and I want
to make library in my home so I need more books. I took your
phone number and Inshallah I will call you very soon.
Jazakum Allah, and Thank You.
|
Fasih uddin, Toronto Canada (Sep 20,
2006)
Dear Hanif sahib, Asslaam-o-Alaikum
My name is Fasih uddin, I live in
Toronto, Canada. I saw yesterday your website about the great
Sir Ibnesafi. I will say him Sir, because I have learned a lot
from him.
Governments, officials or any other
authorities don’t give this honour to any person. It has been
the voice from the heart of large numbers of people and for me
Sir Ibnesafi never bothered to be recognized by any governments
or officials, because he knew he would remain in the hearts of
people.
Whatever I say to Sir will always be
less. I love him and love all those people who are doing
anything to carry one his mission in any area.
Thank you
|
Arshad M. K. Raja, USA (Aug 30, 2006)
I used to have a whole collection of Imran
series as well as Colonel Faridi series and I was addicted to both
of them. Back in high school days that addiction affected my grades
and my mom got rid of all of the novels. Now I am living in US and I
cant find these novels anywhere around my area to all the way up in
NY. Lets see if I can get lucky and get some more of this treasure.
I am in search of Ibne Safi's Imran Series
novels for a while now. Do you guys happen to know where I can
purchase them? If you guys know any website from where I can
download the novels that will great, that will give me instant
access to the Ibne Safi's treasure, but if that cant be done then
can you direct me to the website from where I can order them? I will
greatly appreciate that. I want to get back to my childhood hobbies
and Imran series was one of them!!)
Thank you
|
Asif,
Etobicoke Canada (Jul 31, 2006)
Hanif bhai, AOA
I want to congratulate you on the
website of Ibne Safi, he is no doubt one of the greatest writer
of all time. I live in Etobicoke,
In terms of the purchase of the books,
can I do it through you, as you have given the # of Pakistani
bookstore and it can be quite tedious, what do you think
approximate the cost might be?
Regards
|
Mohammad Arif Iqbal (July 30, 2006)
Dear brother Assalamu Alaikum
Hope and pray for your good health. I saw your
website on Ibne Safi. Your effort is highly commendable in this
connection. Can you provide me the text of a novel entitled "Dohra
Qatl"(Faridi-Hameed series)? I shall be highly obliged for your kind
cooperation.
Thanking you in anticipation.
|
BaaZauq, Riyadh Saudi Arabia (Apr 24, 2006)
Assalam-o-Alaikum,
I will send a detail email later regarding start
of all Ibn-e-Safi material in URDU Unicode script at a site, with the help
of you and a group of mine.
Thank you & Regards
|
Khan Sahab (Apr 5, 2006)
Dear Hanif Sahab,
I was browsing through your excellent website and
ran into "A Letter from Ibn-e-Safi" in the essays section. There I found
the picture of Ibn-e-Safi that you made by using Urdu sentences/writing.
That is really an amazing achievement. I would greatly appreciate if you
could tell us a bit more about how you came up with the idea and how you
went through the process of making that picture. I am sure others might
get curious too. I would appreciate if you could add that info to your
website in either Q/A section or anywhere else you find appropriate.
It is an absolute pleasure to see those historic
titles. I cannot explain how much thrilled I am. Please do remember me if
there is anything I can do to help out to keep this website as classic as
you already have made it. I, myself, was thinking about creating website
on our great author but time did not give me enough chance. But I am so
extremely happy that you did it instead of me because I could never do
such a fantastic job!
Again, thanks a lot!
Sincerely
|
Javed Akhtar (Mar 6, 2006)
I was wondering if you can help. I am interested
in the books written by Ibne Safi under the guise of the 'Imran Series'.
Is it possible to provide a comprehensive list of books written under the
'Imran Series' and where it would be possible to purchase this Collection.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter
|
Shariq Mustaquim, Founding Editor, Roznama
Boriat Karachi (Jan 16, 2006)
Dearest Admin, Assalam o Alaikum,
I am very glad to see the site developed by you
people on Ibn-e-Safi. He is my favourite writer as well. I was also
planning to develop a website on ibn-e-safi. Will you allow me to use some
of the stuff on your website for this purpose.
Waiting for your reply. Thanks.
|
Ray Girvan, Wikipedia (Jan 14, 2006)
Hello, Very nice site.
I have been helping write the Ibne Safi entry for
the free encyclopedia Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn-e-Safi).
Would it be possible to use one of the photographs from your site for this
page?
Sincerely
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