شاہ نادر خان
حادثۂ افغانستان
اکتوبر ۱۹۳۳ء میں افغانستان کو جاتے ہوئے، نومبر کے لئے جب میں شذرات قلمبند کررہا تھا تو یہ خیال نہ تھا کہ میری واپسی اس قدر جلد ہوگی اور اسی طرح ۳۰؍ اکتوبر کی صبح کو کابل سے روانہ ہوتے ہوئے یہ خیال بھی نہ تھا کہ ۸؍ نومبر ۱۹۳۳ء کو سہ پہر کو افغانستان میں یہ عظیم الشان واقعہ پیش آئے گا، ۳؍ نومبر کی رات کو غزنین و قندھار و چمن ہوکر میں اور ڈاکٹر سر اقبال کوئٹہ پہنچے اور میں ملتان میں دو روز ٹھہر کر ۸ کی دوپہر کو لکھنؤ پہنچا اور ۹ کی صبح کو شاہ نادر خاں کی شہادت کی وہ خبر سنی جس کا وہم و گمان بھی نہ تھا۔
افغانستان کی سرزمین ناگہانی سیاسی واقعات کے ظہور کے لیے ہمیشہ سے مشہور ہے، مگر آج جب دشمن ہر قدم پر کمین میں ہیں، اس قسم کے واقعہ کا پیش آنا حد درجہ افسوسناک ہے، افسوس اشخاص کی حیات و موت کا اتنا نہیں، جتنا افغان قوم کی حیات و موت کا ہے۔
ہم کو معلوم ہے کہ اس وقت ملک کی ترقی کے لئے وہاں کیا کیا تدابیر زیر غور تھیں، مگر افسوس کہ واقعات نے اب نیا پہلو بدلا ہے تاہم ہم کو امید ہے کہ موجودہ کار فرمایان حکومت کی دانشمندی سے مصیبت کی وہ بلائیں افغانستان کے سرسے دور ہوجائیں گی، جو اس وقت منڈلا رہی ہیں۔
دعا ہے کہ شاہ شہید کو مغفرت اور ملک کو امن و امان نصیب ہو۔
(سید سلیمان ندوی، نومبر ۱۹۳۳ء)
Recognizing the unequivocal importance of English as the only and uncontested medium of global communication for disseminating the universal message of the Qur’an, this paper analyzes the ways in which translational incompetence or substantial incongruities could distort the very essence of the actual text and meaning of this last and eternal message of Allah. Taking selected parts of the first two “ruku’s” of surah al-baqara as a case study, it traces some salient instances of such deviation in the earliest purported English rendering of the Qur’an by Alexander Ross done in the middle of the seventeenth century. Besides attempting to make readers wary of such misleading attempts, it also aims at inculcating in them a sense of distinguishing the authentic works of genuinely qualified renderers from such ill-motivated and ill-informed purported translations.
The graduates of the M.Ed. II program of the Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development representing seven countries of the developing world, have embarked upon their roles and responsibilities as Professional Development Teachers (PDTs). The study investigated the transition period of this cohort of PDTs from being the graduates of the M.Ed. program to being PDTs who have returned to their workplaces. An open-ended questionnaire was used as the major data collection tool and this was supplemented with interviews of some of the respondents. The major focus of both the questionnaire and the interviews was on PDTs' perspectives and perceptions. The questionnaire was sent to all the thirty-five PDTs of M.Ed. II, including those who are abroad. A total of thirty responses were received, which constitutes 86% of the target population. Supplementary interviews were held with 30% of the respondents The results indicate that the transition period through which PDTs have gone is full of challenges and constraints. Only a few PDTs, mostly from private schools, seemed to be moving smoothly into their new positions and professional roles as PDTs. The majority of PDTs seemed to have struggled for their identity in contexts, which were pervasive and hardly responsive to their professional needs. This struggle has taken different dimensions and was manifested in the psychological conflict of PDTs and the reality of their contexts. The psychological conflicts which PDTs experienced made them, at times, question both their roles as change agents and the very possibility of their bringing about change in their contexts. This conflict was exacerbated by the absence of specific support to meet their personal and professional needs. One of the major implications drawn from the study is about the importance of providing follow up support to PDTs in this transition stage of their professional careers. This could help PDTs to maintain their enthusiasm and commitment, and also assist them to be more successful in fulfilling their professional duties.