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Mr. Mahmood Tarzai the father of
Afghan journalism and Modern Afghanistan.
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22nd nov,2007
/ 1 Gaus 1386
message from respected Al-Hajj Gharzai Khwakhuzhai ;
Every one, who knows about the traces of education, modern Afghanistan,
journalism and intellectualism in Afghanistan he/she must know
H.E Alma Mahmood Tarzai and his services for Afghanistan.
Mr. Alama Mahmood Tarzai begun publishing (Sirajul Akhbar-e-Afghania)
" in the early part of the twentieth century, which was a
precious step regarding the development of education, promotion
of intellectual movements and journalism. That is why His Excellency
is regarded as "the father of Afghan journalism" among
national and international scholars.
He also had played an active role in the training of Mr. Aman
Ullah Khan the freedom fighter for Afghanistan. And it was his
bless of training that Mr.Aman Ullah Khan took freedom from the
Great Britain and paved the path for the freedom of sub-continent
as well. He has given much more for the country in political filed,
when he was foreign minister of the country.
Mr.Alama Mahmood Tarzai was accustomed with Pashto, Persian,
Arabic, Urdu and Turkish languages and had a deep study in these
languages and he had studied the most famous relics of most famous
writers of the world. Consequently he was a strong writer aware
of various modern thoughts.
He also had trained the most famous political personalities like
Mr. Abdul Hadi Davi and Mr. Abdul Rahman Lodin who are known for
their bravery and articles against aggression and in favor of
freedom.
Briefly it can be said, without any doubt, that Mr. Alama Mahmood
Tarzai was the founder of Journalism, modern education, freedom
and intellectualism in Afghanistan and he will be remembered for
his services in this regard.
Finally, Khwakhuzhi Literal and Cultural Association Expresses
more delight on this special occasion of remembering H.E Mr.Alama
Mahmood Tarzai and wish him Janatul Ferdos and ask the (Alama
Mahmood Tarzai Foundation) and other foundations to collect all
his articles/relics and publish them in form of books.
KLCA also appreciates the activities of (Alama Mahmood Tarzai
Foundation) and expects that it will have more and more services
regarding Ever-living personality of Alama Mahmood Tarzai.
With lots of respects
Al-Hajj Gharzai Khwakhuzhai
Director of KLCA
01-09-1386
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article from S.Tarzi Rahpoe, for the occassion
of 74th memorial year of Mahmud Tarzi
Sedddiq Rahpoe Tarzi
Editor-in-Chief of Rowshani (Light) quarterly Magazine
Member of MTCF, BOT
Date 28.08.1386-19.11.07
Goettignen,Germany
Dear Mr. Omar Tarzi, Chairman of MTCF,
Honorable members of MTCF and esteemed guests,
The name of Mahmud Tarzi, (Ghazni 1865 – Istanbul 1933)
has been connected to the MODERN Afghanistan.
Mahmud Tarzi was born in near the tomb of Mahmud Ghaznian. His
father for honor of this great king, named him Mahmud.
His father Gholam Mohammad Tarzi was the famous Afghan poet whose
outspokenness led him and his family into exile (1882).
Mahmud Tarzi spent more than 20 years in the Ottoman Empire, mostly
in Damascus. The figure of Mahmud Tarzi comes first, whenever
we talk about awakening of national conscience at the field of
social progress of Afghanistan too.
King Habibullah‘s most important contribution to Afghanistan
was giving permission the returning of Afghan exiles, specifically
that of Mahmud Tarzi around the turn of the 20th century.
He returned to Afghanistan (1905).
He opened a translation office, taught history and geography at
a military school, and assumed editorship of Seraj al-akhbar (The
Lamp of the News of Afghanistan), the bi-weekly periodical magazine
which became the cornerstone of modern Afghan journalism. He used
this publication as a forum to spread his message of modernization,
nationalism, and identity of Afghan and East world’s people,
among the elite of Afghanistan and neighboring lands. It played
an important role in the development of an Afghan modernist movement,
serving as a forum for a small, enlightened group of young Afghans,
who provided the ethical justification and basic tenets of Afghan
nationalism and modernism.
Mahmud Tarzi for spreading the ideas of modern life had faced
the difficult task of tackling the multi faces problems of ethnic
mosaic of this land. He tried to redefine the term of Afghan not
just on basic of ethnic only. He was implying it to the equality
of all the inhabitants of Afghanistan.
Because of his break from ornate literary styles, Tarzi is sometimes
referred to as the father of modern prose in Afghanistan too.
Before publishing of S.A, Afghans were deprived of general knowledge
and science and they were unaware of the situation of the world
on one hand, on the other hand, the doors of the country were
closed and her relations with other nations were cut off.
Seraj - ol - Akhbar - Afganiye, disseminate the advanced ideas
in the land and awakening national conscience. The Newspaper demonstrated
the way of civilization laying emphasis on the social, technological
and scientific subjects. He established the foundation of the
idea of nationalism, progression in his land heralding the politics
which reflected the desire and feelings of the youth of Afghanistan
in the years 1911-1919.
At the core of these nationalist ideas, there was to spread the
aim of Independence. The War of Independence was a page of glory
and pride in Afghanistan history. The State considered her as
an independent after the declaration of war.
It is worth to mention that the chairman of Afghan negotiation
team for Independence was Mahmud Tarzi. After long negotiation,
at last both parties of Afghan and Britain, signed an honorable
treaty suitable with Afghan interests in 1921. In the first three
years, the sovereignty of the new kingdom was very delicate and
dangerous however it has been accepted as a successful period
of Afghan history with the political management of Mahmud Tarzi.
For getting the true and essence of Mahmud Tarzi’s ideas
and aims, there worth to bring some of his word:
"My spirit will remain in Afghanistan, even though my soul
will go to Allah. The first and most important advice that I can
give to my successors and people to make Afghanistan into a great
kingdom is to impress upon their minds the value of unity; unity,
and unity alone, this can makes it into a great power."
He died in November23, 1933 in Istanbul and was buried here
The gathering of you on the tomb of this high grade personality
show that he remains in the hearts of our people. As Hafez, had
said,” Never will die who has a heart full of LOVE”
But I think it is worth to remember what he was saying about his
death in a strange land and accept it as a testament.
It is a big privilege that we have a cultural lever as MTCF and
try to bring his last dream to come true. He has the right that
his body’s fragrance and scent not just reach from here
to his homeland, but have the chance to be spread there.
He loved Afghanistan as he was saying with all his body blood
and fleshes.
Morghe delam ze koi tu dur ast wa ruz wa shab
Faryad me konad ke:Khodaya Watan Watan!
An English translation very roughly:
The bird of my heart is far away from your ally, day and night,
Crying all the time: Ah! God, my homeland my homeland!
I think that it is worth to remember what he was saying about
his last wishes:
Dar ghorbat agar marg begirad badan e man,
Aya ki kand qabr wa ki dozad kafan e man?
Tabut e mara bar sar e kohi begozarid,
Ta bad borad boi mara dar watan e man!
An English translation very roughly:
If death come upon of my body in a strange land,
Who would dig my grave, and who would sow my shroud?
Put my coffin on a high mountain,
That wind takes my scant to my homeland!
The best regards for all of you.
Seddiq Rahpoe Tarzi
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some headings to help visitors to write
us their ideas;
....Aman Ullah looked to a future for Afghanistan in the modern world and constantly learning modern ways from his father-in-law, Mahmud Tarzi.
....Mahmud Tarzi had made a reputation for perceptive satiring writing while his noble family was in exile in Syria and Turkiye during the reign of Aman Ullah's grandfather.
....Like all Afghans, Aman Ullah and Mahmud Tarzi were concerned, in connection with the world war in Europe, mainly with Turkiye.
....Aman Ullah, through Mahmud Tarzi,had emotional
ties with a special group of Turks, those who called themselves
Young Turks. One of their party, authors as John Stuart Mill,
another author whom the young Turks read was Mahmud Tarzi, whose
unpublished satiric works were circulating underground...
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We are pleased to announce of ''the role
of Afghan Intellectuals in Modernisation and Independence from
Britain'' has been released for MTCF,written by prof. Bashir Sakhawarz.
Mahmud Tarzi Cultural Foundation will add part of this paper continuosly
in this page.
