Amina Nazli

Amina Begam (1914 – February 2, 1996; Urdu: آمنہ نازلی), better known by her pen name Amina Nazli, was an Urdu-language writer, editor, and feminist activist in Pakistan. She was daughter-in-law of Allama Rashid ul Khairi, and the mother of prominent jurist Haziqul Khairi.[1]

Biography

Amina Nazli was the pen name of Amina Begam, who was born in 1914 in Uttar Pradesh.[1][2] She passed the Adib-i-Fazil examinations, an equivalent to a bachelor's degree, at the University of the Punjab.[2][3] In 1929, she married Raziq-ul-Khairi, son of the prominent writer and women's rights activist Rashid ul Khairi.[4][5]

Nazli began writing in earnest in the 1940s, part of a new generation of fiction writers in the region.[4][5][6] She was known for writing Urdu-language short stories, and she was also one of Pakistan's few women playwrights at the time.[5][7][8] Her writing at times dealt with the trauma of displacement, drawing on her own experiences,[8] and sometimes veered into the satirical.[9] She published several books of short stories and plays over the course of her career.[1] In addition, she produced several books on women's handicrafts and cooking, including the popular cookbook Ismati Dastarkhwan, which compiled recipes from the women of Awadh.[1][2][7][8]

She was also an editor, helming the women's social and literary magazine Ismat from 1979 until her death, having previously contributed to the journal under her father-in-law's editorship.[1][4][10] Under her leadership, the publication increasingly incorporated political news updates both from Pakistan and from around the world.[11] From 1977 to 1982, she also edited the monthly publication Johar-e-niswan.[2]

Nazli was a feminist who advocated for women's rights among Muslim communities in the Indian subcontinent.[4] She eventually settled in Karachi, where she was credited with helping to foster a liberal environment.[12] She died there in 1996.[1] After her death, her son Haziqul Khairi published Amina Nazli ke Muntakhib Afsane Aur Drame, a selection of her short stories and plays.[4][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Amina Nazli - Profile & Biography". Rekhta. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  2. ^ a b c d "Aamna Nazli Biography | آمنہ نازلی". Urdu Notes (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  3. ^ Women's Year Book of Pakistan. Ladies Forum Publications. 1993. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  4. ^ a b c d e "COLUMN: A feminist in her day". Dawn. 2008-09-27. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  5. ^ a b c Ali, Azra Asghar (2000). The Emergence of Feminism Among Indian Muslim Women, 1920-1947. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-579152-5. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  6. ^ Parwaaz: A Selection of Urdu Short Stories by Women. Kali for Women. 1996. ISBN 978-81-85107-40-0. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  7. ^ a b Safvi, Rana (2017-10-24). "By the Ladies of Awadh: The Ismati Dastarkhwan is your go-to for dahi ke kebab". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  8. ^ a b c d Hussein, Aamer (2013-12-29). "COLUMN: Forgotten literary past". Dawn. Archived from the original on 2022-03-10. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  9. ^ The Pakistan Review. Ferozsons Limited. 1955. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  10. ^ South Asian Studies. Centre for South Asian Studies, University of the Punjab. 2005. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  11. ^ "Writers, academics celebrate 105th anniversary of women's magazine". The Regional Times of Sindh. 2012-05-28.
  12. ^ "The city's unsung women are its real heroes, say rights activists". South Asian Media Net. 2014-11-25.