Mohammad Yousuf Azraq
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Yousf Azraq was an Afghan
historian and writer who wrote about Afghanistan's history
and as well as cultural and theological backgrounds of South Asia
and Middle East
.
and therefore his maternal uncle made sure Azraq achieved his goals. Azraq was enrolled at the military cadet school of Kabul in 1950 and graduated from Aeiral University with outstanding results and thenceforth was given an honorary scholarship
to further his education in the then Soviet Union
. Upon arrival to Afghanistan, Azraq joined the Afghan Air Force
as navigator; however, his main interest was writing as he never stopped it. During his lifetime he produced a number of books and numerous scholarly papers ranging from historical, cultural, religious, social and political events of Afghanistan to literary and poetic
works. The tragic and untimely death of Azraq occurred when a rocket hit close to his office in the civil war of the early 1990s.
of hegemonic rules and sympathized with a leftest vision in the struggle against the overhang of hegemonic and imperialist forces. He saw the prosperity of Afghans in abandoning the false and mythical realization of their ethnic backgrounds and supported the notion of a collective belonging to Afghanistan regardless of ethnic or racial divides. Azraq despised the opportunist and changing political posture of Afghanistan's politics and sternly criticised its paradoxical nature. He spiritedly and diligently wrote about the virtues and goodness of Islam
which he deemed as one of the most important means in uniting Afghans. He saw religion as a collective identity which was at the same time indispensable and essential in the reunification of harmony
, brotherhood, human rights
, cooperation etc. in social relations within the society. Azraq investigated and studied the lives and achievements of the great Afghan philosophers, poets and political activists such as Ali Sher Nawai, Jamal al-Din al-Afghani
, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
and other luminary figures. Azraq's latest work was about non-Montheistic religions of the world; unfortunately his permature death did not spare him the joy and zeal to publish that masterpiece of collections. Attempts were made during the reign of the Taliban to publish the book, but the radical movement of Taliban sternly opposed the book's publishing.
Demographics of Afghanistan
The population of Afghanistan is around 29,835,392 as of the year 2011, which is unclear if the refugees living outside the country are included or not. The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between...
historian and writer who wrote about Afghanistan's history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and as well as cultural and theological backgrounds of South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Life
Mohammad Yousuf Azraq was born in a peasant family in Logar province of Afghanistan. His father was a farmer and he lost his mother when he was 10 years old. Azraq had an ardent interest for education and knowledgeKnowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
and therefore his maternal uncle made sure Azraq achieved his goals. Azraq was enrolled at the military cadet school of Kabul in 1950 and graduated from Aeiral University with outstanding results and thenceforth was given an honorary scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to further his education in the then Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Upon arrival to Afghanistan, Azraq joined the Afghan Air Force
Afghan Air Force
The Afghan Air Force , formerly the Afghan National Army Air Corps and Afghan National Army Air Force , is one of seven "corps" of the military of Afghanistan, responsible for air defense and air warfare. It was officially established in 1924 and for most of its history has functioned as a small...
as navigator; however, his main interest was writing as he never stopped it. During his lifetime he produced a number of books and numerous scholarly papers ranging from historical, cultural, religious, social and political events of Afghanistan to literary and poetic
Poetic
Poetic may refer to:* Poetry, or a relation thereof.* Too Poetic, a deceased rapper and hip hop producer....
works. The tragic and untimely death of Azraq occurred when a rocket hit close to his office in the civil war of the early 1990s.
Politics and Works
Azraq was an outspoken criticCritic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
of hegemonic rules and sympathized with a leftest vision in the struggle against the overhang of hegemonic and imperialist forces. He saw the prosperity of Afghans in abandoning the false and mythical realization of their ethnic backgrounds and supported the notion of a collective belonging to Afghanistan regardless of ethnic or racial divides. Azraq despised the opportunist and changing political posture of Afghanistan's politics and sternly criticised its paradoxical nature. He spiritedly and diligently wrote about the virtues and goodness of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
which he deemed as one of the most important means in uniting Afghans. He saw religion as a collective identity which was at the same time indispensable and essential in the reunification of harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, brotherhood, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, cooperation etc. in social relations within the society. Azraq investigated and studied the lives and achievements of the great Afghan philosophers, poets and political activists such as Ali Sher Nawai, Jamal al-Din al-Afghani
Jamal al-Din al-Afghani
Sayyid Muḥammad ibn Ṣafdar Husaynī , better known as Sayyid Jamāl-ad-Dīn al-Afghānī and Sayyid Jamal-ad-Din Asadabadi , , was a political activist and Islamic ideologist in the Muslim world during the late 19th century, particularly in the Middle East, South Asia and Europe...
, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī , also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī and popularly known as Mevlānā in Turkey and Mawlānā in Iran and Afghanistan but known to the English-speaking world simply as Rumi was a 13th-century Persian Muslim poet, jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic...
and other luminary figures. Azraq's latest work was about non-Montheistic religions of the world; unfortunately his permature death did not spare him the joy and zeal to publish that masterpiece of collections. Attempts were made during the reign of the Taliban to publish the book, but the radical movement of Taliban sternly opposed the book's publishing.
Publications
- History of Afghan Independence (1990)
- Non-Monotheistic Religions
- Islamic Cultural and Academic Institutions of Afghanistan (1990)
- Acquaintance with the Holy Quran (1992)