Urdu-knowing Muslims have become a rare breed nowadays.

Urdu knowing Muslims have become a rare breed nowadays. By Justice Markandey Katju
Urdu knowing Muslims have become a rare breed nowadays. By Justice Markandey Katju

By Justice Markandey Katju

Most Muslims cannot pronounce Urdu words ( leave aside knowing the Urdu script ) like afeem, andaaz, azad, aziz, afsos, aftaab, azaan, ahmaq, baagh, nazm, bukhaar, bazaar, harf, izaafa, ikhlaaq, ikhlaas, ishq, intikhaab, khabar, khyaal, khair, khasta, khaali, khushbu, khuda, khoobsurat, kaafi, khwaab, khaandaan, khilafat, lihaaz, zaroori, zubaan, fehmi, fiza, farmaya, firaq, ghazal, Ghalib, ghaflat, ghalat, guzar, gulzar, ghulam, ghairat, gham, gustaakhi, ghazab, guftagu, haqeeqat, qurbat, zabardast, zinda, zanjeer, zalzala, zarra, fizool, farishta, farokht, maazarat, mukhtalif, mashriq, maghrib, mukhbir, mukhatib, murgh, nazakat, nafasat, namaaz, nawaz, nawazish, nazdeek, shayari, saaqi, shakhs, Siddique, daftar, khamosh, koshish, roz, qayamat, Qatar, talkh, khwamkhwa, waqt, taaza, tashreef, talaffuz, tafteesh, rekhta, raftaar, qubool, shuru, etc.

They will pronounce these words as jaroor, jabardast, khusbu, ajad, gajab, gajal, jinda, galat, saayari, gulam, andaaj, khaali, taaja, suru, khuda, etc.

Some cannot even pronounce their own names properly.

And they claim it is their language.

Justice Katju sings Bangla hastakshep

About the Author

Justice Markandey Katju
Markandey Katju is an Indian jurist and former Supreme Court judge of India who served as chairman of the Press Council of India. He is the founder and patron of the Indian Reunification Association (IRA), an organisation that advocates for the peaceful reunification of what is now Pakistan and Bangladesh with India under a secular government.