A Research Study of Lliterary Services of Nawab Muhammad Sharif Khan

Abstract

Nawab Muhammad Sharif Khan remained ruler of princely state of Dir. He had inclination towards literary activities as well. Some people may not agree with some of his political policies that he adopted during his reign but his contribution in literary field cannot be denied. They had love for learned and literary people due to which individuals with scholarly qualities were part of his court. In his era, he remained engaged in armed conflicts with internal and external forces. He had to cope with conspiracies and rebellion within the State. However, despite all these odds, he was able to contribute in the literary field as well. His endeavours in this regard are of great importance and it contributed towards promoting Pashtu language. In this research article, a review of the literary works is given that were written, translated and published with the support of Nawab Muhammad Sharif Khan. These literary services were “Manaqib Hazart Akhun Ilyas” by Muhammad Sharif Swati, “Shahana Ferdosi” (Pastu Translation) by Maulvi Muhammad Rafiq, “Tehzibul Islam alias Tuhfa Sharifia” by Qazi Irfan Uddin and “Sahifa Zareen” by Prag Narien Bhargo”. This study will reveal the personality traits of Nawab Sharif Khan, his administrative skills, generosity, love for knowledge and his literary taste.