A Critical Appreciation of Rahman Abbas’s Zindeeq: Ideology, Narrative Style, and Cultural Discourse رحمٰن عباس کے ناول ’زندیق‘ کی تنقیدی تحسین

Abstract

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Rehman Abbas is counted among those writers who rose to prominence during the second decade of the twenty-first century, especially after being awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award. His novel Zindeeq became the subject of a critical article in which his ideological approach has been closely examined—an approach that not only informed the writing of Zindeeq, but also shaped several of his other works.Rehman Abbas writes with a particular ideological lens, one that aligns with the vision of Hindutva or the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)—an ideology that envisions India solely as a homeland for Hindus. In such a vision, Brahminical supremacy prevails, with Brahmin Hindus enjoying absolute authority and political control, while followers of other religions are expected to convert to Hinduism and live under the Brahminical hierarchy. This ideological construct imagines a ‘Hindu Kingdom,’ a monocultural society with a singular religious identity, a singular flag, and unchallenged Brahmin dominance.It is this very ideology that underpins the narrative architecture of Zindeeq. The author appears, at times, as a promoter—if not a mere reflector—of the Hindutva worldview. Rehman Abbas has composed this sprawling and thematically dense novel in a style reminiscent of the Biblical narrative. The novel delves into themes such as sexuality, sexual freedom, sex itself, and LGBTQ identities. It also engages with Indian politics reminiscent of the BJP-era discourse and attempts to portray love as a central motif within its vast textual landscape.One of the central characters in the novel, Sanāullah, is modeled upon the modern Urdu poet Meeraji, and in fact, Zindeeq incorporates or references several of Meeraji’s poems as intertextual elements.This critical article makes a rigorous attempt to explore and illuminate the many dimensions of the novel. It also scrutinizes the author’s artistic ability, evaluating his command over his craft—a mastery that appears to be the result of deep literary discipline and creative perseverance.

Keywords: Literature, Novel, Ideology, Rahman Abbas, Zindeeq, Politics, Love, Romanticism, Style, Allusion, Bible, Sanaullah, Meeraji, Ganga-Jamuni Culture, Urdu, Shared Culture, Hindu, Muslim Characters, Imagination, Reality, Religion, Minority, The Call of the Sea.