ARIF ABDUL MATIN’S CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Keywords:
Possibilities, Reformative Literature, Progressiveness, Freedom of Thought, Islam and Pakistan, Symbolism in Poetry, Universality in Humanity, Impact and Effectiveness, Objectiveness, Progressive criticAbstract
Professor Arif Abdul Mateen has rendered many services to Urdu literature. He is famous
not only for his poetry but as a critic as well. In this article, Arif Abdul Mateen has been
examined in the context of his critical views. In the book “Imkanaat” he expressed his view
as a critic very candidly. The book “Imkanaat” has given him fame and respect as a critic
which no other literary works have given to him. In 1944, his first essay as a critic was
published in Urdu Journal “AI-HiIaI” published from Amratser. Arif Abdul Mateen can be
considered as a progressive critic. He has always promoted progressive ideas in his
criticism rather we should say that progressivism seems to flourish in his writings.
Progressive movement supported the rights of proletariats, downtrodden, formers and labor
classes. The focus of this movement was to create literary work for endorsement of equal
rights for all express disdain against inequality. Arif Abdul Mateen’s awareness as a critic is
colossal and, he always focuses on importance of universal human reverence and respect. In
his views, humanity and mankind has higher place in the world. He also believes, a man has
inclination for the region where he lives. According to Arif Abdullah there are various
aspects of criticism and they are different in nature. He treats these different genres of art in
different ways. He has studied both classical and contemporary aspects of criticism. In his
opinion, the most important thing in his critical aspect is the emancipation of individual.
