Islamabad-based writers and intellectuals paid tributes to two great German women scholars and proponents of peace and human harmony – Professor Dr Annemarie Schimmel and Elsa Kazi – whom people of Sindh call “Mother Elsa and Mother Schimmel ” due to respect and reverence.
In an intellectual gathering titled, “A tribute to two great German souls” organised by the Pakistan Intellectual Forum (PIF), Islamabad on Saturday, noted jurist and author, Khadim Hussain Abro read out his research paper on Mother Kazi and said that she was born in a small village in Germany.
It was in London that she met late Allama I I Kazi, a great scholar and philosopher, by sheer chance and developed a lifelong association. The couple was married in Germany in 1910. The couple continued to propagate Islam in London.
He said, “Since she had no children of her own, but all the students of University of Sindh Jamshoro and all the residents of Sindh call her Mother Elsa even today.”
In order to pay perpetual tribute to her an old campus of the University of Sindh, which is located in Hyderabad, was named after her.
Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, followed suit and established a girls hostel and named after her. She now lies buried along with Allama I I Kazi in the Campus of Sindh University in Jamshoro.
Another speaker Khadim Hussian Soomro, research scholar and author, spoke about the life and literary contribution of Professor Dr Annemarie Schimmel whom the inhabitants of Sindh out of love and affection call “Amarr Shammel” and said that she made an unparalleled contribution to culture, mysticism and other areas of social sciences and humanity in Pakistan, particularly, in Sindhi language.
Soomro said that she was a practicing Sufi and great disciple of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Her mastery over Sindhi language and literature and her appreciation and interpretation of Shah Jo Risalo made her sweet mother of every soul in Sindh.
“Like Mother Elsa Kazi, this mother also idolised each and everything of Sindh. They worshiped Sindh and in return the people of Sindh regard them as their mothers.”
In the end, Hashim Abro of PIF, who conducted the stage, recited a famous poem “Neem Tree” by Mother Elsa Kazi which is reflective of her intense love for trees, herbs, shrubs and environment of Sindh and he also read out a few insightful and thought provoking paragraphs from Professor Dr Annemarie Schimmel’s literary and mystic masterpieces.
He floated a resolution which was endorsed by all audience in the literary gathering in which they requested the provincial government to establish any educational or literary institute or library in the memory of Dr Annemarie Schimmel somewhere in the province.
