Thursday, December 30, 2010

Miyan and Mathematics

Miyan was not a mathematician. Headline out of the way.

There is a namesake of Miyan. His name is Muhammed Ahmed. He has retired from the office of the Department of Community Medicine. Earlier he worked in the office of the Department of Mathematics. When he came to know about Miyan's hospitalization he said that Miyan is his teacher.

A teacher? Miyan a teacher?
"He taught me mathematics", Mr Muhammed Ahmed Number Two added.
Problem compounded. Are we talking about the same person? Miyan was a journalist, dabbled in politics, in Bombay but mathematics? Can not be.

But Waseem Babu clarified that too. Yes before coming to service, which he did very late, Miyan also did private teaching. Good Lord. So Ghalib and Dagh had a competitors for Miyan's time and so may other disciplines.

Miyan used to visit late Professor Kazim Rizwi Sahab, the former head of Mathematics Department, in whose time the present Mathematics Department building was designed. Those who are familiar with his personality will tell us that Miyan had picked up, or naturally had, may characteristics of late Professor. For example a penchant for mentoring, grooming, shaping and bringing up people. It is different story to document the stories of the people who were polished in the Khanwadah of Professor Rizwi.

Miyan had a story about Professor Kazim Rizwi sahab. Once a student failed by a very short margin and was on the verge of losing a year because of the paper whose answer books were checked by Professor Rizwi. Professor Rizwi was firm that there is no margin for passing the student, it not possible, it can not be done. The person recommending the case must have been a Friend of Allah. He said get me just a minute with Professor Rizwi. He was given time. He said to Professor Rizwi, "Sir, we shall enter Jannah on the basis of recommendation and intercession and you any way shall go there on the basis of your deeds. We shall be together, Lord willing." Hearing this Professor Rizwi exclaimed and immediately asked for the answer books to be brought and made the poor student among the once who had passed the paper.

May Lord have Mercy on these people of pure habits.