Identifications of Mullah Qutlug and Rustam
Mullah Qutlug. Mullah Qutlug was a Bukharan who had spent considerable time in Moscow, Russia and was very fond of reading. He refused to wear a turban while in Bukharan .He sits and reads in his place in Bukhara where he intends on reading in his vacations but Rustam takes him lang to meet some acquaintances.
There Mullah Qutlug discusses that Bedil who was a revered poet, was not fully understood because people concentrated on his words alone and not the ideas in his poetry. Then he explains the radical ideas of Bedil.
Qutlug was of the opinion that the West had progressed while the East had been stuck in the past and did not strive hard enough. The East was still in its ‘opium dreams’. Even the Russian laborers had on the other hand fought back. Thus Qutlug strongly believes that it is val that one has power, because power is a tool by which oppression and injustice can be fought against.
Rustam. Rustam was a friend of Qutlug who asked him thought provoking questions and also acted as a guide for him. He is a good natured friend who advises Mullah Qutlug to change his attire while in Bukhran and yet does not insist on it.
But when Qutlug explains the radical meaning of Bedil’s words, Rustam has fierce emotions and even says that if it were the olden times he would have killed Qutlug.
He strongly opposes the revolutionary and progressive ideas that Qutlug explained in Bedil’s poetry. His opposition even seems violent but in the end he does nothing violent and leaves the gathering along with Qutlug in an amiable manner.
