اردو تدوینِ متن کی علمی روایت: ڈاکٹر خلیق انجم کی ’’متنی تنقید‘‘ کا تحقیقی مطالعہ

THE SCHOLARLY TRADITION OF URDU TEXTUAL EDITING: A RESEARCH STUDY OF DR. KHALIQ ANJUM’S “MATNI TANQEED”

Abstract

This article critically examines Dr. Khaliq Anjum’s seminal work Matni Tanqeed in the context of Urdu textual scholarship and research methodology. The study explores the major dimensions of textual criticism, including the concepts of textual editing, authenticity of manuscripts, textual reconstruction, and the scientific principles of editing classical Urdu texts. Dr. Khaliq Anjum introduced the term Matni Tanqeed as an Urdu equivalent of Textual Criticism and established a systematic framework for textual research in Urdu studies. The article highlights his views regarding the preservation of original texts, identification of interpolations, and correction of textual distortions caused by scribal and editorial errors. It further analyzes the stages of textual editing proposed by the author, such as collection of material, textual correction, conjectural emendation, and higher criticism. The paper also discusses the qualities required in a textual editor and evaluates the scholarly significance of the book for contemporary researchers. In addition, the study critically reviews certain limitations of the work, including proofreading issues and terminological complexity. The article concludes that Matni Tanqeed remains a pioneering contribution to Urdu research methodology and continues to serve as an essential source for scholars working in the field of textual editing and literary research.