In this time of hot debates around Muslim identity, Urdu critic SR Faruqi’s first novel, Kai Chaand Thhe Sar-e-Aasmaan casts interesting light on the Indo-Muslim literary culture and social world of the early nineteenth century. The story centres around Wazir Khanam, mother of the famous poet, Dagh Dehlavi, who takes a series of lovers and husbands, including Metcalfe and a Mughal prince, Mirza Mughal. A historical fiction moving through Rajasthan, Kashmir, Delhi and Rampur, the book subverts the impulse for narrow dogmatism in contemporary views of Islam.

In the words of famous critic, Intizar Hussain this sort of novel has come out after a very long time setting the literary society of India and Pakistan aflame. It should be compared with the Umrao Jaan Ada.