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Namal by Nimra ahmed

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Namal - one of the most awaited Urdu Novel is finally completed. Namal is a blockbuster Urdu masterpiece of Ms. Nimra Ahmed. Namal is an Urdu novel written by Nimra Ahmed. The writer of this book Ms. Nimra Ahmed is the 2nd most selling female author after Umera Ahmed. Nimra Ahmed has previously written more Urdu novels that were gone viral. Namal Urdu novel was also published in an Urdu Digest in parts/episodes which are recently completed and transcribed into a book. Namal Urdu Novel is the story of goodness and badness. Nimra Ahmed began writing this story in 2006. The story is inspired by the famous Shahzeb Khan and NAB officer Kamran Faisal murder cases. Both were killed by the elite classes, but no one got justice from the Judicial system of Pakistan. Nimra Ahmed has spotlighted such a differences of the Judicial system for the lower class as well as for the upper-class families. The purpose of this novel is to make people feel the badness and goodness. Namal Novel is the longest Urdu novel of Nimra Ahmed. The book is divided into the 30 segments. Nimra Ahmed's novel Namal has the following thirty stories;

1192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2014

508 people are currently reading
4823 people want to read

About the author

Nemrah Ahmed

26 books1,301 followers
Nimra Ahmed Khan is a writer. Nemrah ahmed (also known as nimra ahmed or nemrah niazi) is a young pakistani novelist۔ She is the CEO of "Zanjabeel". Her first novel was published in Khwateen Digest.

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5 stars
2,252 (75%)
4 stars
476 (16%)
3 stars
141 (4%)
2 stars
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51 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 368 reviews
Profile Image for Aneela ♒the_mystique_reader♒.
179 reviews125 followers
February 7, 2017
10 stars!!! I love love love this novel so much!

Interesting and captivating story...

Starting from "Hamara Saadi" with somewhere between " Mai Haneen hun", this novel made me fall in love with it.

Be it Faras Ghazi's strategies and cold humor; (churail) Zumar's attitude and intelligence; Haneen's nerdiness and oh yes my favourite Saadi's righteousness and his stern belief in justice and equality, I love everything about this novel.

The Kardars are equally good. I must say they are the best villains in urdu novel history.

Adorned with chunks of urdu duplets and translations of english poems, this novel is amazing and worth reading.

Profile Image for areeba ✿.
123 reviews1,018 followers
May 3, 2025
i've read a fair number of books, but trust me, so very few stories have ever come close to this level of creativity and storytelling. nemrah you absolute GOAT 😭💅🏻

i wish i could translate this and force feed it down everyone's throat, cause some popular english books are so freaking MID and people are praising them for being life changing and i wanna scream like NO NO NO this is one of the greatest pieces of storytelling ever. THIS RIGHT HERE. LOOK HERE.

anyhow, to my non-urdu friends. let me explain what this is about:

the story is actually a really complex matrix and summarizing it can do injustice to it. but to get a gist, here it goes:

faris ghazi (an intelligence officer) is convicted of the murder of his wife, his step-brother, and attempted murder of his relative zumar yousuf.

his nephew saadi yousuf is convinced of his innocence and ultimately gets him out of jail. on the other hand, saadi’s aunt zumar (the woman whose murder was allegedly attempted by faris), who also happens to be a district attorney, lost her kidneys in the assault and is convinced that faris is guilty.

the actual guilty one is hashim (a relative of faris) who, apart from being an accomplished lawyer, owns an inherited oil cartel. hashim murdered faris’s step-brother in order to hide his corruption cases and in order to cover his tracks, and created the scenario in which zumar was shot and faris’s wife was murdered.

our story begins on the day when saadi gets faris out of jail. and thus begins the story of murder and revenge.

it's a 1000+ page mammoth of a novel and i've barely scratched the story. the characters are SO enriched, the story does not bore you for one single second, there's a vast cast of characters, the plot twists are to DIE FOR, everything ends up being connected so BEAUTIFULLY ugh and the romance? TO DIE FOR. THE SLOW BURNNNNNNN

LIKE OUR MAIN COUPLE IS ZUMAR AND FARIS. SHE THINKS HE ATTEMPTED HER MURDER. AND HATES HIM. HE IS CONTEMPTUOUS OF THE FACT THAT SHE PUT HIM IN JAIL (but is actually gone for her from day one). the tension, the chemistry, the DIALOGUES 😭😭😭😭😭 LIKE HE'S THE GRUMPY MASTERMIND AND SHE'S THE INTELLIGENT ATTORNEY dskhfjdheurgtukgjdfgnklsj dying. AND THEY PLAY THE GOOD COP, BAD COP TOGETHER my parents.

but more than that, there’s so so much to learn about justice, revenge, and most of all — FAMILY.

and FARIS 😭😭😭😭? i would die for him 😭 his dialogues, "2 number aadmi", "astaghfirullah", HIS DRESSING SENSE — uff. my man, my MAN, MY MANNNNNNNNN.

AND THE CHAPTER NAMES? no chapter names have ever chapter named like that 😭😭😭

my lame attempt at translating my favourite zumar/faris moment 😭🙏🏻🤡:

“تمہیں مجھ سے نفرت نہیں ہوتی؟”
“مجھے آپ سے نفرت کیوں ہوگی؟”
“میں نے تمہیں چار سال پہلے قید میں ڈالا تھا۔”
“آپ نے مجھے سات سال پہلے قید میں ڈالا تھا۔”

“Don’t you hate me?”
“Why would I hate you?”
“I imprisoned you four years ago.”
“You imprisoned me seven years ago.”


she's talking about putting him in jail 4 years ago, but he's talking about him falling in love with her 7 years ago (hence the "imprisonment") BYE I'M CRYING.

my beloved book <3
Profile Image for Mahnoor Naseer.
1 review6 followers
February 15, 2018
Is kitaab say mujhay bohat say sabaq milay, kuch aesay jo zindagi bhar shayad ab meray sath rahain gay:

1. Jo bhi ho jaye, apnay khaandaan say kabhi kisi cheez ko raaz main na rakho, chahay sacchae kitni h takleef day kyun na ho. Apnay morchaal main har shakhs ko aik barabar tarjeeh day kar sirf aur sirf sacchae aur bharoosay mandi ka sahara lo.

2. Intaqam ka maidaan chahay insaan ko kitna bhi wase'e lagay uska daira akhir main tang h hota ha. Jo silsila aik kari say shuru hota hai wo na tamaam karriyon say bila irada h jurta chala jata hai. Aur is daur main koi bhi shakhs shareef ya be gunnah nahi hota. Har koi apna apna hissa daal kar agay barhnay ki koshish to karta ha lekin a'amaal peecha nahin chortay, aur makafat e amal har kisi k naseeb main likha hota ha.

3. Iskay bar aks insaaf, insaaf bhalay h is zamanay main mushkil say milta ho par usko paa kar insaan ko is baat ka khauf nahi rehta k koi uski taak lagaye betha hai. Insaaf milay ya na milay, jo usko haasil karnay k liye sirf jado jehed h kar letay hain be sukooni kabhi bhi unka mukaddar nahi banti.

4. Aurat ho to khud ko insaaf k liye awaaz uthanay say is khauf say mat roko k izzat pay harf aye ga, log to bilawaja bhi tumhari izzat na karnay k bahanay ghar letay hain.

5. Zindagi main agar koi ghalati karo to usko own karna seekho. Maafi mang lo, magar apnay guilt ki waja say apni kotahiyon ko cover up karnay ka khatra mol na lo. Kyun k ye tumharay liye mazeed ghalatiyan karnay k dar khol sakta hai.
Profile Image for Yusra يسریٰ  .
67 reviews42 followers
April 30, 2024
"اب کہ ہم بچھڑے تو شاید خوابوں میں ملیں
جس طرح سوکھے ہوے پھول کتابوں میں ملیں"

Writing
Kinda poetic but really easy to read and understand. I loved the start of every POV which began in a unique and beautiful way.

Pace
Bad. really bad. The only thing the pace did was create pain and frustration in me. When you jumped to "Two months later", WHY THE HELL DID YOU HAVE TO SHOW THE EVENTS OF THOSE TWO MONTHS NOW? COULD YOU NOT DO IT DURING THOSE TWO MONTHS? Because that not only made me extremely angry, but I also lost all my interest and wanted to skim the little passages of "One month ago". And if this had happened once or twice, I wouldve been fine. BUT 500, Im not even kidding, Five HUNDRED PAGES of this whole book were shown as past scenes. consecutively. I understand they were a very important part of the story but there are other ways of presenting them yk...

Storyline/tropes-?
it was pretty interesting ngl. All those schemes were amazing. Howeverrr, 80% of the time, it felt like Ms Nemrah Ahmed couldnt find anyy way to keep the plot going other than creating misunderstandings between characters. I was so friking DONE with it all but had to go on for the amazing characters.

Characters

Saadi (Angel)
کچھ زخم صدیوں بعد تازہ رہتے ہیں۔
وقت کے پاس بھی تمام بیماریوں کا علاج نہیں ہوتا۔
I dont think I can describe how AMAZING Saadi was. Every single thing he said was just perfectt and his thoughts, the way he talked and ofc his attitude towards his mother lol. His POVs were something I alwayss looked forward to. His interpretation of the verses of Quran were so enlightening but were a little overwhelming sometimes. Ppl say he changed as the story progressed but I think he's still our same old Saadi with his deep way of thinking and sarcasm. Oh and and his flirting skills. How can I forget thosee-

Haneen (Hanna)
"I am my own hero"
This genius had me screaming, crying and laughing. She's so shameless I love itt. my favourite thing about her is her love for food. Even in the most serious situation, she'll first get her precious food and THEN do something. And the way she literally CRUSHED everyone who even tried to hurt her was awesome. Saadi was great, but Haneen's character was better.

Faris (2 number admi)
اپنے ہی ہوتے ہیں جو دل پر وار کرتے ہیں
غیروں کو کیا پتا دل کس بات پر دُکھا ہے
Another genius. I love how savage he is and how he loves his wife. And their banterrr>>. Anything goes wrong, Faris "sambhal le ga". Also, his "Astaghfirullah" dialogues were the besttt.

Zumar (churail)
"There is good in everyone. we just need to bring it out"
Lets start with how much I HATED her. I think her character was overdone and she tried too hard to look like a "strong" woman. her ignorance annoyed me so muchh I wanted to strangle herr. Most of time she sounded so selfishh and not once did she think rationally. sorry to burst your bubble Zumar but other people also have feelings. but I must sayy the lawyer part of her was rlly cool. I do like her thoughh (ilyt Memz <33)

Hashim (Grim Reaper)
خالی ہاتھوں کو کبھی دیکھا ہے؟
کس طرح لوگ لکیروں سے نکل جاتے ہیں
first of all, I have a question for all the girls who have a crush on this guy. ARE YOU BLIND? If I could kill one character in the most brutal way possible, it would be him. How could he even look into Nidrat's eyes after what he did?

The Ending
I LOVED it. it was the perfect realistic ending and I learned so much by the ending alone.

Conclusion
definitely worth a try. I just wish there was an English version. There were so many lessons in this one book. (ignore the fact that it was the size of 3)
Profile Image for Sidra.
116 reviews24 followers
May 23, 2017
Nimra Ahmed's new novel Namal is an intricate tale of murder and revenge revolving around Surah Namal of the Holy Quran. Namal is a novel full of suspense and surprises.

Namal is a carefully spun mesh work of interwoven threads that are unraveled to the reader slowly and gradually. With the right amount of humor, suspense that keeps you glued and a story that you'll remember for a long long time, Namal really touched my heart. The lessons, the quotes and most importantly the elaboration of Quranic verses won me over.

From Saadi's intellect to Haneen's evil genius. From Faris' subtle humor to Zumar's stubborn attitude. From Baray Aba's subtle taunts to Nudrat Behan's never-ending complains. From Hashim's I'll-handle-it-all attitude to Jawaharat's cunning nature. From Abdar's precise scheming to Nosherwan's wounded little ego. Somewhere along these lines I fell in love with the characters. However, Saadi and Fairs Taheer Ghazi stood out as my favourite characters.

I highly highly recommend this to each and everyone. Such great pieces are rarely penned down.

The book comprises of somewhere around 1600 pages and comes as a hardback. This makes it really hard to handle. It gave me a sprained wrist but needless to say in the end it was all worth it.

Concluding it with one of my favourite lines (among many others) from the book.

یہ آیاتِ نحل ہمیں سکھاتی ہیں کہ جیسے گوبر اور خون کے درمیان سے پاکیزہ چیز نکل سکتی ہے ‘ اور جیسے انگور اور کھجور سے ناپاک شے بن سکتی ہے ‘ ویسے ہی شہد کی مکھی کے راستوں کو مشکل بنانے والی چیزوں کا صحیح یا غلط استعمال آپ کے ہاتھ میں ہے. مگر اتنا یاد رکھئے گا ‘ کہ جو آپ کے نصیب میں ہے ‘وہ آپ کو ضرور ملے گا۔ چاہے حرام سے ‘ چاہے حلال سے۔ لیکن اگر آپ اس کو حرام سے لینے کی کوشش کریں گے ‘ تو الله آپ کے حلال کی لذت لے لے گا.
کچھ میاں بیوی پسند کی شادی کے باوجود بڑی ناخوش زندگی گزار رہے ہوتے ہیں‘ کبھی سوچا ہے کیوں؟ کیونکہ وہ شادی سے پہلے سب حرام سے لے چکے ہوتے ہیں‘ جو بعد میں ان کو مل ہی جانا تھا‘ اس لئے ان کے حلال کی مٹھاس ختم ہو جاتی ہے۔ آپ کسی کے ساتھ ‘ بھلے اپنے منگیتر کے ساتھ ہی سیل فون پہ انوالوڈ ہیں‘ تو اتنا یاد رکھیں کہ محرم اور نا محرم کے قوانین آپ کی دلیلوں اور حیلوں بہانوں سے بدل نہیں جائیں گے۔ جو غلط ہے ‘ وہ غلط ہے۔ آپ جتنا حرام لیں گے ‘ اتنا اپنے حلال کو کھوتے جائیں گے۔‘‘
Profile Image for MaHaha (McMurder).
216 reviews22 followers
September 19, 2025
I’m not even kidding when I say this book has my whole heart. ZUMARIS are officially in my fav list and they sit at #2. I could talk about Zumar and Faris forever and ever. I would squeal when they’d even look at each other. I just love them SO MUCH.

The plot the drama the family dynamic? Listen I love every bit of it. The tension the angst? I love. It was a bit long but I would re read this a 1000 times again just to feel how I felt the first time. The other characters? They were so good. They made mistakes, they went thru stuff, realized a lot of stuff too and I was right there with them. It was soo relatable.

Soo many aspects of this book are so relatable. It felt like home. Tbh I’d skim some parts w some characters but i did not skip a single scene of Saadi. I just loved his POVs sm for some reason. He was such a sweetheart♥️

There’s so much I wanna say tbh. I feel empty after finishing this….i wanna reread again. Also as for that one character who everyone loves….yeah no. I hate. And the end made me feel a lil sad cuz I felt sad for that person. Except for that the rest of the book I absolutely loved pls!!!

UPDATE:

I’d like to add more to this cuz when I read this first I was blown away by the plot and drama and it was good. But now I’ve realized there are some things that when u think about in detail they kinda make u go ‘uhhhh what no that’s not really right’ but anyway, the book is huge and those things kinda don’t matter in the bigger picture that much.

The politics part was smth I liked cuz it was a reflection of reality. The corrupt govt and justice systems, how the justice systems don’t serve justice a lot of the time and easily people can deceive the system and get away with it. These kind of people exist irl and don’t get caught for years. Very real.

Waris was based on a NAB officer who was unalived and had twin girls…….Saadi was also based on a guy who got unalived cuz he tried to defend his family. And then the victims like Zartasha or Zumar who had nothing to do with anything but get dragged into shit anyway just so these people can get away with their corrupt shitty plans. Sara too- such a strong bad ass woman and she went thru so much. Lost so much too. And I disliked her at some points but I get her pov too.

All characters in the book were so flawed and I loved it. I loved em but also disliked em so much in some scenes. That made them so much more real. Zumar was so valid for hating everyone but some scenes she annoyed me but I get why she was the way she was. I fully get it. Same for Faris. He was this stubborn annoyed tough MMC no emotion type and that had to do with his past too and then the jail stuff and he is my love but he also said some stuff and did stuff that annoyed me. Even sheru……I like him tbh cuz he realized his mistake too and tried to fix himself.

All of the characters (not Hashim) were flawed and raw and real and i understand them. Now as for Hashim…he did not have a bad enough past for me to be able to say ‘I get where he came from and why he did all that’ cuz no. Sorry. He just did crap and never regretted it either and then faced karma.

I realized a bunch of stuff in this book and honestly it changed me a lot. It changed me so much.

Profile Image for Shabana Mukhtar.
Author 81 books176 followers
September 19, 2018
Most difficult book to review and comment.

Actually pretty difficult and heavy to read too, if you're trying to do it one sitting. I finished all 30 episodes / parts during an overnight journey to my native place. It killed me. I went at it like I used to read when I was a kid. Like a hungry person devours food who hasn't eaten for days, sees a feast in front of him.

Then I read it again. In parts. To absorb each and every details. Tremendous effort of research and detailing every aspect. Jail life, laws, court tactics, cyber tricks, and tafseer of Quran.
Is it spritual? Yes, of course. the name is after surat 'Namal' from Quran. Other surats are referred and explained as well. The Haneen's angle in particular, tackled the dilemma of young girls in detail.
Is it a murder mystery? Yes.
Is it a family drama? Yes.
Is it a romantic comedy? Yes, very subtle, and very rare sections of that, but brilliantly written.
Is it about an obssessive lover? Yes, more than one.
Is it suspense and thriller novel? Yes
Is it social & cultural novel? Yes

It is EVERYTHING rolled into one book. And it is done perfectly. That's exactly why it is a must-read.

The history repeats. Nemrah leaves you with a thought that all of this will repeat again.

What I didn't like much:
1. It sounded too much like a Jeffery Archer novel. The terminology etc. I get it, the premise was same. But I am not sure if Pakistani law is really so similar to American one? Miranda rights, first amendment, etc. anyways.
2. Too preachy in a few places. I think it was okay for per episode. But if you read it all at once, then too much to handle.

Must read, nonetheless.
Profile Image for Abeera ✯.
132 reviews48 followers
May 30, 2021
Reread No: 6373839292883
Take all my money and my life just, just give me some Namal fanfics to survive because 1190 pages and 30 chapters were just not enough for my obsessive self.
What to say about this book? This is THE BOOK OF MY LIFE. The book which is engraved into my DNA, whose words flows through my veins. You know you see those polls saying if there’s only one book you can read for the rest of your life, which one it will be? WELL CROSS MY HEART BECAUSE I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE FOR NAMAL. All of its characters, the storyline, the court drama, how the story is the character as well as plot-driven, the importance pf Family, How the Ayaats of Surah Namal is incorporated throughout the story, the manipulations, The schemes, The inner struggle, and MORALLY GREY CHARACTERS, and last but not the least, THE BEST URDU NOVEL VILLIAN EVER. If you can read Urdu and you still haven’t picked up Namal well know that you are missing the greatest thing that happened to the Urdu Novels world. 🥺🥺
I’d have written a review but as Jane Austen says
If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.
🥺♥️
____________________________________________________
AUGUST 2020 : Like I CAN write a review of namal? 🙄 I mean it’s like oxygen to me. You can’t review your oxygen supply can you? 🙄


RTC
Profile Image for Fatima Murtaza.
5 reviews9 followers
November 22, 2020
Assalam O Alaikum WRWB... Namal is the Surah of Quran Kareem means this surah is the part of this novel... So my reading experience was nice.. I read detailed TAFSEER of some Ayahs from novel which were mentioned in Novel...Namal means and Nemrah gets idea from Ants That is ANTS EVER AFTER.. and ants was soo weak in reality for example:"YOUSUFS" But soon or late the man who wins "WHO THINKS HE CAN" And the Yousufs never give up till the last of the Novel. Ya Sahibisjn Mery Qaid k Sathion i remmebered all the sentences of SAADI bcz i like it.. Ohh Haneen She is my fav character of novel.. And ZUMAR... Zumar wants justice. Faris who ever loved with Zumar yaa do number admi.... hhahe.. I like the "H" symbol it is the secret of Faris and Saadi "Tujhy ISLAM ka dawa amal shaitan jaisa h tu firon e zamana par fida HAMAN jaisa h..." KARDARS are Shatir they are very smart. Hashim Kardar is smart vilon who was always involved in the dangerous game...
I seriously had no idea it would be such a long novel.. but i read it.. This was my long journey... I Cant read any longest novel before NAMAL and after Namal... Thirrler, Fantasy, Fiction novel.. This was amazing i rated it.. #BOOKISH Book lover.....
131 reviews3 followers
January 8, 2017
After finishing the 20th part, I feel like it is starting to drag. The writer is trying to expand the plot with new twists and turns, but it seems to be slipping out of her hands. And the apparently complex and multidimensional relationships between the characters seem rather forced and give a claustrophobic impression.Like, are there no other people out there in the world?The characters just seem to bump in to each other, all the time.

Saadi's Quran commentary and introspection fails to impress. It is quite forced and philosophical at best. A person with a true understanding of the book, would not lie, cheat, extort in this manner.

Zumar albeit strong, comes across as a cold, self-centered narcissist, her main concern being for herself or her golden child, Saadi. Faris, on the other hand, seems human enough with his bravado and controlled anger.

The one redeeming quality of the novel just might be the villain, Hashim. Cunning and charming in the same breath, wreaking havoc in the lives of others, only to be manipulated and used by his mother in the end.
Profile Image for Seher Alvi.
26 reviews29 followers
June 20, 2017
Namal in a nutshell ..!!

Aahum..
Astaghfirullah
Main ek shareef admi hun
Churail..
Is khandan me koi normal nahi hai

:))
Profile Image for Mehreen Shaikh.
175 reviews5 followers
February 10, 2021
To be honest this story took time to grown on me and initially I found it hard to follow the plot. However soon I began to appreciate the small jewels of wisdom Ahmed has planted throughout the story. To begin with, the reflection on Surah Namal and how it ties into the plot and the description of Pakistan's judicial system, are worth pondering over.
Secondly, the flawed characters are the highlight of the story - none of the good guys here are portrayed as heros, whether it's Faris the angry victim or Zumar the loving phupoo/stubborn lawyer or Hanain the young computer genius or Saadi the boy next door - they are all flawed and make huge mistakes yet never let their conscious die. The story also revolves around the pain caused in the the cycle of revenge.
All in all, another masterpiece by Nemrah Ahmed
Profile Image for Iqra.
57 reviews
March 2, 2023
i read a 1488 page book in 3 days. out of these three stars, two are for me
Profile Image for Hasan_reads.
90 reviews
October 22, 2025
اس کا دل ٹوٹا تھا اور ایسا لگتا تھا کہ
ابھی تک سینے سے خون رس رہا ہو

Finally finished Namal and it was exceptional. I have read quite some Urdu novels and my personal fav until now was Bakht by Mehrunisa shahmir (And yes I have read Peer e Kamil, it is overrated) But Namal transcends it without competition.

Every character is well written and the plot is astounding.

تم اور میں اکیلے ہیں سونیا۔ مجھے سب نے دھوکا دیا ہے ۔
I feel sorry for Hashim. Ohhh How much I adore him۔ I'm not justifying his actions obviously he went overboard in revenge but consider me as Haneen in his case,

وہ قاتل ہے، برا ہے، گنہگار ہے، پھر بھی مجھے اُس سے نفرت نہیں ہوتی۔

Even Saadi felt bad for him,
'ہاشم ایسا تو نہیں تھا' سعدی افسوس سے بولا

Also I felt for Abdarr. How much she suffered,
میں ابھی بھی اُسے سوچ رہی ہوں یہ عشق ہے يا کوئی آسیب ۔

Also a lot had been shared already on GR as I'm seeing the reviews of people. Every character is discussed in detail. So, no need for me to add the minute details.

One thing I noticed was that every character is so sharp, intelligent and extraordinary in it's own way like Hashim, Faris, Saadi, Haneen, Zumar, Col Khawar, Jawahrat, and the list goes on and on. Dull people like me and Nosherwan feel left out yarrr 😭
Profile Image for Ayeshaa.
36 reviews10 followers
December 26, 2022
GONNA BE MY I-m-free-lets-read-an-already-read-book for long long time
Absolutely ABSOLUTE-AMAZING novel with so so much to learn (when I hype up a book it's actually worth it,trust me😔)
So basically it is a story of murder and revenge which revolves around the تدبر on Surah Namal. Read it or you're gonna miss something SO SO INCREDIBLE that too bcz of the tadabur wala part 📈

P.s. thanks to my two friends , Ayesha S and Maryam K for pestering me to read it😆 Thankyou guys I'm really grateful 🤝🤍
Profile Image for Osterella.
51 reviews
February 18, 2019
Update#
As some time has passed since I read it last year, I think my review on this book has changed. Some characters were good and in-depth especially Hashim and Saadi. They were my favorites. But i cannot wrap my mind around Zumar, she was problematic, and for one instance when she was telling Haanein about Dua's for Namaz i thought she just went out of character. I could just tell that it was the author who was preaching. This book is kind of based Islamic references, but i think now from reading a few books by Nimrah i guess some of her characters (the teacher in Jannat ky paty, The girl's sister in Mushaf, Zumar and Haanein's friend) are all the same. I am okay with her preaching but i love it when it goes hand in hand with the story, but not when i can tell that it is the author who is telling these things and not the character.

Secondly the pacing, it was very slow at times. Especially with the flashbacks, which kind of looked like info dumping. That is why it took me too long to finish it.IT was also way to long it could have been a good small 700-800 page book but then it dragged and dragged.
Profile Image for Adeena Syed.
209 reviews19 followers
December 9, 2020
I have finished it and I already want to read it again because I feel like there were parts which were very important that I didn't enjoy in hurry. FARAS AND ZUMAR'S ROMANCE...AAHHHH.
Okay so Nimrah Ahmed outdid herself. It was all in one, thriller, romance, lessons, religion, suspense..ah, how did she came up with a such story is a thing to think.
It was a long, long one but never once I felt like, man, when its gonna end...I savour all of it and I want to read it again already.
And I long to read it with someone so I can yell and cry and talk about it all the time while I read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kiran.
12 reviews6 followers
April 9, 2023
Simply, the best book written by Nemrah Ahmed. Nemrah Ahmed is probably the only author who is experimenting with such genres. This book is based on murder mystery. But there is so much more to learn. There are so many lessons in this book.
There would be times when you would put the book and grasp what just happened. So many twists.
Nemrah is undoubtedly the best Pakistan has right now.
This book was my best read so far.
Profile Image for Irtza Qamar.
Author 1 book9 followers
April 10, 2020
I've literally NEVER read a book with as amazing character development as there is in this book. It's characters are everything. It was honestly just a little overstretched overall but without a doubt definitely worth a read. I'm genuinely sad to be leaving the world of namals amazing characters after knowing them for such an amazing journey. IT'S A MUST READ PEOPLE.
Profile Image for Nayha  .
17 reviews1 follower
June 8, 2017
The first book ever that made me question Goodreads' five star policy. I need ten stars for this. Maybe endless.
Profile Image for Warda.
48 reviews
July 21, 2024
Is there any other bombastic novel out there like this? No! not at all!
The GREY characters!

I must say, Namal is a real page-turner! It's like a tangled web of mystery, intrigue, and drama that leaves you craving for more. With just the right amount of humor and suspense, this book hooked me (though it was quite confusing at the start). And let's not forget the unforgettable story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. The way the author elaborates on Quranic verses is simply mind-blowing, and the lessons and quotes are enough to make anyone a better person.

From Saadi's sharp intellect to Haneen's wicked genius, from Faris' sly humor to Zumar's stubborn attitude, from Baray Aba's cunning taunts to Nudrat Behan's never-ending complaints, from Hashim's "I'll-handle-it-all" attitude to Jawaharat's evilness, from Abdar's precise scheming to Nosherwan's fragile ego, I couldn't help but fall for these fascinating characters. But, amidst all of them, Saadi and Faris Taheer Ghazi stole my heart with their captivating personalities.

SAADI YOUSAF KHAN:
میرا نام سعدی یوسف خان ہے اور لوگ مجھے پیار سے سعدی کہہ کر بلاتے ہیں اور غصے میں بھی یہی کہتے ہیں
Let me tell you about my favorite character in the book - Obviously "Hamara Saadi". This guy stood out to me like a shining star in the night sky. He was a single man, but his charm was irresistible. What made him so special was his soft personality and how he faced life's challenges with a smile on his face. He was a mentor to his younger siblings and a family man who always put his loved ones first no matter what. But wait, there's more! He also shared the most beautiful teachings from the Quran, including an incredible interpretation of Surah Namal.
لوگ اکثر مجھ سے پوچھتے ہیں، سعدی تمہیں اتنا اچھا قرآن کس نے سکھایا؟ میں کہتا ہوں'مجھے میرے رب نے سکھایا ہے'۔
I can't express how much I enjoyed his character throughout the book. He was a true gem. He was an Angel with no flaws in his kindness and I'm not a fan of extremely kind people but he just reached my heart. But then...those 8 months in Sri Lanka completely changed him and I lost him forever!
Recalling the emotional scene when he returned home after surviving Hashim's torture and met Nudrat Apa, he entered the room while she was praying. The dialogues were so powerful and so emotional oh I can't describe what I felt after reading that scene "I literally cried!"

ZUMAR YOUSAF KHAN (aka Churail):
She was a powerful female character, not only as a successful lawyer (District Attorney) but also have a family like the Yousafs which is a success. She was driven by both hurt and revenge, which was evident from the look in her eyes. Her name was Zumar and she was someone many of us wished would live a long life. This character required immense bravery, cleverness, and intelligence - all of which were brilliantly portrayed in the writing. Let me share my thoughts on the special bond between Zumar and Saadi. It's almost like something out of a fictional story, their friendship is truly remarkable. The way they understand and support each other is beyond words (phophos like her exist?), and they have even made sacrifices for each other. However, I was disappointed with Zumar's initial attitude towards Saadi. She had a falling out with him and became quite negative towards him, even though she didn't realize the sacrifices he had made for her. Just know that whoever fights with Saadi is someone I'll always hate (Faris is an exception).
The pure love between Faris and Zumar, how they know each other without being expressive. Tho Zumar put him in jail for 4 years Oops for 7 years iykyk. The chaotic couple is a great to the plot, and I enjoyed reading about their ups and downs. Their fights, oh god no doubt churail and do number admi are a perfect match.

FARIS TAHEER GHAZI (aka Adha Kardar, do number admi, jail palat, berozgar ...):
What should I say in your honor? Baghair awaz ke banda marna ata hai apko to is liye I will use shareefana alfaz.
Faris is literally the most clever person you'll ever find. A man full of humor and sarcasm. Mr. Faris Ghazi (The man of crisis), can break all the barriers, to beat the hell out of whatever comes his way, to save his family. This one man army has done every vital thing in every possible unethical manner, but again, just like one of the wrestlers in WWE used to say, It wasn't my fault. It was never his fault what-so-ever.
تم تاش کھیل رہے تھے اور میں شطرنج کھیل رہا تھا، اور اسے شہ مات کہتے ہیں
Shatir insan, no doubt he is adha Kardar but Kardars se do qadam agy. He can make anyone bleed. (even Saadi Lol)

HASHIM KARDAR (aka Grim Reaper):
The most clever, ingenious, handsome and everyone's favorite villain, Hashim Kardar!! A perfect example of a perfect villain. No doubt Nemrah wrote him with perfection. A criminal defense lawyer and the best out there "Us ke liye alfaaz tash ke patty thy."
Though he has a backstory unlike others I don't feel sorry for it. After knowing the fact of how he tortured Our Saadi I am not gonna pity him.
کاش میں تمھارا نہیں سعدی کا بھائی ہوتا
(Us Hashim Us I really want a brother like Saadi).
Mr. Bad Guy did all the bad and illegal deeds under the cover of "I have done this for my family" (okay sometimes I feel bad for him:).
He did many wrong deeds but I don't know why girls romanticize him anyway he deserves the ending he got.
Hashim sab sambhal le ga haina? At the end Hashim ne jharu bhi sambhal lia...LOL!!
BUT NOT GONNA LIE! HE WAS THE BEST VILLAIN I'VE READ SO FAR.

HANEEN YOUSAF: (aka Katto begum, The Genius Hacker)
But the character that I could relate to the most was Haneen. She was just a common girl, yet she was able to cure herself from Marz e Ishq. Her character development was so inspiring, and I loved how she was able to overcome her obstacles and grow as a person. Despite her mistakes, I cannot help but sympathize with her as she went through a lot of struggles all alone. Interestingly, I found myself completely enamored with her when I read the chapter entitled "میں حنین ہوں اور میں عام ہوں". The way she was portrayed in that chapter was truly captivating and it made me realize just how much I admire her.
Fun fact: Oh, she's just casually reading the book that Hashim so generously gifted Saadi, to cure her of her undying love for him.
Ah and how she ended up disclosing Nosherwan's prank. Wo apni hero khud bani and When she was dragged into court to testify against Nosheirwan Kardar, she single-handedly obliterated Hashim's entire existence. HAHAHA!


Apart from these, many other characters were pertinent in the heart of the story I really wanna write a review on all characters, and because Namal we can give Nemrah the leverage of playing with this mega profusion of characters.
Curtains closed on Namal So I would highly recommend every reader to have this mind-boggling seven-course meal at least one more read. Believe me guys, the charm of this type of story never faded away.

UPDATE: He is my favorite VILLAIN, but keep that in mind I will not justify his wrong deeds. HOW CAN GIRLS ROMANTISIZE HIM? I WOULD LOVE TO TORTURE HIM JUST LIKE HE USED TO DO SAADI :)
Profile Image for Aroma Kashif.
7 reviews
May 22, 2024
Such a great novel! Thriller, Plot twists, strong and outstanding characters, eye-opening reflections (writings) and story development; everything is magnificent. Nemrah Ahmed has magic in her writing for sure.
Profile Image for Inshal Abidi.
50 reviews
May 22, 2017
Another great and epic novel of the same writer. She has set a trend of these type of novels. Its about everything a person needs to read. Its about love,hate,family ties,murder,revenge, friendship, loyalty,power hunger and etc. May it be Haneen's hacking ability or Hamara Saadi's heroism, this novel will make you fall in love with it. I guess Haneen and Faris were more close to each other and the phuppo, Zumar and Saadi were more closer. Each of them had important part and without them, the story wouldn't succeed.
And yes, who can forget the Great Hashim Kardar, the ultimate crush of everyone despite of his evils!Poor Nowsherwan. It was obvious that the Yousufs couldnot defeat Hashim in the court.
This story had pain and sorrow, love and hate and such a decent humour along with few lovely scenes of the abnormal couple, 'Churail'. This name really suits Zumar because no doubt she was a churail. And the siblings provoking there mother, Nudrat Behn! Poor Aabdar, but she deserved it. Everything was so wonerfully written. The tafseer of Surah Namal, along with the relation of honeybees with young girls was really a truth. There was a great deal to learn from Haneen's life; how she cured her 'Marz e mustamir' and how she managed to reacall her Quran again.
I wish I could read more of it but the story ends, but not the life nor the cycle of revenge! Sonya grew up and so plegded to take a revenge from Faris.
And so thats it.
Profile Image for Ifrah Ali.
23 reviews14 followers
July 4, 2017
I seriously had no idea it would be such a long novel, I finished reading this online but bought it though bcz I want to read it again and again and again!!!!
So here it starts when I heard someone calling Faris and Zumar the best couple ever and I thought what fictional characters are they? By searching it I found out what it is and reading the first Chapter made me cry when I saw what Zumar was suffering from and after a while who the actual villain is and that's our very own "Hasim Kardaar" and what he did with other main characters. I am so mad at him even when it's been months ago since I read the novel_ however Hashim's fate at the end was WELL DESERVING but it was a kind of book where villains were HEROES and heroes were basically VILLAINS!
I also wanted to know more if Hanain and Saadi got married and also who they married and if Zumar ever had kids or may be she adopted some, so the end had very much irritated me_ it's like she had sort of left the book incomplete or may be she should also not add the few lines about Sonia taking revenge of her father Hashim?!
But out of that it is a masterpiece to the Urdu literature. The characters are so powerful and Hanain is so great and when she gets to the court and deals with Hashim and made him ashamed instead of being the one was obsessive. In love with one of the most healthiest books of the world ;-)
Profile Image for allie.
235 reviews1 follower
October 23, 2024
The pace of this novel is whack! The author has a bad habit of going off the topic and filling page after page with cautionary tales from the disadvantages of the internet to staying out late. Why is this Haneen who is supposed to be a genius teaching us how Google has all the answers (are we 5?) and explaining to us what DIY is? Nemrah writes as if her readers are dumb elementary schoolers.

The Haneen track felt like reading Little Women, we got Monte Cristo for Faris, Crime and Punishment for Hashim. These parallels would have been great if they were written well and weren't smashed tgt in one novel. All that time wasted on Haneen and Saadi could be spent on Faris. He was the one avenging the murders yet we have surface level knowledge of his character whereas Hashim is the best written character despite being a villain. We needed Hashim vs Faris in the last part and we needed a detailed chess game of pplays between them.

Nemrah fell victim to the DC syndrome ( DC writing Superman as powerful yet so weak villains) where she wrote such a powerful villain and gave him so much time on paper that the protagonist of the novel felt weak.

My favorite character was Faris coz bro didn't speak unnecessarily like Haneen and Saadi who kept preaching, crying and whining. Zumar is the best female character of Nemrah's universe.
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