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[edit] Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali

Poet Laureate and Nationalist

India Harmony VOLUME - 1 : ISSUE - 5 JULY-AUGUST, 2012

Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali

Altaf Husain Hali, undoubtedly one of the most renowned sons of Panipat, became the pride not only of Haryana but of people all over India. He possessed the highest qualities of both heart and mind. Altaf Husain was born in 1837 in Panipat, rightly known as the abode of Sufis like Bu Ali Qalander, scholars and reformers and has a unique ambience and tradition of culture. It was called “Shaan-e-qalandari” where people followed their hearts and dreams; lived in peace, and harmony; and had deep respect for others. A poet, a powerful essayist, teacher, a scholar and a reformer Hali was a descendant of Khwaja Malik Ali, the great scholar of Islam who had come to Panipat on the invitation of Ghyas ud din Balban. He was the last pupil of Mirza Ghalib – who was known not to take a pupil easily, much less to praise him. But when Hali very hesitantly showed him his writing, he told him “Mian a gar tum naheen likho ge to apni tabiyyat per zulm karo ge” young man, if you do not write, you will be inflicting cruelty to your soul”

Circumstances did not permit Hali to receive formal education in a proper school or college. Yet his love for reading books enabled him to acquire, through sustained self-effort, a perfect command of Urdu, Persian and Arabic, and a good working knowledge of English. After finishing his basic education in Panipat, he moved to Delhi to study Islamic theology and poetic tradition.

As a poet he did not confine himself to penning “ghazals”, as was the custom in those days, but soon started to explore the other poetic forms such as the “nazm”, the “rubai yyat” and the “Marsiya”. He dedicated his poetic abilities to the higher aims of social and moral upliftment, and came to occupy a special position in the history of Urdu literature.. His famous epic. Musaddas-e- Hali, examines the state of social and moral degradation prevalent in the then contemporary Muslim society. .

In 1854, circumstances forced him to return to his native Panipat and take up against his temperament a government job in Hissar. He continued in it until he was displaced by the Mutiny of 1857. The Mutiny affected Hali greatly and his sensitive heart cried out seeing the slaughter and the destruction of his beloved city of Delhi particularly its culture and its beauty. He then wrote his famous Marsiya.

“Tazkira Dilli-e-marhoom ka ai dost na chher Na suna jaye ga hum se yeh fasana hargiz

“Do not talk to me, O friend of Lost Dilli. I will not be able to hear this tale”

Chappe chappe pe hain yan gauhar e yakta teh e khak Dafan hoga na kahin aisa khazana hargiz

Every few yards are buried unique pearls under the earth Now where else would one be able to find such treasure

Raat aakhir hui aur bazm hui zer o zabar Ab na dekhen gey kabhi lutf e shabana hargiz The evening of merriment is over and the mehfil is in disarray.

Never will we see this night of pleasure ever again

After this turning point in his life, Hali drifted from job to job for several years, arriving eventually in Lahore in the mid 1870s, and began to work on correcting old manuscripts which were translated from English to Urdu.Though he took part in several “mushairas” his heart was not in Lahore and soon he returned to his beloved Delhi and started teaching at the Anglo Arabic while pursuing his writing vigorously and seriously. This was a piece of history because as a famous writer wrote about Hali's contribution in that period. ”The nation got its poet and the poet got his nation”.

Altaf Hussain Hali with Sir Syed Ahmed at Aligarh

Hali wanted to reach out to his people, but could not do so through traditional poetry, It was at this juncture that he met Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and there was an instant rapport between the two. Sir Syed wanted his people to take their rightful place in the world through education. This was what Hali also desired and so he started to compose at the request of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, his epic poem the Musaddas e-Madd o-Jazr e-Islam “An elegiac on the Ebb and Tide of Islam") under his poetic pseudonym of Hali ("The Contemporary"), in which he, examines the state of social and moral degradation prevalent in contemporary society. The “Musaddas” was written in 1879. It heralded the modern era of Urdu poetry. It is one of Hali's most famous works and describes the rise and fall of the Islamic empire in the sub-continent. It speaks about the Islamic empire at its best and its worst and ends with a message of hope and good cheer. It is the outpouring of a soul in anguish and not a didacticism of a moralist

The aim of this writing was to forewarn the Muslims of the sub-continent and make them aware of their past and help them learn from their forefathers' mistakes. Written at the request of his friend and mentor, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, such was the input it had on him that he said after it was completed and published to great acclaim, “If God would ask me what have you achieved in your earthly life, I would say “Nothing, except that I made Hali write his Mussadus .”

It was a great literary masterpiece and the essence of that morality and spiritual beauty which is valued by all noble souls the world.

It captured people's imagination like no book before it. Its extracts were taught in schools and recited in religious and intellectual gatherings. Its lines were on everyone's lips, were recited in “milads”, “qawwalis and “Mehfils” and touched every aspect of human life.

Hali occupies a special position in the history of Urdu literature for his incomparable versatility. His treatise, in prose – Muqaddama-e-Shair-o- Shairi, – is a pioneering work of literary criticism, which express the hollowness of its hackneyed theme and imagery , especially when handled by incompetent or less talented poets.

In 1886 he was chosen to be a member of the first teaching faculty at Aitcheson College, Lahore. Today the College holds an Urdu elocution competition called the Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali Challenge Cup, in his honour.

He has also written memorable biographies of Ghalib, Yaadgar-e-Ghalib, Saadi Sheerazi, Hayate- Saadi, and Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan and Hayat-e- Javed. His poem "Barkla Rut," describes the beauties of nature in the rainy season; "Hub-e- Watan," underscores the virtues of patriotism; while "Bewa ki Munajaat" focuses on the plight of windows in Indian society. Hali's amazing depiction of the pain and suffering of a widow at that time is testimony to the sensitivity of his heart. The story goes that his mother had sheltered a mother and daughter during the Mutiny who had lost everything in the riots in Delhi, including the girl's husband. Hali watched her suffer quietly and tried to give her courage to live. Little did his mother know that the child she had sheltered would become the raison d'etre of his famous poem. Her suffering finds expression in such beautiful and simple words that even Gandhiji said, “If one wants to know the common, simple language of India, it, should be the language used in Hali's “Munajat-e-Bewa.

Grave of Maulana Hali alongside Bu Ali at Panipat

Hali was a great champion of women. In his Panipat, women were given great dignity and respect. The properties were in their names and they controlled the household. He promoted women's education as well. In this matter he even courageously opposed Sir Syed's view that first the men should be educated which the women can learn at home. In 1904, he started the first school for girls in North India in his own house in Panipat where the first students were the girls of his own family. The Hindu families of Panipat would not let their girls go to any other school, but his.

One of his most famous poems is addressed to all women, – mothers, sisters and daughters, – and to this day is sung in several women's institutions, big or small.

Ai Maon, Behno, Betiyon, Duniya ki Zeenat tum se hai Mulkon ki basti ho tumhin, qaumon ki izzat tum se hai. Mothers, sisters, daughters, you are the honour of the World

You are the source of the creation of generations, greatness of nations.

Jo ilm mardon ke liye samjha gaya aab e hayat Thaira tumharey haq mein woh zehr e halahal sar Basar

That education which for men was regarded as the elixir of life

Was considered the fatal poison for your lot. Aata hai waqt insaf ka nazdik hai yom e hisab Duniya ko dena hoga in haq talfiyon ka wan jawab The day of judgement is coming, not far is the day of reckoning.

When the world will have to answer for all the injustice they have done to you.

Hali was not only a poet of Muslims, but of the entire Nation. There was no truer lover of Hindu Muslim unity. He had scores of Hindu friends and pleaded for unity at every stage of his life.

In his poem “Patriotism” he writes,

Chahtay ho agar Watan ki khair….Na kisi hum watan ko samjho ghair Sab ko meethi nigah se dekho……Samjho ankhon ki putliyan sab ko If you desire your country to survive Never consider any countryman a stranger Look at all of them with tenderness Regard them as the twin, up of your eyes. precious pupils in one's sight……… In another Nazm he reiterates his philosophy Qom gar ittefaq kho baithi…/…Apni poonji se haathh dho baithi Hind mein ittefaq hota agar…...Khatay gairon ki thokrein kyon kar If a nation has lost its unity, It is like losing all you possess. If there had been unity in India. Never could strangers have kicked us around. His ideal of perfect “ibadat” or true forth was: Yehi hai ibadat yehi deen o imaan…ke kaam aye duniya mein insaan ke insaan

This is the true prayer, the true religion and faith- That man helps man in this world His love for his country “Watan” was so great that he says to his Watan in one of his couplet: Teri ek musht e khak ke badlay Loon na hargiz agar bahisht milay Never for just one fistful of your dust Would I accept even heaven if offered

Not only did he preach inter communal harmony in his poetry, he emphasized unity of language as well. He realized the importance of language in building common thought, evolving common literature and keeping one community informed about the feelings, dreams, and aspiration of the other. He tried to bridge this gap by using a very simple form of Urdu which would be understood by Hindus and urged them to do the same with Hindi.

Hali had no attachment to any worldly goods or belongings, except to give them away to the needy. He lived simply and did not even bother to get any Royalty for his books, which she bestowed to the nation. When he received the title of Shams-ul-Ulema (The sun among scholars,) for his book “Majalis un Nissa” in which he writes how women should conduct their lives,) he was quite unhappy as he did not want to go through all its accompanying trappings. Hordes people congratulated him, Maulana Shibli who was also a great scholar said to him “I congratulate the title that finally it has received a rightful custodian. Once Sir Syed's own son Syed Mehmud told him. ”Father, if ever God asks me that of all my people you have met, is there any one whom you would like to worship; my answer will be, Yes, he is Altaf Husain Hali.” In 1941 at a t the age of 77 Hali passed away in his native Panipat. He had written a Marsia for Ghalib, but it could apply to him as well.

Bulbul e Hind mur gaya hehaat Jis ki thhi baat baat mein ek baat

Alasthe nightingale of Hind is no more- In whose utterance there was something profound.

The Persian couplet which Iqbal wrote for both Hali and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan at Hali's first centenary captures it all.

“The tulip of the desert encountered autumn and withered away

Syed gave it a new life with the dewdrops of his morning tears

And Hali did not cease his heart - warming melodies Until the bedewed Tulip had once again got its shining spot”

(Contributed by Begum Zakia Zaheer)