By Sadia Ashfaq
Abstract: This article deeply examines the significance of Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali’s contribution to the Islamic revival in the Indian subcontinent in the late 19th century. Well-known Urdu poet and reformer Hali aimed to alter Islamic culture in response to colonial challenges and social adversity. Through works like “Musaddas-e-Hali” and “Hayat-e-Javed,” the article explores Hali’s achievements, emphasizing intellectual enlightenment and moral changes. In this essay, I will also discuss Hali’s efforts to bridge cultural and sectarian divides, his support of education, and his involvement with contemporary social issues. Ultimately, this paper will emphasize Hali’s importance in motivating a new generation of Muslims to regain their culture and deal with the challenges of modernity, the foundation for other community movements.
keywords: altaf hussain hali, musaddas-e-hali, hayat-e-javed, islamic revival, colonial difficulties.
Introduction:
Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali (1837–1914) was born in Panipat in the subcontinent in the late 19th century. He was an Anasir-e-Khamsa (reformer) in Urdu literature from Aligarh University in the subcontinent. In Urdu literature, his work Musaddas-e-Hali is valued! Hali became a poet, writer, and reformer when colonial forces and sociopolitical changes threatened the Islamic identity in the subcontinent. Ultimately, His contributions to Urdu literature made him very famous.
Furthermore, Hali’s writing style made difficult concepts understandable to a wide range of audiences by fusing current issues of that era in pure Urdu and Persian forms. His writings emphasized the importance of education, critical thinking, and cultural engagement, helping Muslims adapt to modern life in that era. Hali promoted social reforms and assisted in creating a collective Muslim identity. This deeply resonated with the community and created a sense of togetherness. He was a pivotal player in the resurgence of Islam at a period of overpowering change, and his impact has persisted in influencing Islamic literature and thinking throughout the subcontinent.
The propagation of Urdu literature and the revival of Islam were both significantly aided by the publishing of Hali’s Musaddas, which played a crucial role in both efforts:
Musaddas, or “the ebb and flow of Islam,” is a literary masterpiece by Altaf Hussain Hali that was composed in 1879. Musaddas is a 250-page poem that is divided into sections that emphasize different aspects and ideas. Written as a musaddas (six-line stanza), this piece is a philosophical poem. It talks about the problematic situation of Muslims in India, the value of education, and the necessity of social change. Musaddas has stirred a sense of awakening among readers, prompting them to reflect on their responsibilities toward society and religion. It makes up the tale of the 19th-century demise of the Muslim community. The rise and fall of the Islamic empire on the subcontinent is described in “Musaddas-e-Hali,” along with Hali’s prediction of an even greater collapse to come that he believed Muslims were ignoring. Of the Musaddas, T.G. Bailey remarked, “No poem has had so great an effect on the Urdu-speaking world.”(Vol. 26, No. 4, October 2016)
Muslims in India were not in a suitable position during the War of Independence in 1857, and Hali urged them to work hard to improve themselves and get their rights from the British colonial authority. Using historical facts and Islamic rituals, Hali tried to show how powerful Muslims were in the past and how their circumstances were getting worse. Britishers were imposing new laws and passing new bills but Muslims did not show their concern, which let the colonial power take over them. Hali has divided his Musaddas into multiple subtopics.
Tamheed is one of the primary and most important subtopics of Musaddas-e-Hali. Hali proved that all diseases have treatments, except those that are intentionally ignored, in the “preface” or tamheed, the first part of Musaddas. Hali compares this concept to the situation of Muslims in the late 19th century when they were disregarding their terrible situation and metaphorically sleeping peacefully after losing the war of independence. He used a range of literary devices to assist Muslims in realizing their mistake. Indian Muslims were stuck in a storm, but they were unaware that it was a major issue that would ultimately lead to their death! The Muslim communities in India were not repairing themselves or showing gratitude to one another. Hali wanted to make them aware of their past and help them learn from their forefathers’ mistakes. Hali’s impressive poetry could easily persuade anyone. Mirza Ghalib once said to Hali, “Young man, I never advise anyone to write poetry but to you, I say, if you don’t write poetry, you will be very harsh on your temperament.”(Mohsin Aziz, No.2). He made a case for simplicity of expression and seriousness of thought and purpose, which helps the reader depict a better image of what was going on. With the Doctrine of Lapse and subsidiary alliances, the British were annexing land, Hindus did take a stand, but Muslims simply ignored the situation.
Overall, Musaddas-e-Hali crystallizes the ups and downs of Muslims over the years. Hali used simple Urdu and Persian to convey his message and highlighted the broader theme of colonial rule in the subcontinent and how Muslims had no aim or motivation to fight for their rights. Hali’s musaddas played an important role in the spread of both Urdu language and literature. Some people object and believe that Musaddas is just a depiction of how religion can affect people. However, I believe that Hali tried to showcase the “Urooj-o-Zawal” or “rise and fall” of the Muslims in the subcontinent and was a source of the spread of a new emerging language (Urdu). Hali himself was surprised by the success of what he had called a dry, insipid, plain, and simple poem.
The Hayat-e-Javed, which Hali penned, highlighted the efforts and achievements made by Syed Ahmed Khan, another important reformer:
“Hayat-e-Javed” by Altaf Hussain Hali is a biography of the Urdu literature and Muslim social reformer Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. This biography meticulously documents Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s life and influence, emphasizing his reformist efforts and contributions to social and educational change in 19th-century India. Urdu’s cultural resurgence was mostly because of Hali’s writings, which were based on language diversity. The book encourages readers to analyze spirituality, morality, and self-awareness critically, prompting deep reflection on their lives and objectives. By combining old and modern writing styles, Hali allowed upcoming Urdu poets to experiment and grow in their craft. “Hayat-e-Javed” has been a part of the school curricula which has motivated generations of students to study philosophy and Urdu literature.
From Hayat-e-Javed we understand that the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College later renamed Aligarh Muslim University was instrumental in modernizing Muslim education by fusing traditional Islamic teachings with Western scientific skills. Sir Syed Ahmed promoted contemporary teaching strategies and curriculum, emphasizing the use of science and critical analysis in preparing Muslims for making a change around the globe. His strategies and approach encouraged Muslims to embrace modern knowledge while retaining their cultural identity. Hali also wanted to promote women in society by sharing his progressive views on women’s empowerment and education. He believed that a community of educated women would be more capable of making a change.
The story also explains how Sir Syed encouraged Muslims to engage with British authorities constructively rather than adopting a purely antagonistic stance and rebelling. He strongly believed that cooperation and communication were crucial to defending representation and rights. This biography reflects on identity, morality, and the divine while highlighting the importance of spiritual growth. To communicate difficult concepts, Hayat-e-Javed combines philosophical discourse with narrative, using metaphors.
Hali also stressed the need to seek self-discovery and understand your place in the world. The poem also challenges readers to reflect on their personal identities and cultural backgrounds. One of the main themes is the relationship between the person and the divine. Hali urges readers to seek out a deeper spiritual connection. The fight for knowledge and truth is presented as the path to spiritual enlightenment and at that time only a few people were working on this ideology.
By tackling society’s problems and moral dilemmas, Hali invites readers to consider their own moral and ethical responsibilities. He denounces the moral decline of society and demands the restoration of moral values. The biography invites readers to consider their own lives by addressing existing issues regarding the meaning of life, death, and purpose. Both Islamic philosophy and real-life human circumstances influenced Hali’s philosophical observations. Hali encourages pride in every Muslim past by highlighting the importance of comprehending and honoring your cultural and historical roots. This piece serves as a reminder of how important intellectual development and education are to maintaining cultural identity. While Hali is primarily known for his criticism of poetry and ghazals, his biographies highlight his ability to critically examine uncertainty. “It serves as an important historical and literary document, providing a window into the socio-cultural context of Muslims in British India during a period of significant change” (Malik, 2021). Hali’s Hayat-e-Javed highlighted Syed Ahmed’s accomplishments and efforts.
Both works of Hali are very much related to today’s modern world. Many Muslim communities like Gaza are being oppressed and bombed by the colonizing power, just like in the late, but no one is helping them. Humanity was a core concept taught by Hali, but just like in the late 19th century in today’s predominant era, no one is implementing those teachings.
Conclusion:
Both works of Hali analyzed in this paper show his way of critiquing and how he wanted Muslims to observe their conditions and work hard on them for improvement. The topics discussed by Hali may seem insignificant, but they were creating hindrances for the Muslims to move toward success. Both “Musaddas” and “Hayat-e-Javed” use poetry as a form that expresses Hali’s hopes for both individual and communal strength while also going deep into multiple topics like selfhood, cultural renaissance, and philosophical inquiry. Collectively, contributed substantially to the conversation about spirituality and identity in South Asia at a critical juncture in history.
On December 31, 1914, Altaf Hussain Hali passed away in Panipat, British India, at the age of 77. However, he left behind many literary masterpieces that continue to be celebrated even today. Hali had been dealing with health problems years before his passing. His deteriorating health affected his capacity to create recent work. Hali left a lasting impact on Urdu writing even after his death. Scholars study his writings, especially “Musaddas-e-Hali” and “Hayat-e-Javed,” for their depth of philosophical and literary ideas. Although Hali’s passing away signaled the end of a chapter in Urdu writing, his contributions as a father of contemporary Urdu poetry and criticism are still important. Hali encouraged future poets and authors by fusing classical poetry with contemporary subjects. Besides his literary accomplishments, Altaf Hussain Hali is renowned for having influenced intellectual and cultural conversation during a period of social upheaval in the Subcontinent.
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