REVIEW: The diehard

Reviewed by Akhtar Payami

Hasrat's poetic genius has been acclaimed by many writers and critics. In the not too distant past, Hasrat, Jigar and Asghar formed a constellation of emerging poets in a crucial period of India's history. Major political developments were taking place in the subcontinent and the sun was about to set on the British Empire. As conscious members of society, poets and writers do not remain indifferent to the changes in their socio-political milieu. Not only India but the whole world was in a state of flux.

But strangely enough not many writers and poets reacted to the phenomenal changes in the political spectrum. Hasrat Mohani, however, stands out in the motley crowd as a towering figure.

Though several books have been written on Hasrat as a poet, no serious effort has been made to portray the real image of this fearless crusader for the cause of freedom and human dignity. Hasrat Mohani aur Inqilab-i-Azadi is perhaps the only book which faithfully documents the ebb and flow in the life of this restless soul.

The writer has taken pains to collect material from all available sources including numerous libraries spread all over the subcontinent. In his quest for giving an authentic account of this multi-dimensional personality, he has also taken the help of his family members. As he is Hasrat's son-in-law, it would have been easy for him to access many of the not generally known aspects of Hasrat's life.

That Hasrat was an iconoclast is beyond all dispute. Both as a poet and political activist, he maintained his individuality. Unconventional as he was, he did not readily accept the prevalent norms and principles. He revolted against the self-imposed constraints of Urdu ghazal. Indeed he unshackled poetry and rid it of decadent concepts. That he introduced political and social themes in poetry was not a predominant feature of his poetry. Altaf Husain Hali, Brij Narain Chakbast and many others had already made meaningful additions in this field. Patriotic themes and social concerns had already been introduced in Urdu poetry.

Committed to the cause of freedom, Hasrat revolutionized the pattern of Urdu ghazal. He was not happy with images borrowed from Persian and Arabic literature. As a patriot he was in love with his own land and admired its beauty. Down to earth as he was, he also transferred that beauty and charm to his verses. The object of his love was no prisoner of social cobwebs. She was an embodiment of love, a real woman - in flesh and blood - who could interact with him.

This is a strange, rather an inexplicable phenomenon, that despite being a thoroughly religious man and a profound scholar of Islamic thought, he emerged as a profound romantic poet. Religion did not prevent him from feeling and narrating the sweet exuberance of physical love. Platonic love was not his destination. The book, however, does not discuss his literary accomplishment. Perhaps it was not intended to do so. Hasrat's poetry has been subject of elaborate discussion and assessment by a host of writers and critics.

The other and more potent aspect of Hasrat's life is his abiding involvement in politics. He was a thoroughly incorruptible fighter for freedom. He would not compromise for immediate gains. That explains why both Gandhi and Jinnah did not feel comfortable in his company. He was ahead of all political leaders of his time. While many of them were contented with the idea of 'home rule', he advocated complete independence. From every platform - be it the Indian National Congress, the Khilafat Movement, the All India Muslim League, the Jamiat-i-Ulama-i-Islam, the Communist Party or the Majlis-i-Ahrar, he forcefully pleaded the case of total freedom.

Hasrat Mohani despised those leaders who played politics with the masses. A man with a strong ideology, he was the most vocal critic of Gandhi's philosophy of self-reliance. He did not think that the people's salvation lay in spinning wheels. On the other hand, he was inspired by the 1917 socialist revolution of Russia under the leadership of Lenin. He says:



Some biographers have said that Hasrat had met Lenin but this has not been substantiated. It is, however, certain that he did meet Stalin and exchanged views with him on the strategy of guerrilla warfare. The first communist conference in India was held at Kanpur in 1925 where Hasrat spoke on the concept of full independence.

Hasrat was a practising Muslim. But at the same time he developed an amazing affection and love for Mathura (Krishna was his ideal) and he adored the philosophy of communism. So Makkah, Mathura and Moscow (three Ms) became his most popular symbol. He did not find any conflict between them. Rather they created a harmony in his thinking and social and political conduct. While he performed Haj a number of times, he also religiously visited Mathura to derive inspiration from the teachings and philosophy of Krishna. His socialist views influenced the pattern of his life. As a member of the Indian parliament, he questioned why an MP was paid Rs 75 per day as allowance. (This sounds amazing when we find our legislators drawing fabulous salaries and allowances and still feeling dissatisfied!) He was entitled to an official residence but always lived in a rented house and never used the official telephone.

Once the Nawab of Rampur asked him why he always travelled by train in a third class compartment. The Maulana's reply was "because there is no fourth class compartment".He was expelled thrice from Mohameddan Anglo-Oriental College, Aligarh, for his independent views.

Hasrat's speeches in the parliament amply speak of his undying love for the country. His opposition to Gandhi was known to all. Yet it was he who persuaded Gandhi to learn Urdu and gave him books to read. He was also a bitter critic of Jinnah and distanced himself from him on various issues. He did not conceal his opposition to the partition of the subcontinent. It is on record that he did not put his signature on the Indian constitution in protest against the division of the country.

After independence, Hasrat mentioned three women whose husbands were on the forefront of the independence movement and who suffered immensely because of their spouses' involvement in politics and never complained about it. These three were Hasrat's wife, Nishatunnissa Begum, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's wife, Zulaikha, and Jawaharlal Nehru's wife, Bimla Nehru. Nishatunnnissa Begum was the first Muslim woman member of All India Congress Committee and the first Muslim woman editor of an Urdu newspaper. Hasrat's second wife was Habiba Begum who was a simple woman but looked after him with devotion and was by his side at the time of his death.

Now that politics has come to be known as the last refuge of the scoundrels and corruption is rampant among the politicians, there is need to popularize the views of Hasrat Mohani. The book under review admirably fulfils this requirement.

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Hasrat Mohani aur Inqilab-i-Azadi

By Nafis Ahmad Siddiqui

Oxford University Press, Plot # 38, Sector 15, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi

Tel: 111-693-673

Email: ouppak@theoffice.net

Website: www.oup.com.pk

ISBN 0-19-579502

448pp.Rs595



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