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CONTENTS

S. No. TOPICS PAGE #

1 Family background of Maulana Hasrat Mohani 2

2 Birth and education 2

3 Maulana Hasrat Mohani as a journalist 3

4 Maulana Hasrat Mohani as a poet 3

5 Spiritual status of Maulana Hasrat Mohani 4

6 Maulana Hasrat Mohani in politics 7

7Maulana Hasrat MohaniPioneer of Complete

Independence Movement8

8 Struggle against Saudi attack on Hijaz-e-Muqaddas 10

9 Maulana Hasrat Mohani in jail 11

10 Struggle after independence 14

11 Literary works 16

12 Death of Maulana Hasrat Mohani 16

13 Successor of Maulana Hasrat Mohani in politics 17

14 Conclusion 18

15 Notes and references 19

POLITICAL STRUGGLE OFMAULANA HASRAT MOHANI

IN THE LIGHT OF HIS POETRY)


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POLITICAL STRUGGLE OFMAULANA HASRAT MOHANI

IN THE LIGHT OF HIS POETRY)

FAMILY BACKGROUND OF MAULANA HASRAT MOHANI:

The real name of Maulana Hasrat Mohani was Syed Fazl-ul-Hasan. Hasrat was his

pen name. He was commonly known with his pen name instead of his real name. In his own

words:

1 He was an eminent poet of Urdu language, a brave freedom fighter, a fearless

journalist, a true politician and a bold parliamentarian. He was really a versatile personality.

He belongs to the respectable family of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be

upon him). His ancestors came to India from Naishapur (Iran).

BIRTH AND EDUCATION:

Maulana Hasrat Mohani was born in 1878 at Mohan in the Unnao district of United

Provinces.2He passed his Middle Examination in 1894 and stood first in the whole province

and passed his Matriculation Examination with first division and obtained scholarship. He

completed the education of Arabic and Persian in Fatehpur Haswa. Keeping in view his

excellent educational record, Dr. Sir Ziauddin Ahmed3

invited him to take admission in

Aligarh.4So he took admission in Muhammadan Anglo Oriental (M.A.O.) College Aligarh

for graduation and passed his B.A. examination in 1903 with distinction.


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His poetry is a mirror of struggle for independence, his response on different political events

and hardships faced by him in freedom movement. He used his poetry to awaken Muslims to

start struggle against British Imperialism. To say that Hasrat is the greatest poet of his times

may seem to be an exaggeration to some, but nobody will in fairness, deny to him the

attributes of being the greatest reformer of Urdu poetry.

His beautiful Ghazal is very popular in sub-continent.6A Naat composed by him is given below which depicts deep love of the poet for

the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), his Ahle Bait and Aulia-e-Kiram:

7

In recognition of his splendid poetic work, the title of Raees-ul-Mutaghazzileen (

) was conferred on him. Raees-ul-Mutaghazzileen means the head of ghazal composers.

SPIRITUAL STATUS OF MAULANA HASRAT MOHANI:

Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a pious man. He introduced himself as follows:


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I am a conservative Sunni and Sufi. I consider Tasawwuf as essence of

religion. And the result of Tasawwuf, as I think, is passion of extreme

love.8

He was a disciple of Hazrat Shah Abdur Razzaq Farangi Mahalli in Qadria Sufi

Order. In 1917, when he was shifted to Lucknow jail, he described its reason in the following

couplets:

9

Maulana Hasrat Mohani had great love of Ghaus-ul-Azam Hazrat Sheikh Syed Abdul

Qadir Jilani. This love is depicted from many Ghazals of Hasrat Mohani, for instance, the

following one is a master piece:

01


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After the death of Shah Abdur Razzaq, Maulana Hasrat Mohani became disciple of

his son Hazrat Shah Abdul Wahhab Farangi Mahalli.

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In Sabarmati jail, he was blessed with the munificence of Aulia-e-Kiram. He

described the event as follows:

1

He performed hajj eleven times and visited Madina Munawwara twelve times. The

Holy Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him) blessed him with his sacred sight in the dream

many times. In July 1946, he went Bombay to attend the session of Muslim League Council.

In the way he said to Maulana Jamal Mian Farangi Mahalli:

Listen gentleman! We shall get Pakistan soon. Now we should think

about future.

Maulana Jamal Mian asked how he is so confident about Pakistan. He said that he

was blessed with the sacred sight of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). On

the next day, during meeting of the Council he presented the idea of establishing Constituent

Assembly of Pakistan and to start making constitution of Pakistan. Quaid-i-Azam did not

allow him to present this resolution. He tried again and again but was not allowed to do so.

Maulana Jamal Mian asked him to leave it. He said that people did not know the reason why


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he was stressing but Jamal Mian is aware of the dream, so he should not suggest leaving the

idea.13

After creation of Pakistan, we have wasted a long time in the making of constitution.

Would that this work started in the presence and guidance of Quaid-i-Azam as suggested by

Maulana Hasrat Mohani, we could have a better and in-time constitution to run the country

and could avoid martial laws again and again.

Due to his high spiritual status, Maulana Hasrat Mohani was allowed by his Murshid

to make disciples in Qadria and Chishtia Sufi Orders.

MAULANA HASRAT MOHANI IN POLITICS:

Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a great leader of our independence movement. He

performed his role in the movement with full courage and honesty.

04

He completed his education from Aligarh College but he opposed Aligarh Movement

and advocated active participation in politics. He started his political activities in May 1904

by participating in Bombay session of Indian National Congress (INC) as a delegate.

In 1905, he attended All India Industrial Conference and became a preacher of

Swadeshi Movement. He was the pioneer of Swadeshi Movement in sub-continent and he

considered it a main source of industrial development of the country. In his opinion, the

economy of Britishers could be ruined by the use of local products. He himself opened a store

of local products in Mohan in 1913.

Maulana Hasrat Mohani kept himself away from All India Muslim League (AIML)

because loyalty towards British was part of its manifesto. In 1913, AIML changed its

constitution and demanded self-government. At this stage, Maulana Hasrat Mohani joined


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Muslim League and worked on different posts. He became president of All India Muslim

League in 1923 for two years.

He went round the country, toured rural communities, addressed public meetings and

presided over conferences to explain the program and policy of Muslim League. His role in

converting Muslim league into a common-man party from the party of feudals is remarkable.He actively participated in Khilafat Movement as well, but never crossed the limits of

Islamic Shariah like other Khilafat leaders.

He was a simple man and used to travel in third class. He visited Bombay as the

president of Khilafat Conference in 1923 and purchased third class ticket. Maulana Shaukat

Ali insisted him to travel in second class with Bi Amman but he was firm on his principles.

So he refused to use Khilafat Fund on himself and to travel in second class.15

MAULANA HASRAT MOHANIPIONEER OF COMPLETE

INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT:

According to Maulana Hasrat Mohani, independence was the birth right of every

nation and India was no exception to it. He started the movement of Complete Independence

at the time when Indian National Congress and All India Muslim League were advocating for

dominion status.

Khilafat Committee held its meeting in Ahmadabad on December 26, 1921. Maulana

Hasrat Mohani presented his resolution of Complete Independence in Subject Committee.

Hakeem Ajmal Khan, the president of Subject Committee, agreed with it. But on the next

day, in the open session, Hakeem Ajmal Khan did not allowed Maulana Hasrat Mohani to

present the resolution. Hakeem Ajmal Khan was criticized by the participants and he left the

session. After the session, Maulana Hasrat Mohani asked the participants to keep sitting and

pass the resolution. More than half participants stayed there and passed the Complete

Independence resolution.16


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The British Government tried to introduce self governing institutions gradually in

India through Montague-Chelmsford Reforms. These reforms could not satisfy political

demands in India. As there was no clue of complete independence in these reforms, Maulana

Hasrat Mohani rejected them and wrote:

3

In his inaugural speech, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari criticized these reforms in

eleventh annual session of All India Muslim League held in Delhi on December 30, 1918.24

On this occasion, Hasrat Mohani wrote:

5

STRUGGLE AGAINST SAUDI ATTACK ON HIJAZ-E-MUQADDAS:

Abdul Aziz Ibne Saud attacked and captured Hijaz-e-Muqaddis in 1926 with the help

of British and demolished blessed shrines of Sahaba-e-Kiraam and Ahle Bait. Muslims all


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over the world described their grief and anger on this event. Indian Muslims established

Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Haramain to start struggle against Saudi Najdi Sedition. Maulana

Hasrat Mohani was one of its founders. Addressing All India Hijaz Conference at Lucknow,

he said that the sole mission of this conference is to announce our complete and final

displeasure on disgrace of mosques and shrines of Hijaz by Saudis and Najdis. Since the

reason of their wildness and barbarism is their unique set of religious beliefs on which they

are firm, and for these beliefs they recklessly consider destruction of Haram as purification of

Haram. So, having no expectation of any goodness from them in future, this conference

declares clearly that their rule in holy places is not acceptable to us in any case and in any

shape.26

MAULANA HASRAT MOHANI IN JAIL:

Maulana Hasrat Mohani published an article entitled British Policy in Egypt in his

journal Urdu-e-Muallain 1908. This article was regarded seditious by the Government and

Maulana was sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs. 500/-.

He was perhaps the first political prisoner in British India convicted under the Press Laws. He

had to undergo rigorous imprisonment and had to grind one maund of wheat per day. The

hard labour of grinding wheat was not taken for over three months, even from the worst

criminals, but Hasrat did this job for the whole tenure of imprisonment. Even the holy month

of Ramadan was spent in this hard duty.

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The jail administration was instructed to treat Maulana Hasrat Mohani as badly as

possible. In order to realize the fine, the Magistrate confiscated his precious library and

auctioned it.

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He was again sent to jail in 1916 for two years under Safety Act. During this term, he

was again put to the greatest hardships. He was transferred many times from one jail to

another during imprisonment in chains.

In 1921, he was put behind the bars on account of his presidential address in

Ahmadabad session of AIML. In this address he demanded complete independence for India.

British government tried all ways of hardships and violence but failed to change the

political views of Hasrat Mohani. He declared:

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Maulana Hasrat Mohani did not stop his activities during imprisonment and continued

preaching his views of complete independence in jail.

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He presented the details of hardships faced by him in jails in a book Mushahidat-e-

Zindaan( ). Moreover, he has mentioned these details in his poetry as well. Some

such couplets are given hereunder:

! !

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4

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Maulana Hasrat Mohani faced all troubles and hardships prudently and never

considered any expedience.

48

STRUGGLE AFTER INDEPENDENCE:

Maulana Hasrat Mohani stayed in India after independence to safeguard the interests

of Muslims left in India. He stood like a rock against the storm of Hindu communalism and


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fanaticism. History cannot forget his memorable words challenging Sardar Patel, the iron

man of India, in the Constituent Assembly:

You should not think that Muslims are orphans today. I am here to

defend their rights against all odds and will fight for them till death.49

Azad Muslim Conference was held in Lucknow backed by Indian Government. Abul

Kalam Azad asked Indian Muslims to terminate their political organizations and become part

of Indian National Congress. Maulana Hasrat Mohani replied him:

You are teaching unconditional faithfulness of Congress to the Indian

Muslims and trying to limit Islamic organizations to social matters in

1947, just like Sir Syed who instructed Muslims to limit themselves to

educational and social matters and become faithful to Britishers

politically in 1857. 52Maulana Hasrat Mohani was the only member of Indian Parliament who condemned

capturing of Junagarh and Hyderabad by Indian army. He said to the Deputy Prime Minister

Sardar Patel:

You have done the same as Hastings, Welsely and Clive did. You have

snatched the independence of poor States through your powerful army.

Curse of Allah Almighty would be on your department.51

A resolution was moved in Legislative Assembly of U.P. to congratulate Indian Army

for its victory in Hyderabad. Maulana Hasrat Mohani was the only member in the Assembly

who opposed this resolution and said that Indian Army did not deserve any praise for such a

cowardly act.52

Mr. Afzal Usmani wrote a very interesting incident in the following words:

On November 26, 1949, when the Indian Constituent Assembly

proposed the Indian constitution to adopt for an independent, sovereign,


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democratic and republic of India and assuring its citizens of justice,

equality, and liberty, only one member of the constituent Assembly of

India raised his voice of dissent. The then Prime Minister Pandit

Jawahar Lal Nehru rush to his desk and said Maulana, what you are

doing, your only vote against the proposed constitution will become a

part of the history. Maulana replied very politely That is why I raised

my voice to make sure that at least one voice of dissent was made

against the proposed Indian constitution which has not done justice with

Indian Muslims. This voice of dissent was from no other than one of

the great alumni of our beloved Alma Mater Aligarh Muslim University,

a freedom fighter by nature, a journalist by profession, a humble human

being by instinct and an integral element of Aligarh Movement and

represented the true interpretation of Aligarh Movement, Syed Fazlul

Hasan, popularly known as Maulana Hasrat Mohani.53

LITERARY WORKS:

Kulliyat-e-Hasrat Mohani ( ) Sharh-e-Kalam-e-Ghalib ( ) Nukat-e-Sukhan ( ) Mushahidat-e-Zindan ( ) Intekhab-e-Sukhan ( )

DEATH OF MAULANA HASRAT MOHANI:

Maulana Hasrat Mohani described his desire as follows:

54

55


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This desire was accomplished as reported by Maulana Jamal Mian Farangi Mahalli.

He went to the house of Maulana Hasrat Mohani on May 13, 1951. He saw that relatives of

Maulana Hasrat Mohani were bewailing around his bed. He identified him and hardly said to

him pointing out to his relatives that say them this is not a new thing going to happen. After

that he recited Astaghfaar and Darood Shareef and died. He was buried in Maulana Anwar

Bagh of Farangi Mahal Lukhnow - the traditional burial of Farangi Mahal Ulama.65

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SUCCESSOR OF MAULANA HASRAT MOHANI IN POLITICS:

Muslim League Legislators Convention was held on April 10, 1946 in Delhi. At this occasion,

Maulana Hasrat Mohani met Mujahid-e-Millat Maulana Abdus Sattar Khan Niazi. Maulana Hasrat

Mohani appreciated him for his services for independence movement and said:

Niazi! Alack, you met me at the time of my evening and your noon. Would that

we met earlier, we could do something together for the nation.

Maulana Hasrat Mohani advised him not to afraid from any hurdle in the right path. He

instructed him to trust on Allah Almighty only and do not expect any worldly reward of his services.

He also read out for him the following lines:

58

All India Muslim League Council held its meeting in Delhi on June 6, 1946 to discuss

Cabinet Mission Plan. Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Maulana Abdus Sattar Khan Niazi


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strongly opposed the plan. They were not ready to delay establishment of Pakistan any more.

They hardly got support of sixteen or seventeen members in the house of six hundred and

fifty members. The Council approved the Cabinet Mission Plan with majority votes. In the

next ten days, their apprehension became true and the betrayal of Britishers compelled Quaid-

i-Azam to withdraw the approval of the Plan.59

It is evident from the life history of Mujahid-e-Millat that he acted upon the advices

of Maulana Hasrat Mohani throughout his course of life and faced all hardships patiently and

courageously. We can see the reflection of the great character of Maulana Hasrat Mohani in

the character of Mujahid-e-Millat during his struggle in Independence movement, Khatme

Nabuwwat movement, Nizam-e-Mustafa movement, Tahaffuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat

movement and Nifaz-e-Shariat movement.

CONCLUSION:

Maulana Hasrat Mohani was really a great poet and a great freedom fighter. He

possessed the rare qualities of sincerity, patience, perseverance, forbearance,

straightforwardness, fearlessness and above all the spirit of contentment and sacrifice.

One, who reads his poetry, says about his personality:

And one, who beholds his political struggle, says offhand:


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NOTES & REFERENCES:

1 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 3552 Jamal Mian Farangi Mahalli. Muqaddima Kulliyat-e-Hasrat (Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library

and Hall Trust: 1997) 21

3 Dr. Sir Ziauddin Ahmed served as a lecturer, professor and then as principal at M.A.O. college and vice-chancellor and rector of Aligarh Muslim University. Besides his educational services, he played active role

in Indian Politics as well. He never supported Hindu-Muslim Unity. He played a key role in the propagation

of Two-Nation Theory under the guidance of Maulana Ahmed Raza Khan Qadri Barelvi. During Non-

cooperation movement, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and his associates approached Dr. Ziauddin

Ahmed and asked him to stop taking government grants and discontinue affiliation of the university with

government. He showed them the copy of a verdict of Maulana Ahmed Raza Khan and asked them to

provide its authentic refutation but they could not. In this way he saved Aligarh Muslim University to

indulge in Indian Nationalism like Darul Uloom Deoband, Nadwatul Ulama and Jamia Millia. He moved

the attitudes of the teachers and students of the University towards the Two-Nation Theory. {Chiragh,Muhammad Ali.Akabireen-e-Tehreek-e-Pakistan(Lahore, Sang-e-Meel Publications: 2003) 458-465}

4 Ahmad Saeed, Kh. Mansoor Sarwar. Trek to Pakistan(Lahore, Al Fouzi Publishers: 2012) 314-3155 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 1776 Ibid. 2497 Ibid. 416

In this Naat, following Aulia-e-kiraam are mentioned:

Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani, Syed Abdus Samad Ahmadabadi, Shah Abdul Wahhab Farangi

Mahalli, Shah Abdur Razzaq Farangi Mahalli, Shah Abdur Razzaq Bansvi, Shah Abdul Wali FarangiMahalli and Maulana Anwar Farangi Mahalli.


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8 Jamal Mian Farangi Mahalli. Muqaddima Kulliyat-e-Hasrat (Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Libraryand Hall Trust: 1997) 64

9 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 29410 Ibid. 23911 Ibid. 34112 Ibid. 36213 Jamal Mian Farangi Mahalli. Muqaddima Kulliyat-e-Hasrat (Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library


14 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 15815 Ishtiaq Azhar, Syed. Syed-ul-Ahrar(Karachi, Maulana Hasrat Mohani Memorial Society: 1988) 32 16 Asghar Kazmi, Syed Muhammad. Seyd-ul-Ahrar Raees-ul-Mutaghazzileen Maulana Hasrat Mohani

Danishwaron ki Nazar Mein, (Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 2002) 221

17 Ahmad Saeed, Kh. Mansoor Sarwar. Trek to Pakistan(Lahore, Al Fouzi Publishers: 2012) 31518 Sarfaraz Hussain Mirza, Prof. Dr. Tareekh All India Muslim League (Lahore, Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust:

2010) 311

19 And undoubtedly, soon your Lord shall give you so much that you shall be satisfied. (Sura Ad-Duha, verse5)

20 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 44921 And be not sluggish and neither be grieved, you are the victorious if you have faith. (Surah Aal-e-Imran,

verse 139)

22 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 49223 Ibid. 33224 Sarfaraz Hussain Mirza, Prof. Dr. Tareekh All India Muslim League (Lahore, Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust:

2010) 89

25 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 32626 Ishtiaq Azhar, Syed. Syed-ul-Ahrar(Karachi, Maulana Hasrat Mohani Memorial Society: 1988) 33227 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 04228 Ibid. 15929 Ibid. 23430 Ibid. 24031 Ibid. 244


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32 Ibid. 24633 Ibid. 24634 Ibid. 57235 Ibid. 25936 Ibid. 15737 Ibid. 16538 Ibid. 17739 Ibid. 18540 Ibid. 232 (Abdullah Khan Shamim was a poet buried in Jhansi)41 Ibid. 16642 Ibid. 17443 Ibid. 26544 Ibid. 26845 Ibid. 27446 Ibid. 31547 Ibid. 37648 Ibid. 15849 Jamil Ahmed. Maulana Hasrat Mohani (Lahore, Monthly Renaissance: May 1994) www.monthly-

renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=938 (accessed on November 24, 2013)

50 Jamal Mian Farangi Mahalli. Muqaddima Kulliyat-e-Hasrat (Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Libraryand Hall Trust: 1997) 47

51 Ibid. 4752 Begum Hasrat Mohani.English Translation of Selected Poems of Hasrat Mohani(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani

Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1998) 47 {ArticleA great freedom fighterby Ishtiaq Azhar }

53 Afzal Usmani. Maulana Syed Fazlul Hasan Hasrat Mohanihttp://aligarhmovement.com/karwaan_e_aligarh/Hasrat_Mohani (accessed on December 16, 2013)

54 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 04055 Ibid. 44556 Jamal Mian Farangi Mahalli. Muqaddima Kulliyat-e-Hasrat (Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library

http://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=938http://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=938http://aligarhmovement.com/karwaan_e_aligarh/Hasrat_Mohanihttp://aligarhmovement.com/karwaan_e_aligarh/Hasrat_Mohanihttp://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=938http://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=938


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57 Hasrat Mohani.Kulliyat-e-Hasrat(Karachi, Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library and Hall Trust: 1997) 52558 Qasoori, Muhammad Sadiq. Mujahid-e-Millat ka Rohani Maqaam(Qasoor, Mujahid-e-Millat Foundation:

2004) 27.

Qasoori, Muhammad Sadiq. Tehreek-e-Pakistan aur Ulama-e-Kiraam(Lahore, Maktaba Zavia: 1999) 197

59 Ibid. 197