It was in May 1951, when Muslim of India lost one of its greatest and most illustrious son Maulana Fazlul Hasan Hasrat Mohani who was living symbol of Iqbal's conception of Mumin (True Muslim). Moulana Hasrat Mohani's name is considered as a big giant not only in the Urdu Ghazal but his personality also shine at standard of height in the field of journalism also, a private news channel reported.
He was born at Mohan, District Unnao (UP) in 1875. He topped the list of successful candidates in Urdu Middle Examination of UP. He graduated from the Anglo-Muhammadan College, Aligarh, in 1903 with distinction. He professed progressive and independent views during his college days and openly opposed British domination over India. He started his celebrated journal and published "Urdu-i-Mu'alla" from Aligarh in 1904 which was the best literary and political magazine in Urdu of its time in India.
He greatly contributed to popularising 'Ghalib' by publishing an authentic key of Ghalib's Urdu Diwan which became very popular. He wrote on the principles of criticism and the art of poetry in his magazine "Nuqat-i-Sukhan" (Secrets of Verse). He showed correct attitude to budding poets and writers by his enlightened criticism of literature.
He also brought out the forgotten poets out of their obscurity, by publishing their works in this journal. He created a good taste for poetry among the people by publishing the selected works of Urdu poets. In this respect, he may be termed the prototype of Maulvi Abdul Haq. The Maulana was perhaps the first political prisoner in British India convicted under the Press Laws.
The Maulana wrote in his "Urdu-i-Mu'alla" that, in the beginning, he really felt the rigour of jail life and was much distressed by his meagre clothing and lack of proper arrangement for ablution which served as great obstacles in offering his prayers. His very life was a struggle against the forces of evil. He had to close his magazine and start another one named "Tazkira-i-Shu'araa" (History of Poets).
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