Hasrat Mohani Book Jadeed Adab M.A Urdu Part 2

Maulana Hasrat Mohani was born on 1 January 1875 in Qasba Mohan of Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh. The real name of Maulana Hasrat Mohani was Syed Fazal-ul-Hasan. Hasrat was his takhallus (a nickname used for poetry or ghazals) that he also used while he penned down poetry. Being born in Mohan, the title ‘Mohani’ became associated with Hasrat. Later, he popularly came to be known as Hasrat Mohani.

After completing his initial studies, he took admitted to the Aligarh Muslim University. During college itself, he jumped into the revolutionary movements and for this reason, had to go to jail in year 1903. He was even expelled from college but that did not deter his passion for freedom.

After graduation, in the year 1903, Hasrat Mohani started bringing out a magazine in the name of 'Urdu-e-Mualla' from Aligarh. This magazine published articles written against the oppression and wrong policies being adopted by the imperialists. Maulana continued to make people aware of the freedom struggle through the medium of his pen with great impunity.

As a result, Maulana Hasrat Mohani had to go to jail again in the year 1907. The British had understood the power of his pen. Fearing his activism, his magazine was banned. He was one of the active members of Congress. He remained associated with Congress till the year 1907. Maulana left the Congress soon after Bal Gangadhar Tilak left the party. He was one of Tilak's close associates.

'Inquilab Zindabad'

Maulana Hasrat Mohani showed courage in the freedom struggle, fighting along with the revolutionaries. He was also a co-founding member of the Communist Party. During that time period, he was once again put behind the bars in 1925. But the British could not break the courage of the revolutionaries, who kept burning the torch of freedom in the hearts of the people.

According to a few historians, Maulana Hasrat Mohani wrote the slogan 'Inquilab Zindabad' in 1921. This is the same slogan that Bhagat Singh immortalized forever in the memory of the nation. Maulana's collection of poetry is famous as 'Kuliyat-e-Hasrat'. Maulana further played an important role in giving a new status to Urdu Ghazal. The notions of love, society, politics, and freedom are seen in his poetry.

Maulana Hasrat Mohani sacrificed his life for the country till his last breath. On 13 May 1951 in Lucknow, Hasrat Mohani breathed his last.