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t is difficult to trace the intellectual history of the Indian subcontinent without an understanding of Arabic and Persian literature. Prior to Partition, literary production in Urdu, whether original or adapted, was inextricably shaped by these two classical languages. One reason may be the direct link between the educational systems of the time and Arabic and Persian. Madrasas and maktabs provided instruction in both, and their literary canons were widely taught. Naturally, immersion in the work of revered writers in these languages left a lasting imprint on Urdu’s literary and intellectual evolution.
Arabic and Persian not only shaped the literary culture of thetime but also influenced the direction in which it developed. As Khurshid Rizvi’s seminal study, Hali Ki Nazm-o-Nasr argues, intellectual relationships, often profound and historically significant, remain among the most under-examined familial connections in Urdu studies.
In the world of Urdu literature, MaulanaAltafHussain Hali is best known as the biographer of Sheikh Saadi, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and MirzaGhalib. Widely regarded as the first Urdu biographer in the modern sense, Hali brought a rare advantage to the genre: intimate access to his subjects and a refined, incisive style of narration. His prose is marked by clarity and precision, with a structure that is both concrete and accessible.
In his biographical writing, Hali did not merely celebrate the virtues of his subjects; he also acknowledged their flaws and vulnerabilities, offering a fuller, more human portrait of greatness. His literary sensibility was of a high order, distinguished by moderation and a deep commitment to truth.
Hali is also remembered for his critical works, such as Muqaddama-i-Sha’r-o-Sha’iri and his celebrated poem Musaddas-i-Hali. His intellectual legacy reflects a confluence of Arabic, Persian and English literary influences. This fusion not only set him apart from his contemporaries but also makes his work resonate today. He stands as a pioneering figure in the harmonisation of tradition with modernity.
Hali remains one of the rarest figures in Urdu literature, an intriguing blend of classical tradition and modern intellect. In his seminal poem Musaddas, he narrates the history of Islam with clarity, emotional depth and literary precision. Drawing a parallel between the cultural and political decline of Muslims in his own time and the pre-Islamic era in Arabia, Hali suggests that within every moment of destruction lies the seed of revival, that reconstruction is not only possible but inevitable.
Musaddas endures as essential reading. This long-form poem (written in sestets) preserves the tradition of Arabic literature,using its metaphors to build a powerful emotional and moral landscape. In doing so, Hali not only connects readers to a distinctive Muslim cultural identity but also offers moral guidance in periods of fragility and loss.
In Muqaddama-i-Sha’r-o-Sha’iri, Hali shifts from poetry to literary criticism. Here, he interrogates Urdu literature through a rational, almost scientific lens, urging poets to move beyond the worn-out tropes of roses and nightingales. Instead, he advocates for a literature that envisions the future, offering purpose and intellectual stimulation to its readers. His critique helped steer Urdu poetry away from decadent romanticism and towards a more socially engaged and visionary direction.
What occurred within MaulanaAltafHussain Hali during the 19th Century was precisely that for Urdu literature, a revolution still awaiting the full measure of its recognition.
Hali’s genius lies in his belief that the greatness of literature does not reside in escapism, but in its engagement with the moral and social dilemmas of its time, while also lighting the way forward. His biographies of Saadi and Sir Syed remain influential, blending vivid description with thoughtful reflection.
Hali perceived what he thought and thought what he felt. Like all great thinkers who are also master stylists, he presents ideas not as conclusions, but as acts of thinking themselves. His readers are witnesses to the unfolding of his intellect. Rather than receiving pre-packaged arguments, they are invited to reflect, reimagine and participate in the creative process of understanding.
Though his biographical narratives may lack analytical rigour, they are rich in cultural and period detail. He is more a storyteller than historian, but therein lies the strength of his prose. His narrative style, while descriptive rather than evaluative, continues to illuminate the evolving landscape of Urdu thought and identity.
Hali was not only a poet and critic, he was also a historian of his time. His prose was marked by clarity, restraint and an unmistakable resonance of Arabic and Persian. Maulana Hali possessed exceptional command over both these languages. Yet, he seemed acutely aware of their impending decline. Perhaps for this reason, his literary output in Arabic and Persian was limited; instead, he dedicated his life to the service and development of Urdu. After all, only the language that is spoken, read, and understood by the common people can remain vital in society.
The book under discussion sheds light on Hali’s deep immersion in Arabic and Persian traditions. His frequent use of proverbs, verses, historical references and metaphors from both languages, particularly in the preface to his Diwan and in his prose, attests to his intellectual grounding in their literature.
Familiarity with multiple literary traditions enriches a writer’s worldview. It sharpens their ability to grasp complexity and deepens their analytical and expressive capacities. This book not only introduces new dimensions of Maulana Hali’s intellectual life, it also situates his evolution within its rightful historical and cultural framework.
It poses fundamental questions: Why did Hali become the figure we remember today? What role did Arabic and Persian play in shaping his literary sensibilities? Had he not studied these languages so deeply, would Musaddas ever have been written? Would Urdu have witnessed the birth of the modern biography? Could he have captured the civilisational decline of his time with such depth and clarity? Would his intellectual formation have achieved the maturity that it ultimately did?
Today, Maulana Hali is steadily emerging as a central figure in the intellectual tradition of South Asian Muslim thought. While the intellectual history of the region remains largely underexplored, it is likely that when serious scholarship eventually takes root in this field, Hali will be recognised not merely as a literary figure, but more substantially as a historian of ideas.
In this regard, Khurshid Rizvi’s recent book offers compelling evidence. Hali the historian still awaits full scholarly engagement, yet this work stands as a landmark academic contribution to Urdu studies, one that perhaps only Rizvi, himself a key figure in the same intellectual lineage, could have produced.
If the word revolution implies, at its root, a turning of the world upside down, then what occurred within MaulanaAltafHussain Hali during the 19th Century was precisely that for Urdu literature. And it is a revolution still awaiting the full measure of its recognition.
Haali ki Arabi Nazm o Nasr
Author: Khursheed Rizvi
Publisher: ILQA, 2025
Price: Rs599
The reviewer teaches in the HistoryDepartment at GCU Lahore and BNU