Maulvi Abdul Haq
Encyclopedia
Maulvi
Abdul Haq was a scholar and linguist, who is also regarded as Baba-e-Urdu (Father of Urdu). He was a champion of the Urdu language and the demand for it to be made the national language of Pakistan
.
town in Ghaziabad District in India
. He developed an affinity for the Urdu
, Deccani, Persian
and Arabic. He did B.A. from Aligarh Muslim University
in 1894 where he found company of some of the savants of that time, including, Shibli Nomani
, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Ross Masood
, Mohsin-ul-Mulk
, Syed Mehmud, Professor Arnold, and Babu Mukharjee. After graduation, Abdul Haq went to Hyderabad Deccan
and associated himself to learning, teaching, translating and upgrading Urdu. Abdul Haq was deeply influenced by Sir Syed's political and social views, and learnt English
and scientific subjects. Like Khan, Abdul Haq saw Urdu as a major cultural and political influence on the life and identity of the Muslims of India. He founded the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu
in 1903 in Aligarh. Professor Arnold become the first president and Shibli Nomani the first secretary. Abdul Haq joined the Indian Civil Service under the British Raj
, and worked as a chief translator at the Home Department in Delhi
, before being appointed as the provincial inspector of schools at Aurangabad in the Central Provinces
. In the same year, he was appointed secretary of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference, which had been founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in 1886 for the promotion of education and intellectualism in Muslim society. He become Principal of Osmania College (Aurangabad) and retired in 1930.
by the Nizam
Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII
of the Hyderabad State
in 1917, Haq moved to Hyderabad State
to teach and help build the university. All subjects at the university were taught in Urdu, and under Haq's influence the institution became a patron of Urdu
and Persian literature
and linguistic heritage. Appointed as chairman of the department faculty of Urdu, Abdul Haq emerged as a leading literary critic and accomplished writer in the intellectual life of Hyderabad. He published numerous works of Urdu poetry, as well as treatises on linguistics
, Islam
, history
, politics
and philosophy
. Widely respected as a scholar and teacher, Abdul Haq was a scholarly critic who provided criticisms of modern Urdu works and encouraged his students to develop literary skills and appreciation of Urdu. Following his retirement in 1930, Haq worked to compile and edit a comprehensive and authoritative English-Urdu dictionary. Haq was also a leading figure in the Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam
, a Muslim socio-political body of intellectuals. He also led the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu
(Organisation for the Progress of Urdu), which had been founded as a group of Urdu scholars, intellectuals and students. Initially focusing on intellectual subjects and work, in 1930 Haq led the group in protest against a campaign
by Indian nationalists
to promote the use of Hindi as the national language of British India. Haq became a fierce critic of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi and the Indian National Congress
and joined the All India Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah
.
much of his property, especially valuable manuscripts, papers and books were lost. The ordeals of partition and the migration
also adversely affected Abdul Haq's health. He re-organised the Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu in Karachi
, launching journals, establishing libraries and schools, publishing a large number of books and promoting Urdu education and linguistic research. Abdul Haq's work especially helped preserve the distinct "Old Urdu" linguistic and literary traditions of Hyderabad
, known as Hyderabadi Urdu
. He also used his organisation for political activism, promoting the adoption of Urdu as the lingua franca
and sole official language of Pakistan. He criticised the popular movement in East Pakistan
(now Bangladesh
) to demand the recognition of Bengali
, stressing his belief that only Urdu represented Muslim heritage and should be promoted exclusively in national life. Condemning the 1952 Language Movement
agitations in East Pakistan, showed apparent dislike over the decision of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
to make Bengali a second official language. With the help of the Anjuman and sympathetic political parties, he organised a major series of public rallies and processions in Lahore and Karachi on April 22, 1954. He is criticised for his insistence of Urdu as the sole official language
of Pakistan, a cause which served to intensify the sectional gulf within the country and led to the Bangladesh Liberation War
in 1971.
, Abdul Haq died after a prolonged period of incapacitation on August 16, 1961 in Karachi
.
In recognition of his services to Urdu literature
, Pakistan Post
issued a Commemorative stamp
on 16 August 2004.
Maulvi
Mawlawi is an honorific Islamic religious title given to Sunni Muslim religious scholars or Ulema preceding their names, similar to the titles Maulana, Mullah, or Shaykh. Mawlawi generally means highly-qualified Islamic scholar...
Abdul Haq was a scholar and linguist, who is also regarded as Baba-e-Urdu (Father of Urdu). He was a champion of the Urdu language and the demand for it to be made the national language of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Early life
Abdul Haq was born on November 16, 1872 in HapurHapur
Hapur is a city with a population of 216,100 located 65 kilometers east of the capital of India and noted as manufacturing hub of making Stainless Steel Pipes and Tubes, Hapur is also famous for paper cones and tubes....
town in Ghaziabad District in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He developed an affinity for the Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, Deccani, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Arabic. He did B.A. from Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
in 1894 where he found company of some of the savants of that time, including, Shibli Nomani
Shibli Nomani
Allamah Shibli Nomani was a respected scholar of Islam from Indian subcontinent during British Raj. He was born at Bindwal in Azamgarh district of present-day Uttar Pradesh. He is known for the founding the Shibli National College in 1883 and the Darul Mussanifin in Azamgarh...
, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Ross Masood
Ross Masood
Sir Ross Masud , was the only grandson of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the father of Muslim renaissance in Indian subcontinent. Born to Syed Mahmood, he was educated at Aligarh and Oxford.-Services to education:...
, Mohsin-ul-Mulk
Mohsin-ul-Mulk
Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk, Munir Nawaz Jang, Syed Mehdi Ali was a prominent Indian Muslim politician...
, Syed Mehmud, Professor Arnold, and Babu Mukharjee. After graduation, Abdul Haq went to Hyderabad Deccan
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
and associated himself to learning, teaching, translating and upgrading Urdu. Abdul Haq was deeply influenced by Sir Syed's political and social views, and learnt English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and scientific subjects. Like Khan, Abdul Haq saw Urdu as a major cultural and political influence on the life and identity of the Muslims of India. He founded the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu
Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu
Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu is an organisation founded by Maulvi Abdul Haq in 1903 in Aligarh for the promotion of Urdu language, Urdu literature and Indian Muslim cultural heritage. The organisation publishes many journals and books, and supports research and creative work in Urdu linguistics and...
in 1903 in Aligarh. Professor Arnold become the first president and Shibli Nomani the first secretary. Abdul Haq joined the Indian Civil Service under the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, and worked as a chief translator at the Home Department in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, before being appointed as the provincial inspector of schools at Aurangabad in the Central Provinces
Central Provinces
The Central Provinces was a province of British India. It comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur....
. In the same year, he was appointed secretary of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference, which had been founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in 1886 for the promotion of education and intellectualism in Muslim society. He become Principal of Osmania College (Aurangabad) and retired in 1930.
Educational and political activities
Following the establishment of the Osmania UniversityOsmania University
Osmania University , , since 1918, is a public university located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established and named after the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. It is one of the oldest modern universities in India. It is the first Indian University to have Urdu and...
by the Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII
Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII
Sir Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi MP, GCSI, GBE Asaf Jah VII , born Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur , was the last Nizam of the Princely State of Hyderabad and of Berar. He ruled Hyderabad between 1911 and 1948, until it was merged into India...
of the Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
in 1917, Haq moved to Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
to teach and help build the university. All subjects at the university were taught in Urdu, and under Haq's influence the institution became a patron of Urdu
Urdu literature
Urdu literature has a long and colorful history that is inextricably tied to the development of that very language, Urdu, in which it is written...
and Persian literature
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
and linguistic heritage. Appointed as chairman of the department faculty of Urdu, Abdul Haq emerged as a leading literary critic and accomplished writer in the intellectual life of Hyderabad. He published numerous works of Urdu poetry, as well as treatises on linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Widely respected as a scholar and teacher, Abdul Haq was a scholarly critic who provided criticisms of modern Urdu works and encouraged his students to develop literary skills and appreciation of Urdu. Following his retirement in 1930, Haq worked to compile and edit a comprehensive and authoritative English-Urdu dictionary. Haq was also a leading figure in the Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam
Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam
Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam , launched in Lahore in 1884. One of its major efforts was the setting up of a number of schools for Muslim girls and orphanages in the Punjab, where girls were taught Urdu and the Qur’an, as well as mathematics, needlework and crafts...
, a Muslim socio-political body of intellectuals. He also led the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu
Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu
Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu is an organisation founded by Maulvi Abdul Haq in 1903 in Aligarh for the promotion of Urdu language, Urdu literature and Indian Muslim cultural heritage. The organisation publishes many journals and books, and supports research and creative work in Urdu linguistics and...
(Organisation for the Progress of Urdu), which had been founded as a group of Urdu scholars, intellectuals and students. Initially focusing on intellectual subjects and work, in 1930 Haq led the group in protest against a campaign
Hindi-Urdu controversy
The Hindi–Urdu controversy is an ongoing dispute—dating back to the 19th century—regarding the establishment of a single standard language in certain areas of north and northwestern India; while the debate was officially settled by government order in 1950, some resistance remains...
by Indian nationalists
Indian nationalism
Indian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
to promote the use of Hindi as the national language of British India. Haq became a fierce critic of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi and the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and joined the All India Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum ....
.
In Pakistan
In November 1947, Abdul Haq migrated to Pakistan. In the wake of migrationPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
much of his property, especially valuable manuscripts, papers and books were lost. The ordeals of partition and the migration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
also adversely affected Abdul Haq's health. He re-organised the Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, launching journals, establishing libraries and schools, publishing a large number of books and promoting Urdu education and linguistic research. Abdul Haq's work especially helped preserve the distinct "Old Urdu" linguistic and literary traditions of Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, known as Hyderabadi Urdu
Hyderabadi Urdu
Hyderabadi Urdu is a dialect of Urdu spoken in the Indian region of Hyderabad State and its diaspora. It is also known as Deccani Urdu from its former name Hyderabad Deccan...
. He also used his organisation for political activism, promoting the adoption of Urdu as the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
and sole official language of Pakistan. He criticised the popular movement in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
(now Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) to demand the recognition of Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, stressing his belief that only Urdu represented Muslim heritage and should be promoted exclusively in national life. Condemning the 1952 Language Movement
Language Movement
The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement , was a political effort in Bangladesh , advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan...
agitations in East Pakistan, showed apparent dislike over the decision of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan was formed to write Pakistan's constitution, and serve as its first parliament. It first convened on 11 August 1947, before the end of British rule on August 15, 1947. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the first President of this Assembly until his death on...
to make Bengali a second official language. With the help of the Anjuman and sympathetic political parties, he organised a major series of public rallies and processions in Lahore and Karachi on April 22, 1954. He is criticised for his insistence of Urdu as the sole official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
of Pakistan, a cause which served to intensify the sectional gulf within the country and led to the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
in 1971.
Death
Despite illnesses and failing health, Abdul Haq continued to promote the active use of Urdu as a medium for all activities. He pushed for the creation of an Urdu College in Karachi, the adoption of Urdu as a medium of instruction for all subjects in educational institutions and worked to organise a national Urdu conference in 1959. Suffering from cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, Abdul Haq died after a prolonged period of incapacitation on August 16, 1961 in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
.
Baba-e-Urdu
For his achievements in the development and promotion of Urdu literature, he is officially regarded is Baba-e-Urdu. His most famous works include the English-Urdu dictionary, Chand Ham Asar, Maktoobat, Muqaddimat, Tauqeedat, Qawaid-e-Urdu and Debacha Dastan Rani Ketki. The Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu remains an important intellectual organisation in Pakistan. Held in high esteem amongst intellectuals, educationalists and scholars in Pakistan, Haq is praised for his work in promoting Muslim heritage and Urdu as a unifying medium for Pakistani Muslims.In recognition of his services to Urdu literature
Urdu literature
Urdu literature has a long and colorful history that is inextricably tied to the development of that very language, Urdu, in which it is written...
, Pakistan Post
Pakistan Post
Pakistan Post is a state enterprise dedicated to providing wide range of postal products and public services in Pakistan. It is the largest postal service in the country...
issued a Commemorative stamp
Commemorative stamp
A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp, often issued on a significant date such as an anniversary, to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. The subject of the commemorative stamp is usually spelled out in print, unlike definitive stamps which normally depict the subject along with the...
on 16 August 2004.
Founder of Urdu University
- Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and TechnologyFederal Urdu UniversityThe Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology is a coeducational public university with its main campus located in Gulshan Town, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It has two satellite campuses; Abdul Haq Campus at Baba-e-Urdu Road, Karachi and Islamabad Campus near Zero Point, Islamabad...