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Draft:Hamid Ali Khan

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  • Comment: This is without any doubt a notable person, but this draft contains a fairly substantial copyright violation. Several paragraphs are taken verbatim from the referenced source, namely R.M. Raisur's Locale, everyday Islam, and modernity : Qasbah towns and Muslim life in colonial India. Since the source was clearly linked, I think this was due to a good-faith misunderstanding, and I'm declining this in the hope that the draft creator will summarise the information in the source in their own words and re-submit the draft. bonadea contributions talk 15:35, 9 January 2025 (UTC)


Hamid Ali Khan, Barrister-at-Law, Circa 1915[1]

Hamid Ali Khan was an Indian Islamic scholar and orator from Amroha. He was born on December 14, 1860, at Bareilly. His father Hakim Muhammad Amjad Ali Khan, a Shia intellectual and former Deputy Collector of Amroha.[2] Hamid was eight years old when this travelling started.[3][4]

Hamid learned Persian and Arabic at home under various tutors, including his father, and English in school. He first met the poet Safi Amrohvi as a fifteen-year boy, at home in Mathura. Hamid's interest in Urdu poetry started under the influence of Safi Amrohvi. Barring a few reviews of his couplets by Safi, Hamid never sought any help. He would go on and forge a strong bond with Safi later on.

M.A.O. College Aligarh Students in England[5] Circa 1886

After attaining a bachelor's degree from Aligarh, in 1880, Hamid left for London to get a Barrister-at-Law degree. Other than law, he learned Latin and French too. His interest in writing remained unwavering and he spent time with like-minded individuals like Nawab Syed Manzoor Ali and Sir Asman Jah. He also met some well-known writers like Lord Tennyson and Sir William Muir, and even met the Prince of Wales (Edward VII, who later became the Emperor of India) on two occasions.

Hamid wrote the following couplet during his stay there:

"KahaN London ki galiyaN aur kahaN meraaj mimbar ki,

Khuda ki shaan dekho hum kahan thhey aur kahaN pahunche" (From the peak of pulpit to the lanes of London, It's all God's grace that I ended up here)[3]


Family Tree of Hamid Ali Khan[6][7]

Family Background

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Hamid Ali Khan's comes from an influential family. His father, Hakim Amjad Ali Khan (1827–1900)[4] was a respected hakim (traditional physician), expert in various sciences, and a deputy collector in Amroha. He was involved in government service and public works, balancing his official role with significant charitable activities, his brother Nawab Ali Khan was an an author and intellectual of note. His work titled Shams-ul-Tawarikh is a detailed account of his family's history, specifically focusing on the lineage and accomplishments of prominent members, his father-in-law Nawab Khan Bahadur Shaikh Altaf Hasan Khan was a rais of Lucknow and Talkatora Karbala was his ancestral property, his uncle Hakim Neyaz Ali Khan (1832–1911) was a deputy collector and a rais[8] he had two sons, Hakim Rahat Ali Khan (1861–1931) was a poet (pen name Haziq), and public intellectual in Amroha. He taught Yunani medicine, chaired literary gatherings, and contributed significantly to promoting Urdu poetry and literature through societies like the Anjuman Miraj-ul-Adab his younger brother Rafat Ali Khan (1877–1963) was another respected figure from the family, known for his role as a superintendent and deputy collector of Kanpur. He later became a rais (landed elite) of Amroha, the son of Rafat Ali Khan, Kazaim Ali Khan (1896–1973) was a lawyer, special magistrate, and advocate in Amroha. He was actively involved in Urdu literature and poetry, editing collections that included notable poets of his time. He also presided over local religious and cultural organizations, such as the Dargah Najaf-e-Hind[9].[10]

His family was instrumental in the development of Amroha's cultural and intellectual environment, contributing to its reputation as a literary hub deeply intertwined with the socio-political, educational, and cultural fabric of their time, leaving a lasting impact on their community and beyond.

Political and Social Influence

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Hamid was a popular figure of the United Provinces and his house in Lucknow was forever open to literati and he invested both his time and money for the promotion of Urdu and literature. His inuence extended to politics too. So much that even as Hindu revivalism was on the ascent, he won legislative elections in 1893 and 1895 with support from both Hindus and Muslims.[11]

Around 1900, the British outlook started to change towards the Indian Muslims. Persian was removed from the curriculum of Allahabad University and a demand to replace Persian script to Nagri met with an encouraging reception. Muslims sprang into action. Hamid led a committee of leading Muslims in Lucknow to protect Urdu and wrote a comprehensive piece '[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vernacular-Press-Act The Vernacular Controversy]' on the issue.[12] It was at his house, in 1901, that Nawab Mushtaq Husain Viqar-ul-Mulk called a meeting to discuss the future course of action. Later, he was among those who travelled to the 1906 Muslim Educational Conference in Dhaka, where the All-India Muslim League was founded, an important example of qasbāti intervention in pan-Indian politics.

Personal Life and Legacy

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Hamid Ali Khan married Sughra Jaan Begum, the daughter of Nawab Khan Bahadur Shaikh Altaf Hasan Khan of Lucknow. He comes from a rais family of mu'afidars (holders of revenue-free land) and his education prepared him for a successful career as a lawyer, administrator, English and Urdu writer, poet, biographer, and politician. He was deeply respected for promoting education, literature, and harmony between communities. His residence in Lucknow remained open to scholars and poets, ensuring the flourishing of Urdu culture. Hamid passed away on September 12, 1918, due to complications from diabetes. He was buried at the Talkatora Karbala, Lucknow.

The best eulogy came from his pupil Mirza Jafar Ali Khan 'Asar Lakhnavi'-

"Inhi kay daur may chalka hai paimana taraqqi ka,

Bahut mamnoon hai Urdu adab Hamid Ali Khan ka" (The goblet of success overflowed in his era, Urdu culture stands indebted to Hamid Ali Khan) This was incidentally the first couplet of his Diwan named Asaristan.

Maulana Syed Ali Naqi Zaidi 'Safi Lakhnavi', wrote couplet on his death -

"Yaad aate hain jab Hamid gham say bhar aata hai,

Duniya ka bada hissa khaali nazar aata hai" (Memories of Hamid brings me sadness, A big part of my world feels vacant)[3]

Hamid Ali Khan is remembered as a literary, political, and cultural pillar. His efforts in fostering communal harmony, preserving Urdu, and advancing education left a lasting legacy, ensuring his place in India's rich historical tapestry.

References

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  1. ^ Khan, Hamid Ali (1916). Hayat-e-Maulana Karamat Husain [Life of Maulana Karamat Husain]. Lucknow: AN-NAZIR PRESS, Lucknow. pp. 11–12.
  2. ^ Khan, Hamid Ali (1899). The Certificates, &c., of Hakim Mohamed Amjad Ali Khan ... Hakim Mohamed Niaz Ali Khan ... Sheikh Altaf Hasan Khan ... and Munshi Shaukat Hasan. [Edited by] Hamid Ali Khan [with a series of complimentary press-notices, and verses entitled "A Farewell to London"]. Lucknow: Lucknow, Pp. 98. N.N. Sivapuri Press. OCLC 752608751.
  3. ^ a b c Abidi, Inam (2023). Making of a Qasba: The Story of Amroha. Inam Abidi Amrohvi (published 1 January 2023). pp. 88–91. ISBN 978-9358115000.
  4. ^ a b Jones, Justin (2011). Shi'a Islam in Colonial India: Religion, Community and Sectarianism. Cambridge University Press (published 24 Oct 2011). ISBN 9781139501231.
  5. ^ "Our History A Brief History of the AMU Old Boys' Association". AMU Old Boys Association. Aligarh: Aligarh Muslim University. 12 October 2023.
  6. ^ Khan, Hakim Nawab Ali (1898). SHAMS-UL-TAWAREEKH. Lucknow: Munshi Gulab Singh Press, Lucknow.
  7. ^ Khan, Hakim Rahat Ali; Khan, Kazim Ali. Diwan-e-Haziq. Delhi: Khwaja Press, Delhi. p. 03.
  8. ^ Khan, Hamid Ali (1911). [Genealogy of Ḣakīm Niyāz 'Alī Khān. With letters addressed to him and to members of his family. Edited by his son, Ḣāmid 'Alī Khān.]. OCLC 562763037.
  9. ^ https://bijnor.nic.in/tourist-place/bhubaneswar/
  10. ^ Rahman, M. Raisur (2015). Locale, everyday Islam, and modernity : Qasbah towns and Muslim life in colonial India. Oxford University Press. pp. 155–156. ISBN 978-0199455225.
  11. ^ Gallagher, John; Johnson, Gordon; Seal, Anil (1973). Locality, Province and Nation: Essays on Indian Politics 1870 to 1940. Cambridge University Press (published 26 Jul 1973). pp. 89–90. ISBN 9780521098113.
  12. ^ Khan, Hamid Ali. The vernacular controversy : an account and criticism of the equalisation of Nagri and Urdu, as the character for the Court of the North-West Provinces and Oudh, under the resolution No. 585/III 343-C68 of Sir A.P. MacDonnell. Lucknow. ISBN 1900. OCLC 32474451. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)

Journal of the National Indian Association, in Aid of Social Progress in India. W.H. Allen & Company. 1885.

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