- Hasan Askari
Muhammad Hasan Askari (
Urdu : محمد حسن عسکری) (1919 – 1978) was one of the most respected name among scholars, critics, writers and linguists of modernUrdu . He was an important voice within the modernist movement.Askari was born on
November 5 ,1919 in a village inBulandshahr District , in westernUttar Pradesh ,India . He joinedAllahabad University as an undergraduate in 1938 and went on to earn a Master’s degree inEnglish literature in 1942. After completing education, he joinedAll India Radio ,Delhi . For a brief period around 1944, he also taught English literature at Delhi College (now,Zakir Husain College).After independence, he and his family migrated to
Pakistan and finally settled inKarachi in 1950. He joined Islamia College Karachi. By 1955 Askari became increasingly engaged in the transition to and formulation of Pakistani national culture, practically abandoning his previous work that had focused on discussions of style in Urdu language and literature."Jadidiyat" is one of his premier work. He translated western literary, philosophical and metaphysical work into Urdu, especially from English, French, and Russian. He translated
Lenin 'sState and Revolution in 1942 andMaxim Gorky 's work, "main ne likhna kesay sikha" in 1943. He also translatedArabic mystic literature andBuddhism into Urdu. In his later part of life, he went against the "Progressive Writers’ Association" on account of its sole dependency onSocialism . He was the first who introducedRené Guénon ,Frithjof Schuon andMartin Lings to Indian and Pakistani Muslims. Preceding his death, he was working on a translation of the Holy Quran and finished a little more than one chapter before he passed on.He died in
January 18 1978 inKarachi .Literary work
* "Jazeeray" (collection of short stories) - 1947
* "Qeyamat hum rakaab na aay" (collection of long stories) - 1947
* "Insaan aur Aadmi" (critical essays) - 1953
* "Sitara ya Baadban" (critical essays) - 1963
* "Waqt ki Raagni" (critical essays)
* "Jadidiyat" (philosophical and critical essays)
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