Akbar Allahabadi
Encyclopedia
Syed Akbar Hussain Rizvi popularly known as Akbar Allahabadi (November 16, 1846–1921) (Urdu: اكبر الہ آبادی ) was an India
n Urdu
poet
.
, India. Though initially educated only in madrasas (religious school), he later studied law and finally retired as a session judge in Allahabad High Court. He belonged to a Sunni Muslim family.
He lived through tumultuous times, which is evident in his poetry, witnessing the first war of independence in 1857, first world war and even the initial part of Gandhi's peaceful movement. He died in 1921 in Allahabad, the city of his birth.
and sarcasm
; before him there were only serious poets who occasionally had one or two ash'ar of that kind in their ghazals. For Akbar humour was not only a style but an instrument to clearly understand the social change. He conveys his message in his own original style without losing the humorous feel.
Like Iqbal
he was also a poet of the mind, they both used their poetry to awaken the sleeping masses, but there is a sharp contrast in their styles. Underneath the wave of humour, we find the poet's pain - pain that this society is changing for the worst, pain that Muslims are forgetting their true values. Whereas Iqbal went on the define the causes and the solutions to those problems, Akbar style went more on defining the causes.
Akbar had great understanding and control of the Urdu
language. He used simple language with very effective use. He also used English words in his poetry with interesting results, which was also to make fun of the Hindustanis who pretend to be British; a subculture that had thrived in the era of Akbar. Another aspect of his poetry is the strict criticism of so called religious figures who destroyed the dignity of islam by playing double standards. His poetry is the mouth piece of the modern culture at that time and clearly portrays his indepth knowledge with what was happened and the transition in cultural values.
He published three kulliyats.
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...
n 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...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Early life
Akabar Allahabadi was born at AllahabadAllahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, India. Though initially educated only in madrasas (religious school), he later studied law and finally retired as a session judge in Allahabad High Court. He belonged to a Sunni Muslim family.
He lived through tumultuous times, which is evident in his poetry, witnessing the first war of independence in 1857, first world war and even the initial part of Gandhi's peaceful movement. He died in 1921 in Allahabad, the city of his birth.
Poetry
Akbar's ustad was Waheed, who was the shagird of Aatish. Akbar is the pioneer in the field of humourHumour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
and sarcasm
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
; before him there were only serious poets who occasionally had one or two ash'ar of that kind in their ghazals. For Akbar humour was not only a style but an instrument to clearly understand the social change. He conveys his message in his own original style without losing the humorous feel.
Like Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
he was also a poet of the mind, they both used their poetry to awaken the sleeping masses, but there is a sharp contrast in their styles. Underneath the wave of humour, we find the poet's pain - pain that this society is changing for the worst, pain that Muslims are forgetting their true values. Whereas Iqbal went on the define the causes and the solutions to those problems, Akbar style went more on defining the causes.
- takeed-e-ibaadat pay yeH sab kahte haiN laRhke
- peeri meiN bhi AKBAR ki zarafat nahiN jaati
- [takeed-e-ibaadat = to remind for prayers, peeri= old age]
Akbar had great understanding and control of 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...
language. He used simple language with very effective use. He also used English words in his poetry with interesting results, which was also to make fun of the Hindustanis who pretend to be British; a subculture that had thrived in the era of Akbar. Another aspect of his poetry is the strict criticism of so called religious figures who destroyed the dignity of islam by playing double standards. His poetry is the mouth piece of the modern culture at that time and clearly portrays his indepth knowledge with what was happened and the transition in cultural values.
He published three kulliyats.