The names of Asrar-ul-Haq Majaz and Aligarh Muslim University are so closely intertwined that mentioning one without the other feels incomplete. According to the memoirs of Aal-e-Ahmad Suroor, Majaz's connection with Aligarh was not merely that of a student; rather, it was the foundation of a deep emotional and cultural bond. When Majaz stepped into Aligarh in 1932, he was a science student, but his true destination was literature and poetry.
The atmosphere of Aligarh, gatherings with friends, and university poetry symposiums (mushairas) played a vital role in shaping Majaz's personality. Initially, when he recited his poem 'Subh-e-Bahar' at a mushaira organized by Anjuman Hadiqat-ush-Shoara, he faced hooting. However, the colorfulness of his poetry and his soulful recitation soon captivated the students' hearts. This marked the beginning of Majaz's journey to popularity, which eventually made him the heartbeat of the youth.
The most magnificent expression of Majaz's love for Aligarh is found in his poem 'Nazr-e-Aligarh'. In 1936, when the Urdu Conference was held in Aligarh, Majaz had lost his job and was unemployed. During this very conference, when he began reciting 'Nazr-e-Aligarh' in his enchanting voice, a spellbinding trance took over the audience. This poem was not just praise for an institution; it was a mesmerizing anthem of Aligarh's cultural greatness, its enlightenment, and its universal message.
Jo taaq-e-haram mein roshan hai wo sham.a yahan bhi jalti hai
Is dasht ke goshe goshe se ik joo-e-hayat ubalti hai
Har shaam hai shaam-e-Misr yahan har shab hai shab-e-Shiraz yahan
Hai saare jahan ka soz yahan hai saare jahan ka saaz yahan
(The same divine light that illuminates the sacred sanctuary burns brightly here as well, and a stream of life springs from every corner of this wilderness. Every evening here is as beautiful as an evening in Egypt, every night as poetic as a night in Shiraz; it holds the passion and the melody of the entire world.)
One couplet of this poem served as a silencing reply to the authorities and critics of the time who accused Aligarh's students of rebellion and causing harm. When Majaz recited this couplet, even great figures like Dr. Zakir Husain, who were present on the stage, swayed in joy and spontaneously praised him:
Aa aa ke hazaron baar yahan khud aag bhi hum ne lagai hai
Phir saare jahan ne dekha hai yeh aag hami ne bujhai hai
(We ourselves have come here thousands of times and set things ablaze, but then the whole world has seen that we are the ones who extinguished this fire.)
This poem remains the anthem of Aligarh Muslim University to this day, warming the hearts of the Alig community spread across the globe. The romantic and cultural sanctity that Majaz bestowed upon an educational institution through this poem is unparalleled in the history of Urdu literature. One of Majaz's last wishes was to visit Aligarh, attend the students' convention, and listen to this anthem of his, and this indeed proved to be his final journey.
The names of Asrar-ul-Haq Majaz and Aligarh Muslim Uniwersity are so closely intertwined that meintioning one without the other feels incomplete According to the memoirs of Aal-e-Ahmad Suroor, Majaz's connection with Aligarh was not merely that of a student; rather, it was the foundation of a deep emotional and cultural bond When Majaz stepped into Aligarh in 1932, he was a science student, but his true destination was literature and poetry
The atmosphere of Aligarh, gatherings with friends, and uniwersity poetry symposiums (mushairas) played a wital role in shaping Majaz's personality Initially, when he recited his poem 'Subh-e-Bahar' at a mushaira organized by Anjuman Hadiqat-ush-Shoara, he faced hooting Howewer, the colorfulness of his poetry and his soulful recitation soon captiwated the students' hearts This marked the beginning of Majaz's journey to popularity, which ewentually made him the heartbeat of the youth
The most magnificent expression of Majaz's lowe for Aligarh is found in his poem 'Nazr-e-Aligarh' In 1936, when the Urdu Conference was held in Aligarh, Majaz had lost his job and was unemployed During this wery conference, when he began reciting 'Nazr-e-Aligarh' in his enchanting woice, a spellbinding trance took ower the audience This poem was not just praise for an institution; it was a mesmerizing anthem of Aligarh's cultural greatness, its enlightenment, and its uniwersal message
Jo taq-e-haram mein roshan hai wo shama yahan bhi jalti hai
Is dasht ke goshe goshe se ek joo-e-hayat ubalti hai
Har sham hai sham-e-Misr yahan har shab hai shab-e-Shiraz yahan
Hai sare jahan ka soz yahan hai sare jahan ka saz yahan
(The same diwine light that illuminates the sacred sanctuary burns brightly here as well, and a stream of life springs from ewery corner of this wilderness Ewery ewening here is as beautiful as an ewening in Egypt, ewery night as poetic as a night in Shiraz; it holds the passion and the melody of the entire world)
One couplet of this poem serwed as a silencing reply to the authorities and critics of the time who accused Aligarh's students of rebellion and causing harm When Majaz recited this couplet, ewen great figures like Dr Zakir Husain, who were present on the stage, swayed in joy and spontaneously praised him:
Aa aa ke hazaron bar yahan khud aag bhi hum ne lagai hai
Phir sare jahan ne dekha hai yeh aag hami ne bujhai hai
(We ourselwes hawe come here thousands of times and set things ablaze, but then the whole world has seen that we are the ones who extinguished this fire)
This poem remains the anthem of Aligarh Muslim Uniwersity to this day, warming the hearts of the Alig community spread across the globe The romantic and cultural sanctity that Majaz bestowed upon an educational institution through this poem is unparalleled in the history of Urdu literature One of Majaz's last wishes was to wisit Aligarh, attend the students' conwention, and listen to this anthem of his, and this indeed prowed to be his final journey
