Forum Pakistan

Haq, Abdul, Maulvi (1870-1961)
Linguistic Scholar. Best known by the title Baba-i-Urdu ('Father of the *Urdu Language'). Maulvi Abdul Haq was a linguist, enlightener, publisher and an Urdu literary scholar. Abdul Haq enrolled at Aligarh University in 1888 and received his BA in 1896. His creative principles and world view were strongly influenced by Sir Syed Ahmad *Khan, Altaf Hussain *Hali and Shibli *Nomani. In 1921, he headed the Society for the Development of Urdu (Anjuman-iTaraqqi-i-Urdui. Under the auspices of this Society, some fundamental journals that influenced the scholarly and public thought of several generations of intellectuals were published: Hamari Zaban ('Our Language', 1939), Urdu (1921), Maashiyat ('The Economy'), and Science (1928-47).

He was in charge of the Society's publishing and translation activities. Abdul Haq wrote introductions and commentaries for a number of books published in Hyderabad (Deccan), and later in Aurangabad, Delhi, and Karachi. He is responsible for the publication of manuscripts of some early Urdu writers and poets and for the translation of classics of antiquity and major epic works from Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian. He published several world literary classics and studies in Urdu, reflecting the contemporary state of Western scholarship. Abdul Haq was one of the organizers of the present-day system of education and personally helped establish Osmania University in Hyderabad, Deccan. He acquired private libraries and collections that laid the basis of public libraries in Hyderabad, Delhi and Karachi. After the partition in 1947, Abdul Haq moved to Pakistan. He contributed to the setting up of the Urdu College in Karachi and Anjuman-i-Taraqqi-i-Urdu Pakistan (1948).

On his initiative, several journals, especially Qaumi Zaban ('The Language of the Nation'), and Urdu were circulated in Karachi. He authored important scholarly works on linguistics and literary criticism, Urdu grammar, textbooks, and dictionaries. He published studies on the life and work of Wajahi, Ali Adil Shah, Arnir Khusrau *Dehlawi, Syed Ahmad Khan, *Mir Taqi Mir, Altaf Hussain Hali, and others.

WORKS: 'Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Hayat-o-Afkar ', Karachi, 1976; 'Lugat-e-Kabir', in 2 vols, Karachi, 1976.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Shahabuddin Saqib, 'Baba-i-Urdu; MauLvi AbduL Haq', Karachi, 1988.