HASAN SHAHEER

As, my siblings, and I were growing up, we spent most of our childhood listening to this and many other verses like this throughout my growing years. Why do they sound so precious only now? Until yesterday, I did not seem to care for them when Abbi used to recite and re-recite out loud all day long and read to every visitor who visited us at the time.
My father’s name was Syed Mohammad Hasan and he used “Shaheer” as his nom de plume. We affectionately called him Abbi. My father was born on 22nd April 1926 in Allahabad in the family of Hakim Badshah.
Abbi lost his parents in early childhood. Allahabad was the stronghold of the war of independence at that time. His elder brother, Mr. Syed Muzaffar Hasan whom Abbi looked up to was the only father figure in his life, also jumped into the freedom fight and was away most of the time. Hence, he had been deprived of care and patronage since early childhood, so much so that I always felt his pain deep down. Despite the extraordinary adverse conditions in his early years, Abbi completed his BA degree from Allahabad University.
At that time, Sri Harivansh Rai Bachchan was his English professor. After completing college Abbi got trained as a pilot and learned to operate a plane called Tiger Mouth. But he left that job saying, “do not want to work for the British’. His strong opposition against all kinds of exploitation and his empathy for the labor class took him on a path of the quest for truth and justice. At the same time, his interest in poetry and philosophy increased. He became acquainted with other like-minded personalities of the time, some of whom I have heard the names of like Ali Sardar Jafri, Firakh Gorakhpuri, Majaaz, Ratan Singh, Ramlal, Shailendra, etc.
Abbi was incredibly talented and creative. He made a name for himself in abstract paintings also. His one-man shows were held at the Jahangir Art Gallery in Bombay and the then Vice President of India, Sri V. V. Giri and Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed inaugurated his paintings’ exhibitions. When my Abbi was married to Azra Aisha Khatoon, the daughter of Syed Habib Ahmed sahab of Masauli, his life took a new turn that directed him towards Islam. This book was started in that period. Abbi has poured his heart, the essence of his life, his mind, and his whole self into this book. Therefore, it is our duty to bring his thoughts, his life experiences, and personal achievements to the world. Twenty-three years ago, after this book was completed, my dear Abbi suddenly left us and this world forever.
I cannot forget that time of 9th October 1997 till date. It took me so much time to work on this book because obviously the emotional strength required to do this was lacking so I needed time. However, to bring this book to the public became the purpose of my life, so now it is being presented. Please read this book and let us know your valuable opinion. My intention is to spread goodness in this world in my Abbi’s name for which I want to lay the foundation of Hasan Shaheer Memorial Urdu Academy to promote the Urdu language and literature and help the needy in any way possible. God willing that is my next step.