Moulana Saeed Ahmed

MOULANA SAEED AHMED

Date of Birth: 1888 and Date of Death: 4^th December, 1959

            Moulana Saeed Ahmed, who refused to accept the pension granted by the Government of India stating that it was his spiritual duty to fight for the freedom of the country, was born in 1888 in Shahjahanabad near Delhi.  He opposed slavery under the British rule since his very younger age.  He proved himself not only a good writer and poet in the field of Urdu literature but also as an inspiring public orator.  Moulana Saeed Ahmed entered into the Indian Freedom Movement though ‘Wali Ilahi’ Movement, which rose in protest against the unending atrocities of the British after the First War of Independence of India.  Moulana Saeed Ahmed took part in almost all the movement and programmes including the Khilafat Movement during the Freedom Struggle till India got independence.  He was imprisoned for one year in 1921 for the first time.  Then he was again imprisoned in 1930 for two years, and for one year each in 1932 and 1940.  Due to his uncompromised attitude to words the foreign rulers, Moulana Saeed Ahmed was again imprisoned in 1942 for three years and was fared to spend time in a solitary cell.  The prolonged life in the prison helped Moulana Saeed Ahmed to develop his poetic skills.  He penned his poetry with his pen name ‘Asir’.  Moulana Saeed Ahmed, though basically believed in nonviolence, appealed to the people to be prepared for the armed struggle if needed.  He strongly opposed the interference of religion with politics.  And, he strongly opposed the divisive communal politics of the All India Muslim League.  Moulana Saeed Ahmed even, held Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhai Patel responsible along with Mohammad Ali Jinnah for the division of the nation.  He conducted meetings and conferences to create confidence among the people, who got panic stricken after the division of the country.  Moulana Ahmed Saeed also played a vital role, when Gandhi undertook Satyagraha after the eruption of communal riots during the division of India.  Moulana Saeed conducted mushaira in the Red Fort on the eve of the very first Republic Day.  The tradition of mushaira, which was started by Moulana Ahamed, continues every year on the eve of the Republic Day at Red Fort.  Moulana Saeed Ahmed, who was a great poet, an inspiring orator and a committed freedom fighter, passed away on 4^th December, 1959.