Reception of Hafez in the Works of Azad

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was not only a freedom fighter of India’s independence movement against the British Raj but was a prolific writer of Urdu or Indo-Persian literature. His profound interest in Persian studies is a giant step towards understanding Indo-Persian literature. He has a sizeable account of Urdu writings in which the gems of Persian literature are studded. Azad had a genius to grasp prominent Persian literary figures and re-interpret them in his Urdu writings. Hafiz is one of the greatest Persian literary figures who have made profound impact on Azad. One may see Hafez oft-quoted in the works of Azad whom he considers as hidden tongue or Lisan-ul- Ghaib. The works of Azad namely Ghubar i Khatir, Karvaan i Khayal, Tazkera, etc. more often than not reflect the lyrics of Hafez. It transpires that Azad lived in an age and society which were akin to the time and space of Hafez. The leaner study of the life and time of Azad and Hafez offers striking similarity and enable us to understand the life, time and works of Hafez through the life, time and works of Azad. In other words, Hafez and Azad becomes synonyms and inter-changeable. My paper will show how Azad explains his circumstances of life and inner recess of his thought and feelings by means of the lyrics of Hafez. The twentieth century Azad is appears as re-incarnation of the fourteenth century Hafez.