Moulvi Muhammad Baqir

Moulvi Muhammad Baqir (1780-1857) was a Shia scholar, an Indian independence activist and journalist based in Delhi.[1] He was the first journalist to be executed following rebellion in 1857.[2] He was arrested on 16 September 1857 and executed by gunshot two days later without trial.[3][4][5]

First Martyr of Urdu Press

Maulvi Muhammed Baqir Dehlavi
Personal
Born1780
Delhi, Mughal India
Died1857 (aged 77)
Delhi, India
ReligionIslam
DenominationTwelver Shi`a Islam
Muslim leader
Based inDelhi, India
Period in office1834–1857
SuccessorMuhammad Hussain Azad (son)
Websitehttps://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/dehli-urdu-akhbar-ebooks

Early life

Baqir was born in 1780 in Delhi He received his early education from his father. In 1825, he went to Delhi College for further studies. After completing his education, he was appointed as a teacher in Delhi college in 1828, where he served for six years.

Imambara Azad Manzil

In 1843, Maulvi Muhammad Baqir built an Imambara in Delhi near Kashmiri Gate. This was a very inclusive place of gethering where no only Shia Muslims but also Sunnis and Hindus gathered to commemorate the events of Karbala. Great poets like Ibrahim Zawq and Mir Momin also participated in reciting elegies.[6] He also built a mosque near Panja Sharif. In 1834, he also started publishing a religious magazine, Mazhar-e-Haq (مظہر حق), which published news on Shia world and also essays on Shia religious topics.[6]

This was a period of fierce religious debates among Muslims because of the sectarian polemics written by Shah Abd al-Aziz and Shah Ismail Dihlavi. However, Maulvi Baqir forbade any kind of Tabarra in his Imambara. This made a fanatic Shia cleric, Molana Jafar of Jarja, very angry and he wrote to the Marja in Lucknow to as for their religious ruling on it, as follows:

"One ABC built an Imambara for commemoration of martyrdom of Imam Hussain but made a proclamation that none was allowed to recite Tabarra against the first three Caliphs who claimed the pulpit after the Prophet. Anyone who recites Tabarra is expelled from the Imambara. The founder claims to be a Twelver Shia Muslim and this practice is not based on Taqiyyah. He asserts that his principle objective is to attract Sunni Muslims to Shia gatherings so that they could listen to the glorious teachings of the Imams and they might embrace Shia Islam. Is ABC on right path?"

The Marja in Lucknow replied that the owner was free to define conditions and rules for entry into the house he owns. Those who attend the assembly must follow these rules.[7]

Dehli Urdu Akhbar

In 1834 when the government allowed publication after amending the "Press Act", he entered the field of journalism. In 1835, he started taking out his newspaper under the name of the weekly "Dehli Urdu Akhbar"(دہلی اردو اخبار).[6] The newspaper survived for nearly 21 years, proving to be a milestone in the field of Urdu journalism. With the help of this newspaper, he played an important role in social issues as well as bringing political awakening in public and uniting against foreign rulers.[8][9]

A page of Dehli Urdu Akhbar, the first Urdu newspaper from Delhi.

Maulvi Baqir made full use of his newspaper to generate public opinion against the British imperialism during the 1857 war of independence. The revolt against the British was sparked by the freedom fighter in 1857 and the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was given the leadership of the revolution by all the rebel leaders. Journalist Maulvi Baqir renamed his newspaper on 12 July 1857 to lend his support " Akhbar Uz Zafar ".

Journalist Maulvi Baqir, a staunch supporter of Hindu Muslim unity on 4 June 1857, printed articles in his newspaper appealing to both communities - "Don't miss this opportunity, if missed, no one will come to help, this is a good opportunity for you to get rid of British rule.[10]

Death
British officers executing Indian freedom fighters

Maulvi Muhammad Baqir was arrested on 14 September 1857 for revolt. On16 September 1857, he was tied to the mouth of a cannon which is then fired by Major William S.R. Hudson.[9] Thus Moulvi Mohammad Baqir became first martyr for press in the Indian Subcontinent.[11]

References
  1. Parekh, Rauf (2015-09-21). "Literary Notes: History, war paintings and journalist Moulvi Muhammad Baqir". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  2. Dabas, Maninder (2017-12-02). "Maulana Baqir Was First Journalist To Sacrifice His Life During 1857 Revolt, Here's His Story". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  3. Safvi, Rana. "Maulavi Muhammad Baqar: Hero or Traitor of 1857?". The Wire. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  4. Pritchett, Frances W. (1994-05-09). Nets of Awareness: Urdu Poetry and Its Critics. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520914278.
  5. Husain, Syed Mahdi (2006). Bahadur Shah Zafar and the War of 1857 in Delhi. Aakar Books. ISBN 9788187879916.
  6. Rizvi, "A socio-intellectual History of Isna Ashari Shi'is in India", Vol. 2, p. 98, Mar'ifat Publishing House, Canberra (1986).
  7. Rizvi, "A socio-intellectual History of Isna Ashari Shi'is in India", Vol. 2, p. 99, Mar'ifat Publishing House, Canberra (1986).
  8. "Dehli Urdu Akhbar by Khwaja Ahmad Faruqi". Rekhta. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  9. Rizvi, "A socio-intellectual History of Isna Ashari Shi'is in India", Vol. 2, p. 100, Mar'ifat Publishing House, Canberra (1986).
  10. Ahmad, Syed Naseer (2018-09-16). "Moulvi Mohammad Baqir : First editor who sacrifice his life and became martyr for the freedom of our India". HeritageTimes. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  11. Ahamed, Syed Naseer. "Moulvi Mohammad Baqir : First editor who sacrifice his life and became martyr for the freedom of our India". HeritageTimes. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
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