A Short Biography of Allamah Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai - Early life and education
Early life and education
We have already mentioned the lack of the means of formal education in that isolated mountainous region at the time of his birth into this world. Shedding more light on this, he says in his 'Mufid Interview':
"In 1341 AH/1923 AD, a school was established in every village by Hazrat-i Mawlana Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (May peace be through him)'s farman, to which I was also sent. However, due to a lack of interest from the ruler (tham), all those schools were closed, and many years of precious life were wasted without acquiring any education. One can estimate the great magnetism and attraction of the elementary Urdu textbook of that school from the fact that I used to keep it with me at all times, and whenever any literate person came [to our village] after some months, I would learn some words from them. After some years, on my own request my affectionate father started to teach me Qa`idah-yi Bagdadiyyah. He used to teach me a few initial words of each lesson, and I would then read the rest very easily by myself, observing which he used to be extremely happy. I also learnt a part of the holy Qur'an and many rudimentary points of knowledge by heart. My father used to narrate selected parts from the wisdom-filled stories of the prophets. He used to rhythmically recite Persian poems of a religious kind. Although my mother was not literate, she used to recite with great skill every such poem in praise of the Imam of the time (May peace be through him) in harmony with my father, and I used to listen to them attentively and also recite in harmony with them. In this attentive participation and recitation with them, I used to benefit from three treasures simultaneously: Language, knowledge and love for religion".20
"This passion and zeal for education continued, but I did not get an opportunity for formal education until I became an adolescent of sixteen years. A cordial friend of mine, Hubb-i `Ali ibn-i Kalb-i `Ali, suggested that I should join the Government Primary School, Baltit. I said to him: 'I am a young man now, so which class will I be admitted to? If I am placed in a lower grade, the students will compare my build with theirs and make fun of me, which will embarrass me'. He said: 'Master Najat is a very capable, gentle man, and you will never have any mental trouble under his supervision'. The two of us went to the school, and the teacher, who was highly capable and perceptive, affectionately placed me in the third grade. After nearly six months, he promoted me to the fourth grade. There may have been three reasons for this special consideration. First, our teacher was very kind and appreciative. Secondly, I was somewhat older, and thirdly, my mind was very active in the field of knowledge".21
In total, he spent 10 months in this school. This was the extent of `Allamah Hunzai's formal education! However, he personally continued his zeal to study books and compose poetry. Regarding his zeal for self-study, he writes:
"Even though a book was hardly available during the time I was a student, I had acquired Urdu and English dictionaries in addition to the Persian lexicon with great effort. My passion for study was such that along with reading books, I used to meticulously check and read all such writings found on anything, such as any box, bottle, packet, tin, signboard, epitaph, etc."22
20Mufid Interview (Karachi, 1993), pp. 23-24.
21Mufid Interview (Karachi, 1993), pp. 26-27.
22Mufid Interview (Karachi, 1993), p. 39; Diwan-i Nasiri awr Bihishte Asquring (Karachi, 2001), p. 32.
| Chapter Index | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter |