Hafiz Ikram Ahmad ( ur, ), or simply known by his
pen name
A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen na ...
Zaigham ( ur, ), was a 19th-century teacher and alchemist based in
Bengal. He became prominent due to his talent in
Urdu and
Persian language poetry, specialising in
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
and
marsiya in
Rekhta.
Early life and education
It is considered that Ikram was born in
Rampur, Agra Presidency, while others suggest he was born in
Delhi but from Rampur. His name is often preceded with the title of
Hafiz, a term used by
Muslims for people who have completely memorised the
Qur'an.
[ Ludwig W. Adamec (2009), ''Historical Dictionary of Islam'', pp.113-114. Scarecrow Press. .]
Career
Zaigham migrated to
Bengal at some point in his life where he gained popularity. A notable piece of poetry of his include a fifty-verse long Persian
qasida. Ikram was celebrated for his
metre capability.
Nassakh, a contemporary Urdu poet of Bengal, praised his teacher, Ikram, on this; stating that a single
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
written by Ikram can include up to 72
Urdu poetic metres.
He was also a teacher to a number of students to whom he taught Urdu poetry. Some include
Nassakh, Hafiz Rashidun Nabi Wahshat, Mahmud Azad, Hakim Ashraf Ali Mast,
Hamid Bakht Mazumdar, Arman and Khwaja Abdul Ghaffar Akhtar. He was also a tutor to the family of Nawab Syed Mahmud.
It has also been said that Shaykh Haji Ilahi Bakhsh Bijan Siddiqi of
Danapur was a student of Zaigham.
See also
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaigham
19th-century Indian Muslims
19th-century Indian poets
Urdu-language poets
1869 deaths
Year of birth missing
People from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh