One of the well-known Urdu poets, Aasi Ghazipur, originally named  Abdul Aleem,  was born in a place called Sikandarpur in the district of Balia in the state of Uttar Pradesh on 21 December, 1834. He received his early education from his maternal grandfather following which she shifted to Jaunpur where he studied under Abdul Haleem Firangi Mahali. Although he had not received a formal education in Unani system of medicine but he acquired reasonable knowledge in this field as well. Naturally inclined towards poetry, he started composing poems during the period of his studies. To acquire certain expertise in the art of poetry, he sought counselling from Afzal Allahabadi who had been the disciple of Nasikh. Aasi published his divan under the title of Ainu-ul-Ma’arif. He passed away on 24 February, 1917, in Ghazipur.

Aasi’s poetry is essentially mystical in nature. It is claimed that he is the most respectable after Meer Dard to have written this kind of poetry.