Identity: Renowned Children’s Writer and Editor of the Magazine Payam-e-Taleem

Muhammad Haseen Hassan Nadwi Jami, popularly known in literary circles as Haseen Hassan, was born in 1907 in Pilibhit. He received his early education at home, where he studied Urdu and Persian. He later pursued Arabic at a madrasa in Bareilly and completed advanced Arabic studies at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama. In 1927, he joined Jamia Millia Islamia, where he began studying modern subjects, particularly English.

His education was temporarily interrupted due to his active participation in the Congress Movement of 1930–31. During this period, when the Delhi Congress planned to publish Congress bulletins in Urdu, English, and Hindi, he served as assistant to Shafiqur Rahman Kidwai, who was in charge of the Urdu bulletin. This work continued for about a year, after which he also had to endure imprisonment.

After his release, he was appointed as a Literary Assistant at Maktaba Jamia, where the renowned children’s magazine Payam-e-Taleem was soon entrusted to him. He later became its editor and continued to oversee it for many years with dedication, vision, and literary excellence. Under his editorship, Payam-e-Taleem became one of the most respected and influential magazines in Urdu children’s literature.

HaseenHassan was also a distinguished writer of children’s stories. His notable works include Duniya ke Bachche, Chhota Chamu, Nanha Puppy, Namwaran-e-Islam, Mir Taqi Mir, Mir Anees (for children), Circus, Shararat, Barf ka Ghar, Bahadur Sayyah, and Payam-e-Taleem ki Kahani. In the latter, he vividly narrated the history and development of the magazine Payam-e-Taleem.

During his tenure, several special issues of Payam-e-Taleem were published, among which the 1938 Anniversary Number and the 1946 Jubilee Number are particularly noteworthy. In recognition of his literary and editorial contributions, Payam-e-Taleem published its November 1974 issue as the “Haseen Hassan Number.”

Death: He passed away on 13 July 1974.