Hali occupies a special position in the history of Urdu literature. Though he is not as great a lyricist as Ghalib, Momin, or Mir, he is more versatile than all of them. He is poet, a critic, a teacher, a reformer and an impressive prose-writer. Circumstances did not permit him to attain formal education in a school or college, yet he had acquried, through sustained self-effort, a perfect command of Urdu, Persian and Arabic, and a good working knowledge of English. As a poet he did not confine himself within the narrow bounds of the ghazal, but successfully exploited the other poetic forms such as the nazm, the rubai, and the elegy. More particularly, he harnessed his poetic abilities to the higher aims of social and moral edification. Art for him was a handmaid to life. His famous long poem, Musaddas-e-Hali, examines the state of social and moral degradation prevalent in the contemporary Muslim society. His prose treatise, Muqaddama-e-Shair-o-Shairi, is a pioneering work of literary criticism. It dwells on the limitations of the traditional ghazal, and points to the hollowness of its hackneyed themes and imagery, especially when the form is handled by inferior poets and versifiers. He has also written memorable biographies of Ghalib, Saadi Sheerazi, and Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan, entitled respectively, Yaadgar-e-Ghalib, Hayat-e-Saadi, and Hayat-e-Javad. His poem "Barkha Rut," describes the beauties of nature in the rainy season; "Hub-e-Watan," underscores the virtues of patriotism; while "Bewa ki Manajaat" focuses on the plight of windows in Indian society. Hali’s interests were wide-ranging, and his literary abilities were commensurate with his humanitarian aims.
Both in his poetry and prose, Hali prefers a simple, natural, matter-of-fact style, which makes him easily acessible to all kinds of readers. He has had the privilege of receiving the partonage and guidance of some of the most illustrious men of his age: Mirza Ghalib, Nawab Mustafa Ali Khan Shefta, and Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan, all of whom contributed to the flowering of his genius.
"Chup ki daad" (here translated as "Patience Rewarded" and presented in an abridged form), contains a moving account of the plight of women, who for ages, have suffered the domination of man, and have led a life of self-suppression and self-sacrifice. Man has kept her debarred from the benefits of education and enlightenment, and has generally used her for purposes of procreation, recreation, and household drudgery. But there are welcome signs of change. Her long and patient suffering is slowly getting recognised and rewarded, and the doors of schools and colleges, so far the exclusive preserves of the male, have now been thrown open to women also. The poem is a feminist document, strongly sympathetic to the cause of women, and a characteristic work of Hali.
