Āb-e-Hayāt by Muhammad Husain Azad is one of the most famous books in Urdu literature. It was first published in 1880 and is considered the first proper history of Urdu poetry.
In this book, Azad writes about the beginning of Urdu poetry and the major poets up to the 19th century. He describes the poets’ lives, their style of writing, and the literary atmosphere of their time. What makes the book special is Azad’s storytelling style—he doesn’t just give facts, he writes in a way that feels alive and engaging.
Even though later critics pointed out some historical mistakes, Āb-e-Hayāt is still very important because it was the first attempt to present a connected history and analysis of Urdu poetry.
