Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan 

"Khamoosh Hazrat Khamoosh Hasmat    

Agar Hai Jajba Wattan Ka Dil Main ,

Saza Ko Pohnchain Ge Apni  Beshak

Zo aaj Hamko Mitta Rhe Hain,

Bujdiloon Hi Ko Sada Moyt Se Darte Dekha

Goo  Ke Soo Bar Unhain Roz  Hi  Marte Dekha,

Wattan Hamara Rahe Saj Kam Aur Azad

Hamara Kaya Hai Agar Hum Rahe Na Rahe Na Rahe ,

Kass Lee Hai Kamar Ab To Kush Kar Ke Dekhain Ge

Azad Hee Hoo Leinge Ya Sar hee Kata Deinge" 

This is the Urdu poem composed by Ashfaq Ullal Khan, who earned the supreme distinction of being the first Muslim youth to be hanged for the cause of the freedom of Mother India. Ashfaq Ullal Khan imbibed the spirit of Patriotism, Unity, Communal Harmony & supreme sacrifice for the country. He falls in the of great revolutionaries & martyrs like  Amar Sheed Bhagat singh, sukhdev,Rrajguru , Jatinder Nath Dass,  Rani Jansi , Veerangini Jalkari Bhai, Virsa Munda,Mangle Panday,Dulia Dhobi,Mangal Mochi, Kammon kesri Khushi Ram ,Jatra Bhagat , Udham singh , Neta ji subash chander bose,  Veeragini Mahaveeri devi & lakhs other  unknown heroes of Indian Independence Movement.

A very handsome revolutionary son of Mother India    Ashfaq Ullal Khan, was born on October 22nd , 1900 at Shahjahanpur U.P. in a  respectable &   known Muslim family. His birth was celebrated with a great pump& show. from his childhood  Ashfaq Ullal Khan started taking interest  in  the Freedom Movement & the activities of the freedom fighters moved his tender mind. He was a student of the Mission High school at Shahjahanpur, one class junior to another great revolutionary PanditRam Parshad Bismil., a staunch Arya Samaji Hindu. Both of them made unparallel sacrifices for the Freedom Movement.

Ashfaq Ullal Khan left school during Khilafat Movement in 1920 to devote himself fully to educate his countrymen for the Freedom Movement. Many of his near friends advised him not to jump into freedom movement, which was full of difficulties & sufferings including jailed life & even death sentence. But Ashfaq Ullal Khan was made of different stuff, who had decided to sacrifice for the freedom of his Motherland.

To raise money for purchasing weapons for the revolutionaries it was decided (although Ashfaq Ullal Khan differed initially, but agreed with the majority decision) to loot a train carrying Govt. Treasury The train was successfully looted on August 8, 1925 between Alamnagar & Kakoi stations.  Among the train robbers were Sachinder Nath Bakshi; Rajinder Nath Lahiri; Pandit Ram Parshad Bismil & Ashfaq ullah Khan. The train robbery sent shock waves to the British administration & praises for the revolutionaries. Two close confidents of Pt. RPBismil leaked the information & got arrested some revolutionaries, but Ashfaq ullah Khan escaped  to Daltonganj in Bihar, where he succeeded in getting employment in  a school  posing as a Hindu of Mathura. But alas again a close confident of Ashfaq ullah Khan betrayed & got Ashfaq ullah Khan arrested. Ashfaq ullah Khan was brought to Lahore, tried along with Sachinder Nath Bakshi in Kakoi railway station case & sentenced to death. A day before his death he told, to his friends who came to see him in the cell, jokily that he was getting married next day.

On December 19th, 1927, the day of his execution Ashfaq ullah Khan got up early in the morning, took bath offered Namaz & read verses from the Holy Quran. At 6 in the morning he was taken to the altar platform for execution. He was walking carrying a Quran in a bag hanging from his shoulder & was reciting its verses. After kissing the noose he put it around his neck as if it was a garland of flowers. He said “I have never stained my hands with the

Blood of any man. I will get justice before God. All the charges leveled against me are wrong.” After kissing the noose he put it around his neck as if it was a garland of flowers and was hanged. His body was taken by his relatives to Shahjahanpur to perform his last rights.

Amar Shaheed Ashfaq ullah Khan was a true freedom fighter & a great secular. He saved an Arya Samaji  temple from being burnt by rioters. He said “All places of worship, irrespective of the religion, they belong to, are dear to life more than his life.” In his last prayer he prayed to God to bless Hindus & Muslims with better sense so that they don’t fight among themselves and work untidily for the Freedom Movement of the country .

References - 

Ashfaq ullah Khan, A Great Revolutionary & Freedom Fighter, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting GOI