Remembering Faiz

Remembering Faiz

Born in 1911 in Sialkot, Faiz Ahmed Faiz became one of Pakistan’s most prominent and beloved poets of all time. Faiz lead an interesting life from the very beginning – his education included religious studies from the age of four when he began memorising the Quran, attended the Scotch Mission High School while at the same time, learnt Persian and Arabic, taught as a lecturer in Amritsar and then enrolled in the army and served for five years.

Faiz is one of the most quoted poets in the country these days, which is a vindication for the gentle soul who was once decried on this very land as a traitor for siding with the oppressed. Today, he also gives expression to the aspirations of the very groups which had openly opposed his thinking, which was as pro-people back then as it is now.

Here, Dawn.com invites you to join the discussion on one of Pakistan’s greatest poets – which poetry of Faiz do you cherish most? Was the poetry of Faiz really ahead of his time?

 

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69 Responses to “Remembering Faiz”

  1. Mansoor Unnar says:

    according to J M, poet is a representative of society, he say, what he has seen in his time.it is open truth that faiz is a great poet of subcotinent.he always had written for the huminity,love and freedom.Faiz had gone to jail,but the walls of jail did not stop his concience voice. when we open the history of legends faiz and shaikh ayaz were two person who write the poems for their peoples(AWAM) and they encouraged them to come on roads for justice.
    faiz says
    Jab Arz-e-Khuda ke kabay se
    Sab but Uthwaaiy Jain gay
    Hum Ehl-e-Safa Mardood-e-Haram
    Masnad pe Bithaaiy jain gay
    Sab Taaj Uchalay jain gay
    Sab Takht Giraaiy Jain gay

    Bas Naam rahay Ga Allah ka
    Jo Ghayab Bhi hai Hazir Bhi
    Jo nazir bhi hai manzar bhi
    Uthay ga Analhaq ka Naara
    Jo Main bhi Hun aur Tumbhi ho
    Aur Raaj karay gi khalq-e-Khuda
    Jo main bhi hun aur tum bhi ho

    Hum Dekhain Gay
    Lazim Hai ke hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
    Hum Dekhain Gag

  2. Syed says:

    Tribute to Great Faiz Ahmed Faiz!

    mere dil mere musafir
    hua phir se hukm sadir
    k vatan badar hon ham tum
    dein gali gali sadayen
    karen rukh nagar nagar ka
    k surag koi payen
    kisi yar-e-namabar ka
    har ek ajnabi se puchen
    jo pata tha apne ghar ka
    sar-e-ku-e-nashanayan
    hamain din se rat karna
    kabhi is se bat karna
    kabhi us se bat karna
    tumhen kya kahun k kya hai
    shab-e-gam buri bala hai
    hamain ye bhi tha ganimat
    jo koi shumar hota
    hamain kya bura tha marna
    agar ek bar hota

  3. Asma Khoja says:

    Sharing one of my favourite !

    mujh se pahalii sii mohabbat merii mahabuub na maang

    main ne samajhaa thaa ki tuu hai to darakhshaan hai hayaat
    teraa Gam hai to Gam-e-dahar kaa jhagadaa kyaa hai
    terii surat se hai aalam mein bahaaroon ko sabaat
    terii aankhoon ke sivaa duniyaa mein rakkhaa kyaa hai (*)
    tuu jo mil jaaye to taqadiir niguun ho jaaye
    yuun na thaa main ne faqat chaahaa thaa yuun ho jaaye
    aur bhii dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa
    raahatein aur bhii hain vasl kii raahat ke sivaa

    mujh se pahalii sii mohabbat merii mahabuub na maang

    anaginat sadiyo.n ke taariik bahimaanaa talism
    resham-o-atalas-o-kam_Khvaab mein bunavaaye huye
    jaa-ba-jaa bikate huye kuuchaa-o-baazaar mein jism
    Khaak mein lithade huye Khuun mein nahalaaye huye
    jism nikale huye amaraaz ke tannuuroon se
    piip bahatii hu_ii galate huye naasuuroon se
    lauT jaatii hai udhar ko bhii nazar kyaa kiije
    ab bhii dil_kash hai teraa husn maGar kyaa kiije
    aur bhii dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa
    raahatein aur bhii hain vasl kii raahat ke sivaa

    mujh se pahalii sii mohabbat merii mahabuub na maang

  4. Junaid says:

    Faiz sahib was one of the great poets of the century, and a friend of my father. When he was in Jail he wrote one of his ghazals and send it to my father. I still have it to this day written in his own hand writting Gulloon me rug bahree bade’ nobahar chalee’. one of my treasures..

  5. Sanjeev says:

    I stay in Kolhapur India. Don’t know if people have heard of this place. I was introduced to Faiz’s heavenly poetry thru his gazals sung by another great Mehdi Hasan. The poetry even without understanding Urdu sounds so beautiful and a treat for ears. Since Urdu not being my language of daily usage here I sat with a dictionary and tried to understand the poetry and yes it did come thru to a great extent and the whole experience became what we call in spiritual terms an “Anubhuti” . The richness of and within expression and uski “najakat” is simply beyond words. But we don’t get to see many books of Urdu poetry here if anybody could direct me accordingly I will be grateful.

  6. Mansoor Isani says:

    ye daag daag ujala, ye shabgajida sahar
    vo intezar tha jis ka, ye vo sahar to nahin
    ye vo sahar to nahin jis ki aarzoo lekar
    chale the yaar ki mil jayegi kahin n kahin
    falak ke dasht men taron ki aakhiri manzil
    kahin to hoga shab-e-sust mauj ka sahil

    kahin to ja ke rukega safina-e-gham-e-dil
    javan lahu ki pur-asraar shahrahon se
    chale jo yaar to daman pe kitne hath pade
    dayar-e-husn ki be-sabr khwab-gahon se
    pukarti rahin bahen, badan bulate rahe
    bahut azeez thi lekin rukh-e-sahar ki lagan
    bahut karin tha hasinan-e-noor ka daman
    subuk subuk thi tamanna, dabi dabi thi thakan

    suna hai ho bhi chuka hai firaq-e-zulmat-o-noor
    suna hai ho bhi chuka hai visal-e-manjil-o-gaam
    badal chuka hai bahut ahal-e-dard ka dastoor
    nishat-e-vasl halal-o-ajaab-e-hizr-o-haraam
    jigar ki aaga, najar ki umanga, dil ki jalan
    kisi pe chara-e-hijran ka kuchh asar hi nahin
    kahan se aaee nigar-ye-saba, kidhar ko gaee
    abhi charag-e-sar-e-rah ko kuchh khabar hi nahin
    girani-e-shab men kami nahin aaee
    nizaat-e-deed-o-dil ki ghadi nahin aaee
    chale chalo ki vo manzil abhi nahin aaee

  7. Yogesh says:

    Faiz was, undoubtedly, a great revolutionary-romantic poet. ” Loh-kalam schin gai to kaya Khoone dil main duboli hain ungalian main ne zuban par mohar lagi hai to kaya rakh di har halqai zanger main zuban main ne” shows the intense and unwavering commitment of the poet for a fundamental transformation of the society on the basis of egalitarian and democratic principles. He will be read and remembered as long as poetry lives.

  8. Riaz-ur-Rahman says:

    Like Javed Akhter said” Panchee, Nadya, Pawan ke jhonke” There is no boundary for Poetry as well. Faiz Sahab has been acclaimed as one of the greatest Poets of our time.

    Hum khasta tanon se mohtasibo, kiya maal manal ka poochhte ho
    Jo umr se hum ne bhar paya sab samne laye detay hain
    Daman me hay musht-e-khake-jigar, saghar me hay khoon-e-hasrat-e-me
    Lo hum ne daman jhar diya, lo jam ultaye detay hain.

  9. syed ahmed says:

    bol ke lab azaad hai tere
    bol zubaan ab tak teri hai
    tera sutwa jism hai tera
    bol ke jaan ab tak teri hai
    bol…bol ke lab azaad hai tere
    bol…bol yeh thora waqt bahut hai
    jism zubaan ki maut se pehle
    bol ke sach zinda hai ab tak
    bol jo kuch kehna hai keh le
    bol jo kuch kehna hai keh le

  10. Naeem Siddiqi says:

    Meer,Ghalib,Josh,Jigar,Faiz ,AHMAD faraaz,they brought inner richness to all of us.We are lucky and I was fortunate to meet the last four.I feel blessed.

  11. Dr.Ghulam shabbir Rana says:

    Faiz Ahmad Faiz was a great progressive writer of Urdu language.He worked hard for freedom of thought and expression in Urdu poetry,He loved democracy.He always condemned non democratic forces who destroy public opinion and break constitution.He had to suffer many hardships during his life but he remained firm on his ideas and thoughts. His poetry is a ray of hope for poor ,helpless and oppressed people of the world.He is the most prominent and beloved poet of Urdu language and is respected all over the world His poetry will keep him alive .He is quite immortal.May his soul rest in peace in heaven.

  12. Adnan Zaka says:

    I love to read Faiz Sahib.

  13. George Francis Gohar says:

    Faiz Ahmed Faiz is a great poet. He loved and valued humanity.
    I would love to describe him in this way.

    ghazal ki dunia mein darukhshan sitara hai Faiz
    sheir o sukhan kay khazanay ka anmol hai raz

    Gohar

  14. WARIS SHERE says:

    FAIZ AHMAD FAIZ was a leading Urdu poet of the 20th century. Faiz sahib presented an ideology through his poems regarding the life of an ordinary people. He captured the essence of social and political challenges for the world, says his daughter, Moneeza Hashmi. She derives hope from her father’s poetry, adding that it’s fascinating that his work continues to be relevant even 26 years after his death. According to Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi, a respectable intellectual writer, “The ideas of Ghalib and Iqbal were brought forward by Faiz in his poetry. Faiz preferred class struggle to enlightenment in the discipline of knowledge and gave preference to artistic sense in the area of art. Such characteristics gave his poetry energy,”.
    Iftikhar Arif, scholar and Urdu poet of great repute has this to say about Faiz sahib: “Faiz has made great impact on our national literary history as the most popular poet who enjoyed the status of legend in his life. It has been the period of two decades when Faiz left us but if one feels he seems to be more loved, strengthened, popular before. The amount of written material on Faiz, after Iqbal is distinct and different in every respect”. FAIZ AHMAD FAIZ was awarded the International Lenin Peace Prize in 1962.

    A glimpse of some of FAIZ AHMAD FAIZ’S poems:

    The Incarceration Of Loneliness

    On the far horizon waved some flicker of light
    My heart, a city of suffering, awoke in a state of dream
    My eyes, turning restless, still dreaming,
    the morning, dawning in this vacuous abode of separation

    In the wine-cup of my heart, I poured my morning wine
    Mixing in the bitterness of the past, the poison of the present

    On the far horizon waved some flicker of light
    far from the eye, a precursor to some morning
    Some song, some scent, some unbelievably pretty face
    went by unknowingly, carrying a distressful hope

    Mixing in the bitterness of the past, the poison of the present
    I proposed a toast to the longings on this day of prison-visit
    To the fellow drinkers of my homeland and beyond
    To the beauty of the worlds, the grace of beloved’s lip and cheek

    ======================================================
    Some Lover To Some Beloved!

    Down the memory lanes, on which
    you’ve strolled since ages past
    They will end if you walk farther a step or two
    Where exits the turn towards the wilderness of forgetfulness
    beyond which, there isn’t any Me, nor any You
    My eyes hold their breath, for any moment you
    may turn back, move ahead, or at least turn to look back

    Although my sight knows that the wish is just a farce
    For if ever it were to run across your eyes again
    right there will spring forth another pathway
    Like always, where ever we run into, there will begin
    another journey of your lock’s shadow, your embrace’s tremor

    The other wish is also in error, for my heart knows
    There is no turn here, no wilderness, no mountain-range
    beyond whose horizon, my perpetual sun-of-your-Love can set
    May you continue walking these pathways, its better this way
    If you don’t even turn to look back, it is okay

    ======================================================
    gulo.n me.n rang bhare, baad-e-naubahaar chale
    chale bhii aao ki gulshan kaa karobaar chale

    qaffas udaas hai yaro, sabaa se kuchh to kaho
    kahii.n to bahr-e-Khudaa aaj zikr-e-yaar chale

    kabhii to subh tere kunj-e-lab se ho aaGaaz
    kabhii to shab sar-e-kaakul se mushkabaar chale

    ba.Daa hai dard kaa rishtaa, ye dil Gariib sahii
    tumhaare naam pe aaye.nge Gam_gusaar chale

    jo ham pe guzarii so guzarii magar shab-e-hijraa.N
    hamaare ashk terii aaqabat sa.Nwaar chale

    huzoor-e-yaar huii daftar-e-junuu.N kii talab
    girah me.n leke garebaa.N kaa taar taar chale

    maqaam ‘Faiz’ koii raah me.n jachaa hii nahii.n
    jo kuu-e-yaar se nikale to suu-e-daar chale

  15. asif says:

    fikr e sood o zia to chutay gi
    minnat e ain o aan to chutay gi
    khair dozaq mein mai millay na millay
    sheikh sahib se jaan to chutay gi

  16. Tujh ko kitnon ka lahu chahie ae arz-e-watan

    Jo tere arz-e-berang ko gulnaar karein

    Kitni aahon se kaleja tera thhanda hoga

    Kitney ansoo tere sehraon ko gulzar karein

    The blood of how many do you need O motherland;

    That which will brighten your colourless earth;

    How many sighs will soothe your heart;

    How many tears will cause your deserts to bloom.

  17. Arvind says:

    tere gham ko jaan ki talash thi, tere jaan-nisaar chale gaye
    teri raah mein karate the sar talab, sar-e-rahgujar chale gaye

    yeh hamin the jinke libaas par sar-e-raih siyahi likhi gayi
    yahi dagh the jo sajaa ke ham, sar-ebazm-e-yar chale gaye

    Na raha junun-e-rukhe-wafa, ye rasan-o-dar karoge kya
    jinhe jurm-e-ishq pe naz tha, wo gunahgar chale gaye

    I like the sound of it…Because I can recite it…I hope that this is reason enough to like a poem ;-)

  18. talha says:

    Faiz sahab has been a great inspiration to the pakistani population for the youth and the old alike. Faiz personified what a true liberal should be like, what a true patriot should be like…he was just a man …but his existence was much more then that….This poem I believe is one of his greatest works.

    nisaar mai.n terii galiyo.n ke ae watan, ki jahaa.N
    chalii hai rasm ki koii na sar uThaa ke chale
    jo koii chaahanewaalaa tawaaf ko nikale
    nazar churaa ke chale, jism-o-jaa.N bachaa ke chale

    hai ahl-e-dil ke liye ab ye nazm-e-bast-o-kushaad
    ki sang-o-Khisht muqayyad hai.n aur sag aazaad

    bahot hai.n zulm ke dast-e-bahaanaa-juu ke liye
    jo cha.nd ahl-e-junuu.N tere naam levaa hai.n
    bane hai.n ahl-e-hawas muddaii bhii, mu.nsif bhii
    kise wakiil kare.n, kis se mu.nsifii chaahe.n

    magar guzaranewaalo.n ke din guzarate hai.n
    tere firaaq me.n yuu.N subh-o-shaam karate hai.n

    bujhaa jo rauzan-e-zi.ndaa.N to dil ye samajhaa hai
    ki terii maa.ng sitaaro.n se bhar gaii hogii
    chamak uThe hai.n salaasil to hamane jaanaa hai
    ki ab sahar tere ruKh par bikhar gaii hogii

    Garaz tasavvur-e-shaam-o-sahar me.n jiite hai.n
    giraft-e-saayaa-e-diwaar-o-dar me.n jiite hai.n

    yuu.N hii hameshaa ulajhatii rahii hai zulm se Khalq
    na unakii rasm naii hai, na apanii riit naii
    yuu.N hii hameshaa khilaaye hai.n hamane aag me.n phuul
    na unakii haar naii hai na apanii jiit naii

    isii sabab se falak kaa gilaa nahii.n karate
    tere firaaq men ham dil buraa nahii.n karate

    Gar aaj tujhase judaa hai.n to kal baham ho.nge
    ye raat bhar kii judaaii to koii baat nahii.n
    Gar aaj auj pe hai taala-e-raqiib to kyaa
    ye chaar din kii Khudaaii to koii baat nahii.n

    jo tujhase ahd-e-wafaa ustavaar rakhate hai.n
    ilaaj-e-gardish-e-lail-o-nihaar rakhate hai.n

  19. Faiz sahab was and still one of the greatest poet in the world, and I am not only his great fan but also great admirer of his poetry.Faiz sahab is still alive in the heart of those who love his poetry.We are proud on Faiz sahab.

    “Jab Arz-e-Khuda ke kabay se
    Sab but Uthwaaiy Jain gay
    Hum Ehl-e-Safa Mardood-e-Haram
    Masnad pe Bithaaiy jain gay
    Sab Taaj Uchalay jain gay
    Sab Takht Giraaiy Jain gay

    Bas Naam rahay Ga Allah ka
    Jo Ghayab Bhi hai Hazir Bhi
    Jo nazir bhi hai manzar bhi
    Uthay ga Analhaq ka Naara
    Jo Main bhi Hun aur Tumbhi ho
    Aur Raaj karay gi khalq-e-Khuda
    Jo main bhi hun aur tum bhi ho

    Hum Dekhain Gay
    Lazim Hai ke hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
    Hum Dekhain Gay”

  20. Salman Rajput says:

    Gulo main rang bhare baad-e-no bahar chale
    Chale bhi aao ke gulshan ka karobaar chale.

    qaffas udas hai yaro, saba se kuch to kaho
    kahin to bahr-e-khuda aj zikr-e-yar chale

    kabhi to subh tere kunj-e-lab se ho agaz
    kabhi to shab sar-e-kakul se mushkabar chale

    bara hai dard ka rishta, ye dil garib sahi
    tumhare nam pe ayenge gamgusar chale

    jo ham pe guzari so guzari magar shab-e-hijran
    hamare ashk teri aqabat sanwar chale

    huzoor-e-yar hui daftar-e-junun ki talab
    girah main le k gareban ka tar tar chale

    maqam ‘Faiz’ koi rah main jacha hi nahin
    jo ku-e-yar se nikle to su-e-dar chale

  21. Kashif Siddiqui says:

    There will be no other Faiz. He has touched the hearts of our nation like no one else. I deeply regret the way our dictators treated him.
    He was the Dawn for our nation.

  22. Mobin ur rehman says:

    There has never been a day in my adult life that I did not read Faiz sahib. The verses changed their meaning as I grew older. But one message has been permenant for the last three decades. That hope is the only thing we have to cling to. And that message is more pertinant today.

    • Naushad Shafkat says:

      I agree entirely. Hope (and it is always with a capital H with Faiz) is one quality, one virtue that shines out. Who else could have said:

      Jalwa gah-e-wisaal ki shamein woh bujha bhi chuke agar to kya?
      Chand ko gul karein to hum jaanain!

      Jan baqi hai to karne ko buhat baqi hai
      Ab woh jo kuch k meri jaaN nahi karne detey

  23. NN Ojha says:

    Though born in India post 1947 and that too in an orthodox Brahm in family I learnt reading and writing Urdu in my early childhood, thanx to my late father who consideredd knowledge of urdu as the first and foremost condition for any claim to being literate. Each and every word written by Faiz is superb par excellence and it is difficult for any one having read Faiz’s poetry to single out any specific piece. Nevertheless the compositions meriting , special mention are, ‘…ye wo sahar to nahin’,…..aaiye composition,….hum dekhenge’. And how can one forget the most melodious almost divine phraseology of ‘Dasht e tanhai mein……made immortal by Iqbal bano sahiba and Faiz sahab jointly…..
    It is not a question of being ahead or behind his times; Faiz like ……well like no one else really transcended the time barrier; he was a friend, philosopher, guide, preacher and a messiah of the Awaam who dreamt for a bright future for those whose present was dark, who spoke on behalf of those whose voice was stiffled by poverty and oppression and who raised his own hands in dua for those whose hands were crippled by tyranny of circumstances. In the process he saw a future when, ‘sab taj uchhale jayenge sab takht ukhade jayenge’. We call it being ‘ahead of his times’. We also forget that Faiz put the onus for bringing the sunshine into the lives of the down trodden on each one of us, on the awam on the aam admi. Remember his words,, utthega analhaq ka nara JO TUM BHI HO AUR MAE BHI HUN and jab raj karega khalq e khuda JO TUM BHI HO AUR MAE BHI HUN…….each one of us is Faiz’s ‘TUM BHI’…let us honor the responsibility Faiz had given us and the trust he reposed in each one of us.

    • Naveed says:

      Ojha,
      Very well said. He inspired us, he made us cry, he made us look for hope and he challenged the most cruel amongst us. He did it in such a style that it left indelible mark. Every time I read his poetry, it rejuvenates me. People who like Faiz must also like Iqbal.

    • basharat says:

      Sir you have written excellent comments about Faiz. The poems you selected and the end you wrote is simply superb. You touched my heart. Thank you again for such a wonderful description of Faiz.

  24. ahmed says:

    i cant seem to find the 32 pages Faiz Centenary special on Dawn.com

  25. Danish says:

    Can anyone else is able to connect feelings with colors, with this beauty, other than Faiz? I don’t think so.

    “Rang hey Dil Ka mere”

    Tum na aaiy thay to har cheez wohi thi ke jo hai
    aasman had’nazar , rahguzar, rahguzar, sheesha’e mae sheesha’e mae

    aur ab sheesha’e mae, rahguzar rang’e falak
    rang hai dil ka marey khoon’e jigar honay tak

    champa’ee rang kabhi rahat’e deedar ka rang
    sorma’ee rang ke hai saat’e bezaar ka rang
    zard patoon ka khas’o khaar ka rang
    surkh phoolon ka dehaktay hoey gulzar ka rang
    zehar ka rang , lahoo rang , shab’e taar ka rang

    aasman , rahguzar, sheesha’e mae
    koyee bheega huwa daman koyee dukhti hoyee rag
    koyee har lehza badalta aaina hai

    ab jo aaiy ho to tehro ke koyee rang, koyee rut, koyee shai,
    phir se ik baar har ik cheez wohi ho ke jo hai
    aasman had’e nazar , rahguzar rahguzar, sheesha’e mae sheesha’e mae

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