A legendary poet like Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) needs no introduction. In Pakistan, where one authoritarian government has made way for another since 1947, Faiz’s person and work is largely known as a symbol of resistance. In his poetry, he represented the people’s longing for freedom and democracy and became a source of inspiration for those seeking to build a just society.
Faiz began his career as a lecturer in English at Amritsar, but switched to journalism after the Second World War. He went on to become the editor of The Pakistan Times. In 1951, he was charged with complicity in the Rawalpindi conspiracy case and imprisoned. It was his four-year term in prison that gave him first-hand experience of the harsh realities of life and provided him with much-needed solitude to translate his thoughts into poetry.
As a poet, Faiz began writing on the conventional themes of love and beauty, but soon these thoughts were submerged in the larger social and political issues of the day. An admirer of Karl Marx, Faiz was also honoured by Soviet Russia with the prestigious ‘Lenin Award for Peace.’
Over the years, Faiz’s poetry has provided hope during the dark days of martial law, even as recently as November 3, 2007, when former president General Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency.
Twenty-five years ago, when Faiz passed away at the age of 73, Dawn described him as the ‘greatest Urdu poet of his time,’ who became a living legend for ‘his intrepid struggle against what he himself once described as “the dark and dastardly superstitions of centuries untold”.’
Today, to mark Faiz’s death anniversary, Dawn.com invites its readers to share their favourite lines by the masterful poet and help keep the power of his poetry alive.
The views expressed in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Years back, when Faiz died , I was in secondary school. One day in 1984, my father, who worked as a consultant and professor at Mayo hospital, Lahore , came to pick me up at school in the evening. He was quite late. I asked him, why are you late today ? I was the last boy left in the school. He didn’t mention anything, infact he was strangely very quite through our way back home. Next day, I found out, some scholar died at mayo hospital. Father was there at the East medical ward, managing his respiratory condition. The patient had severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to excessive , chronic smoking.
Many years later, I found out, the man was no one but Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Back to the subject, looking at Pakistan today and remembering Faiz, nothing comes to my mind but,
YEH DAGH DAGH UJAALA, YEH SHAB GAZEEDHA SEHR,
WOH INTEZAAR THA JIS KA, YEH WOH SEHR TO NAHEEN.
Sincerely,
jo rukay tu koh-e-garaan thy hum, jo chale tu jaan sy guzar gaye
rah-e-yaar hum nay kadam kadam tujhy yaadgaar bana diya
MY small tribute to Faiz:
Oh, my sadness is not pain, it is separation,
Oh, your breath is not cold, it is a tune.
In you regard what a bud blossomed
So that I smell, where the deliverance is!
(From a ghazal in Persian composed today)
gulon mein rung bharay bad e naubahar chalay
chalay bhi ayo k gulshan ka karobar chalay
qafs udaas hai yaaro saba se kuch tu kaho
kahin tu behr e khuda aj zikr e yaar chalay
jo hum pe guzaree so guzaree magr shaba e hijra
hamaray ishq teree aaqbat sanwar chalay
maqam Faiz koi rah mein jucha he nae
jo kua yaar se niklay tu sua daar chalay
the man was the only true socialist we had ever, a man with a vision, a man of words..used his poetry to enlighten all generations to come..all of us leftists owe him everything..may Allah bless his soul !
Bhoolay say muskuraa to deeye thay woh aaj Faiz
Mut pooch walwalay dilay naa kardaa kaar kay
Aa ke vabasta hai us husn ki yaden tujhse
jisne is dil ko parikhana bana rakkha hai
jiski ulfat me bhula rakkhi hai duniya hamne
deher ko deher ka afsana bana rakkha hai
and
is tarah hai ke har ek ped koi mandir hai
benur ujda hiua purana mandir
dhundhta hai jo apni kharabi ke bahane kab se
30 years ago, Faiz was mainly instrumental in helping me winning over the heart of an unsuspecting beauty. She is now my wife of 29 years.
Thanks Faiz Sahab
Aap sa na koi hua hai, aur na hi kabhi hoga!
Last lines from Faiz’s
“Phir Barq Farozan Hai Sar-e-Wadi-e-Sina”
Jaza saza sab yahin pe ho gi
Yahin azaab-o-sawaab hoga
Yahin se utthe ga shor-e-mehshar
Yahin pe roz-e-hisaab hoga
Zindagi kia kisi muflis ki qaba hay jismay
her garhi dard ke payvund lagay jatay heiyn
I am great admirer of few lines of Faiz and consider the following as immortal verses :
“Muqam Faiz koi raah meain jacha hi nahin
Jo kue-yaar se nikle to sue-daar chale.”
And
” Sheeshon ka masiha koi nahin
Kyon Aas lagaye baithe ho “
*****************
Mere chaara ghar ko naveed ho saf-e-dushmanaN ko khabar karo
Jo vo qarz rakhhte the jaan par aaj vo hisaab chuka diya
Karo kaj jabeeN pe sar qafan mere qaatiloN ko gumaan na ho
Ke gharuur-e-ishq ka baaNkpan pas-e-marG ham ne bhula diya
Jo ruke tou koh-e-garaaN thay ham jo chalay tou jaaN se guzar gaye
Raah-e-yaar ham ne Qadam Qadam tujhe yaadgaar bana diya.
*************************
And definitely – “Hum Dekhenge”
Bas naam rahega Allah ka
Jo ghayab bhi hai hazir bhi
Jo nazir bhi hai manzar bhi
Uthega analhaq ka naara
Jo main bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho
Aur raaj karegi khalq-e-khuda
Jo main bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho
hum ke there ajnabi
Aaj bazar mein
hum dekhein ge
bol ke lub azad hein tere
teri ankhoin ke siwa
there are many and all are masterpiece.
*******************************************
faiz takmeelay aarzoo ma’aloom
ho sakay to yuheen basar kar lay!
*******************************************
hum ahle quafas tanha bhi naheen,hur roze naseem-e subhe watan,
yaadoan se muattar aati hai ashkoan se munawwar jaati hai!
*******************************************
Faiz kya jaaniyae yar kis aas per, muntazir hain kay layaega koi khabar.
maikashoan per hua meherban muhtasib, dilfigaroan pe quatil ko piyaar aagaya!
ye dag dag ujala, ye shabgazida sahar
wo intazar tha jis ka, ye wo sahar to nahin
ye wo sahar to nahin jis ki arzu lekar
chale the yar k mil jayegi kahin na kahin
falak k dasht main taron ki akhari manzil
kahin to hoga shab-e-sust mauj ka sahil
kahin to ja k rukga safina-e-gam-e-dil
jawan lahu ki pur-asrar shaharahon se
chale jo yar to daman pe kitne hath pare
dayar-e-husn ki be-sabr khwab-gahon se
pukarati rahin bahen, badan bulate rahe
bahut aziz thi lekin rukh-e-sahar ki lagan
bahut qarin tha hasinan-e-nur ka daman
subuk subuk thi tamanna, dabi dabi thi thakan
suna hai ho bhi chuka hai firaq-e-zulmat-e-nur
suna hai ho bhi chuka hai wisal-e-manzil-o-gam
badal chuka hai bahut ahl-e-dard ka dastur
nishat-e-wasl halal-o-azab-e-hijr-e-haram
jigar ki ag, nazar ki umang, dil ki jalan
kisi pe chara-e-hijran ka kuch asar hi nahin
kahan se ai nigar-e-saba, kidhar ko gai
abhi chirag-e-sar-e-rah ko kuch khabar hi nahin
abhi garani-e-shab main kami nahin ai
najat-e-dida-o-dil ki ghari nahin ai
chale chalo k wo manzil abhi nahin ai
meraa dard naGmaa-e-besadaa
merii zaat zarraa-e-benishaa.N
mere dard ko jo zubaa.N mile
mujhe apanaa naam-o-nishaa.N mile
merii zaat ko jo nishaa.N mile
mujhe raaz-e-nazm-e-jahaa.N mile
jo mujhe ye raaz-e-nihaa.N mile
merii Khaamoshii ko bayaa.N mile
mujhe qaayanaat kii saravarii
mujhe daulat-e-do-jahaa.N mile
vo log bahut Khush_qismat the
jo ishq ko kaam samajhate the
yaa kaam se aashiqii karate the
ham jiite jii masaruuf rahe
kuchh ishq kiyaa kuchh kaam kiyaa
kaam ishq ke aa.De aataa rahaa
aur ishq se kaam ulajhataa rahaa
phir aaKhir tang aakar ham ne
dono.n ko adhuuraa chho.D diyaa
tum jo pal ko Thahar jaao to ye lamhe.n bhii
aanevaale lamho.n kii amaanat ban jaaye.N
tum jo Thahar jaao to ye raat, mahataab
ye sabzaa, ye gulaab aur ham dono.n ke Khvaab
sab ke sab aise mubaham ho.n ki haqiiqat ho jaaye.N
tum Thahar jaao ki unavaan kii tafasiir ho tum
tum se talKhii-e-auqaat kaa mausam badale
raat to kyaa badalegii, haaalat to kyaa badale.nge
tum jo Thahar jaao to merii zaat kaa mausam badale
mahaarbaa.N ho ke na Thaharo to phir yuu.N Thaharo
jaise pal bhar ko ko_ii Khvaab-e-tamannaa Thahare
jaise daravesh-e-madaa-nosh ke pyaale me.n kabhii
ek do pal ke liye talKhii-e-duniyaa Thahare
Thahar jaao ke madaarat maikhaane se
chalate chalate ko_ii ek-aadh subuu ho jaaye
is se pahale ke ko_ii lamhaa aa_indaa ka tiir
is tarah aaye ke pevast-e-guluu ho jaaye
mujhako shikavaa hai mere bhaa_ii ki tum jaate huye le gaye saath merii umr-e-guzashataa kii kitaab
is me.n to merii bahut qiimatii tasviire.n thii.n is me.n bachapan thaa meraa, aur meraa ahad-e-shabaab
is ke badale mujhe tum de gaye jaate jaate apane Gam kaa yah damakataa huaa Khuu.N-rang gulaab
kyaa karuu.N bhaa_ii, ye ezaaz mai.n kyuu.N kar pahanuu.N mujhase le lo merii sab chaak qamiizo.n kaa hisaab
aaKharii baar hai lo maan lo ik ye bhii savaal aaj tak tum se mai.n lauTaa nahii.n maayuus-e-javaab
aake le jaao tum apanaa yah damakataa huaa phuul mujhako lauTaa do merii umr-e-guzashataa kii kitaab
shaiKh saahab se rasm-o-raah na kii
shukr hai zindagii tabaah na kii
tujh ko dekhaa to ser-e-chashm hue
tujh ko chaahaa to aur chaah na kii
tere dast-e-sitam kaa ajz nahii.n
dil hii kaafir thaa jis ne aah na kii
the shab-e-hijr kaam aur bahut
ham ne fikr-e-dil-e-tabaah na kii
kaun qaatil bachaa hai shahar me.n ‘Faiz’
jis se yaaro.n ne rasm-o-raah na kii
My favourite has to be ‘Subhe Azadi’
Its amazing how his poetry’s prophecies are coming true. Subh e Azadi was written on the eve of independence in 1947 !
Ye daag daag ujala,ye shab guzeedah sehar
wo intezar tha jiska,ye wo sehar tou nahin
ye wo sehar tou nahin jis ki aarzu lay ker
chalay thay yar key mil jaaye gi kahin na kahin
falak key dasht main taaron ki aakhri manzil
kahin tou ho ga shabe sust moj ka sahil
kahin tou ja key rukey ga safinae gume dil
suna hai ho bhi chuka firaq-e-zulmat-o-noor
suna hai ho bhi chuka wisal-e-manzil-o-gaam
budal chuka hai bohat ahle dard ka dastoor
nishat-e-wasl hilal-o-azab-e-hajr haram
jigar ki aag.nazar ki umang,dil ki jalan
kisee pey chara hajraan ka kuch asar hi nahin
kahan sey aaye nigare saba,kidher ko gaye
abhi chirage sare rah ko kuch khabr hi nahin
abhi girani shab main kamee nahin aaye
nijate didah-o-dil ki gharee nahin aaye
chalay chalo kay wo manzil abhi nahin aaye
August 1947
Kab nazr mein aayegi be-daagh sabze ki bahaar/ Khoon ke dhabbey dhuleyngay kitni barsaaton ke baad!
Nahi nigah mein manzil to justuju he sahi
Nahi Visaal mayasar to aarzo he sahi
Perhaps, we still need a great statesman as Faiz was in this environment where we have rampant corrpution, no justice, no tolerance, etc.
HAM NAY JO TARZ-E-FUGHAN KI HAY QAFAS MEIN IJAAD
FAIZ GULSHAN MEIN VOHI TARZ-E-BAYAN THERI HAY
na raha junoon-e-rukh-e-vafa,
yeh rasam yeh dar karo gay kya,
jinhain jurm-e-ishq peh naaz tha,
voh gunahgaar chalay gayay…
Ajj kuch apne khamoshe gonje
goya har semth se jawab aye
Faiz teh rah sar ba saz manzil
ham jahan pohchan kamyab aye
My favourite :
Mata’a -e- loh o qalam chhin gayee toa kya dar hai,
Ke khoon-e-dil mein dabo lee hain unglian mein nay.