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?
آیا ہمارے دیس میں اک خوش نوا فقیر
آیا اور اپنی دھن میں غزلخواں گزر گیا
سنسان راہیں خلق سے آباد ہوگئیں
ویران میکدوں کا نصیبہ سنور گیا
تھیں چند ہی نگاہیں جو اس تک پہنچ سکیں
پر اس کا گیت سب کے دلوں میں اتر گیا
اب دور جاچکا ہے وہ شاہِ گدا نما
اور پھر سے اپنے دیس کی راہیں اداس ہیں
فیض احمد فیض دی گریٹ
یہ نظم فیض نے اقبال کے لئے لکھی تھی، آپ نےانہی پر چسپاں کردی۔
My fav and apt for the current situation in the country!
Speak, your lips are free.
Speak, it is your own tongue.
Speak, it is your own body.
Speak, your life is still yours.
See how in the blacksmith’s shop
The flame burns wild, the iron glows red;
The locks open their jaws,
And every chain begins to break.
Speak, this brief hour is long enough
Before the death of body and tongue:
Speak, ’cause the truth is not dead yet,
Speak, speak, whatever you must speak.
My favourite
Ku’ch Ishaq Ki’ya Ku’ch Kaam Ki’ya.
Who Log Bohat Khush Qismat Th’ay,
Jo Ishaq Ko Kam Samujhty Th’ay,
Ya Kam Say Aashqi Karty Th’ay,
Hum Jeety Jee Masroof Ra’hay,
Kuch Ishaq Kiya Kuch Kam Kiya,
Kam Ishaq Kay Aary Aata Ra’ha,
Or Ishaq Say Kam Uljh’ta Ra’ha,
Ph’ir Aakh’er Tang Aaker Hum Nay,
Dono Ko Adhoora Cho’d Diya’.
English Translation.
Loved a little, Worked a little…
Those were very fortunate people,
Who considered Love an obligation,
Or they just loved their task,
I remained busy all my life,
Loved a little, worked a little,
Sometimes love was a snag in the way of my work,
While sometimes duty didn’t allow me to love with passion,
Ultimately I got upset of the situation,
And left both my love and my work incomplete.
Faiz is no doubt an everybody’s poet.He is so gentle,kind and leaves an indelible impact at the sametime.He is a natural poet having the power to reach the people.Every couplet of his is a source of solace to the betrayed hearts.People still remember each and every verse of his poetry because of its humanist message.I personally have not merly read out Faiz but lived his poetry.Every word of his poetry have had a strange impact on my innerself.
A lovely tribute to Faiz. He was indeed a great poet.
Shaery ka aik chamakta, damakta hua CHAND – jis ki roshni ham urdu parhne walon ke liay hamesha sukoon ka baaes hai !!!
Faiz Sahib ka aik qataa mai aksar youn parhta hun aor hamesha lutf andoz hota hun (Sab se maazrat ke saath) …
Raat youn dil main teri MEHKI hui yaad aai
Jaise weerane main chupke se bahar aa jaey
Jaise sehraon main holay se chale baad-e-naseem
jaise beemar ko be wajha qaraar aa jaey
—–
Aor Faiz Sahib ki mehak hamesha apne ird-gird mahsoos karta hun …….
aaye kuchh abr kuchh sharaab aaye
us ke baad aaye jo azaab aaye
baam-e-miinaa se maahataab utare
dast-e-saaqii me.n aaftaab aaye
One of the greatest progressive poets in the world!
His poetry spoke of romance and revolution. Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who was born on Feb 13, 1911, exactly 100 years ago, was respected equally on either side on the border. His birth centenary too will witness year-long festivities both in India and Pakistan.
In Delhi, celebrations include dramatized readings from his letters written in prison to his wife at the India Habitat Centre on Sunday (Feb 13). There’ll be poetry recitation by Gauhar Raza and Sohail Hashmi on Tuesday also at the Habitat. On Feb 25, Jagjit Singh and Pakistan’s Tina Sani will sing Faiz’s poetry in a programme co-organised by Routes 2 Roots. This will be followed by a symposium and mushaira at FICCI auditorium on February 26. (TOI)