Skip to main content

Faiz, Faiz Ahmad: The Communist Poet

 Faiz Ahmad Faiz:

(1911-1984)

He was among the most celebrated and popular shayars and authors in Punjabi and Urdu. He faced political repression for his revolutionary views. He was born in 13 Feb 1911, in Sialkot, Punjab. He was the son of wealthy Punjabi landowners Sultan Fatima and sultan Muhammad Khan, who passed away in 1913, just after his birth. His father was a well known lawyer and a member of a noble literary class including Allama Iqbal.

He did his basic education from his hometown Church Mission School. Later, he received his bachelors  degree in Arabic then he did his Masters in English and Arabic from Government College, Lahore. During his college days, he continued to pursue his poetic aspirations. In 1936, he took up the post of an English lecturer at M.A.O. College, Amritsar. When the Progressive Movement in India gathered momentum in 1936, he was one of the protagonists. Faiz beautifully blended the grief of love with sorrows of life in his poetry which struck a chord with youth. 

In 1939, when his first collection ‘Naqsh-e-Faryadi’ was published, the literary world was rocked with the echo. During that time, he also assumed the responsibility of editorship of ‘Adab-e-Lateef’.In 1940, Faiz was appointed lecturer at the Hailey College of Commerce, Lahore. This was the period when World War II was at its peak and nations were uniting against fascism, consequently Faiz also left teaching and joined army in 1942 for which he received British Empire Medal for his services in World War II.

In 1947, Faiz took up a position in the Pakistan Times. After that he became editor of “Imroz” and received accolades in journalism too. After Pakistan came into existence, he began working for the rights of labor and was appointed Vice President of Trade Union Federation. He participated in the I.L.O. Geneva Conference as a spokesperson for labor.

On March 9, 1951, Faiz was arrested under the Pakistan Safety Order Act for Rawalpindi case for which he was imprisoned. His second collection ‘Dast-e-Saba’ commemorates his confinement in Hyderabad jail. Faiz began his poetry with ghazals and steadily shifted his attention to nazm and is acknowledged a renowned poet of both forms among progressive poets. 

He is equally admired in India, Pakistan as in the western countries. His ghazals have been translated into several languages. He was felicitated with a large number of scholarly awards, after his release Faiz was appointed to the National Council of Pakistan by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and his poems which had been translated in Russian earned him the Lenin Peace prize in 1963. His Gazals are sung by almost every popular singer. Compositions of poetry: Naqsh-e-faryadi, Dast-e-saba, Zindaan Naama, Dast-e- Tah-e-Sang, Sar-e-Wadi-e-Seena, Sham-e-Sheher-e-Yaaran, Mere Dil Mere Musafir. His complete poetry has been published as ‘Nuskhahaae Wafa’. 

When Zia-Ul-Haq deposed Bhutto in Faiz chose to go into self-imposed exile to Beirut,Lebanon.he remained exile till 1982. Faiz passed away on 20th Nov 1984 in Lahore just after he heard he was nominated for the noble prize for literature.

Faiz in 1982 in Pakistan
Throughout his thunderous life, Faiz continuously wrote and published, and became one of the best-selling modern Urdu poet in both India and Pakistan. While his work is written in commonly strict diction, his poems maintain a casual, conversational tone, creating strain between the establishment and the common, up to a point in the tradition of Ghalib, the prominent 19th century Urdu poet. Faiz is especially celebrated for his poems in traditional Urdu forms, such as the ghazals, and his exceptional ability to expand the conventional thematic expectations to include political and social issues.


Visit our website for more amazing content.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MAHMUD OF GHAZNI: The Sultan Who Shaped History

Mahmud Ghaznvi (November 2nd, 971 - April 30th, 1030 AD): In the annals of history, Mahmud of Ghazni stands as a monumental figure, not just as a ruler but as the first-ever to bear the title of "Sultan." His legacy resonates through the ages, marked by his military prowess, patronage of arts and sciences, and his indelible impact on the socio-political landscape of his time. Born in 998, Mahmud ascended to power in the cradle of the Ghaznavid dynasty, succeeding his father, Emir Sabuktigin. Despite humble beginnings as the son of a Turkish slave, Sabuktigin rose to become the ruler of Ghazna, laying the foundation for Mahmud's illustrious reign. Under Mahmud's rule, the Ghaznavid court flourished as a hub of intellectual exchange, attracting renowned scholars and poets who contributed to the enrichment of Persian literature and culture. Among Mahmud's notable achievements was the patronage of Ferdowsi, whose epic work, the Shahnameh, was completed with the Sultan...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Revolutionary Legacy of Comrade Lenin: A Journey of Ideals and Struggle

Vladmir Lenin: In the annals of history, few figures loom as large as Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Comrade Lenin. Born in 1870 in the western city of Simbirsk, Russia, Lenin's life was marked by a relentless pursuit of justice, equality, and revolutionary ideals. As a Russian communist revolutionary, politician, and political theorist, he left an indelible mark on the course of human history, shaping the destiny of nations and inspiring generations of activists around the world. Early Life and Influences: Lenin's journey into the realm of revolution began amidst the turbulent winds of change sweeping across Russia in the late 19th century. Raised in a family steeped in intellectualism and activism, his formative years were marked by tragedy and turmoil. The sudden loss of his father, followed by the imprisonment and execution of his eldest brother, thrust Lenin into the role of the family patriarch at a young age, instilling in him a sense of duty and determination ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Turing, Alan : Father of theoretical Computer Science and AI

Alan Turing: (1912-1954) Introduction :- Alan Turing is best known for the decryption of the codes of The Enigma (German cipher device). He was born on 23 rd June 1912 in Maida Vale, London his father Julius Matheson Turing was a civil servant in India and his mother was Sara Turing (daughter of chief engineer of the Madras and Maratha Railway). Works :- Turing was one of the people who worked on the first computers. He was the first person to think of using a computer to do things that were too hard for a person to do. He created the Turing machine in 1936. The machine was imaginary, but it included the idea of a computer program. During World War II , Alan worked in the design of the ACE (automatic computing engine) at the National Physical Laboratory. He presented a paper design of a stored program computer. “Although it was possible to build ACE, there were delays in starting the project. In late 1947, he returned to Cambridge, the pilot ACE was built without him, it was...
Post a Comment
Read more