Just saw the news trail on the tele which confirms the death one of the greatest urdu poetof all time; Mr. Ahmed Faraz. Where ever Urdu language and poetry is spoken and admired the ghazals and poems of Faraz hold a special place. He was one of the most politically correct poets like Habib Jalib and never compromised on his principles.

This post is a humble tribute to a man who struggled his entire life to give Urdu poetry the position it deserves.

Is se pahale ke bevafaa ho jaaye.n 

kyo.n na ai dost ham judaa ho jaaye.n 

tuu bhii heeray se ban gayaa patthar 

ham bhii kal kyaa se kyaa ho jaaye.n 

ham bhii majabuuriyo.n kaa uzr kare.n 

aur kahii.n aur mubtalaa ho jaaye.n 

ishq bhii khel hai nasiibo.n kaa 

Khaak ho jaaye.n Chemiaa ho jaaye.n 

ab ke gar tuu mile to ham tujh se 

aise lipaTe.n terii qabaa ho jaaye.n 

bandagii ham ne chho.D dii hai ‘Faraz’

kyaa kare.n log jab Khudaa ho jaaye.n 

Popularity: 15% [?]

Poetry of defiance:

Popularity: 17% [?]

Teri Majbooryo se waqif hoo!

Tu nai Pehlay bhi kaii baar mujeh,

Aesay Dekha kai jesay kabhi mujey dekha hee na ho!

Aesay socha tha Kai jesay kabhi socha hee na ho!

Aesay chora tha rah mai aksar tu nai,

Jesay mujh se koi rishta koi naata hee na ho!

Jesay tu nai mujeh, Mai ne tujeh Chaha hee na ho!

———-

Mujh Ko Maloom Nahee, Hijr ke Qatil lamhay

Tu nai kis Aag mai Jal Jal kai Guzaray hongay,

kabhi Lafzo mai thakkan tu ne sameti hogi,

kabhi kaghaz pai faqat ashk utaray hongay,

Yeh bhi mumkin hai kai guzra hua lamha lamha

Jis ko mai aj bhi seenay se laga rakhta hoo

Terey nazdeek faqat Yaad ki parchai ho

——

Teri Majboriyoo se waqif hoon!

Is liye mai tujay Ilzam nahee de sakta,

Apni chahat ko koi naam nahee de saktam

Ek peghaam hai trerey liye; Yeh Khamoshi,

Aur tau koi peghaam nahee de saktaa,

terey lafzo, terey ashko terey ankho ki qasam,

Zabt Ab saath kisi Gaam nahee de sakta,

—–

Yeh Kahani tau mere Saath chalegi Atif

Is Kahani ko anjaam nahee de sakta!

Popularity: 22% [?]

Asar Us Ko Zara Nahin Hota
Ranj Rahat Fizza Nahin Hota

Tum Humaray Kisi Tarhan Na Howay
Warna Duniya Main Kia Nahin Hota

Naarsai Say Dam Rukay Tu Rukay
Main Kisi Say Khafa Nahin Hota

Tum Merey Paas Hotay Ho, Goya
Jab Koi Doosraa Nahin Hota

Haal-E-Dil Yaar Ko Likhoon Kion Kar
Haath Dil Say Judda Nahin Hota

Kion Sunay Arz-E-Muztarib Aye “Momin”
Sanam Aakhir Khuda Nahin Hota

Popularity: 33% [?]

I am a proud member of my Pakistani nation. For the past 60 years we have been under Ayub Khan, Zia ul Haq, Yahya Khan and Pervez Musharraf. But on 18th March we have proved one thing once and for all; this country will only be ruled by the ‘People of Pakistan’ and by no military or civilian dictator.

Those who believe that we are politically unaware or uneducated, I ask them to name one country who is under so much pressure internal and external, facing this magnitude of challenges (terrorism, wheat/power crisis, etc) and still coming out as a winner with the power of vote. This country produced leaders like Muhammed Ali Jinnah, Allama Muhammed Iqbal, Benazir Bhutto and ZA Bhutto. This nation produced thinkers and poets like Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Faraz and Habib Jalib.

Having said that, there is still a long way to go. But to start every journey, it takes only a single step. And the best part is we took that step on February the 18th.

The following Naz’m by Faiz Ahmed Faiz was the inspiration to every generation who faced a dictator. brilliantly sung my Madame Iqbal Bano:

Hum dekhain gay
Lazim hai kay hum bhi dekhain gay
Woh din ke jis ka wadah hai
Jo loh-e-azl pe likha hai
Hum dekhain gay

Jab zulm-o-sitam kay koh-e-garaan
Ruii ki tarah urh jain gay
Hum mehkumoon kay paun talay
Yeh dharti dhar dhar dharkay gee
Aur ahl-e-hukum kay sar uper
Jab bijli kar kar karkay gee
Hum dekhain gay
Jab arz-e-khuda kay Kaabay say
Sab but uthwaaey jaen gay
Hum ahl-e-safa mardood-e-haram
Masnad pay bithaaey jain gay
Sab taaj uchalay jain gay
Sab takht giraaey jain gay
Bas naam rahay ga Allah ka
Jo ghayab bhi hai hazir bhi
Jo nazir bhi hai manzar bhi
Uthay ga an-al-Haq ka naara
Jo main bhi hun aur tumbhi ho
Aur raaj karay gi khalq-e-khuda
Jo main bhi hun aur tum bhi ho

loh - slate
azl - beginning of eternity
koh - mountain
garaan - limit
mehkumoon - subordinates
ahl-e-hukum - rulers
arz-e-Khuda - God’s earth
ahl-e-safa - pure people
mardood-e-haram - evicted from the perimeter of the Kaaba
masnad - place of honor
an-al-Haq - I am the truth

Popularity: 38% [?]