Mery charagar ko naveed ho, Saf-e-Dushmana ko khabar karo…
Wo jo qarz rakhty thy jan pay, wo qarz aaj chuka diya…
33 years today, the world lost a revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. 33 years later, the world still mourns one of the greatest minds in Pakistani history.
Though mostly remembered as a poet, he wasn’t just a poet, but a teacher, a dreamer, editor, freedom-fighter, dramatist, critic and a progressive writer. He was traditional and progressive, traditional in the sense that he was inspired by the Sufi tradition of demur and progressive in the sense that he was an admitted Marxist.
Faiz suffered exile, he suffered time in prison, he was accused of being a traitor but he was a patriot, a patriot who didn’t care what anyone has to say about him. He was loud and clear about the things he didn’t like, he was loud and clear about his criticism against those in power. He registered his protest via poetry:
Nisar mein teri galioun kay aay Watan k jahan,
Chali hay Rasm k koi na Sir Utha k Chalay,
Jab koi chahnay wala, tawaf ko niklay,
Nazar Chura k niklay, Jism-o-jan Bacha k chalay,
Faiz was blessed with a gift of poetry, and he used his poetry as a weapon to wake up the sleeping masses. He exhorted the sleeping community through his words fiery. He encouraged them to speak up, to speak up against oppression, to speak up against exploitation, enslavement, submission and subjugation.
Faiz – through his poetry – gave a clarion call to people to speak up. He said:
BOL,
Bol k lab azad hein tery,
Bol, Zuban Abb tak teri hay,
Tera sitwan jisam hey tera,
Bol k Jan abb tak teri hay,
Dekh k Akhan Gar ki Dukan mein,
Surkh hein shualay, tand hay Akhan,
Khulnay lagay qaflun k dahany,
Phaila Har aik Zanjeer ka Ahan,
Bol, yah thora waqat bohat hay,
Jism-o-zuban ki mout say pahly,
Bol k sach zinda hay abb tak,
Bol, jo kuch kahna hay kah lay,
Faiz felt everything, he felt everything deeply. The oppression of his country fellows by those in power, the partition of Bengal, it all had a very deep effect on Faiz. He expressed his anger and disappointment via his poetry:
Hum k tehray ajnabi, kitni mulaqatun k bad,,
pher banain gay ashna, kitna madartun k bad…
Kab nazar mein aay gi be-dagh sabzay ki bahar..
Khoon k dhabay dhulain gay, kitni barsatun k bad..
Faiz was well aware of socio-political scenarios, he had a deep understanding of the oppression that prevailed in the society, he was well aware of the fact where his criticism might lead him yet it didn’t stop him from raising his voice. He protested against it, he talked about it and he wrote about it. In faiz’s own words:
Ajj Bazar mein Pa bajolan Chalo,,
Dast-e- Afshan chalo, Mast-o-raksan chalo,
Chashm-e-nam, Jan Shoreda kafi nahi,
Tuhmat-e-Ishq Posheeda kafi nahi,
Hakim-e-Shaher bhi, Majma-e-aam bhi,
Teray ilzam bhi, Sang-e-dasnam bhi,
Ajj Bazar mein pa bajolan chalo,
Faiz struggled his whole life and kept on preaching the ideas he believed in. Faiz was optimistic yet there were times when he’d feel hopeless. But even in his hopelessness he’d keep his dignity, his integrity high:
Na ganwao nawik-e-neemkash, Dil-e-Raiza Raiza ganwa diya,
Jo bacahy hein sang samait lo, tan-e-dagh dagh luta diya,
Karo kaj jabeen pay sar-e–kafan, mery qatiloun ko guman na ho,
k gharoor-e-ishq ka bankpan, pas-e-marg hum nay bhula diya..
Almost everyone paid tribute to Faiz today, some focused on his education, some on his life, some emphasized on difficulties he endeavoured but almost everyone forgot the message he tried to convey and the hope he rooted in the hearts of his fellow men. On this day, Let’s remember Faiz as a true revolutionist he was:
Hum dekhain gay, Lazim hay k hum bhi dekhain gay…
wo din k jis ka wada hay, jo loh-e-azal mein likha hay..
Jab zilm-o-sitam k koh-e-garan, Roi ki tarha urr jain gay…
Hum mehkomonn k paoun talay, yah dharti dharr dharr kanpay gi..
