Ahmed Faraz: Whose presence made the times their own

Dr. Shagufta Yasmin
The journey from a person to a personality is not easy. One has to traverse the distance from the desert to the ocean of blood. One has to drink the cups of tears in the heart and light the lamps of smile on the wounds of the heart. Love is the foundation of life, and love demands sacrifice. Only by passing through the cross and the gallows can love be triumphant and earn trust. The creator is the most sensitive person in their society, who nurtures the page and pen by dipping their fingers in the blood of their heart. In every era, voices have been raised against oppression, tyranny, exploitation, dishonesty, and corruption in society, and movements have been launched. The class that has been at the forefront in this regard is that of writers and poets.

In the context of romance and revolution, protest and demonstration, after Faiz, the poet whose name has been equally popular in every era and every generation is Ahmed Faraz. He experienced the sun of his popularity and affection in his lifetime, and even after his death, his name and poetry reign over the hearts of millions across borders. He was well aware of his popularity, and he was proud of it throughout his life, considering it his precious asset.

And Faraz, how many loves do you have
Mothers have named their children after you

In the journey from Syed Ahmed Shah to Ahmed Faraz, he faced hardships, suffered pain, endured the sorrow of solitude in prison, and bore the agony of exile, but he never compromised on his principles. He stood firm like a mountain on his beliefs, did not flatter the enemy, and did not befriend the foe, and he was proud of it until his last breath.

My pen is a trust of my people
My pen is the court of my conscience
That's why what you write, you write with your soul
When you speak, your words are like a sharp arrow

The miracles of life are also strange. Faraz had a great passion to become a pilot; in fact, it was his dream. He officially applied to the First Air and passed the interview and medical fitness test. At that time, his elder brother had joined the army. His mother was extremely worried that one son was in the army and the other was joining the air force. So, she tore up the letter and told Faraz later. Faraz was deeply saddened, but he accepted it as the will of God and his mother's command, thinking that perhaps God had something else in store for him. And indeed, he received the gift of poetry that few people in the world receive.

Ahmed Faraz's real name was Syed Ahmed Shah. He was born on January 12, 1931, in a respected Syed family in Kohat. Faraz's father, Syed Muhammad Shah Barq, was a prominent poet of Persian. He wanted his son to pursue modern sciences instead of poetry, but the family environment and natural inclination were present, so he could not stay away from poetry for long. Faraz says that his poetry began in the ninth or tenth grade, when he was 14 or 15 years old.

With the passage of time, Faraz became a prominent figure in Urdu literature. He worked as a scriptwriter for Radio Pakistan Peshawar and later became a lecturer at Peshawar University. He also held key positions, including Director General of the Pakistan National Center Peshawar, Chairman of the Academy of Letters, and head of the National Book Foundation. Alongside his career, his poetry continued to flourish.

Faraz's ghazals are known for their simple and accessible language, which can be easily understood by ordinary people.

I've heard that when you speak, flowers bloom
This is the matter, so let's talk and see

I've heard that in the day, butterflies tease you
I've heard that at night, fireflies watch you

In Faraz's ghazals, love and romance are presented as a profound human experience. He has expressed his heartfelt emotions with simplicity and honesty.

My complaint with life is that
You met me very late

Faraz also complains to his beloved, but in a charming and polite manner, without any bitterness.

If you want to leave me, come back
To leave me, come back

In his ghazals and nazms, Faraz has raised his voice against love, peace, freedom, and tyranny. His nazms are more vocal and explicit in their protest. Some notable nazms include "Mahasra", "Noha", "Maabud", "Sawal", "Ye Meri Ghazlen", "Ye Meri Nazmein", "Wo Lamhe Kitne Doroog", and "Ab Kis Ka Jashn Manate Ho". Faraz transformed from a romantic poet to a revolutionary poet, influenced by the progressive movement and the country's political, social, and economic conditions.

We would have danced and sung if the festival of martyrdom had been celebrated
It's better to light a candle in our share

In a mushaira in Karachi, Faraz recited some of his nazms. The event was taking place during the day, and when it ended, the police arrived and asked Faraz to leave Karachi. The next day, he was forced to leave the city. Upon arriving in Islamabad, he was deeply saddened and wrote his nazm "Mahasra". Later, he was exiled from the country for six years. Faraz was afraid of solitude, and the period of imprisonment and exile was particularly difficult for him. In his final days, he suffered from various ailments, and when he was in the United States, he fell ill due to an infection. His son, Shibli Faraz, knew that his father wanted to spend his last days in Pakistan, so he took him back to the country. Faraz spent the last 24 days of his life in a hospital in Islamabad, where he communicated with his father through eye contact and smiles. He passed away on August 25, 2008.

Faraz's poetic legacy includes "Tanha Tanha", "Dard Ashob", "Jana Jana", "Khawab Gul Preshan", "Ghazal Bahana Karo", "Nayafat", "Nabina Shehar Mein Aina", "Be Awaz Gali Koochon Mein", "Pas Andaz Mausam", "Shab Khoon", and "Ye Meri Awazain Hain". His poetry has been widely acclaimed globally, and his work has been translated into various languages, including Russian, French, German, and Punjabi. Although it has been years since Faraz's death, he remains present in the hearts of his fans through his poetry and the uniqueness of his work.