Faiz Ahmad Faiz (Urdu: فیض احمد فیض , born 13 February 1911 – 20 November 1984) MBE, NI, was an
influential left-wing intellectual, revolutionary poet, and one of the most
famous poets of the Urdu and Punjabi[1] language from Pakistan. A notable
member of the Progressive Writers' Movement (PWM), Faiz was an avowed Marxist.
Listed four times for the Nobel Prize in poetry, he received the Lenin Peace
Prize by the Soviet Union in 1962. Despite being repeatedly accused of atheism
by the political and military establishment, Faiz's poetry suggested a more
nuanced relationship with religion in general and with Islam in particular. He
was, in fact, greatly inspired by both secular poetry and South Asia's Sufi
traditions. His popular ghazal Hum Dekhenge is an example of how he fused these
interests.
Faiz was controversially named and linked by Prime minister
Liaquat Ali Khan's government for hatching the conspiracy (see Rawalpindi
conspiracy case) against Liaquat Ali Khan's government, along with a left-wing
military sponsor Major-General Akbar Khan. Having been arrested by Military
police, Faiz among others received a maximum sentence by JAG branch, although
his sentence was commuted after the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan in 1951.
He remained extremely influential in Pakistan and his work
continues to influence the country's literature and arts. Faiz was publicly
honored by the Pakistan Government after his literary work was publicly
endorsed and posthumously honored him with nation's highest civil award,
Nishan-e-Imtiaz, in 1990.
Contents
1 Personal life
1.1 Background
2 Career
2.1 Military service
2.2 Academia and literacy
2.3 Internationalism and communism
2.4 Rawalpindi plot and exile
2.5 Return to Pakistan and government work
2.6 Sufism
3 Legacy
3.1 Major literary works
3.2 Accolades and international recognition
3.3 Translations
4 Plays and dramatic productions on Faiz
5 In popular culture
6 References
7 External links
Personal life
Background
Faiz Ahmad Faiz was born on 13 February 1911, in
Sialkot.[2][3] Faiz hailed from an academic family that was well known in
literary circles. His home was often the scene of a gathering of local poets
and writers who met to promote the literacy movement in his native province.[3]
His father was a barrister[2] who worked for the British Government, and an
autodidact who wrote and published the biography of Amir Abdur Rahman, an Emir
of Imperial Afghanistan.[3] Although his family were devoted Muslims, Faiz was
brought up in a secular tradition of Islam.[2] Following the Muslim South Asian
tradition, his family directed him to study Islamic studies at the local Mosque
to be oriented to the basics of religious studies by Maulvi Ibrahim Mir.
According to Muslim orthodox tradition, he learned Arabic, Persian, Urdu
language and the Quran.[2][3] According to a book written by Sarvat Rehman,
while Faiz was brought up as an orthodox Muslim, he saw himself as an
agnostic.[2] Faiz was also a Pakistan nationalist, and often said "Purify
your hearts, so you can save the country...".[2]
His father later took him out of Islamic school as he wanted
his son to follow the footsteps of the great Indian Muslim educationist Sir
Syed Ahmad Khan, sending him to attend the Scotch Mission School, which was
managed and run by a local British family. After matriculation, he joined the
Murray College at Sialkot for intermediate study.[3] In 1926, Faiz enrolled in
Department of Languages and Fine Arts of the Government College University (GCU),
Lahore. While there, he was greatly influenced by Professor Mir Hassan and
Professor Shamsul Allam who taught Arabic language.[3] Professor Hasan had also
taught the renowned philosopher, poet, and politician of South Asia, Dr.
Muhammad Iqbal. In 1926, Faiz attained his B.A. with Honors in Arabic language,
under the supervision of Professor Mir Hassan. In 1930, Faiz joined the
post-graduate programme of the GCU, obtaining M.A. in English literature in
1932. The same year, Faiz passed his post-graduate exam in the 1st Division
from Punjab University's Oriental College, where he obtained a Master's degree
in Arabic in 1932.[3] It was during his college years that he met M. N. Roy and
Muzaffar Ahmed who influenced him to become a member of the Communist Party.[2]
In 1941, Faiz became affectionate to Alys Faiz, a British
national and a member of Communist Party of the United Kingdom, who was a
student at the Government College University where Faiz taught poetry.[4] While
Alys opted for Pakistan citizenship, she was a vital member of Communist Party
of Pakistan, played a significant role in Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case when she
brought together the communist mass. Together, the couple gave birth two
daughter Salima and Moneeza Hashmi.[4]
Career
Military service
In 1935 Faiz joined the faculty of Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental
College at Aligarh, serving as a lecturer in English and British
literature.[3][5] Later in 1937, Faiz moved to Lahore to reunite with his
family after accepting the professorship at the Hailey College of Commerce,
initially teaching introductory courses on economics and commerce.[3] During
the midst of World War II, he enrolled in the British Indian Army in
1942.[3][5] He was commissioned and attained the rank of Captain.[5] Faiz
served with the unit led by Akbar Khan, a left-wing general. Although, he was
kept out of World War II war operations, Faiz was given a desk assignment when
he joined the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in New Delhi. In 1943,
Faiz was promoted to Major rank, and then Lieutenant-Colonel in 1944.[5] In
1947, Faiz opted for newly established State of Pakistan. However, after
witnessing the 1947 Kashmir war with India, Faiz decided to leave the army and
submitted his resignation in 1947.[5]
Academia and literacy
In 1936, Faiz joined a literary movement, Progressive
Writers' Movement (PWM) and was appointed its first secretary by his fellow
Marxist Sajjad Zaheer.[2] In East and West-Pakistan, the movement gained
considerable support in civil society.[2] In 1938, he became editor-in-chief of
the monthly Urdu magazine "Adab-e-Latif (lit. Belles Letters) until
1946.[2] In 1941, Faiz published his first literary book
"Naqsh-e-Faryadi" (lit. Imprints) and joined the Pakistan Arts
Council (PAC) in 1947.[2] From 1959–62, Faiz served as the secretary of
Pakistan Arts Council, and later became Rector of Abdullah Haroon College in
1964.[6] The same year, Faiz became the vice-president of Pakistan Arts Council
in 1964.
Faiz was a good friend of Soviet poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko
who once said "In Faiz's autobiography... is his poetry, the rest is just
a footnote".[6] During his lifetime, Faiz published eight books and
received accolades for his works.[6] Faiz was a humanist, a lyrical poet, whose
popularity reached neighbouring India and Soviet Union.[7] Indian biographer
Amaresh Datta, compared Faiz as "equal esteem in both East and
West".[7] Throughout his life, his revolutionary poetry addressed the
tyranny of military dictatorships, tyranny, and oppressions, Faiz himself never
compromised on his principles despite being threatened by the right-wing
parties in Pakistan.[7] Faiz's writings are comparatively new verse form in
Urdu poetry based on Western models.[7] Faiz was influenced by the works of
Allama Iqbal and Mirza Ghalib, assimilating the modern Urdu with the
classical.[6] Faiz used more and more demands for the development of socialism
in the country, finding socialism the only solution of country's problems.[7]
During his life, Faiz was concerned with more broader socialists ideas, using
Urdu poetry for the cause and expansion of socialism in the country.[7] The
Urdu poetry and Ghazals influenced Faiz to continue his political themes as
non-violent and peaceful, opposing the far left politics in Pakistan.[7]
Internationalism and communism
Main article: Communism in Pakistan
Faiz believed in Internationalism and emphasised the
philosophy on Global village.[2] In 1947, he became editor of the Pakistan
Times and in 1948, Faiz became vice-president of the Pakistan Trade Union
Federation (PTUF).[2] In 1950, Faiz joined the delegation of Prime minister
Liaquat Ali Khan, initially leading a business delegation in the United States,
attending the meeting at the International Labour Organization (ILO) at San
Francisco, California.[2] During 1948–50, Faiz led the PTUF's delegation in Geneva,
and became an active member of World Peace Council (WPC).[2]
Faiz was a well-known communist in the country and had been
long associated with the Communist Party of Pakistan, which he founded in 1947
along with Marxist Sajjad Zaheer and Jalaludin Abdur Rahim.[8] Faiz had his
first exposure to socialism and communism before the independence of State of
Pakistan which he thought he was consistent with his progressive thinking.[6]
Faiz had long associated ties with the Soviet Union, a friendship with atheist
country that later honoured him with high award. Even after his death, the
Russian government honoured him by calling him "our poet" to many
Russians.[6] However his popularity was waned in Bangladesh after 1971 when
Dhaka did not win much support for him.[6] Faiz and other pro-communists had no
political role in the country, despite their academic brilliance.[8]
Although Faiz was a not a hardcore or far-left communist, he
spent most of the 1950s and 1960s promoting the cause of communism in Pakistan.[8]
During the time when Faiz was editor of the Pakistan Times, one of the leading
newspapers of the 1950s, he lent editorial support to the party. He was also
involved in the circle lending support to military personnel (e.g. Major
General Akbar Khan). His involvement with the party and Major General Akbar
Khan's coup plan led to his imprisonment later.
Later in his life, while giving an interview with the local
newspaper, Faiz was asked by the interviewer as if he was a communist, Faiz he
replied in his usual nonchalant manner: "No. I am not, a communist is a
person who is a card carrying member of the Communist party ever made. The
party is banned in our country. So how can I be a communist?...".[9]
Rawalpindi plot and exile
The Liaquat Ali Khan's government failure to Indian-held
Kashmir had frustrated the military leaders of the Pakistan Armed Forces in
1948, including Jinnah himself serious doubt on Ali Khan's ability to ensure
the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan.[10] After returning from the United
States, Ali Khan imposed restrictions on Communist party as well as Pakistan
Socialist Party. Although the East Pakistan Communist Party had ultimate
success in East-Pakistan after staging the mass protest to recognised Bengali
language as national heritage.
The Muslim League after Jinnah founded struggling to survive
its existence in West-Pakistan. Therefore, Prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan
imposed extreme restrictions and applied tremendous pressure on communist party
for not being properly allowed to function openly as a political party. The
conspiracy had been planned by left-wing military officer and Chief of General
Staff Major-General Akbar Khan. On 23 February 1951, a secret meeting was held
at General Akbar's home, attended by other communist officers and communist
party members, including Marxist Sajjad Zaheer and communist Faiz.[11] General
Akbar assured Faiz and Zaheer that the communist party would be allowed to
function as a legitimate political party like any other party and to take part
in the elections.[11] But, according to communist Zafar Poshni who maintained,
in 2011, that "no agreement was reached, the plan was disapproved, the
communists weren't ready to accept General's words and the participants
dispersed without meeting again".[11] However the next morning, the plot
was foiled when one of the communist officer defected to ISI revealing the
motives behind the plot. When the news reached to Prime minister, the orders of
massive arrests were ordered to Military Police by the Prime minister. Before
the coup could be initiated, General Akbar among other communists were
arrested, including Faiz.[12] In a trial led by the Judge Advocate General
branch's officers in a military court, Faiz was announced to spent four years
in Montgomery Central Jail (MCJ),[13] due to his influential personality,
Liaquat Ali Khan's government continued locating him in Central Prison Karachi
and the Central Jail Mianwali.[14] His case later proceeded by socialist Huseyn
Suhravardie as his defence counselor.[14] Finally on 2 April 1955,[3] Faiz's
sentence was commuted by the Prime minister Huseyn Suhrawardy, and departed to
London, Great Britain soon after.[14] In 1958, Faiz again returned but was
again detained by President Iskander Mirza, allegedely blamed Fiaz for
publishing the pro-communist ideas and advocacy for pro-Moscow government.[12]
However, due to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's influence on Ayub Khan, Faiz's sentence
was commuted in 1960 and he was departed to Moscow, Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics; he later settled in London, United Kingdom.[14]
Return to Pakistan and government work
Faiz Ahmed Faiz's grave in Model Town Lahore.
In 1964, Faiz finally returned to his country and settled
down in Karachi, and was appointed Principal of Abdullah Haroon College.[3] In
1965, Faiz was first brought to government by charismatic democratic socialist
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who was tenuring as Foreign minister in the presidency of
Ayub Khan.[3] Bhutto lobbied for Faiz and giving the honorary capacity at the
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) working to rallying the people
of West-Pakistan to fight against India to defend their motherland.[3] During
the 1971 Winter war, Faiz rallied to mobilize the people, writing patriotic
poems and songs that opposed the bloodshed during separation of Bangladesh from
Pakistan.[15]
In 1972, Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto brought him back
when Bhutto appointed Faiz as Culture adviser at the Ministry of Culture
(MoCul) and the Ministry of Education (MoEd).[2][6] Faiz continued serving in
Bhutto's government until 1974 when he took retirement from the government
assignments.[2][6]
Faiz had strong ties with Bhutto, and had been deeply upset
upon Bhutto's removal by Chief of Army Staff General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in
1977, in a military coup codename Fair Play.[11] Again, Faiz was monitored by
Military Police and his every move watched.[11] In 1979, Faiz departed from
Pakistan after learning the news of Bhutto's execution had been taken
place.[11] Faiz took asylum in Beirut, Lebanon, but returned to Pakistan in
poor health after renewal of the Lebanon War in 1982.[16] In 1984, Faiz died in
Lahore, Punjab Province, shortly after hearing a nomination of Nobel Peace
Prize.[16]
Sufism
Faiz was an avowed supporter of Sufism. He had close
relations with several Sufi saints of his time. He was a favourite of Baba
Malang Sahib, a Sufi of Lahore, Wasif Ali Wasif, Ashfaq Ahmad, Syed Fakhruddin
Balley and other renowned Sufis. Once when he was asked how he could compare
Sufis with socialist comrades, he replied, "They [Sufis] are the real
comrades". He is also credited for coining the term Ana al-Haqq in the
political sense.[citation needed]
Faiz was first accused of Atheism during his trial, when to
the Prosecutor-General, Faiz famously quipped: "Don’t you know applying
‘"Fragrance"’ is Sunnah?...".[11] The questioner protested and
said: "My dear sir, I doubt if you are a great one for following the
Sunnah and so on!", then Faiz replied: "Why not, I am also a part of
the Islamic culture...".[11]
Legacy
Although living a troubled life, Faiz's work, political
ideology, and poetry became immortal, and often dubbed as "greatest
poet" of Pakistan.[17][18] Faiz remained extremely popular and infleuntial
figure in the literary development in Pakistan's arts, literature, and drama
and theatre adaptation.[19] In 1962, Faiz brought a great name for his country
in the Soviet Union who had been hostile and antagonistic relations with
Pakistan.[20] The Lenin Peace Prize, a Soviet equivalent of Nobel Peace Prize,
helped lift Faiz's image even higher in the international community.[20] It
brought Soviet Union and Pakistan much closer, putting past behind and working
for development of people of both sides. Most of his work was translated in
Russian language.[20]
Faiz, whose work is considered the backbone of development
of Pakistan's literature, arts and poetry, was one of the most beloved poets in
the country.[20] Along with Allama Iqbal, Faiz is often known as "Poet of
East".[21] While commenting on his legacy, classical singer Tina Sani
mesmerised Faiz's legacy as she puts it:
Faiz Ahmad Faiz... (was) like a comrade, his thoughts were
soft but effective and inspired the classical singers as it did others in the
plays we did... Faiz’s poetry never gets old because the problems and
situations in this country have not changed. Today we sing him because of his
beautiful poetry, missing out on the reasons behind his poems that had
predictions...
—Tina Sani, commenting the legacy of Faiz, [19]
Major literary works
Naqsh-e-Faryadi (1943)
Dast-e-Saba (1952)
Zindan-Nama (1956)
Dast-e-Tah-e-Sung (1965)
Mere Dil Mere Musafir
Sar-e-Wadi-e-Sina
All these have been combined as one book Nuskha Haa-e-Wafa
(Urdu: نسخہ ہاے وفا).
Accolades and international recognition
Faiz was the first Asian poet to receive the Lenin Peace
Prize, awarded by the Soviet Union in 1962.[22] In 1976 he was award the Lotus
Prize for Literature.[22] He was also nominated for the Nobel Prize shortly
before his death in 1984.[23]
At the ceremony held in grand Kremlin hall in Moscow, Faiz
received the award with stage full of Russian attendees, Faiz thanked the
Russian government for conferring the honour, and delivered the acceptance
speech at the ceremony, which appears as a brief preface to his collection
Dast-i-tah-i-Sang (Hand under the rock) is a great piece of humanist
literature, as he delivered:
Human ingenuity, science and industry have made it possible
to provide each one of us everything we need to be comfortable provided these
boundless treasures of nature and production are not declared the property of a
greedy few but are used for the benefit of all of humanity… However, this is only
possible if the foundations of human society are based not on greed,
exploitation and ownership but on justice, equality, freedom and the welfare of
everyone… I believe that humanity which has never been defeated by its enemies
will, after all, be successful; at long last, instead of wars, hatred and
cruelty, the foundation of humankind will rest on the message of the great
Persian poet Hafez Shiraz: ‘Every foundation you see is faulty, except that of
Love, which is faultless....
—Faiz Ahmad Faiz, 1962, [11]
In 1990, his services were belatedly honoured by the
Pakistan Government when ruling Pakistan Peoples Party led by Prime minister
Benazir Bhutto, accepting the recommendation, and posthumously awarded Faiz,
the highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1990.[24] In 2011, the Pakistan
Peoples Party's government declared the year of 2011 "as the year of Faiz
Ahmed Faiz".[24] In accordance, the Pakistan Government set up a
"Faiz Chair" at the Department of Urdu at the Karachi University and
at the Sindh University,[25] followed by the Government College University of
Lahore established the Patras, Faiz Chair at the Department of Urdu of the
university, also in 2011.[26] The same year, the Government College University
(GCU) presented the golden presented shields to the University's Urdu
department, which was issued and presented by the GCU vice-chancellor Professor
Dr. Khaleequr Rehman, who noted and further wrote: "Fiaz was poet of
humanity, love and resistance against oppression".[21] In 2012, at the
memorial ceremony was held at the Jinnah Garden to honour the services of Faiz
by the left-wing party Avami National Party and Communist Party, by the end of
the ceremony, the participants chanted his name: "The Faiz of workers is
alive! The Faiz of farmers is alive...! Faiz is alive....!".[27]
Translations
Faiz Ahmad Faiz's poetry has been translated into many
languages, including English and Russian. A Balochi poet, Mir Gul Khan Nasir,
who was also a friend of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, translated his book
Sar-e-Wadi-e-Seena into Balochi with the title Seenai Keechag aa. This work by
Faiz was translated by Gul Khan while he (Gul Khan) was in jail during Zulfiqar
Ali Bhutto's regime for opposing the government's policies. It was published in
1980, after Zia-ul-Haq toppled Bhutto's government and freed all the political
prisoners of his (Bhutto's) regime. Victor Kiernan, British Marxist historian
translated Faiz Ahmed Faiz's works into English, and several other translations
of whole or part of his work into English have also been made by others;[28] a
transliteration in Punjabi was made by Mohinder Singh.[29]
Faiz Ahmad Faiz, himself, has also translated works of
notable poets from other languages into Urdu. In his book "Sar-i Waadi-i
Seena" there are some translations of the famous poet of Dagestan, Rasul
Gamzatov. "Deewa", a Balochi poem by Mir Gul Khan Nasir, was also
translated into Urdu by Faiz.[30][31]
Plays and dramatic productions on Faiz
Sheeshon ka Maseeha by Omer Khawaja and Shabana Azmi.
Dard Aayega Dabe Paon by Sheela Bhatiya.
Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam written by Danish Iqbal and
staged by IPTA Delhi. This multi-media Stage Production is being premiered at
Sri Ram centre, New Delhi on 11 November 2011. This Play is basically a Celebration
of the Faiz's Poetry and featuring events from the early part of his life,
particularly the events and incidents of pre-partition days which shaped his
life and ideals. Directed by K K Kohli this musical Production featured Artists
like Shamir Abadan, Jaishri Sethi, Dr Naseem, Izhar, Minhaj, Prateek Kapoor,
Twinkle Khanna and Amit Bajaj in lead roles. This script is the first part of
Faiz trilogy written by Danish Iqbal at the occasion of Faiz Centenary
Celebrations.
Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan – A dramatised reading of Faiz's
letter and letters written by his wife Alys Faiz. This Production was initially
done at the start of his birth centenary celebrations at India Habitat Center,
New Delhi by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza. 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' was also
done at Amritsar Faiz Festival organised by Preet Ladi, at Punjab Natshala,
Amritsar, on 6 October 2011. This time it was done by Suchitra Gupta and Danish
Iqbal.
2011 Drama Festival of Delhi Urdu Academy is basically
devoted to Productions about Faiz. Apart from 'Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam' by
IPTA, Delhi and 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' by Wings Cultural Society,[32] this
Festival will also feature Plays by Peirreot's Troupe on Faiz, namely 'Jo Dil
Pe Guzarti Hai'. The festival also presented, for the first time on stage 'Tera
Bayaan Ghalib', directed by Dr Hadi Sarmadi and performed by Bahroop Arts
Group,[33] which was an adaptation of one of Faiz's few plays for the
radio.[34]
In popular culture
A collection of some of Faiz's masterpieces in different
genres and tributes by his family, contemporaries and scholars who knew him
through his immortal poetry was published in 2011, under the name of
"Celebrating Faiz" edited by D P Tripathi. The book was released on
Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary in Punjab province of Pakistan.
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