Ahmed Faraz

Infobox Writer
name = Ahmed Faraz

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pseudonym = Faraz
birthname = Syed Ahmed Shah
birthdate = birth date|1931|01|14
birthplace = Kohat, N.W.F.P., Pakistan
deathdate = death date and age|2008|08|25|1931|01|14 [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Pak_poet_Ahmed_Faraz_dies_at_77/articleshow/3409068.cms| Pak poet Ahmed Faraz dies at 77]
deathplace = Islamabad, Pakistan
occupation = Urdu poet, Lecturer
nationality = Pakistani
ethnicity = Pashtun
citizenship =
education =
alma_mater =
period =
genre = Ghazal
subject =
movement =
notableworks =
spouse =
partner =
children =
relatives = Syed Muhammad Shah Barq (father) Syed Masood Kausar (brother)
influences = Faiz Ahmed Faiz
influenced = Urdu poetry
awards = Hilal-e-Imtiaz Sitara-i-Imtiaz Nigar Awards


website =
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Ahmed Faraz (Lang-ur|احمد فراز Hindi: अहमद फ़राज़) (January 14, 1931 - August 25, 2008) was considered one of the greatest modern Urdu poets of the last century. Faraz is his pseudonym 'takhallus', whereas his real name is Syed Ahmad Shah. Ahmed Faraz died in Islamabad on August 25, 2008. [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C08%5C26%5Cstory_26-8-2008_pg1_9 Daily Times]

Ahmed Faraz, who has been compared with Mohammad Iqbal and Faiz Ahmed Faiz, holds a unique position as one of the best poets of current times, with a fine but simple style of writing. [http://www.chowk.com/articles/12127 Ras Siddiqui at Chowk.com] Even common people can easily understand. Ethnically a Hindko speaking Pathan, Ahmed Faraz studied Persian and Urdu at the Peshawar University. He later became lecturer at the Peshawar University.

Early life

In interview to the Daily Jang, Ahmad Faraz says that he was born in Kohat. He was the son of Syed Muhammad Shah Barq and the brother of Syed Masood Kausar. [http://www.chowk.com/articles/12127 Ras Siddiqui at Chowk.com] In an interview with Rediff he recalls how his father, once bought clothes for him on Eid. He didn't like the clothes meant for him, but preferred the ones meant for his elder brother. This lead him to write his first couplet:

:"Layen hain sab ke liye kapre sale se" (He brought clothes for everybody from the sale)

:"Layen hain hamare liye kambal jail se" (For me he brought a blanket from jail)He was told by his parents once to learn mathematics from a class fellow during the summer vacation. "I was weak in mathematics and geography. I still don't remember maps and roads". Coming from a respectable family of Syeds, descendents of ""Haji Bahadar" a famous saint of Kohat, he moved to Peshawar with entire family. Studied in famous Edwards College, Peshawar and then did his Masters in Urdu and Persian from Peshawar University. During his time in college, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Ali Sardar Jafri were the best progressive poets, who impressed him and became his role models. Ahmed Faraz initially worked as a script writer at Radio Pakistan Peshawar and then moved on to teaching Urdu at Peshawar University. In 1976, he became the founding Director General (Later Chairman) of Pakistan Academy of Letters.

Political life

Outspoken about politics, he went into self-imposed exile during the Zia-ul-Haq era after he was arrested for reciting certain poems at a mushaira criticizing the military rule. He stayed for 6 years in Britain, Canada and Europe before returning to Pakistan, where he was initially appointed Chairman Academy of Letters and later chairperson of the Islamabad-based National Book Foundation for several years. He has been awarded with numerous national and international awards.

He was inspired from Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto And Pakistan People's Party.He was awarded the "Hilal-e-Imtiaz" in 2004, in recognition of his literary achievements. He returned the award in 2006 after becoming disenchanted with the government and its policies.

"My conscious will not forgive me if I remained a silent spectator of the sad happenings around us. The least I can do is to let the dictatorship know where it stands in the eyes of the concerned citizens whose fundamental rights have been usurped. I am doing this by returning the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (civil) forthwith and refuse to associate myself in any way with the regime..." a statement issued by the poet.

About his current writings he says: "I now only write when I am forced to from the inside."Fact|date=July 2007

Maintaining a tradition established by his mentor, the revolutionary Faiz Ahmed Faiz, he wrote some of his best poetry during those days in exile. Famous amongst poetry of resistance has been "Mahasara"

Death

In July 2008, a rumour was spread that Ahmed Faraz had died in a hospital in Chicago. Faraz's physician, Tahir Rohail MD who was a childhood friend of Faraz's son Shibli Faraz, was quick to deny this erroneous report, but it was confirmed that Faraz was exceedingly ill.

Faraz's health continued to deteriorate and he died from kidney failure in a local Islamabad hospital on the 25 August, 2008. His funeral was carried out on the evening of the 26th, at H-8 Graveyard Islamabad, Pakistan.

Samples of Poetry

Ghazal: "Teri Baatain Hi Sunane Aye"
(They Came Only to Talk of You)

"Friends came only to hurt me (for)"
"They came only to talk of you."

"When flowers bloom, I can not help but think"
"Arrive the ages of your coming."

"Such a quietude has taken over me as if"
"I come to tell you (the) condition (of my heart)!"

"Love stands alone at the head of sorrow's path"
"(For) who will shoulder such a burden!"

"Look at me, stranger friend, for"
"I have come to make you remember something."

"My heart beats in the noise of journey,"
"Would that someone comes to call me back again!"

"Even crying makes me ache,"
"Perhaps I will come to my senses now!"

"Why have people come to celebrate,"
"Did, again, a settlement die somewhere?"

"Sleep in the lap of death, Faraz,"
"Who knows when sleep will come!"

Nazm: "Khvaab Marte Naheen"
(Dreams Do Not Die)

"Dreams do not die."
"Dreams are not hearts, nor eyes or breath"
"Which shattered, will scatter (or)"
"Die with the death of the body."

"Dreams do not die."
"Dreams are light, voice, wind,"
"Which can not be stopped by mountains black,"
"Which do not burn in the hells of cruelty,"
"Ensigns of light and voice and wind, they"
"Bow not, even in graveyards."

"Dreams are letters,"
"Dreams are illumination,"
"Dreams are Socrates,
""Dreams are Mansur!"'

Awards

National Awards
* Adamji Award (Pakistan's highest literary award), 1966
* Abaseen Award, 1970
* Dhanak Award, 1971
* Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Award, 1991
* Naqoosh-e-Adab Award, 1992-93
* Sitara-i-Imtiaz, 1993
* Kamal-e-Fan Award, 1994
* Pakistan Academy of Letters Award, 2000
* Hilal-e-Imtiaz, 2004

International Awards
* Firaq International Award (India), 1982
* Academy of Urdu Literature Award (Canada), 1991
* JN Tata Award (India), 1992
* 2000 Millennium Medal of Honors (USA), 1999
* First Kafi Azmi Award (UAE), 2002
* ETV Kamal-e-Fan Award (India), 2004

In Culture

Ahmed Faraz was mentioned by actor Shahzada Ghaffar in the Pothwari/Mirpuri telefilm "Khai Aye O".

References

ources

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/books/01faraz.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "The New York Times"]

External links

* [http://www.shaairi.net/poetry/authors/22/%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B2 Poetry of Ahmed Faraz, Auido and Video]
* [http://podcast.hindyugm.com/2008/09/ahmad-faraz-shayri-in-his-own-voice.html Ahmad Faraz's poetry in his own voice]
* [http://podcast.hindyugm.com/2008/08/last-37-days-of-great-poetshayar-ahmed.html Last 37 days of Ahmad Faraz]
* [http://merekavimitra.blogspot.com/2008/08/pakistani-shaer-ahmad-faraz-died.html Ahmad Faraz's shayari: by a Hindi novelist Premchand Sahajwala]
* [http://www.chowk.com/articles/12127Ras Siddiqui at Chowk.com ]
* [http://aligarians.com/category/poets/ahmed-faraz/ A collection of verses and mushaira recordings of Ahmed Faraz]
* [http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=132286]
* [http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10240423.html]
* [http://www.pakistantimes.net/2008/08/27/top10.htm]
* [http://poetry.urdustuff.com/ Poetry of Ahmed Faraz] Complete Collection of Ahmed Faraz
* [http://www.oneurdu.com/index.php/board,22.0.html A Dedicated Section for the Poetry of Ahmed Faraz at OneUrdu.Com]