Eternal verses of Faiz
S Hamid Ashraf
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Faiz Ahmad Faiz, has been acknowledged as the greatest Urdu poet after Iqbal. He was a keen student of various traditions of classical poetry in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Arabic, Persian, and English among others and had realized at an early age that it was the content and not the form which was basic in the art of poetry.
Faiz was a communist for most of his life, so the message is not confined to followers of any particular race or region rather for the race of oppressed nations, humans and aspirations.
The revolutionary poem written in the backdrop of empty and hollow promises by General Zia-Ul-Haq to the people of Pakistan was made immortal by Iqbal Bano, considered as a specialist in singing the works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz. She has given such musical relevance to the ghazals of Faiz, that Bano and Faiz are apparently inseparable in popular imagination.
It is because of Faiz's imprisonment, and hatred of the Pakistani Government towards him, Bano roused a strong crowd of 50,000 people in Lahore by singing this passionate Urdu nazm, ‘Hum Dekhenge’. With her powerful, trained and tactile voice, she cast a mesmeric spell over the crowd.
Even in the recent Iftikhar Choudary -Pervez Musharraf row, the nazm would echo in meetings of lawyers and members of civil society in Lahore.Perhaps, oppression and social injustice only change forms, their essence remains same, but this revolutionary poem has managed to be part of a voice raised against oppression even after three decades. Perhaps it will be able to do so, because one amongst the oppressed will always be there with a voice, a belief and a dream:
"We shall witness"
This poem of his (translated in to English) seems relevant to us even today
Faiz was a communist for most of his life, so the message is not confined to followers of any particular race or region rather for the race of oppressed nations, humans and aspirations.
The revolutionary poem written in the backdrop of empty and hollow promises by General Zia-Ul-Haq to the people of Pakistan was made immortal by Iqbal Bano, considered as a specialist in singing the works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz. She has given such musical relevance to the ghazals of Faiz, that Bano and Faiz are apparently inseparable in popular imagination.
It is because of Faiz's imprisonment, and hatred of the Pakistani Government towards him, Bano roused a strong crowd of 50,000 people in Lahore by singing this passionate Urdu nazm, ‘Hum Dekhenge’. With her powerful, trained and tactile voice, she cast a mesmeric spell over the crowd.
Even in the recent Iftikhar Choudary -Pervez Musharraf row, the nazm would echo in meetings of lawyers and members of civil society in Lahore.Perhaps, oppression and social injustice only change forms, their essence remains same, but this revolutionary poem has managed to be part of a voice raised against oppression even after three decades. Perhaps it will be able to do so, because one amongst the oppressed will always be there with a voice, a belief and a dream:
"We shall witness"
This poem of his (translated in to English) seems relevant to us even today
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall witness
Lazim Hai ke hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
It is certain, we too shall witness
Woh Din ke Jis ka Wadah Hai
the day that has been promised
Jo Loh-e-Azl pe Likha hai
Of which has been written on the slate of eternity
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall witness
Jab Zulm-o-Sitam ke Koh-e-garaan
When the mountains of tyranny
Ruii ki Tarah Urd Jain Gay
Will fly like pieces of cotton
Hum Mehkumoon ke Paun Talay
Under our feet-the feet of oppressed
Yeh Dharti Dhad Dhad Dhadkay gi
When the earth will pulsate deafeningly
Aur Ehl-e-Hukum ke Sar Uper
And over the head of the ruler
Jab Bijli kad Kad Kadke gi
When lightening will strike
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall witness
Jab Arz-e-Khuda ke kabay se
When from God's Mecca
Sab but Uthwaaiy Jain gay
All the idols will be taken out
Hum Ehl-e-Safa Mardood-e-Haram
We the faithful
Masnad pe Bithaaiy jain gay
Will be elevated to a higher platform
Sab Taaj Uchalay jain gay
All the crowns will be tossed
Sab Takht Giraaiy Jain gay
All the thrones will be toppled
Bas Naam rahay Ga Allah ka
Then only God's name will remain
Jo Ghayab Bhi hai Hazir Bhi
Who is both absent and present
Jo nazir bhi hai manzar bhi
Who is both the observer and the view itself
Uthay ga Analhaq ka Naara
When the anthem of truth will be raised
Jo Main bhi Hun aur Tumbhi ho
Which is I, as well as you
Aur Raaj karay gi khalq-e-Khuda
And the people of God will reign
Jo main bhi hun aur tum bhi ho
Which is I,as well as you
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall witness
Lazim Hai ke hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
It is certain that we too shall witness
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall witness
Jab Zulm-o-Sitam ke Koh-e-garaan
When the mountains of tyranny
Ruii ki Tarah Urd Jain Gay
Will fly like pieces of cotton
Hum Mehkumoon ke Paun Talay
Under our feet-the feet of oppressed
Yeh Dharti Dhad Dhad Dhadkay gi
When the earth will pulsate deafeningly
Aur Ehl-e-Hukum ke Sar Uper
And over the head of the ruler
Jab Bijli kad Kad Kadke gi
When lightening will strike
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall witness
Jab Arz-e-Khuda ke kabay se
When from God's Mecca
Sab but Uthwaaiy Jain gay
All the idols will be taken out
Hum Ehl-e-Safa Mardood-e-Haram
We the faithful
Masnad pe Bithaaiy jain gay
Will be elevated to a higher platform
Sab Taaj Uchalay jain gay
All the crowns will be tossed
Sab Takht Giraaiy Jain gay
All the thrones will be toppled
Bas Naam rahay Ga Allah ka
Then only God's name will remain
Jo Ghayab Bhi hai Hazir Bhi
Who is both absent and present
Jo nazir bhi hai manzar bhi
Who is both the observer and the view itself
Uthay ga Analhaq ka Naara
When the anthem of truth will be raised
Jo Main bhi Hun aur Tumbhi ho
Which is I, as well as you
Aur Raaj karay gi khalq-e-Khuda
And the people of God will reign
Jo main bhi hun aur tum bhi ho
Which is I,as well as you
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall witness
Lazim Hai ke hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
It is certain that we too shall witness
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