Faiz Ahmad Faiz

Quick Facts

• Born: February 13, 1911; Sialkot, British India
• Died: November 20, 1984; Lahore, Pakistan
• Full Name: Faiz Ahmad Faiz
• Profession: Poet, Journalist, Editor, Teacher
• Languages Known: Urdu, Punjabi, Persian, English
• Spouse: Alys Faiz
• Children: Two daughters – Salima and Muneeza
• Known For: Revolutionary and romantic poetry, voice of resistance, progressive thought

Biography

Faiz Ahmad Faiz stands as one of the most celebrated poets of the modern Urdu world, admired not only for the beauty of his verse but also for the courage of his voice. Born in Sialkot in 1911, the same city that gave birth to Allama Iqbal, Faiz grew up in a household that valued scholarship. His father, Sultan Muhammad Khan, was a lawyer and a man of learning, and his home was filled with books that nurtured young Faiz’s curiosity.

He studied English and Arabic literature at Government College Lahore and later completed a master’s degree in philosophy. For a brief period, he worked as a teacher before joining the British Indian Army during World War II, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Yet poetry remained his true calling.

After Partition, Faiz became an editor at The Pakistan Times and emerged as a leading figure in Pakistan’s literary and political life. A committed progressive, he was deeply influenced by Marxist thought, and his poetry carried the pulse of the oppressed. His ghazals and nazms spoke of resistance, hope, and love, intertwining the personal and the political with remarkable grace.

In 1951, Faiz was arrested in the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case, accused of plotting against the government. He spent four years in prison, where he wrote some of his most memorable verses. His prison poems, marked by gentleness and optimism, turned him into a symbol of resilience.

Faiz’s works such as Naqsh-e-Faryadi, Dast-e-Saba, Zindan Nama, and Dast-e-Tah-e-Sang earned him admiration across the world. His poem Hum Dekhenge became an anthem for resistance, echoing in movements not just in Pakistan but globally.

He married Alys George, a British-born activist who converted to Islam and became Alys Faiz. Their partnership was one of deep companionship, and together they raised two daughters. Alys stood by Faiz through his imprisonments, exiles, and struggles, and she often helped in compiling and editing his works.

Faiz received the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962, and later Pakistan awarded him the Nishan-e-Imtiaz posthumously. He lived for periods in exile, including in Beirut, but always carried Pakistan in his heart.

He passed away in Lahore in 1984, mourned deeply by admirers around the world. His poetry continues to be recited at gatherings, sung by musicians, and quoted in movements for justice.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz remains not just a poet, but a voice of love, defiance, and hope, whose words remind generations that beauty and resistance can live together in verse.