Faiz Ahmad Faiz

Biography

Faiz Ahmad Faiz is remembered as one of the greatest poets of Urdu literature and a voice of resistance, hope, and humanity. He was born in 1911 in Sialkot, a city that also gave the world Allama Iqbal. His father was a respected lawyer and scholar, and young Faiz grew up surrounded by books and stimulating conversations that shaped his worldview.

He studied English and Arabic literature at Government College, Lahore, and later completed a master’s degree in philosophy. For some time, he worked as a teacher before joining the British Indian Army during the Second World War, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Despite this military career, his heart remained with poetry and the struggles of ordinary people.

After Partition, Faiz became a journalist and editor, most notably with The Pakistan Times. His writings and poetry gave voice to the poor, the oppressed, and those who longed for justice. His ghazals and nazms blended romance with revolution, weaving together love, loss, and the dream of a better world. Poems such as Bol and Hum Dekhenge became anthems of resistance, not just in Pakistan but across movements worldwide.

In 1951, he was arrested in the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case, accused of plotting a coup against the government. He spent four years in prison, where he wrote some of his most moving poetry, later compiled in Zindan-Nama. His verses from behind bars were filled with hope, tenderness, and resilience, proving that prison walls could not silence his pen.

Faiz’s personal life was deeply anchored by his wife, Alys Faiz, a British-born activist who converted to Islam and stood beside him through thick and thin. Together they raised two daughters, Salima and Muneeza. Alys also played an important role in typing, editing, and preserving much of his work.

Although honored with awards like the Lenin Peace Prize, Faiz always said he belonged to no government or ideology but to the people. His words continue to resonate in protests, classrooms, and poetry gatherings.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz passed away in Lahore in 1984. His poetry lives on as a beacon of love, resistance, and humanity. He is remembered not only as a poet but also as a gentle revolutionary who believed that even in darkness, poetry could light the way.