This article is about the Urdu poet. For the Baloch nationalist politician, see Habib Jalib Baloch.
Habib Jalib (24 March 1928 - 12 March 1993; Urdu, Punjabi: حبیب جالب) was a Pakistani revolutionary poet, left-wing activist who opposed martial law, authoritarianism and state oppression. Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz said that he was the poet of the masses.[4] He opposed military coups and administrators and was duly jailed several times.[5]
Habib Jalib was born as Habib Ahmad on 24 March 1928 in a village near Hoshiarpur, Punjab, British India. He migrated to Pakistan after the partition of India.[6] Later he worked as a proofreader for Daily Imroze of Karachi. He was a progressive writer and soon started to grab the audience with his enthusiastic recitation of poetry. He wrote in plain language, adopted a simple style and addressed common people and issues. But the conviction behind his words, the music of his voice and his emotional energy coupled with the sensitivity of the socio-political context is what stirred the audience.[1]
Political views
Criticizing those who supported Ayub Khan's regime, he wrote:
Jalib could never reconcile with the dictatorship of Ayub Khan. So when Ayub enforced his tailor-made constitution in the country in 1962, which a former prime minister Chaudhry Muhammad Ali likened to the Clock Tower of Lyallpur, Jalib wrote the following poem:
Original Urdu
English translation
دیپ جس کا محلات ہی میں جلے
چند لوگوں کی خوشیوں کو لے کر چلے
وہ جو سائے میں ہر مصلحت کے پلے
ایسے دستور کو، صبح بے نور کو
میں نہیں مانتا، میں نہیں مانتا
میں بھی خائف نہیں تختہ دار سے
میں بھی منصور ہوں کہہ دو اغیار سے
کیوں ڈراتے ہو زنداں کی دیوار سے
ظلم کی بات کو، جہل کی رات کو
میں نہیں مانتا، میں نہیں مانتا
پھول شاخوں پہ کھلنے لگے، تم کہو
جام رندوں کو ملنے لگے، تم کہو
چاک سینوں کے سلنے لگے، تم کہو
اس کھلے جھوٹ کو، ذہن کی لوٹ کو
میں نہیں مانتا، میں نہیں مانتا
تم نے لوٹا ہے صدیوں ہمارا سکوں
اب نہ ہم پر چلے گا تمہارا فسوں
چارہ گر میں تمہیں کس طرح سے کہوں
تم نہیں چارہ گر، کوئی مانے، مگر
میں نہیں مانتا، میں نہیں مانتا
The light which shines only in palaces
Burns up the joy of the people in the shadows
Derives its strength from others' weakness
That kind of system,
like dawn without light
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept
I am not afraid of execution,
Tell the world that I am the martyr
How can you frighten me with prison walls?
This overhanging doom,
this night of ignorance,
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept
"Flowers are budding on branches", that's what you say,
"Every cup overflows", that's what you say,
"Wounds are healing themselves", that's what you say,
These bare-faces lies,
this insult to the intelligence,
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept
For centuries you have all stolen our peace of mind
But your power over us is coming to an end
Why do you pretend you can cure pain?
Even if some claim that you've healed them,
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept.
Habib Jalib's poems used in Pakistani films
In another incident which has become a part of the resistance folklore of the country, the Governor of West Pakistan, the Nawab of Kalabagh, invited filmstar Neelo to dance in front of Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran. She refused and as a consequence the police was sent to force and bring her, which led to her attempting to commit suicide. This incident inspired a poem by Jalib, which was later included by Neelo's husband Riaz Shahid in the film Zarqa (1969). The poem was titled Raqs-e-Zanjeer (The dance of the chains):[8]
تو کہ ناواقفِ ادبِ غلامی ہے ابھی
رقص زنجیر پہن کر بھی کیا جاتا ہے
Tu kay nawaqif-e-aadab-e-ghulami hae abhi
Raqs zanjeer pehan kar bhi kiya jata hai.
You are not aware of the protocol of a king's court. Sometimes one has to dance (before them) with the chains on oneself.
The above Nazm/Song was included in film producer Riaz Shahid's film Zarqa (1969) in Mehdi Hassan's vocals which became a super-hit film song among the public in 1969 in Pakistan.[9]
" Zulm Rahay Aur Amn Bhi Ho, Kaya Mumkin Hai Tum Hi Kaho" Sung by both Noor Jehan and Mehdi Hassan in film Yeh Aman (1971), lyrics by Habib Jalib and music by A. Hameed.[10] This film song also became very popular.
Bhutto's government
In 1972 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power in Pakistan after the 1971 war with India and a new independent country called Bangladesh emerged from former East Pakistan. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power in former West Pakistan, thereafter called simply Pakistan.
After Bhutto's death, Habib Jalib wrote the following poem:[11]
ٹوٹا ہے کہاں اس کا جادو
اک نعرہ بنا ہے اس کا لہو
ثابت ہوا دھڑکن دھڑکن پر وہ شخص حکومت کرتا تھا
لڑتا تھا وہ اپنے جیسوں سے ہم سے تو محبت کرتا تھا
His magic has not been broken
His blood became a slogan
It has been proved, that he ruled his people's hearts
He used to fight with the people like him (Feudal Lords), but with the (poor) people like us, he used to love.
Zia-ul-Haq's martial law
During General Zia-ul-Haq's dictatorship, Jalib wrote a poem on Zia,[12] in which he asked how he could write darkness as Zia ( Zia literally means light in Urdu).
ظلمت کو ضیا، صر صر کو صبا، بندے کو خدا کیا لکھنا
Darkness as light, Hot desert wind as a morning breeze
How can I write a human as God?
Benazir Bhutto's government
After General Zia-ul-Haq's death in 1988, Benazir Bhutto came to power and released Habib Jalib. Disappointed at the state of the nation, when asked if he felt any change after democracy, he said:
while Benazirs (i.e the poor) of the country walk without shoes
Death
Habib Jalib died on 12 March 1993 and was laid to rest in Shah Fareed Graveyard, Sabzazar, Lahore.
Poetry
Some poems in his own voice
ظلمت کو ضیا Zulmat Ko Zia
قائدِ اعظم دیکھ رہے ہو اپنا پاکستان Quaid-e-Azam Dek Rahe Ho Apna Pakistan
فرنگی کا جو میں دربان ہوتا Farangi Ka Jo May Darban Hota
مزارے لغارے Mazaaray Laghaaray
وطن کو کچھ نہیں خطرہ Wathan Ko Kuch Nahi Khathra
یہ منصف بھی تو قیدی ہیں Ye Munsif Bhi Tho Qaidi Hain
گل سن Gal Sun (Punjabi)
اس قانون سے نفرت ہے عداوت ہے مجھے "ise qanoon se nafrat adawat hain mujhe"
میں نے اس سے یہ کہا Mein Ne Uss Se Yeh Kaha
دستور – میں نہیں مانتا Dastoor (Main Nahi Manta)
جن تھا یا ریفرنڈم تھا Jin Tha Ya Referendum Tha
Recent tributes
Laal band remastered and remixed the revolutionary poem "Dastoor" in Habib Jalib's voice and included it in their 2009 album Umeed-e-Sahar.
On 23 March 2009, President of Pakistan awarded the highest civil award (posthumously) to the legendary poet, which was received by his daughter, Tahira Habib Jalib.[2]
Habib Jalib: Some of his Punjabi Poems on Academy of the Punjab in North America (APNA) website
March 12, 2023
habib, jalib, this, article, about, urdu, poet, baloch, nationalist, politician, baloch, march, 1928, march, 1993, urdu, punjabi, حبیب, جالب, pakistani, revolutionary, poet, left, wing, activist, opposed, martial, authoritarianism, state, oppression, pakistani. This article is about the Urdu poet For the Baloch nationalist politician see Habib Jalib Baloch Habib Jalib 24 March 1928 12 March 1993 Urdu Punjabi حبیب جالب was a Pakistani revolutionary poet left wing activist who opposed martial law authoritarianism and state oppression Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz said that he was the poet of the masses 4 He opposed military coups and administrators and was duly jailed several times 5 Habib Jalib حبیب جالبPortrait of Habib JalibBornHabib Ahmad 1928 03 24 24 March 1928 1 Hoshiarpur Punjab British India Now Punjab India Died12 March 1993 1993 03 12 aged 64 1 Lahore Punjab PakistanOccupationUrdu poet Political activistNationality British Indian 1928 1947 Pakistani 1947 1993 Literary movementProgressive Writers MovementNotable awardsNigar Awards Nishan i Imtiaz 2 Posthumously awarded on 23 March 2009 ChildrenJamila Noor Jalib Tahira Habib 3 Contents 1 Early life 2 Political views 3 Habib Jalib s poems used in Pakistani films 3 1 Bhutto s government 3 2 Zia ul Haq s martial law 3 3 Benazir Bhutto s government 4 Death 5 Poetry 6 Recent tributes 7 See also 8 Books 9 References 10 External linksEarly life EditHabib Jalib was born as Habib Ahmad on 24 March 1928 in a village near Hoshiarpur Punjab British India He migrated to Pakistan after the partition of India 6 Later he worked as a proofreader for Daily Imroze of Karachi He was a progressive writer and soon started to grab the audience with his enthusiastic recitation of poetry He wrote in plain language adopted a simple style and addressed common people and issues But the conviction behind his words the music of his voice and his emotional energy coupled with the sensitivity of the socio political context is what stirred the audience 1 Political views EditCriticizing those who supported Ayub Khan s regime he wrote کہیں گیس کا دھواں ہے کہیں گولیوں کی بارش شب عہد کم نگاہی تجھے کس طرح سراہیں Kahin gas ka dhuan hae kahin golion ki baarish Shab e ehd e kum nigahi tujhay kis tarah saraheinThere is smoke of teargas in the air and the bullets are raining all around How can I praise thee the night of the period of shortsightedness 7 Jalib could never reconcile with the dictatorship of Ayub Khan So when Ayub enforced his tailor made constitution in the country in 1962 which a former prime minister Chaudhry Muhammad Ali likened to the Clock Tower of Lyallpur Jalib wrote the following poem Original Urdu English translationدیپ جس کا محلات ہی میں جلےچند لوگوں کی خوشیوں کو لے کر چلےوہ جو سائے میں ہر مصلحت کے پلےایسے دستور کو صبح بے نور کومیں نہیں مانتا میں نہیں مانتامیں بھی خائف نہیں تختہ دار سےمیں بھی منصور ہوں کہہ دو اغیار سےکیوں ڈراتے ہو زنداں کی دیوار سےظلم کی بات کو جہل کی رات کومیں نہیں مانتا میں نہیں مانتاپھول شاخوں پہ کھلنے لگے تم کہوجام رندوں کو ملنے لگے تم کہوچاک سینوں کے سلنے لگے تم کہواس کھلے جھوٹ کو ذہن کی لوٹ کومیں نہیں مانتا میں نہیں مانتاتم نے لوٹا ہے صدیوں ہمارا سکوںاب نہ ہم پر چلے گا تمہارا فسوںچارہ گر میں تمہیں کس طرح سے کہوںتم نہیں چارہ گر کوئی مانے مگرمیں نہیں مانتا میں نہیں مانتا The light which shines only in palacesBurns up the joy of the people in the shadowsDerives its strength from others weaknessThat kind of system like dawn without lightI refuse to acknowledge I refuse to acceptI am not afraid of execution Tell the world that I am the martyrHow can you frighten me with prison walls This overhanging doom this night of ignorance I refuse to acknowledge I refuse to accept Flowers are budding on branches that s what you say Every cup overflows that s what you say Wounds are healing themselves that s what you say These bare faces lies this insult to the intelligence I refuse to acknowledge I refuse to acceptFor centuries you have all stolen our peace of mindBut your power over us is coming to an endWhy do you pretend you can cure pain Even if some claim that you ve healed them I refuse to acknowledge I refuse to accept Habib Jalib s poems used in Pakistani films EditIn another incident which has become a part of the resistance folklore of the country the Governor of West Pakistan the Nawab of Kalabagh invited filmstar Neelo to dance in front of Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran She refused and as a consequence the police was sent to force and bring her which led to her attempting to commit suicide This incident inspired a poem by Jalib which was later included by Neelo s husband Riaz Shahid in the film Zarqa 1969 The poem was titled Raqs e Zanjeer The dance of the chains 8 تو کہ ناواقف ادب غلامی ہے ابھی رقص زنجیر پہن کر بھی کیا جاتا ہے Tu kay nawaqif e aadab e ghulami hae abhi Raqs zanjeer pehan kar bhi kiya jata hai You are not aware of the protocol of a king s court Sometimes one has to dance before them with the chains on oneself The above Nazm Song was included in film producer Riaz Shahid s film Zarqa 1969 in Mehdi Hassan s vocals which became a super hit film song among the public in 1969 in Pakistan 9 Zulm Rahay Aur Amn Bhi Ho Kaya Mumkin Hai Tum Hi Kaho Sung by both Noor Jehan and Mehdi Hassan in film Yeh Aman 1971 lyrics by Habib Jalib and music by A Hameed 10 This film song also became very popular Bhutto s government Edit In 1972 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power in Pakistan after the 1971 war with India and a new independent country called Bangladesh emerged from former East Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power in former West Pakistan thereafter called simply Pakistan After Bhutto s death Habib Jalib wrote the following poem 11 ٹوٹا ہے کہاں اس کا جادو اک نعرہ بنا ہے اس کا لہو ثابت ہوا دھڑکن دھڑکن پر وہ شخص حکومت کرتا تھا لڑتا تھا وہ اپنے جیسوں سے ہم سے تو محبت کرتا تھا His magic has not been broken His blood became a slogan It has been proved that he ruled his people s hearts He used to fight with the people like him Feudal Lords but with the poor people like us he used to love Zia ul Haq s martial law Edit During General Zia ul Haq s dictatorship Jalib wrote a poem on Zia 12 in which he asked how he could write darkness as Zia Zia literally means light in Urdu ظلمت کو ضیا صر صر کو صبا بندے کو خدا کیا لکھنا Darkness as light Hot desert wind as a morning breeze How can I write a human as God Benazir Bhutto s government Edit After General Zia ul Haq s death in 1988 Benazir Bhutto came to power and released Habib Jalib Disappointed at the state of the nation when asked if he felt any change after democracy he said حال اب تک وہی ہیں فقیروں کے دن پھرے ہیں فقط وزیروں کے ہر بلاول ہے دیس کا مقروض پاؤں ننگے ہیں بے نظیروں کے Haal ab tak wahi hain faqiroan kay Din phiray hain faqat waziroan kay her Bilawal hai Dais ka maqrooz paoon nangay hain Benazeeroan kayThe status of the poor is still the same the days of the ministers have indeed changed every Bilawal name of the only son of Benazir Bhutto of the country is under debt while Benazirs i e the poor of the country walk without shoesDeath EditHabib Jalib died on 12 March 1993 and was laid to rest in Shah Fareed Graveyard Sabzazar Lahore Poetry EditSome poems in his own voiceظلمت کو ضیا Zulmat Ko Zia قائد اعظم دیکھ رہے ہو اپنا پاکستان Quaid e Azam Dek Rahe Ho Apna Pakistan فرنگی کا جو میں دربان ہوتا Farangi Ka Jo May Darban Hota مزارے لغارے Mazaaray Laghaaray وطن کو کچھ نہیں خطرہ Wathan Ko Kuch Nahi Khathra یہ منصف بھی تو قیدی ہیں Ye Munsif Bhi Tho Qaidi Hain گل سن Gal Sun Punjabi اس قانون سے نفرت ہے عداوت ہے مجھے ise qanoon se nafrat adawat hain mujhe میں نے اس سے یہ کہا Mein Ne Uss Se Yeh Kaha دستور میں نہیں مانتا Dastoor Main Nahi Manta جن تھا یا ریفرنڈم تھا Jin Tha Ya Referendum ThaRecent tributes EditLaal band remastered and remixed the revolutionary poem Dastoor in Habib Jalib s voice and included it in their 2009 album Umeed e Sahar On 23 March 2009 President of Pakistan awarded the highest civil award posthumously to the legendary poet which was received by his daughter Tahira Habib Jalib 2 See also EditFaiz Ahmed Faiz Communist Party of Pakistan Ahmed Faraz Mir Gul Khan Naseer Ustad DamanBooks EditSir e Maqtal2 Zikr Behte Khoon Ka Gumbad e Bedar Kulyaat e Habib Jalib Is Shehar e Kharabi Main Goshay Main Qafas K Harf e Haqq Harf e Sar e Daar Ehad e SitamReferences Edit a b c Profile of Habib Jalib Retrieved 27 February 2018 a b Posthumous awards for Jalib former Dawn editor Dawn newspaper 23 March 2009 Retrieved 27 February 2018 Jalib s daughter passes away 29 July 2009 Faiz Ahmed Faiz s quote as a tribute to Habib Jalib in an article Retrieved 27 February 2018 Remembering revolutionary poet Habib Jalib on his 24th death anniversary Pakistan DAWN COM 12 March 2017 The Poetry of Habib Jalib www revolutionarydemocracy org Retrieved 27 February 2018 Habib Jalib on metblogs com website Retrieved 27 February 2018 Mujahid Barelvi 10 June 2011 Habib Jalib s poem for film actress Neelo The Friday Times newspaper Retrieved 27 February 2018 Soundtrack of film Zarqa 1969 on IMDb website Retrieved 27 February 2018 Soundtrack of film Yeh Aman 1971 on IMDb website Retrieved 27 February 2018 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Recollections and Remembrance p139 Retrieved 27 February 2018 Video on YouTube Habib Jalib s poem on General Zia ul Haq Published 19 November 2010 Retrieved 27 February 2018External links EditHabib Jalib bio at WhoIsWho Pakistan Habib Jalib at IMDb Habib Jalib at Kavita Kosh Hindi font A collection of some of Jalib s poems Habib Jalib Some of his Punjabi Poems on Academy of the Punjab in North America APNA website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Habib Jalib amp oldid 1123378222, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
