Daily Times

LAHORE: The 17th death anniversary of renowned poet, biographer and scholar Jaun Elia is being observed on Friday.

He belonged to a family of intellectual giants like Rais Amrohvi, Syed Muhammad Taqi and Shafiq Hasan Elia, and was one of the greatest poets the Urdu language has ever produced.

He was known as the best poet of simple language and his short poems are especially outstanding.

Elia’s rare ideas and unique writing style fascinates the readers and he will always be remembered for his greatest services to the Urdu language.

Jaun was born in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, in 1931, he migrated to Pakistan in 1957 and settled in Karachi. He wrote his first Urdu couplet when he was just 8.

One of the most prominent modern Pakistani poets, popular for his unconventional ways, he acquired knowledge of philosophy, logic, Islamic history, the Muslim Sufi tradition, Muslim religious sciences and Western literature.

جو گزاری نہ جاسکے ہم سے

ہم نے وہ زندگی گزاری ہے

He died on November 8, 2002, after a protracted illness.

میں بھی بہت عجیب ہوں ،اتنا عجیب  ہوں کہ بس

خود کو تباہ کرلیااور ملال بھی نہیں

He could speak Arabic, English, Persian, Sanskrit and Hebrew.

His famous poetry collections included Shayed, Ya’ni, Gumaan, Lekan, Ramooz and Goya.

Jaun Alia was also awarded Presidential Pride of Performance for his literary services.

Jaun was an acclaimed poet in the local literary circle. His contribution to the Urdu language and literature includes translation of various Mautazalite treatises, a book on 12th century Fatimid Revolutionary, Hassan Bin Sabbah and various texts about the Ismaili sect in Islam. His prose and translations of major Ismaili philosophical works can be found at Ismaili Tariqah Board libraries in Karachi.