Despite a number of books, volumes, reviews and articles penned on the late Amjad Islam Amjad, legendary poet, playwright and author, this is my humble attempt to pay a tribute to him, as his 81st birthday fell earlier this week on August 4. I feel that there is a dire need to explore several less-highlighted aspects of his life and character. A number of his classmates, friends, and his family members shared their warm and kind views, memories and observations about Amjad sahib as a human, husband, friend, class fellow and father.

Anwar Masood was not only a close friend of Amjad sahib, but is also the father-in-law of Amjad sahib’s daughter.

“He was a person, a scholar, and a literary figure of such stature that he has been the subject of various books — most notably the comprehensive volume Amjad Fehmi, which serves as an encyclopaedia on his life and work,” says Maqsood. “It stands as a testament to the unique artistic pedestal that Amjad occupied in the world of literature. Amjad sahib is globally recognised and deeply loved not only as an inspiring playwright, but also as a distinguished columnist, travel writer, analyst, translator, and poet. He is at par in all the fields, so I must call him the ‘Field Marshal of Literature.’ He was blessed with the public's love, widespread popularity, fame, and reverence — all of which were earned through his unwavering dedication, consistent effort, and of course, the will and help of the Almighty, Who granted him strength and motivation to continue his work.”

“Amjad believed in continuous growth and constant action — a message deeply echoed in the philosophy of Allama Iqbal,” added Maqsood. “It is through hard work and movement that one achieves success. Even a tree that stops growing begins to decay and wither within days. Amjad’s pen never paused or faltered, regardless of the genre he explored. I wrote many stanzas and poetic lines on him and his versatility with depth.”

Ayub Khawer, playwright, director and producer shares some unforgettable moments spent with Amjad sahib. “Amjad’s death was a great loss not only for the world of literature, but for entire humanity in terms of selfless friendship,” he begins. “I cannot recall or describe since when our companionship began to blossom but our relationship and bond have always been beyond the professional or literary confinements. We were in harmony like two mutually understanding, caring, sharing and supporting human beings and buddies. The reason behind our unique success was our spiritual and pure concord of attachment to each other, like two souls in a body. At the Karachi University, I joined this wonderful comrades’ circle of Ashraf, Qasmi, Sohail, and others, at a later stage. I wish I were amongst them since my childhood.”

Khawer says that if he recalls any specific incident or moment of Amjad’s humanitarian and sympathetic considerations for others, it will need a book or more than that to pen down. “He was a down-to-earth human being and an altruistic friend,” he adds. “We supported each other in ups and downs of life, attended international events, and enjoyed the music of life together. In the recent past neither he did nor I produced any work because the present environment didn’t appeal to us.”

Muhammad Ashraf Shaheen, businessman, banker, and literary figure, was a class fellow of Amjad Islam Amjad at Punjab University Oriental College, Lahore. “After graduation, I moved to Lahore from Khushab, and secured admission to Punjab University’s Oriental College in 1966, where I met Amjad Islam Amjad, Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi, and Dr Sohail Ahmed, who greatly helped me, a mere stranger to them, through the admission process.”

“As I had no friends or relatives in Lahore, I initially felt a bit lost,” says Shaheen. “But after meeting these wonderful people, it felt like I was among family. Our friendship blossomed, and continued to grow stronger with every passing day. With their support, I even won the election for general secretary of the Oriental College Students' Union.”

Amjad, in particular, was the embodiment of humility and kindness — an incarnation of love and compassion. “I still remember when he got married,” recalls Shaheen. “I was already married by then and posted as branch manager in Abbottabad. I invited the couple for their honeymoon trip, and they visited us. Over the years, I don’t recall a single occasion when Amjad visited Karachi and left without spending time at our home, no matter how brief his stay. I did the same whenever I was in Lahore.”

Shaheen would often host lunches, brunches, and dinners in honour of Amjad and other distinguished guests visiting Karachi for Urdu conferences, literary festivals, and similar events. These gatherings always turned into warm, informal get-togethers.

I also had the privilege of being a part of baithaks or gatherings with Amjad sahib, Anwar Masood, Shahid Siddiqi, Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi, and Akhtar Hussain Jafferi. The conversations were light-hearted, filled with banter, friendly teasing, and uninhibited laughter, never constrained by formality or decorum.

Amjad sahib would say, “If friendly conversation, light jokes, and playful teasing are missing from such gatherings of friends, life would become unbearably dull and stressful.”

Amjad sahib was not only a poet of love but also a loving husband and a compassionate father. His married life with Firdous Amjad, who stood by him in all the ups and downs, was a symbol of dignity and strength. They had three children: Rosheen Amjad, Tehseen Amjad, and Ali Zeeshan Amjad.

The personality and love of Amjad Islam Amjad, so vivid in his writing, were equally prominent in his family life. The atmosphere at home was full of literature, morality, and love. His children grew up in a cultured, knowledge-rich environment — an environment that nourished and sustained his creative spirit.

“For a daughter to endure the separation from her beloved father, and then to put that grief and shock into words, is such a difficult stage that no language has vocabulary to describe it,” says Rosheen Aqib, his daughter who is a professor at Islamabad Women University. “Sorrow embedded in the depths of the soul cannot be converted into words or put down on paper. Papa was not merely an individual but a multidimensional persona — with so many facets and colours that, if each were written separately, it would take an entire office with all its paraphernalia to contain them. He was a unique person, a creative genius, a best friend, and an immensely loving father and husband. As children, we may not have realised this connection, but as our eyes of awareness opened, the feeling grew stronger: we were the children of an extraordinary person — a perfect example of humanity.”

Talking about his work, she says, “His contribution to every genre of literature — poetry, prose, columns, drama, travelogue, literary criticism — is worth weighing in pearls. His writings were a mirror of truth, candour and spontaneity. He never compromised on principles. Pick up his plays and study his characterisation — every character is earthly; the people around us talk to us, explain our problems, and speak our language. We are familiar with all these characters because they are not apart from us — they are us.”

Rosheen described her father’s poetry being different with metaphors like dreams, rain, sea, time, and love finding new dimensions through his pen. “His poems, such as Nature of Love and The Tragedy of Self-Made People, describe bitter realities.”

But the real greatness of any personality lies more in character than in creation. “If that is the measure, then Papa was a class of his own, she adds. “I have never seen a more transparent-hearted, forgiving, and pure person than him. He always used to say, ‘Never remember your own goodness and never forget that of others.’ And he did not just say this — he lived it. Even if someone wronged him, he would not only forgive but also forget it immediately. If the matter came up again, he would defend that person like a lawyer. The hardest thing for him was to see someone in pain — he would instinctively share the sorrow of others.”

No worldly loss ever shook him. His motto was: ‘Remember what you got, forget what you didn’t get.’

And this is not just a line — it is the summary of his entire life.

“He dedicated his life to our comfort,” says Rosheen. “He was a shady tree for all his siblings, relatives, and friends. If someone expressed a problem to him, they would feel relieved, and Papa would not rest until he found a solution.”

After his departure, Amjad sahib’s wife did not live even a year without him beside her. Rosheen feels that her mother probably could not comprehend how the person who loved her more than the whole world — who became her shield in every difficulty and who was her smile — could leave her. “Papa never hurt anyone in his life,” she adds. “He was not used to anyone doing anything for him. He was not just our father, but a light that still burns in the depths of our hearts and never fades for a moment.”

Ali Zeeshan Amjad, TV and film director/CEO AIM Productions, shared some beautiful word for his father. “If I sum it up in one word, it would be love. Papa was love incarnate. His life, his diction, his smile — everything was tinged with the colour of love. He himself said, “Whatever there is, it is an extension of love.” And this is not a claim — it is the testimony of every person who knew him closely and experienced his compassion.”

Everyone who encountered him felt that Amjad Sahib was most kind to them. “If anyone in our family was in some difficulty, they were certain that Amjad Sahib’s arms would be open for them. And indeed, he consoled every broken heart. Today, Papa’s poetry is a luminous reference in Urdu literature for expressing universal themes like love, emotions, life, time, dreams, and humanity. In his poetry, love emerges not only as a personal emotion but as a broad human value. It reflects the true picture of the sorrows, joys, dreams, hopes, and defeats of the common man.”

He was blessed with fifty years of uninterrupted fame — a gift very few are granted. And we witnessed a miracle: the more Allah blessed him, the more humble he became — the very embodiment of humility.

And now, as long as the Urdu language is alive, Amjad Islam Amjad will be remembered.

We shall not mourn him — we shall celebrate his life. Because such personalities never truly leave — they live on in our hearts and in every word ever written about love.”

Economist and analyst Dr Shujat Mubarik, Associate Professor at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, and visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge, UK, recalls the warmth of Amjad Sahib’s personality. I introduced Dr Mubarik Dr Rana Tariq Mahmood to Amjad sahib and in Karachi. “I vividly remember our first meeting at the Marriott Hotel — his humility and candidness left a lasting impression on me,” shares Dr Mubarik. “I was awestruck by how someone of such stature in Urdu literature — a writer of iconic drama serials like Waris, Samundar, Dehleez and many more — could speak so simply and kindly. It’s rare to find someone so grounded.”

From that day on, it became a tradition: whenever he visited Karachi, we would meet him, share dinners, and attend gatherings at the Arts Council. Those evenings were magical — as if time slowed down just to let us absorb the wisdom in every word he shared. I often told others: “His words were like diamonds; every sentence carried depth and meaning.”

To the youth, his message was, “Follow the right path, even if it’s longer, don’t go for shortcuts.” That single sentence has stayed with me as a timeless reminder of integrity and perseverance

Amjad sahib was one of the most genuine, humble, and kind-hearted souls I have ever met. His passion for literature, unwavering principles, and ability to make others feel seen and valued will forever remain in my heart. Our last meeting was at an Urdu Conference in Karachi. Just two months later, we were devastated by the news of his passing.”

I will forever cherish a verse he often recited to us — one that captured his profound insight:

Pair ko deemak lag jayay, ya adamzad ko gham

Dono hi ko Amjad ham ne bachtay dekha kam

He would speak these lines with such gravity that you could feel the weight of his lived experience. His memory lives on — not only in his poetry, but in the hearts of all those who had the privilege of knowing him. As I write these words, it is difficult to hold back tears — a testament to how deeply Amjad sahib continues to live in our hearts.

 

Muttahir Ahmed Khan is an author, analyst, educationist, can be reached at muttahirahmedkhan@gmail.com

All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the writer