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Gumaan / گمان
Jaun Eliya's father Shafiq Hasan Eliya was deeply involved in art and literature. This literary environment modeled him along the same lines and he wrote his first Urdu couplet when he was just 8. He studied Arabic and Persian at a local madrasa in Amroha and also acquired great proficiency in English and small knowledge of Hebrew. After partition, Eliya migrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi. Eliya was a prolific writer, but could not be convinced to publish his work. His first poetry collection "Shayad" was published when he was 60. The second collection of his poetry "Yaanii" was published posthumously in 2003 and third titled "Gumaan" in 2004. Jaun was also involved in translation, editing and other activities. He edited Urdu literature magazine "Insha" where he met another Urdu writer Zahida Hina and finally married her. Jaun and Zahida were divorced in mid-1980s. This left Jaun devastated and alone. He passed on November 8, 2002.
238 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2004
119 people are currently reading
1656 people want to read
About the author
Jaun Elia
32 books412 followersJaun Elia was a notable Pakistani Urdu poet. He was widely praised for his unique style of writing. He was the brother of renowned journalist and psychoanalyst Rais Amrohvi and journalist and world-renowned philosopher Syed Muhammad Taqi. He was husband of famous columnist Zahida Hina. He was a man of letters, well versed in Arabic, English, Persian, Sanskrit and Hebrew.
Jaun Elia was born on December 14, 1931 in an illustrious family of Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. He was the youngest of his siblings. His father, Allama Shafiq Hasan Elia, was deeply involved in art and literature and also an astrologer and a poet. This literary environment modeled him along the same lines, and he wrote his first Urdu couplet when he was just 8.
Jaun was very sensitive in his early teen age. His preoccupations in those days were his imaginary beloved character, Sophia, and his anger at the English occupiers of India. He used to do dramatic presentations of the early Muslim period, and hence his knowledge of Muslim history was recognized by many. According to him, his early poetry reflected the dialogue nature of stage drama.
A close relation of Elia's, Syed Mumtaz Saeed, recalled that Elia also went to Syed-ul-Madaris in Amroha, a Madressah (Koranic school). "Jaun had a way with languages. He could learn them effortlessly. Apart from Arabic and Persian that he had learnt at the Madressah, he acquired great proficiency in English and a smattering of Hebrew."
During his youth, the united India was involved in a Muslim-Hindu feud, which led to the partition of the country on religious lines once British rule ended. Being a Communist, Elia was averse to the idea, but finally accepted it as a compromise. Elia migrated to Pakistan in 1957, and made Karachi his home. Before long, he became popular in the literary circles of the city. His poetry, which bears ample testimony to his wide-ranging reading habits, won him acclaim and approbation. Poet Pirzada Qasim said: "Jaun was very particular about language. While his diction is rooted in the classical tradition, he touches on new subjects. He remained in quest of an ideal all his life. Unable to find the ideal eventually, he became angry and frustrated. He felt, perhaps with reason, that he had squandered his talent." He was a prolific writer, but could not be convinced to publish his work. His first poetry collection Shayad (an Urdu word which means "Maybe") was published in 1991, when he was 60. The poetry presented in this collection added Jaun Elia's name in the Urdu literary canon forever. Jaun Elia's preface in this collection provided deep insights into his works and the culture within which he was expressing his ideas. The preface can also be considered as one of the finest examples of modern Urdu prose. It covered his intellectual evolution in different periods of time, and his philosophy of poetry, science, religion, etc. The second collection of his poetry Ya'ani was published posthumously in 2003 . Afterwords Jaun's trustworthy companion Khalid Ansari has compiled and published his three consecutive collections, “Gumaan” (an Urdu word which means "Illusion") in 2004, “Lekin” 2006 and “Goya” 2008, one more collection ‘Kyon’ is now under processing.
An eminent Urdu literary critic, Dr. Muhammad Ali Siddiqui has called Jaun Elia one of the three most eminent ghazal poets of Urdu of the second half of the twentieth century.
Jaun Elia was an unabashed open anarchist and nihilist in generally a conservative and religious society. His elder brother, Rais Amrohvi, himself a poet and influential intellectual, was brutally murdered , and ever after his death, Jaun was conscious about what he would say in public.
Jaun was also involved in translation, editing and other activities. He briefly worked as an editor with Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB), in
Jaun Elia was born on December 14, 1931 in an illustrious family of Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. He was the youngest of his siblings. His father, Allama Shafiq Hasan Elia, was deeply involved in art and literature and also an astrologer and a poet. This literary environment modeled him along the same lines, and he wrote his first Urdu couplet when he was just 8.
Jaun was very sensitive in his early teen age. His preoccupations in those days were his imaginary beloved character, Sophia, and his anger at the English occupiers of India. He used to do dramatic presentations of the early Muslim period, and hence his knowledge of Muslim history was recognized by many. According to him, his early poetry reflected the dialogue nature of stage drama.
A close relation of Elia's, Syed Mumtaz Saeed, recalled that Elia also went to Syed-ul-Madaris in Amroha, a Madressah (Koranic school). "Jaun had a way with languages. He could learn them effortlessly. Apart from Arabic and Persian that he had learnt at the Madressah, he acquired great proficiency in English and a smattering of Hebrew."
During his youth, the united India was involved in a Muslim-Hindu feud, which led to the partition of the country on religious lines once British rule ended. Being a Communist, Elia was averse to the idea, but finally accepted it as a compromise. Elia migrated to Pakistan in 1957, and made Karachi his home. Before long, he became popular in the literary circles of the city. His poetry, which bears ample testimony to his wide-ranging reading habits, won him acclaim and approbation. Poet Pirzada Qasim said: "Jaun was very particular about language. While his diction is rooted in the classical tradition, he touches on new subjects. He remained in quest of an ideal all his life. Unable to find the ideal eventually, he became angry and frustrated. He felt, perhaps with reason, that he had squandered his talent." He was a prolific writer, but could not be convinced to publish his work. His first poetry collection Shayad (an Urdu word which means "Maybe") was published in 1991, when he was 60. The poetry presented in this collection added Jaun Elia's name in the Urdu literary canon forever. Jaun Elia's preface in this collection provided deep insights into his works and the culture within which he was expressing his ideas. The preface can also be considered as one of the finest examples of modern Urdu prose. It covered his intellectual evolution in different periods of time, and his philosophy of poetry, science, religion, etc. The second collection of his poetry Ya'ani was published posthumously in 2003 . Afterwords Jaun's trustworthy companion Khalid Ansari has compiled and published his three consecutive collections, “Gumaan” (an Urdu word which means "Illusion") in 2004, “Lekin” 2006 and “Goya” 2008, one more collection ‘Kyon’ is now under processing.
An eminent Urdu literary critic, Dr. Muhammad Ali Siddiqui has called Jaun Elia one of the three most eminent ghazal poets of Urdu of the second half of the twentieth century.
Jaun Elia was an unabashed open anarchist and nihilist in generally a conservative and religious society. His elder brother, Rais Amrohvi, himself a poet and influential intellectual, was brutally murdered , and ever after his death, Jaun was conscious about what he would say in public.
Jaun was also involved in translation, editing and other activities. He briefly worked as an editor with Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB), in
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October 17, 2020
ہجر کی آنکھوں سے آنکھیں تو ملاتے جائیے
ہجر میں کرنا ہے کیا یہ تو بتاتے جائیے
بن کے خوشبو کی اداسی رہیے دل کے باغ میں
دور ہوتے جائیے نزدیک آتے جائیے
جاتے جاتے آپ اتنا کام تو کیجے مرا
یاد کا سارا سر و ساماں جلاتے جائیے
رہ گئی امید تو برباد ہو جاؤں گا میں
جائیے تو پھر مجھے سچ مچ بھلاتے جائیے
زندگی کی انجمن کا بس یہی دستور ہے
بڑھ کے ملیے اور مل کر دور جاتے جائیے
آخرش رشتہ تو ہم میں اک خوشی اک غم کا تھا
مسکراتے جائیے آنسو بہاتے جائیے
آپ کو جب مجھ سے شکوا ہی نہیں کوئی تو پھر
آگ ہی دل میں لگانی ہے لگاتے جائیے
کوچ ہے خوابوں سے تعبیروں کی سمتوں میں تو پھر
جائیے پر دم بہ دم برباد جاتے جائیے
آپ کا مہمان ہوں میں آپ میرے میزبان
سو مجھے زہر مروت تو پلاتے جائیے
ہے سر شب اور مرے گھر میں نہیں کوئی چراغ
آگ تو اس گھر میں جانانہ لگاتے جائیے
...
کب اس کا وصال چاہیے تھا
بس ایک خیال چاہیے تھا
کب دل کو جواب سے غرض تھی
ہونٹوں کو سوال چاہیے تھا
شوق ایک نفس تھا اور وفا کو
پاس مہ و سال چاہیے تھا
اک چہرۂ سادہ تھا جو ہم کو
بے مثل و مثال چاہیے تھا
اک کرب میں ذات و زندگی ہیں
ممکن کو محال چاہیے تھا
میں کیا ہوں بس اک ملال ماضی
اس شخص کو حال چاہیے تھا
ہم تم جو بچھڑ گئے ہیں ہم کو
کچھ دن تو ملال چاہیے تھا
وہ جسم جمال تھا سراپا
اور مجھ کو جمال چاہیے تھا
وہ شوخ رمیدہ مجھ کو اپنی
بانہوں میں نڈھال چاہیے تھا
تھا وہ جو کمال شوق وصلت
خواہش کو زوال چاہیے تھا
جو لمحہ بہ لمحہ مل رہا ہے
وہ سال بہ سال چاہیے تھا
...
اس کا فراق بھی زیاں، اس کا وصال بھی زیاں
ایک عجیب کشمکش حلقۂ بے دلاں میں ہے
...
آپ اب پوچھنے کو آئے ہیں
دل میری جان مر گیا کب کا
...
یقین کر جو تیری آرزو میں تھا پہلے
وہ لطف ترے سوا بھی نہیں رہا اب تو
...
مری جان اب یہ صورت ہے کہ مجھ سے
تیری عادت چھڑائی جا رہی ہے
بہت سی صورتیں منظر میں لا کر
تمنا آزمائی جا رہی ہے
...
اب فقط یاد رہ گئی ہے تری
اب فقط تری یاد بھی کب تک
اب تو بس آپ سے گلہ ہے یہی
یاد آئیں گے آپ ہی کب تک
...
ایک ہی تو ہوس رہی ہے ہمیں
اپنی حالت تباہ کی جائے
اپنے دل کی پناہ میں آ کر
زندگی بے پناہ کی جائے
...
زندگی ایک فن ہے لمحوں کو
اپنے انداز سے گنوانے کا
ہجر میں کرنا ہے کیا یہ تو بتاتے جائیے
بن کے خوشبو کی اداسی رہیے دل کے باغ میں
دور ہوتے جائیے نزدیک آتے جائیے
جاتے جاتے آپ اتنا کام تو کیجے مرا
یاد کا سارا سر و ساماں جلاتے جائیے
رہ گئی امید تو برباد ہو جاؤں گا میں
جائیے تو پھر مجھے سچ مچ بھلاتے جائیے
زندگی کی انجمن کا بس یہی دستور ہے
بڑھ کے ملیے اور مل کر دور جاتے جائیے
آخرش رشتہ تو ہم میں اک خوشی اک غم کا تھا
مسکراتے جائیے آنسو بہاتے جائیے
آپ کو جب مجھ سے شکوا ہی نہیں کوئی تو پھر
آگ ہی دل میں لگانی ہے لگاتے جائیے
کوچ ہے خوابوں سے تعبیروں کی سمتوں میں تو پھر
جائیے پر دم بہ دم برباد جاتے جائیے
آپ کا مہمان ہوں میں آپ میرے میزبان
سو مجھے زہر مروت تو پلاتے جائیے
ہے سر شب اور مرے گھر میں نہیں کوئی چراغ
آگ تو اس گھر میں جانانہ لگاتے جائیے
...
کب اس کا وصال چاہیے تھا
بس ایک خیال چاہیے تھا
کب دل کو جواب سے غرض تھی
ہونٹوں کو سوال چاہیے تھا
شوق ایک نفس تھا اور وفا کو
پاس مہ و سال چاہیے تھا
اک چہرۂ سادہ تھا جو ہم کو
بے مثل و مثال چاہیے تھا
اک کرب میں ذات و زندگی ہیں
ممکن کو محال چاہیے تھا
میں کیا ہوں بس اک ملال ماضی
اس شخص کو حال چاہیے تھا
ہم تم جو بچھڑ گئے ہیں ہم کو
کچھ دن تو ملال چاہیے تھا
وہ جسم جمال تھا سراپا
اور مجھ کو جمال چاہیے تھا
وہ شوخ رمیدہ مجھ کو اپنی
بانہوں میں نڈھال چاہیے تھا
تھا وہ جو کمال شوق وصلت
خواہش کو زوال چاہیے تھا
جو لمحہ بہ لمحہ مل رہا ہے
وہ سال بہ سال چاہیے تھا
...
اس کا فراق بھی زیاں، اس کا وصال بھی زیاں
ایک عجیب کشمکش حلقۂ بے دلاں میں ہے
...
آپ اب پوچھنے کو آئے ہیں
دل میری جان مر گیا کب کا
...
یقین کر جو تیری آرزو میں تھا پہلے
وہ لطف ترے سوا بھی نہیں رہا اب تو
...
مری جان اب یہ صورت ہے کہ مجھ سے
تیری عادت چھڑائی جا رہی ہے
بہت سی صورتیں منظر میں لا کر
تمنا آزمائی جا رہی ہے
...
اب فقط یاد رہ گئی ہے تری
اب فقط تری یاد بھی کب تک
اب تو بس آپ سے گلہ ہے یہی
یاد آئیں گے آپ ہی کب تک
...
ایک ہی تو ہوس رہی ہے ہمیں
اپنی حالت تباہ کی جائے
اپنے دل کی پناہ میں آ کر
زندگی بے پناہ کی جائے
...
زندگی ایک فن ہے لمحوں کو
اپنے انداز سے گنوانے کا
February 5, 2015
sar e sehra habab beche hen
lab e drya sarab beche hen
aur to kia tha bechne k lie
apni aankhon k khwab beche hen
lab e drya sarab beche hen
aur to kia tha bechne k lie
apni aankhon k khwab beche hen
Want to read
April 10, 2013Jaun Elia is a Great person i've ever seen in my life.. <3
June 10, 2015
Amazing Poetry. Jaun is a great poet of his own kind a unique one.
This is awarded poetry collection book of 2004 in Pakistan. And It deserve that.
This is awarded poetry collection book of 2004 in Pakistan. And It deserve that.
کرلیا خود کو جو تنہا میں نے
یہ ہنر کِس کو دکھایا میں نے
Aur Toh kiya tha bechnay k lein
Apni Ankho k Khawab bechy hai...
زہر تھا اپنے طور سے جینا
کوںی اِک تھا جو مر گیا جانم
ایک ہی تو ہوس رہی ہمیں
اپنی حالت تباہ کی جاںے
July 3, 2019
ایک پہنائے عبث ہے جسے عالم کہیے
ہو کوئی اس کا خدا ہم تو دعا کرتے ہیں
دل اب دنیا پہ لعنت کر کہ اس کی
بہت خدمت گزاری ہو گئی ہے
یقیں معذور ہے اب اور گماں بھی
بڑی بے روزگاری ہو گئی ہے
ہو کوئی اس کا خدا ہم تو دعا کرتے ہیں
دل اب دنیا پہ لعنت کر کہ اس کی
بہت خدمت گزاری ہو گئی ہے
یقیں معذور ہے اب اور گماں بھی
بڑی بے روزگاری ہو گئی ہے
August 14, 2023
Oh man, Jaun Elia is an emotional wizard, the way he portrays emotions is very good, he's a great great poet for sure. However depressed he was, he was a great poet, the way he goes through emotions in one book is just so insane to me and it doesn't even seem dramatized, it seems real, everything seems to be happening to him and most of it is bad??? The way this man goes through 5 stages of heartbreak in one poem, then goes through an existential crisis in another one, then goes through happy mystical emotions in another one. Safe to say, he was very self aware.
In some poems, he straight up challenges God, or in his way maybe remembers God. He was a man with very complex emotions, a man who was in a way done with life completely. It's sad but it's so damn poetic and you feel his emotions through his words and it's a rollercoaster, you laugh at some poetry and you cringe at some too but it's as relatable as it could be and is as poetically justified as it could be!
In some poems, he straight up challenges God, or in his way maybe remembers God. He was a man with very complex emotions, a man who was in a way done with life completely. It's sad but it's so damn poetic and you feel his emotions through his words and it's a rollercoaster, you laugh at some poetry and you cringe at some too but it's as relatable as it could be and is as poetically justified as it could be!
October 29, 2022
بہت ہی عمدہ شاعری، اور کچھ تو واقعی لاجواب غزلیں ہیں.. اور ایک نظم. مزاق. کیا کہنے
تھی گر آنے میں مصلحت حائل
یاد آنا کوئی ضروری تھا
دیکھیے ہو گئی غلطی فہمی
مسکرانا کوئی ضروری تھا
لیجیے بات ہی نہ یاد رہی
گنگنانا کوئی ضروری تھا
مجھ کو پاکر کسی خیال میں گم
چھپ کے انا کوئی ضروری تھا
اف وہ زلفیں، وہ ناگنیں، وہ ہنسی
یوں ڈرانا کوئی ضروری تھا
اور ایسے اہم مذاق کے بعد
روٹھ جانا کوئی ضروری تھا
اور یہ غزل
مججھ کو شب وجود میں تابش خواب چاہیے
شوق خیال تازہ ہے یعنی عذاب چاہیے
تھی گر آنے میں مصلحت حائل
یاد آنا کوئی ضروری تھا
دیکھیے ہو گئی غلطی فہمی
مسکرانا کوئی ضروری تھا
لیجیے بات ہی نہ یاد رہی
گنگنانا کوئی ضروری تھا
مجھ کو پاکر کسی خیال میں گم
چھپ کے انا کوئی ضروری تھا
اف وہ زلفیں، وہ ناگنیں، وہ ہنسی
یوں ڈرانا کوئی ضروری تھا
اور ایسے اہم مذاق کے بعد
روٹھ جانا کوئی ضروری تھا
اور یہ غزل
مججھ کو شب وجود میں تابش خواب چاہیے
شوق خیال تازہ ہے یعنی عذاب چاہیے
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December 11, 2019want to read
September 6, 2020
best book ever , really liked it https://hdpcgames.com/assassins-creed...
Want to read
December 2, 2020i like poetry
May 19, 2021
Jaun tab padhe jab aap duniya se bil kul aalag hona chahte ho, jaun hi to hai jaun ke dar pe meer ko meer hi se khatra hai abb nahi koi baat khatre ki aab sabhi ko sab se khatra hai.
February 10, 2022
Love this poetry Jon ehliya is The pain off Herat expriction poetry best .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2023
Wonderful poetry.....
February 8, 2025
Murshad❤
میں بھی بہت عجیب ہوں اتنا عجیب کہ بس
خود کو تباہ کر لیا اور کوئی ملال بھی نہیں 🥀
میں بھی بہت عجیب ہوں اتنا عجیب کہ بس
خود کو تباہ کر لیا اور کوئی ملال بھی نہیں 🥀
October 1, 2020
“Khud Ko Jaana Juda Zamane Se (Distinct, I found myself from the world)
Aa Gaya Tha Mere Gumaan Me Kiya (What had resided in my suspicion?)
‘Gumaan’ (*fancy, suspicion, mistrust) it is beautiful word. A curious word by nature. A word poets would like to use, as Jaun has used it many times in this collection of his poetries. It is quite ironic that even after reading Jaun for a couple of years now, and knowing how he writes, I still find his poems sometimes too simple, too easy, and therefore too ordinary. As a passionate lover of Jaun and his lines, I don’t want to believe that he is ordinary. He is not, an inner voice says, when I come across multiple poems that reads as monotonously as prose; that inner voice defends Jaun when my mind can find no proof of his greatness. But then I keep on reading, and soon enough find something so beautifully captured, something so unique, or something so close to my heart, that I know I need no proofs. I know he is great, in my heart.
Read my full review at:
https://ejaz159.blogspot.com/2020/09/...
Aa Gaya Tha Mere Gumaan Me Kiya (What had resided in my suspicion?)
‘Gumaan’ (*fancy, suspicion, mistrust) it is beautiful word. A curious word by nature. A word poets would like to use, as Jaun has used it many times in this collection of his poetries. It is quite ironic that even after reading Jaun for a couple of years now, and knowing how he writes, I still find his poems sometimes too simple, too easy, and therefore too ordinary. As a passionate lover of Jaun and his lines, I don’t want to believe that he is ordinary. He is not, an inner voice says, when I come across multiple poems that reads as monotonously as prose; that inner voice defends Jaun when my mind can find no proof of his greatness. But then I keep on reading, and soon enough find something so beautifully captured, something so unique, or something so close to my heart, that I know I need no proofs. I know he is great, in my heart.
Read my full review at:
https://ejaz159.blogspot.com/2020/09/...
February 10, 2019
RIP jaun Sahb.
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