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The colours of my heart
Faiz Ahmed Faiz is widely regarded as the greatest Urdu poet of the twentieth century, and the iconic voice of a generation. Although he is best remembered for his revolutionary verses that decried tyranny and called for justice, his oeuvre also extended to scintillating, soulful poems of love.
In this remarkable selection of Faiz’s most memorable poems and ghazals, readers will be able to experience a new dimension of the great poet’s genius. Along with popular favourites like ‘Subh-e Azadi’, with its anguished evocation of the horror and pain of the Partition, The Colours of My Heart also introduces readers to little-known gems that display Faiz’s extraordinary flair for tender hope and quiet longing. A rich cornucopia of delights, The Colours of My Heart celebrates Faiz’s greatest work.
Baran Farooqi’s superb translation is accompanied by an illuminating introduction to Faiz’s incredible life and enduring legacy.
In this remarkable selection of Faiz’s most memorable poems and ghazals, readers will be able to experience a new dimension of the great poet’s genius. Along with popular favourites like ‘Subh-e Azadi’, with its anguished evocation of the horror and pain of the Partition, The Colours of My Heart also introduces readers to little-known gems that display Faiz’s extraordinary flair for tender hope and quiet longing. A rich cornucopia of delights, The Colours of My Heart celebrates Faiz’s greatest work.
Baran Farooqi’s superb translation is accompanied by an illuminating introduction to Faiz’s incredible life and enduring legacy.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2017
34 people are currently reading
489 people want to read
About the author
Faiz Ahmad Faiz
59 books286 followersFaiz Ahmad Faiz [فيض ١حمد فيض] was born on February 13, 1911, in Sialkot, British India, which is now part of Pakistan. He had a privileged childhood as the son of wealthy landowners Sultan Fatima and Sultan Muhammad Khan, who passed away in 1913, shortly after his birth. His father was a prominent lawyer and a member of an elite literary circle which included Allama Iqbal, the national poet of Pakistan.
In 1916, Faiz entered Moulvi Ibrahim Sialkoti, a famous regional school, and was later admitted to the Skotch Mission High School where he studied Urdu, Persian, and Arabic. He received a Bachelor's degree in Arabic, followed by a master's degree in English, from the Government College in Lahore in 1932, and later received a second master's degree in Arabic from the Oriental College in Lahore.After graduating in 1935, Faiz began a teaching career at M.A.O. College in Amritsar and then at Hailey College of Commerce in Lahore.
Faiz's early poems had been conventional, light-hearted treatises on love and beauty, but while in Lahore he began to expand into politics, community, and the thematic interconnectedness he felt was fundamental in both life and poetry. It was also during this period that he married Alys George, a British expatriate, with whom he had two daughters. In 1942, he left teaching to join the British Indian Army, for which he received a British Empire Medal for his service during World War II. After the partition of India in 1947, Faiz resigned from the army and became the editor of The Pakistan Times, a socialist English-language newspaper.
On March 9, 1951, Faiz was arrested with a group of army officers under the Safety Act, and charged with the failed coup attempt that became known as the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case. He was sentenced to death and spent four years in prison before being released. Two of his poetry collections, Dast-e Saba and Zindan Namah, focus on life in prison, which he considered an opportunity to see the world in a new way. While living in Pakistan after his release, Faiz was appointed to the National Council of the Arts by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government, and his poems, which had previously been translated into Russian, earned him the Lenin Peace Prize in 1963.
In 1964, Faiz settled in Karachi and was appointed principal of Abdullah Haroon College, while also working as an editor and writer for several distinguished magazines and newspapers. He worked in an honorary capacity for the Department of Information during the 1965 war between India and Pakistan, and wrote stark poems of outrage over the bloodshed between Pakistan, India, and what later became Bangladesh. However, when Bhutto was overthrown by Zia Ul-Haq, Faiz was forced into exile in Beirut, Lebanon. There he edited the magazine Lotus, and continued to write poems in Urdu. He remained in exile until 1982. He died in Lahore in 1984, shortly after receiving a nomination for the Nobel Prize.
Throughout his tumultuous life, Faiz continually wrote and published, becoming the best-selling modern Urdu poet in both India and Pakistan. While his work is written in fairly strict diction, his poems maintain a casual, conversational tone, creating tension between the elite and the common, somewhat in the tradition of Ghalib, the reknowned 19th century Urdu poet. Faiz is especially celebrated for his poems in traditional Urdu forms, such as the ghazal, and his remarkable ability to expand the conventional thematic expectations to include political and social issues.
In 1916, Faiz entered Moulvi Ibrahim Sialkoti, a famous regional school, and was later admitted to the Skotch Mission High School where he studied Urdu, Persian, and Arabic. He received a Bachelor's degree in Arabic, followed by a master's degree in English, from the Government College in Lahore in 1932, and later received a second master's degree in Arabic from the Oriental College in Lahore.After graduating in 1935, Faiz began a teaching career at M.A.O. College in Amritsar and then at Hailey College of Commerce in Lahore.
Faiz's early poems had been conventional, light-hearted treatises on love and beauty, but while in Lahore he began to expand into politics, community, and the thematic interconnectedness he felt was fundamental in both life and poetry. It was also during this period that he married Alys George, a British expatriate, with whom he had two daughters. In 1942, he left teaching to join the British Indian Army, for which he received a British Empire Medal for his service during World War II. After the partition of India in 1947, Faiz resigned from the army and became the editor of The Pakistan Times, a socialist English-language newspaper.
On March 9, 1951, Faiz was arrested with a group of army officers under the Safety Act, and charged with the failed coup attempt that became known as the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case. He was sentenced to death and spent four years in prison before being released. Two of his poetry collections, Dast-e Saba and Zindan Namah, focus on life in prison, which he considered an opportunity to see the world in a new way. While living in Pakistan after his release, Faiz was appointed to the National Council of the Arts by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government, and his poems, which had previously been translated into Russian, earned him the Lenin Peace Prize in 1963.
In 1964, Faiz settled in Karachi and was appointed principal of Abdullah Haroon College, while also working as an editor and writer for several distinguished magazines and newspapers. He worked in an honorary capacity for the Department of Information during the 1965 war between India and Pakistan, and wrote stark poems of outrage over the bloodshed between Pakistan, India, and what later became Bangladesh. However, when Bhutto was overthrown by Zia Ul-Haq, Faiz was forced into exile in Beirut, Lebanon. There he edited the magazine Lotus, and continued to write poems in Urdu. He remained in exile until 1982. He died in Lahore in 1984, shortly after receiving a nomination for the Nobel Prize.
Throughout his tumultuous life, Faiz continually wrote and published, becoming the best-selling modern Urdu poet in both India and Pakistan. While his work is written in fairly strict diction, his poems maintain a casual, conversational tone, creating tension between the elite and the common, somewhat in the tradition of Ghalib, the reknowned 19th century Urdu poet. Faiz is especially celebrated for his poems in traditional Urdu forms, such as the ghazal, and his remarkable ability to expand the conventional thematic expectations to include political and social issues.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 7, 2020
Only those dreams were reliable that could never be imagined
January 1, 2020
Faiz was one of the greatest Urdu poets.A master of language,who could write the most elegant verse,the finest wordsmith that I have read,in Urdu poetry.His communist ideology was another matter,however.I don't subscribe to it.But his love poetry is awesome,too.I have read him in Urdu,and a lot does get lost in translation.Still,I wanted to read this English version.In goodreads quotes,I have found some awesome examples of the translation of Faiz's poetry.This volume,however,is not translation of the highest quality.A reader unfamiliar with Faiz in Urdu,may be less than impressed.But still,as I read it,and the original Urdu words came back to me,I rather liked it.The translator's job,to translate poetry of this quality,and to do justice to it,is a herculean one.In the end,he didn't do too badly.
July 15, 2019
The English translation isn't that great.
**Highly recommend the original Urdu entries.**
**Highly recommend the original Urdu entries.**
April 23, 2021
This poetry collection made me yearn so bad... Faiz Ahmed Faiz really pulled through with using his literary skills as a web of storytelling and prophecy. Throughout this collection, translated by Baran Farooqi, Faiz likens his fervor for revolution as a metaphor for desiring a distant lover while also warning us of the tyranny of political pundits (specifically during Ayub Khan's neoliberal regime in the 60's). The language he uses is colorful, yet easy to understand in both Urdu and translated English. Phrases like " The hour when hearts which have sunk deep into bosoms/Begin their wait for the hands that lie hidden with the sleeves/Hands, full of hope" (from his poem "Stay Close, Close to Me") can be read as both anticipation for a nation in emergence yet also a verse in quiet longing. Another one of my favorite stanzas is: "The power of seeing which would encompass your full beauty/could never be acquired/Means there were of looking at you but were never enough to ascertain how you looked" (from his poem "Compacts Made with Desire and Longing"). Overall, this book really pulled on my heart strings, especially considering how ishq is translated into so many different variants throughout this collection. The transliterated Urdu at the end was also really nice to read over and feel the original wording on my tongue! Some of my other favorite poems are "Meeting/Mulaqat", "A Lover to a Beloved/Koi Aashiq Kisi Mehbooba Se", "Hand Trapped Under a Block of Stone/Dast-e-Tah-e Sang Aamdah", "The Colors of My Heart/Rang Hai Dil Ka Mere", "Wall of Night/Deewar-e Shab Aur Aks-e Rukh-e Yaar Saamne", "Evening, Be Gracious/Ay Shaam Meherbaan Ho" and "Do What You Must Do/Tum Apni Karni Kar Guzro"
January 15, 2025
Urdu, in my opinion, is the most romantic language in the world. Urdu poetry and ghazals? They personify love, passion, rebellion, anger, heartbreak, devotion, obsession and I could go on.
Faiz Ahmed Faiz's works are inspiring to say the least. Reading Mujhse pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang sent me down the rabbit hole of ghazals and wanting to re-watch Mughal-e-Azam . The poems from Dast-e Sabaa roused a strong sense of rebellion in me.
And as beautiful as FAF's collection of poetry and ghazals are in The Colours of my Heart , the translator's note is just as powerful and interesting. Never before has an introduction to a collected works held my attention as Baran Farooqui's words did. I really hope, she decides to translate Mirza Hadi Ruswa's Umrao Jaan Ada which is one of my fave stories from Urdu literature.
I never considered myself a poetry person. Other than an odd Frost here and a vague Wordsworth there, I never particularly cared for poems. But maybe I was reading the wrong stuff. Maybe it's Hindi and Urdu poetry that's for me. So here's to reading more ( read that as own voices ) translations from cultures that are home turf.
Faiz Ahmed Faiz's works are inspiring to say the least. Reading Mujhse pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang sent me down the rabbit hole of ghazals and wanting to re-watch Mughal-e-Azam . The poems from Dast-e Sabaa roused a strong sense of rebellion in me.
And as beautiful as FAF's collection of poetry and ghazals are in The Colours of my Heart , the translator's note is just as powerful and interesting. Never before has an introduction to a collected works held my attention as Baran Farooqui's words did. I really hope, she decides to translate Mirza Hadi Ruswa's Umrao Jaan Ada which is one of my fave stories from Urdu literature.
I never considered myself a poetry person. Other than an odd Frost here and a vague Wordsworth there, I never particularly cared for poems. But maybe I was reading the wrong stuff. Maybe it's Hindi and Urdu poetry that's for me. So here's to reading more ( read that as own voices ) translations from cultures that are home turf.
June 26, 2022
"Aur bhi dukh hain zamane main mohabbat ke siwa. Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki rahat ke siwa."
The greatest Urdu poet ever in my opinion.
The English translations in the book however are an absolute disappointment and the fact that the author first does all the translations and then at the end all the original Urdu pieces is just a stupid way of doing it. 5 stars only for Faiz.
The greatest Urdu poet ever in my opinion.
The English translations in the book however are an absolute disappointment and the fact that the author first does all the translations and then at the end all the original Urdu pieces is just a stupid way of doing it. 5 stars only for Faiz.
August 10, 2021
Faiz Ahmad Faiz writes beautiful poetry, but this translation was lacklustre and clunky at best. This is evident when you compare some of the translated poems in this collection to poems elsewhere, such as the collection translated by Naomi Lazard (e.g. "I Spent Some of My Time Loving, Some of My Time Working" here starts as "Those guys were truly lucky / Who regarded loving as a full-time job / Or used their loving for their job" vs Lazard's "I Made Some Love; I Did Some Work" starting "Ah, those fortunate people / who considered their life work to be love, / and those who were in love with work."). I wish I could read these poems with a better translation, especially "Hand Trapped under a Block of Stone"!
December 31, 2025
An anthology of the works of 20th century Indian/Pakistani poet Faiz. With a decent introduction, followed by about 55 translations that are fine, but not brilliant. To compensate, transliterations of all poems (from Urdu) have been provided so that we can get a feeling of what the originals sounded like. Quite different than the translations, of course.
Still, this is the best collection of this innovator of Urdu poetry I know.
Last book (#175) of 2025.
Still, this is the best collection of this innovator of Urdu poetry I know.
Last book (#175) of 2025.
March 22, 2023
You can tell by the state of the book's cover that it's been read over and over again. It's been loved and held close, slept next to and tucked in with every luggage to be taken along.
Faiz weaved magic into his verses and that magic will outlive us all.
It's a beautiful beautiful book and deserves to be read, to be loved.
Faiz weaved magic into his verses and that magic will outlive us all.
It's a beautiful beautiful book and deserves to be read, to be loved.
June 15, 2018
Don't get one star less in the rating wrong. These are beautiful poems and the translation is perfectly etched to bring out the essence of original poems... Yet I missed the sound of urdu / hindustani words while reading each poem... This is a must read for poetry lovers...
January 5, 2021
Translations often lose their meaning and this books serves as prime example of this analogy. The attempt to revitalize poetry in same meaning is applaudable, but the effects are temporary and vague.
The beautiful poetry lost its meaning.
I had to rush through the book to enjoy the original texts written in the end of book, instead of forced translations that widen the gap between english and urdu ; more than ever!
Disappointed read!
The beautiful poetry lost its meaning.
I had to rush through the book to enjoy the original texts written in the end of book, instead of forced translations that widen the gap between english and urdu ; more than ever!
Disappointed read!
November 11, 2019
Translating the poet's work to English decreases it's essence and richness but it helps in better understanding for those who don't know the language.
Nonetheless a gem in poetry collection for me
Nonetheless a gem in poetry collection for me
September 19, 2020
I know feelings are lost in translation, but this book is lost in itself, and I dearly hope that I never have to set eyes upon it again. Also, the two stars solely exist for the untranslated version of Faiz Sahab's poems that they've added at the end of the book.
Side note: visit rekhta's website and look up the words you don't understand instead of buying this book.
Side note: visit rekhta's website and look up the words you don't understand instead of buying this book.
Read
September 19, 2020Bas naam rahega Allah ka
Jo ghayab bhi hai hazir bhi
Jo manzar bhi hai nazir bhi
Utthega an-al-haq ka nara
Jo mai bhi hoon tum bhi ho
Aur raaj karegi Khalq-e-Khuda
Jo mai bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho
Jo ghayab bhi hai hazir bhi
Jo manzar bhi hai nazir bhi
Utthega an-al-haq ka nara
Jo mai bhi hoon tum bhi ho
Aur raaj karegi Khalq-e-Khuda
Jo mai bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho
May 8, 2022
Ok, I know translating a work of brilliance is a mammoth task and it's almost impossible to do justice to it - i mean jitni koshish kar lo, kuch kami rah jaati hai.... that's just how languages are. You can't find the right alternative for every word/emotion in all the languages. So i understand why this work was always going to be like climbing Everest.
But honestly, it was way below what I was expecting. Kudos to Baran Farooqi for attempting this task though, it takes massive courage to even think about taking up such projects.
I haven't read any other translation of Faiz's works so far but as per what i have read online, there are better options that you should try. I'll stick with whatever Urdu i know and continue to enjoy Faiz's work in Urdu only....i am pretty convinced there can be no better alternative, no matter how good the translators are. That's just how languages are, especially when it comes to poetry.
But honestly, it was way below what I was expecting. Kudos to Baran Farooqi for attempting this task though, it takes massive courage to even think about taking up such projects.
I haven't read any other translation of Faiz's works so far but as per what i have read online, there are better options that you should try. I'll stick with whatever Urdu i know and continue to enjoy Faiz's work in Urdu only....i am pretty convinced there can be no better alternative, no matter how good the translators are. That's just how languages are, especially when it comes to poetry.
April 12, 2025
This book is a collection of poetry from Faiz Ahmed Faiz collection of poetry choosing the best from his early collections and translated in English by Baran farooqi. Baran Farooqi’s superb translation is accompanied by an illuminating introduction to Faiz’s incredible life and enduring legacy as poet
Faiz Ahmed Faiz regarded as the greatest Urdu poet of the 20th century, an icon and voice of a generation, for his revolutionary verses that condemn the rule of the tyrant and called for justice, his outstanding work also extended to exhilarating, soulful poems of love.
In this remarkable selection of poems and ghazals, the Colours of My Heart also introduces readers to little-known gems that display Faiz’s extraordinary flair for tender hope and quiet longing. An ABUNDANCE of delights, The Colours of My Heart celebrates Faiz��s greatest work, artist love from across borders and his philosophy to the world
Faiz Ahmed Faiz regarded as the greatest Urdu poet of the 20th century, an icon and voice of a generation, for his revolutionary verses that condemn the rule of the tyrant and called for justice, his outstanding work also extended to exhilarating, soulful poems of love.
In this remarkable selection of poems and ghazals, the Colours of My Heart also introduces readers to little-known gems that display Faiz’s extraordinary flair for tender hope and quiet longing. An ABUNDANCE of delights, The Colours of My Heart celebrates Faiz��s greatest work, artist love from across borders and his philosophy to the world
December 25, 2025
yap yap yap 🗣️
as someone with like only one ounce of urdu vocabulary this was very illustrative and fun
faiz is truly one of the greatest urdu poets and the intro covering historical contexts in his life was informative
I saw some complaints of the format of the book (English and then transliteration in English) but it was perfect for an American like me and I love seeing urdu and Eastern poetry more accessible to English speakers!
to really get the full experience I had to consult my mom lol. also after the consultations, i realized that I didn't necessarily agree with the English translations
translating poetry is always difficult and I did enjoy it but I would rewrite the transactions to emphasize a different essence
some of my faves from the collection
kuchh ishq kiya kuchh kaam kiya
zindaan ki ek subh
as someone with like only one ounce of urdu vocabulary this was very illustrative and fun
faiz is truly one of the greatest urdu poets and the intro covering historical contexts in his life was informative
I saw some complaints of the format of the book (English and then transliteration in English) but it was perfect for an American like me and I love seeing urdu and Eastern poetry more accessible to English speakers!
to really get the full experience I had to consult my mom lol. also after the consultations, i realized that I didn't necessarily agree with the English translations
translating poetry is always difficult and I did enjoy it but I would rewrite the transactions to emphasize a different essence
some of my faves from the collection
kuchh ishq kiya kuchh kaam kiya
zindaan ki ek subh
Read
October 25, 2023While Faiz's poetry is stellar, the concept of pulling a few pieces out of different collections and then compiling them as part of a larger translation didn't work for me. There was a lot of overlap and repetition of images because of this. I wasn't too happy with the translation either; it felt quite academic in places.
March 11, 2024
Some of the most evocative lines of poetry I have ever read! The verses bring the images to life like only Faiz can and it is impossible not to reread the poems to soak in everything that each line has to offer. This is certainly one of those rare works of art that makes you want to read it in the original Urdu.
June 13, 2025
A successor to Ghalib he mirrors him and literally quotes him in his verses. But there’s a difference between them. It’s clear that Faiz is from a modern period. He’s a less reflective about the nature of God and more concerned about his feelings. Which is quite similar to us today. Free verse and creativity. He’s like us.
July 18, 2017
The colours of my heart has been a lovely read. Nothing like poetry to enrich your soul. Even though at times I wished for the Urdu words to love and caress me, most of the time the translation itself did a fine enough job.
September 18, 2018
Wanted to like this a lot but it didn’t sing to me. I’m sure that’s in large part because it’s translated and because I’m missing a lot of the poetic and cultural reference points. Some of the poems are wonderful. View (2) comes to mind. And a few of the political ones.
November 14, 2018
Faiz Ahmed is Faiz is one of the finest Urdu poets. Unlike Ghalib , Mir he has seen the Pakistan India separation and also seen two Pakistan’s part her ways. But he is loved, read and respected regardless of what the name of that land is now.
This is an excellent read.
This is an excellent read.
October 17, 2020
A beautiful collection of poetry, but as many have already stated, this is not the best English translation of Faiz's work. I wish I knew from the beginning that the Urdu entries were available at the end, I would have enjoyed reading the two versions together.
October 2, 2019
"Aur bhi dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa,,
Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki rahat ke sivaa.."
Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki rahat ke sivaa.."
December 21, 2020
“let’s burn our hearts with the cold beauty of the moon.”
December 31, 2020
The best of best Faiz sahab. ❤️
May 3, 2021
The translations aren't that great.
September 10, 2021
Terrible translation. I struggled a lot to finish this.
January 9, 2022
Could have added more about Faiz i feel. Very incomplete.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews