Ameer Hamza Shinwari
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b. 1907 d.February 1994
[edit] Life in brief
Ameer Hamza was a famous Pashtun poet. He was born in Landi Kotal in the year 1907. He Belonged to Shinwari tribe of the Pashtuns. Ameer Hamza's work is considered a fusion between classic and modern poetry. He followed the traditional, old classical poetry and blended it with the modern spirit. As well as introducing new ideas in Pushto Ghazal and took this genre of poetry to perfection. He is known as the father of pashto Ghazals.
[edit] Early career
At a young age Shinwari dreamt of making a career in film, and wrote the story for the first ever Pushto language film, ‘Laila Majnoon,’ in 1941. The film, which was released in Bombay before partition, earned him a pittance. But it was during a visit to Ajmer Sharif in India that he first came into contact with the world of mysticism. He adopted the ‘Chishtia’ order of mysticism, following in the footsteps of Rahman Baba, and blended it with the Pashtunwali, the famous Pashtun code of conduct. The government of Pakistan also honoured him with a posthumous ‘presidential pride of performance’ award, and the NWFP government built the Hamza Baba Cultural Complex in Landi Kotal in homage to his great services to Pashtun culture.
Ameer Hamza Khan Shinwari was also a critic and a playwright he wrote 200 plays for Radio Pakistan, Peshawar, a number of features, critical essays and research papers for different literary magazines and newspapers of Pakistan.
[edit] A Ghazal by Hamza Shinwari
You may feel the blaze of thy checks in my heart's fire. The blaze, which can't be caught from any other fire. Why my smile reflects on thy forehead, The essence of the mirror is embarrassed and perplexed. Undoubtedly, the mirror has the quality of expression, But it never discloses the mystery of one to another. Since his amazement has a long wait for thee in the mirror, The host will surely sacrifice his life for the reflection. O' Humza! Sine I ask for a mirror, we are undeniably apart, (We'll be united) if our faces reflect into one another.
