KARACHI – Renowned Urdu poet, philosopher, astrologist, geometrician, scholar and linguist Jaun Elia is being remembered on his 11th death anniversary on Friday. The Government of Pakistan has also issued a memorial post stamp in recognition of Jaun’s literary services, which was designed by Salahuddin Haider and Pakistan Security Press Corporation printed it – ARY News reports.
Jaun was born on December 14 1931 in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. He was the youngest of his siblings. His father, Shafiq Hasan Elia, was a renowned artist and literary personality of his time. Shafiq Hasan Elia was also an astrologist and a poet.
Jaun Elia wrote his first Urdu couplet when he was just 8. He could speak Arabic, English, Persian, Sanskrit and Hebrew.
During his youth, Pakistan was declared an independent state. He migrated to Pakistan in 1957, and lived in Karachi afterwards. He was acclaimed in the local literary circle.
His first collection of poetry, Shayad, was published at the age of 60.
His second poetic collection, Ya’ani, was published in 2003. His companion, Khalid Ansari, further published his three consecutive collections, Gumaan, in 2004, Lekin in 2006 and Goya in 2008, after Joan’s demise in 2002.
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 also various texts about the Ismaili sect in Islam.
His prose and other translation of major Ismaili philosophical works can be found at Ismaili Tariqah Board libraries in Karachi.
He studied philosophy, logic, Islamic history, the Muslim Sufi tradition, Muslim religious sciences, Western literature, and Kabbala.
He died after a protracted illness on November 8, 2002 in Karachi.
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