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{{Short description|Pakistani poet (1931–2002)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox writer
| honorific suffix = [[Pride of Performance|PP]]
| name = Jaun Elia
| native_name = {{nq|جون ایلیا}}
| native_name_lang =
| image = Jaun7.jpg
| caption =
| pseudonym = Jaun Elia
| occupation = [[Poet]]
| nationality = Pakistani
| education =
| alma_mater =
| period =
| genre = [[Ghazal]]
| subject =
| movement = [[Progressive Writers Movement]]
| notableworks = ''Shayad'', ''Yani'', ''Lekin'', ''Gumman'', ''Goya'', ''Farnood''
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Zahida Hina]]|1970|1984|reason=divorced}}
| partner =
| relatives = [[Kamal Amrohi]] (cousin)<br/>[[Rais Amrohvi]] (older brother)
| awards = [[Pride of Performance]] award by the [[President of Pakistan]] in 2000
| portaldisp =
| imagesize =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1931|12|14}}
| birth_place = [[Amroha]], [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2002|11|08|1931|12|14}}
| death_place = [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]], Pakistan
| birth_name = Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Asghar Naqvi
}}
'''Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Asghar Naqvi{{efn|{{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|سید حسین سبطِ اصغر نقوی}}}}}}''' (14 December 1931 – 8 November 2002), commonly known by his [[Takhallus|pen name]] '''Jaun Elia''',{{efn|{{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|جون ایلیا}}}}}} was a [[Pakistani]] [[poet]].<ref name=BBC>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/urdu/articles/c8dqgznqd1no?at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_link_id=DB72204A-B9C9-11EF-BC8F-C641EBFC933A&at_campaign_type=owned&at_link_type=web_link&at_medium=social&at_link_origin=BBC_URDU&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_format=link&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0MerFBIXL5nIgXsZGw_LSJsmp_H8m6XfInEp58ABMrqdhJmYVyTNsIrSk_aem_5ISmRO9uvicVOdzn-JSP8Q|title=جون ایلیا: اپنے خیالوں میں گم مسافر جسے شاعروں کا شاعر کہا گیا (Jaun Elia, who has been called a poet of poets) (in Urdu language)|date=14 December 2024|url-status=dead|access-date=7 November 2025|archive-date=24 January 2025|website=BBC News اردو |author=Reyhan Fazal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124191724/https://www.bbc.com/urdu/articles/c8dqgznqd1no?at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_link_id=DB72204A-B9C9-11EF-BC8F-C641EBFC933A}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jaun Eliya - Profile & Biography |url=https://www.rekhta.org/poets/jaun-eliya/profile |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=[[Rekhta (website)|Rekhta]] |language=en}}</ref>

One of the most prominent modern [[Urdu poets]] of {{Transliteration|ur|[[ghazal]]s}} (amatory poems), popular for his unconventional ways, he "acquired knowledge of [[philosophy]], [[logic]], [[Islamic history]], the Muslim [[Sufi]] tradition, Muslim religious sciences, [[Western literature]], and [[Kabbalah|Kabbala]]".<ref name=":0" />

He was fluent in [[Urdu]], [[Arabic]], [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]], [[English language|English]], [[Farsi|Persian]], [[Sanskrit]] and [[Hebrew]].<ref name=BBC/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/462641/urdu-poet-jaun-elia-remembered-on-10th-death-anniversary/|title=Urdu poet Jaun Elia remembered on 10th death anniversary|website=[[The Express Tribune]]|access-date=2016-11-16|date=8 November 2012}}</ref> Elia was also the younger brother of poet [[Rais Amrohvi]].

== Early life and family ==
Jaun Elia was born on 14 December 1931 in [[Amroha]], UP, [[British India]] into an educated [[Shia Islam|Shia]] family. He was the youngest child of Allama Shafiq Hassan Elia.<ref name=BBC/><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=26 August 2018 |title=In search of Jaun Elia |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/in-search-of-jaun-elia-641825 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=TheNation2>{{Cite news|last=Alam |first=Iftikhar|date=9 November 2016|url-status=dead|title=Jani! kya aaj meri barsi hai–Yani kya aaj mar gya tha main? |url=https://nation.com.pk/09-Nov-2016/jani-kya-aaj-meri-barsi-hai-yani-kya-aaj-mar-gya-tha-main|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026112829/https://nation.com.pk/09-Nov-2016/jani-kya-aaj-meri-barsi-hai-yani-kya-aaj-mar-gya-tha-main|archive-date=26 October 2019|access-date=2025-11-09|newspaper=The Nation newspaper}}</ref> His father was a scholar of literature and astronomy well-versed in the Arabic, English, Persian, Hebrew and Sanskrit languages, and who corresponded with leading intellectuals like [[Bertrand Russell]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Altaf |first=Salman |date=2017-11-05 |title=Essay: The Elia Paradox |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1367921 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |language=en}}</ref> Jaun Elia was the youngest of his siblings: his brother [[Rais Amrohvi]] was a poet and psychoanalyst while another brother, Syed Mohammed Taqi, was a philosopher and a translator who had translated [[Karl Marx]]'s ''[[Das Kapital]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 November 2002 |title=KARACHI: Jon Elia's death condoled |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/66001/karachi-jon-elia-s-death-condoled |website=Dawn News}}</ref> Indian film director [[Kamal Amrohi]] was his first cousin.<ref name="Dawn">{{cite web |author=Kureshi |first=Manzoor |date=4 April 2014 |title=In the name of father |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1097578 |access-date=26 March 2018 |publisher=[[DAWN (newspaper)|Dawn]]}}</ref> Another relative in Pakistan is actor [[Munawar Saeed]], famous for his roles as a villain.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Suhayb |first=Muhammad |date=22 June 2021 |title=Good to be Bad: The Villains of Pakistani Cinema |url=https://www.youlinmagazine.com/article/good-to-be-bad-the-villains-of-pakistani-cinema/MjAyNg== |access-date=25 March 2023 |website=Youlin Magazine |quote=Related to famous poets like Raees Amrohvi and Jaun Elia, Munawwar Saeed often had trouble with the Punjabi language, and often reverted back to Urdu in his dialogue.}}</ref>

Described as a child prodigy, Jaun was initially educated at the Syed-ul-Madaris in Amroha, a [[madrasa]] affiliated with the [[Darul Uloom Deoband]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 November 2002 |title=KARACHI: Jon knew how to enthral audience |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/65845/karachi-jon-knew-how-to-enthral-audience |website=[[Dawn News]]}}</ref>

==Marriage and Children==
He married writer [[Zahida Hina ]] in the year 1970. He met her during the publication of an urdu language magazine ''Insha'' and ended up falling in love with her.<ref name=BBC/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Zahida Hina - Profile & Biography |url=https://www.rekhta.org/authors/zahida-hina-3/profile |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=[[Rekhta (website)|Rekhta]] |language=en}}</ref> They got separated in 1984 and later divorced due to differences in their temperament.<ref name=BBC/>

They have three children, Zeryoun Elia, Fainnana and Sohaina Elia<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-11 |title=Jaun Elia: An Enduring Legacy In Urdu Poetry |url=https://thefridaytimes.com/11-Nov-2024/jaun-elia-an-enduring-legacy-in-urdu-poetry |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=The Friday Times |language=en}}</ref>

== Writing career ==
He began writing poetry when he was 8 but published his first collection, ''Shayad'', when he was 60.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 December 2018 |title=Jaun Elia remembered |url=https://nation.com.pk/2018/12/15/jaun-elia-remembered/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Political views ==
=== Partition and migration to Pakistan ===
Being a communist, Elia [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=5 November 2011 |title=Master of loneliness and frenzy {{!}} Pakistan Today |url=https://archive.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/11/05/master-of-loneliness-and-frenzy/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=[[Pakistan Today]] |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Life and politics in South Asia (Part 1) |url=https://www.jamhoor.org/read/2020/4/3/life-and-politics-in-south-asia |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Jamhoor |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=All writings of Jaun Eliya |url=https://www.rekhta.org/poets/jaun-eliya/all |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=[[Rekhta (website)|Rekhta]] |language=en}}</ref> However, he eventually migrated to Pakistan in 1956, and decided to live in [[Karachi]].<ref name=BBC/>

=== Communism ===
In his poems, he supported [[Socialism in Pakistan|communism in Pakistan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salim |first=Saquib |date=2018-06-29 |title=Jaun Elia: A Communist Poet Who Found Religion and Marxism Compatible |url=https://thewire.in/culture/jaun-elia-a-communist-poet-who-found-religion-and-marxism-compatible |access-date=2021-05-26 |website=The Wire}}</ref> References to [[class consciousness]] are also seen in his poems. He also was described as ''"An [[Anarchism|anarchist]], a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], and a poet"''.<ref name=DunyaNews/>

==Death, legacy and popular culture==
Jaun Elia died on 8 November 2002 at age 70 in Karachi, Pakistan.<ref name=RadioPakistan/> Some people that knew him called him a difficult, temperamental and complicated person. He also drank alcohol excessively which then contributed to his health problems.<ref name=BBC/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chakraborty |first1=Debdutta |title=Pakistan's Jaun Elia was more than a tragic poet. He was an atheist, Marxist & philosopher |url=https://theprint.in/theprint-profile/pakistans-jaun-elia-was-more-than-tragic-poet-was-atheist-marxist-philosopher/2346698/ |access-date=3 November 2025 |work=The Print website|date=8 November 2024}}</ref>

Poet [[Pirzada Qasim]] said:
{{blockquote|Jaun was very particular about language. While his diction is rooted in the [[classicism|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.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Urdu Literature (2 Vols. Set)| publisher=Global Vision Publishing | author=Samiuddin, Abida|year=2007|pages=201|isbn=9788182201910}}</ref>}}

According to [[BBC News]] website:
<blockquote>
Jaun Elia's friend Qamar Razi once said of him, "He was quick to criticize, but he was a true friend, a lost traveler in his thoughts".<ref name=BBC/>

Noted Indian poet [[Majrooh Sultanpuri]] called him "the poet of poets"...<ref name=BBC/>
</blockquote>

In 2020, Punjabi rapper Kay Kap's album ''Rough Rhymes for Tough Times'' featured a song entitled ''Bulaava'' which had couplets from the poem ''Pehnaayi Ka Makaan'' written and recited by Jaun Elia.<ref>{{Citation |title=Kay Kap (Ft. Jaun Elia) – Bulaava |url=https://genius.com/Kay-kap-bulaava-lyrics |access-date=2022-08-23}}</ref>

In 2020, Pakistani rock-fusion band Nishtar Park released a single ''Purane Aur Naye Sawal'' which was based on Elia's ghazal ''Umr Guzaregi Imtihan Mein Kya''.

In 2023, Urdu rapper [[Talha Anjum]]’s album ''Open Letter'' featured a song entitled ''Secrets'' which was strongly influenced by Jaun Elia’s poem ''Be-dilli Kya Yuhin Din Guzar Jaenge''. Talha Anjum’s other works are also heavily influenced by Jaun Elia’s poetry.

===Commemorative postage stamp===
On his death anniversary of 8 November 2013, [[Pakistan Post|Pakistan Post Office]] issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor him for his literary services in its 'Men of Letters' series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tareekhepakistan.com/public/index.php/detail/1948|url-status=dead|title=Men of Letters - Jaun Elia|website=Tareekh-e-Pakistan website|date=8 November 2013|archive-date=7 November 2025|access-date=9 November 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251107191655/https://tareekhepakistan.com/public/index.php/detail/1948}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
*[[Pride of Performance]] award by the [[President of Pakistan]] for his literary services in 2000.<ref name=TheNation>{{cite news|url=https://www.nation.com.pk/09-Nov-2022/renowned-poet-jaun-elia-remembered|url-status=dead|date=9 November 2022|archive-date=6 December 2022|access-date=7 November 2025|title=Renowned poet Jaun Elia remembered|newspaper=The Nation newspaper|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206170840/https://www.nation.com.pk/09-Nov-2022/renowned-poet-jaun-elia-remembered}}</ref><ref name=RadioPakistan>{{cite web|url=https://radio.gov.pk/08-11-2024/death-anniversary-of-jaun-elia-being-observed-today|url-status=dead|date=8 November 2024|archive-date=8 November 2024|access-date=7 November 2025|website=Radio Pakistan website|title=Death anniversary of Jaun Elia observed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108203620/https://radio.gov.pk/08-11-2024/death-anniversary-of-jaun-elia-being-observed-today}}</ref>

== Works ==
=== Poetry collections ===
*''Sukhan Meri Udasee Hai''
*''Zakham-e-Umeed''
*''Mubada''
*''Tumharey Aur Mere Darmiyan''
*''Daricha Haye Kheyal''
*''Qitaat''
*''Jaun Elia Ki Tamam Ghazlain'' (parts I-III)
*''Inshaye aur Mazaameen''
*''Farnood''<ref name=DunyaNews/>
*''Shayad''<ref name=DunyaNews/><ref name=RadioPakistan/>
*''Firaaq''
*''Lekin''<ref name=DunyaNews/><ref name=RadioPakistan/>
*''Goya''<ref name=RadioPakistan/>
*''Gumaan''<ref name=RadioPakistan/>
*''Ramooz''<ref name=RadioPakistan/>
*''Ya'ni''<ref name=RadioPakistan/>

=== Prose work (mainly translations) ===
Elia was not just a poet but was also an editor and a translator, especially of old [[Sufi]], [[Mutazili]] and [[Ismaili]] treatises.
* ''Masih-i-Baghdad [[Hallaj]],''
* ''Jometria,''
* ''Tawasin, usman''
* ''Isaghoji,''
* ''Rahaish-o-Kushaish,''
* ''[[Hasan bin Sabah]]''
* ''Farnod, Tajrid,''
* ''Masail-i-Tajrid,''
* ''Rasail [[Ikhwan al Safa]]''
Above are some of his translations from Arabic and Persian. Not only did he translate these books but also introduced several new words in the Urdu language.<ref name=DunyaNews>{{Cite web|date=7 November 2016|title=Jaun Elia - An anarchist, annihilist, and a poet - Pakistan |url=http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/307638-Jaun-Elia--An-anarchist-a-nihilist-and-a-poet |access-date=2025-11-08|website=Dunya News website|language=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520204153/https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/307638-Jon-Elia--An-anarchist-a-nihilist-and-a-poet}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Rais Amrohvi]]
* [[Rahat Indori]]
* [[Munawwar Rana]]

== Notes ==
<references group="lower-alpha" />
==References==
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{Cite book |last=Iqbal |first=Neha |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/jaun-eliya-hayat-aur-shayari-neha-iqbal-ebooks |title=Jaun Eliya Hayat Aur Shayari |year=2019 |isbn= |location=Amroha |language=ur}}
* {{Cite book |last=Syed |first=Naseem |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/jaun-eliya-khush-guzran-guzar-gaye-ebooks |title=Jaun Eliya-khush Guzran Guzar Gaye |publisher=Academy Bazyaft |year=2011 |location=Karachi |language=ur}}
* {{Cite book |last=Khan |first=Rahat Raees |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pJmFEAAAQBAJ |title=Qurbat-e-Tanhai, Unheard Jaun Elia |date=25 August 2022 |publisher=Bluerose Publishers |location=Noida |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Sikandar |first=Irshad Khan |title=Jaun Elia Ka Jin |publisher=Rajpal and Sons |publication-date=7 March 2023 |language=hi}}
* {{Cite book |last=Imam |first=Ameer |title=Koi Rehta Hai Aasmaan Mein Kya |publisher=Rekhta Publications |year=2023 |location=Delhi |language=hi}}
* {{Cite book |last=Firozabadi |first=Muntazir |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/759255851/Jaun-Elia-Ek-Ajab-Ghazab-Shayar-%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8C%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%8F%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%8F%E0%A4%95-%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AC-%E0%A4%97-%E0%A4%9C-%E0%A4%AC-%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B0-Hindi |title=Jaun Elia: Ek Ajab-Ghazab Shayar |publisher=Hind Yugm |year=2019 |isbn=9789384419998 |edition=3rd |location=Noida |language=hi}}
* {{Cite book |last=Elia |first=Jaun |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RQVNEAAAQBAJ |title=Lekin |date=2021-11-09 |publisher=Vani Prakashan |isbn=978-93-90678-58-7 |editor-last=Vishwas |editor-first=Dr. Kumar |editor-link=Kumar Vishwas |language=hi}}

==External links==
* [https://www.nawadiraat.org/poets/jaun-elia Collection of writings on Jaun Elia] {{in lang|ur}}
* [https://poetistic.com/writers/jaun-elia Jaun Elia sher/ghazal/nazm collection]

{{Pride of Performance for Arts}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elia, Jaun}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Indian scholars]]
[[Category:Linguists of Urdu]]
[[Category:Pakistani literary critics]]
[[Category:Pakistani Shia Muslims]]
[[Category:Poets from Karachi]]
[[Category:Urdu-language theologians]]
[[Category:20th-century Urdu-language writers]]
[[Category:Urdu-language Pakistani poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Pakistani poets]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Pakistan]]
[[Category:People from Amroha]]
[[Category:Members of the Pakistan Philosophical Congress]]
[[Category:20th-century Pakistani linguists]]
[[Category:20th-century Pakistani philosophers]]
[[Category:Indian communist poets]]
[[Category:Pakistani communist poets]]
[[Category:Writers from Karachi]]
[[Category:Urdu-language Pakistani writers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance]]

Jaun Elia - Revision history

LiveHi at 16:37, 3 March 2026