Shaikh Ayaz's work is spontaneous, objective and forceful. He defiantly wrote verses on topics hated by the establishment. He was incarcerated many times for his "seditious" writings and was also sentenced to death, but escaped the gallows due to a sudden change of government.

He wrote short stories, novel, essays, poetry, travelogues, diaries, an autobiography and the translation of Shah jo Risalo in Urdu. He also composed poetry in Urdu and two of his anthologies,"Booye Gul, Nala-i-dil" and "Neel Kanth Aur Neem Ke Pate" were highly acclaimed. He portrayed the miseries of suffering humanity, the sorrows of the deprived and the wretched conditions of the exploited masses who had been suffering at the hands of an unjust system for centuries.

Through his poetry, Shaikh Ayaz battled against One Unit and the military dictatorship of Ayub Khan. During the anti-One Unit campaign one of his poems "Sindhri taan sir ker na deendo, sanhando ker mayar (Is there anybody who will not sacrifice his head for Sindh, and be ashamed of it)", became very popular among the people of Sindh and subsequently its broadcast was banned from Radio Pakistan. He was banned for a number of times from cities and towns where he was to participate in Mushairas. Three of his anthologies...Bhounr Bhare Akas, Kulhe Patam Keenaro and Je Kak Kakoriya Kapri...drewsharp criticism from fundamentalists and the government denounced them.

He wrote against tyrannical rulers and the wars they waged. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, he wrote a poem about progressive Sindhi poet Suragwasi Narain Shayam, who had migrated to India after independence:

Original:

He sangram!samhoon AaNarayan Shayam!hina ja munhinjaQola bi saGyaBoola bi saGyahoo kavita jo kaaka-dharni, paramunhinja ranga-ratola bi saGyaDHatu bi saGyoDHolu bi saGyohanou bi saGyohola bi saGyahuna tay keean bandooka KhaRNa maan!hina Khay golee keean haRNa maan!keean haRNa maan!keean haRNa maan!keean haRNa maan!

Translation:

This sangram!in front isNarain Shayam!His and mytales are the samepromises are the sameHe is the king of poetry, butmy colorful ways are also the sameland also the samebeloved also the sameheart also the samehorrors also the sameHow can I point a gun at him!How can I shoot him!How can I shoot!How can I shoot!How can I shoot!

Shaikh Ayaz's poetry played a major role in the development of progressive thinking in the country, particularly in Sindh. He was the very imprint of Shah Latif's mystic poetry and will always be remembered as a great humanist and artist.

• Shikarpur Sindh's official website
• Suhaee Shaikh Ayaz

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