A Cry Against War and Violence: Faryaad By Bayaan Lyrics Meaning
Bayaan’s song “Faryaad” is an incredibly powerful and heartbreaking cry against violence, war, and the suffering of innocent people. The title “Faryaad” means a “Complaint,” a “Lament,” or a desperate “Plea” for help or justice. The song’s message is made even stronger by its music video, which starts with impactful quotes from the Quran, Bible, and Talmud all condemning the killing of innocents, emphasizing a universal call for peace.
With video images showing cities burning and the devastating effects of war, the song becomes a direct protest. It asks painful questions about who starts these destructive conflicts and why the world seems ruined. It expresses deep sorrow for the suffering endured, particularly by children, and the feeling that desperate cries for help are ignored. The video’s specific inclusion of a Palestinian flag strongly connects this universal lament to real-world suffering, likely referencing conflicts such as the May 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis, making “Faryaad” a moving plea for victims of violence everywhere.
What Does the Title “Faryaad” Mean?
The title “Faryaad” is an Urdu/Hindi word carrying deep emotion. It means a strong “Complaint,” a sorrowful “Lament,” or an urgent “Plea” for justice or help, usually coming from someone experiencing great pain or witnessing terrible wrongs.
In this song, especially with the video’s context of war, the title “Faryaad” becomes a powerful plea against violence and killing. It represents the cry of people witnessing destruction, mourning lost innocent lives, and complaining against the forces causing such immense suffering. The song explores the painful question of whether this desperate plea (Faryaad) is even being heard or if it’s ultimately useless (Raaegaan' faryaad hai).
“Faryaad” Lyrics Meaning Explained
Let’s explore the feelings and ideas in each part of the song, considering the context of war and suffering shown in the video, explained simply without quoting lyrics directly.
Chorus: Questioning a World on Fire
The song opens with urgent, painful questions in the chorus. “Who started this fire?” it asks, referring both to the literal fires of war shown in the video and the metaphorical fire of hatred destroying peace. The singer sadly declares that God’s beautiful world feels ruined. The question comes again: why has conflict and chaos erupted everywhere?
The chorus then speaks about the terrible sacrifices made for peace. People have lit lamps (symbols of hope) using their own blood – meaning lives were lost and immense suffering was endured – all in the hope of a better, brighter future. But despite paying such a heavy price, the singer asks, why does the darkness of violence and despair still remain? Why hasn’t peace arrived? This part expresses deep heartbreak, confusion about the cause of suffering, and sorrow over failed hopes.
Verse: The Nightmare of Living Through War
This section paints a grim picture of life during violent conflict, matching the video’s theme. It asks a very difficult question: If you could choose to be born again, would you agree to come into a world where your home might be destroyed by flames? This challenges the very idea of life being desirable when faced with such constant danger.
The lyrics describe the trauma faced by children, where their terrified sobs become the only sounds heard at night, replacing comforting lullabies. It speaks of a morning, usually symbolizing hope, that seems too scared to even appear, hiding behind curtains made of the black ash left by destruction.
Even desperate screams for help seem to fade away unheard, as if prayers reaching the sky simply disappear. The singer feels trapped, with no cure or solution in sight. This feeling of complete helplessness is described as suffocating, making it hard even to breathe. The only way left to cope, the verse suggests, is to deny reality – to cover one’s eyes and pretend this horror is just a nightmare that will eventually end.
Understanding the Comparisons (Metaphors) in “Faryaad”
The song uses very strong comparisons (metaphors) and symbols, given even more power by the video’s context of war, to express intense pain, despair, and protest. These are grouped below under related themes.
Images of Destruction and Conflict
The song immediately confronts us with images representing the devastation of war. The question Kis ne lagaai aag hai? uses fire (Aag, meaning “Fire”) as a central metaphor. In light of the video’s imagery, this aag represents not just the literal fires consuming cities but also the metaphorical fire of hatred, violence, and conflict itself. Asking “Who set this fire?” demands accountability for unleashing such destruction upon the world, a world described as God’s creation now being ruined (Rab ka jahan barbaad hai).
This feeling of widespread ruin is echoed in the line Barpa kyun har su fasaad hai? Here, fasaad (meaning “Conflict,” “Chaos,” or “Riot”) breaking out (Barpa) everywhere (har su) paints a picture of pervasive disorder and violence engulfing everything. The hypothetical situation posed later, imagining one’s home (ghar) in the path of flames (sholon' ki zadd mein) in zadd mein de day sholon' ki ghar, directly uses flames (sholon) to symbolize the constant, deadly threat faced by those living in war zones, making the abstract horror terrifyingly concrete.
Symbols of Sacrifice and Lost Hope
The song poignantly reflects on the cost of conflict and the feeling that sacrifices for peace go unrewarded. The line Shammay jalaae khoon se provides a stark image. Shammay are “Lamps,” symbols of hope and light, while khoon is “Blood.” Lighting hope lamps with blood is a powerful metaphor for the immense human cost – lives lost, pain endured – paid in the struggle for a better future (Ujlay kal ki aas kay, the hope for a bright tomorrow). Yet, this sacrifice seems tragically futile when the singer asks Phir kyun cha'ai raat hai? Raat means “Night,” symbolizing the continued darkness of despair, violence, and suffering.
Asking “Why is it still night?” expresses deep disillusionment that peace hasn’t dawned despite the bloody price paid. This sense of crushed hope is intensified by personifying morning itself (Subh) as being scared (sehmi daray) and hiding behind curtains (Pardon) of black ash (kaali raakh) in the line Subh bhi kaali raakh kay / Pardon kay peechay sehmi daray. Black ash is the literal remnant of fire and destruction. This metaphor suggests that the devastation is so complete that even the very symbol of hope (dawn) is too terrified to emerge from the ruins.
Expressions of Suffering and Helplessness
The lyrics vividly convey the experience of suffering, particularly that of the innocent, and the feeling of being powerless. The disturbing image presented in Nanhay dilon ki siskion ki lorion mein sona paray juxtaposes children’s tender hearts (Nanhay dilon) and their sobs (siskion) with lullabies (lorion).
Having only sobs as lullabies becomes a metaphor for the inescapable presence of children’s trauma and suffering in a war-torn environment, permeating even moments meant for peace. The feeling of being powerless is captured in Dum ghont'ti hai be-basi. Be-basi means “Helplessness,” and Dum ghont'ti means “Suffocates.” Helplessness is compared to something that physically stops you from breathing, conveying the crushing, unbearable weight of being unable to act or change a terrible situation.
Metaphors of Unheard Cries and Coping
The song concludes with a sense of despair about making pleas heard and the struggle to cope with reality. The line sadaaein aasmaan' pay jaa kay bhi murein describes cries or voices (sadaaein) reaching the sky (aasmaan, often representing heaven or the wider world) only to die (murein) there. This is a metaphor for unanswered prayers and ignored pleas for help or justice, reflecting a feeling of utter abandonment.
This leads to the conclusion that the lament itself is futile, Raaegaan' faryaad hai. Faryaad means the “Plea” or “Lament,” and Raaegaan means “Futile” or “In vain.” This expresses the deepest despair – the feeling that even crying out against the suffering is useless. Faced with this, the final lines describe covering one’s eyes and calling the reality a dream or nightmare (khawaab) from which one will awaken (Jaag aaegi). This, in Jaag aaegi ye khawaab hai, is a metaphor for denial as a coping mechanism – trying to mentally escape an unbearable reality by pretending it’s not real or permanent.
The Story Behind “Faryaad”
“Faryaad,” released as a single by the Pakistani rock band Bayaan, uses the intense poetic words often attributed to Faiz Ahmed Faiz (though direct confirmation varies, the style is reminiscent) and sets them to their own powerful music. The song gained significant attention due to its strong music video, which provides crucial context. The video starts with quotes from the Quran, Bible, and Talmud, all united in condemning the killing of innocent people, setting a clear moral stance against violence.
The video’s visuals of burning cities and destruction immediately evoke the horrors of war. The specific inclusion of a Palestinian flag strongly suggests a connection to real-world conflicts and suffering, particularly resonating with events like the Israel-Palestine crisis of May 2021. While Faiz’s original poetry often addressed political oppression within Pakistan, Bayaan powerfully applies these themes of suffering, injustice, and defiance to contemporary global humanitarian crises.
Bayaan is known for tackling serious social and emotional issues through their music. “Faryaad” serves as a strong example of this, acting as an expression of empathy and a protest against violence that devastates innocent lives. It uses their platform to amplify a “faryaad” – a plea for peace and justice – likely reflecting concerns shared by many about ongoing conflicts and their human cost.
Final Thoughts: An Urgent Plea Against Inhumanity
Bayaan’s “Faryaad” is a raw, impactful, and deeply necessary song that confronts the audience with the brutal reality of war and suffering. Guided by universal religious teachings against killing innocents and illustrated by stark images of conflict, the song uses powerful poetry to voice profound anguish and despair.
It asks painful questions about blame, sacrifice, and unanswered prayers, capturing the suffocating helplessness felt by victims and empathetic observers alike. By linking these timeless feelings to contemporary visuals, including a specific reference suggesting the Palestinian struggle, Bayaan makes “Faryaad” a relevant and urgent cry against ongoing violence. It’s a difficult listen, but it serves as a vital artistic testament against inhumanity, forcing us to hear the lament and consider our collective response to suffering in the world.