Ahmad Toryalai Zahir

Ahmad Toryalai Zahir was born on the 14^th June 1946 and he died on the 14^th June 1979. He was a songwriter, a composer and a musician from Afghanistan. Ahmad was commonly seen as an icon of the music of Afghanistan and is at times known as king of Afghan music. His music is commonly in Dari and based on the popular Persian poems, even though a few are in English and the Pashto. He composed and played pop and rock music, in an analogous patter to Presley Elvis. Currently, he is taken to be one of the greatest persons in the history and culture of Afghanistan.

source of picture: pashtolyrics.com

BIOGRAPHY

Zihir was born on the 14^th June in the year 1946 in Kabul, Afghanistan, in a family of Pashtun family from laghman. His dad, Abdul Zahir was a doctor in the royal court and he served as a minister of health and the prime minister of the country between the year 1971 and 1972. Abdul Zahir was a speaker of the parliament and also an influential figure in the era of King Zahir that assisted in the writing of the 1964 constitution of the country.

Ahmad attended his high school in Kabul in the early section of the 1960s. he sang songs and played the accordion in a band that is primarily made up of his friends and schoolmates, which are Omar Sultan playing the guitar, Farid Zaland playing the congas and then Kabir Howaida playing theb piano. The band was later known as the amateur band of the Habibia High School and played in the local concerts at the time of the celebratory events like the Nowruz, the Afghan Independence Day and then the Eid ul-Fitr.

Later, Ahmad attended and graduated from the Daru' l-Malimeen in Kabul, and then he continued with his higher education for two years in India and he came out with Degree as an English instructor. Eventually, he realized that music was his true destiny. Ahmad started his solo career composing music that are based on the popular poem of the Persia. His first recorded music was composed by himself, ‘Gar Kuni Yak Nizara’, which he sang in the pilu raga. He continued with the writing of songs like ‘Agar Sabza Boodam’, ‘Azeezam Ba Yaadat’, ‘Akhir Ay Darya’, ‘Guftam Ke Mekhwaham Tura’, ‘Parween-e Man’ and ‘Shabe Ze Shabha’.

Zahir operated with counselors like Ismail Azami, who is a saxophonist, Nangalai, who is a trumpeter, Abdullah Etemadi, who is a drummer, and some other musis players like Taranasaz, Salim Sarmast, Naynawaz as well as Mas'hour Jamal. He documented over 22 albums in the 1970s. His music was known for their pleasant tone, rhythmical bravura, captivating depth, and fervent emotional elicitation. His lyrics enclosed an eclectic range of issues. Several of his tracks enclosed autobiographical components or political disparagement of the government of the country. Because of that, most of his footages were demolished by the government.

Ahmad was on the passage of the music of the country for just 10 years at the maximum; meanwhile, he succeeded in recording more than 30 albums. This was and is unheeded of in any music industry in the entire world. All the albums he recorded were efficacious and extensively accepted by everyone up till the present day. The kings coped to complete the recordings nearly 40 years ago with virtually no technology of the modern world, and all them were completed in live recordings.

DEATH

Zahir pass away on the 14^th of June 1979, on his 33rd birthday. There are numerous diverse opinions from criticizers for why Ahmad was killed, but according to his son called Rishad Zahir, Ahmad was murdered by the directive of a communist general known as Daud Taroon, who made use one of Ahmad’s best friends as a coconspirator to lug out his orders. Ahmad’s political deportment was at chances with the Marxist government of that period, who claimed that he died from car accident. Other criticizers opine that he was shot two times by someone, who then collided his car on a wall, and the put him back inside the car and claimed that he had a car accident.

Ahmad’s father Abdul Zahir, who was also the personal doctor of the royal family, scrutinized the body of his son and confirmed that Ahmad had a wound of the bullet on his temple region.

After his death Zahir Ahmad was named a national hero.

DISCOGRAPHY

MUSIC ALBUMS OF AFGHANISTAN

1.    Volume 1      Dilak am (1973)

2.    Volume 2      Bahar (1973)

3.    Volume 3      Shab ha ye zulmane (1974)

4.    Volume 4      Mother (1974)

5.    Volume 5      Awara (1975)

6.    Volume 6      Ghulam-e Qamar (1975)

7.    Volume 7      Sultan Qalbaam (1976)

8.    Volume 8      Az Ghamat Hy Nazaneen (1976)

9.    Volume 9      Gulbadaan (1971)

10.  Volume 10    Yaare Bewafa (1977)

11.  Volume 11    Lylee (1971)or (1977)

12.  Volume 12    Ahmad Zahir and Jila (1978)

13.  Volume 13    Ahange Zindagee (1978)

14.  Volume 14    Shab-e Hijraan (1979)

ARIANA MUSIC ALBUMS

1. Volume 1    Daard-e Dil (1972)
2. Volume 2    Mosum-e Gul (1977)

MUSIC CENTER ALBUMS

1. Volume 1    Ashiq rooyat Mon (1973)
2. Volume 2    Neshe Gashdum (1976)
3. Volume 3    Lylee Jaan (1977)
4. Volume 4    Ahmad Zahir Ba Sitara Haa (1977)
5. Volume 5    To Baamanee (1978)

PRIVATE ALBUMS

1.    Shamali

2.    Gulhayi Nafaramoshshuda

3.    Gulhaayi-Jawedan

4.    Soorodhayie-Jawedan

5.    Khateraha

6.    Khudaat-Medani Guleman

7.    Laily-Laily-Jan

8.    Raaze-Penhan

9.    Hindi Songs

10.  Afghanistan Songs

11.  Agar Bahar Byayad

12.  Ahmad Zahir & Nainawaaz

13.  Almase-Sharq

14.  Yaad-Mandaha

15.  Zindani