By: Gul Afroz Soomro
Shaikh Ayaz was one of the most influential poets of the contemporary Sindh whose influence on the Sindhi language, literature and society is very much visible. As for as influence of his poetry on the modern poets is concerened almost all the poet try to follow Shaikh Ayaz in diction and style. Most of the people consider his poetry eternal and and considering him the second greatest poet of Sindhi language call him Latif Saani.
He was no great poet of the 20th century which can be compared to the poets of international standards. Shaikh ayaz in his poetry can be seen passionately in love with his motherland Sindh and its people. Like Shah abdul Latif Bhitai he not only praises his people but also speaks of of equality, of women and men of people of world in general and with clarity talks about humanism and the promotion of humanitarian values in our society and the world over where he sees extremism finds its way.Those who has read his poetry say that his poetry awakens the spirit like the morning birds, stirs the sleeping nation to go ahead and try to get their rights.
Besides poetry the prose written by Shaikh Ayaz is indeed superb. Usually youngsters find his writings as a great healer in the worst of time of their life in which Shaikh Ayaz speaks against social injustice and other social and economic ills and evils present in our society.
There is no doubt in it that the poetry of Shaikh Ayaz is based on the concept that humanity is above all things