47th Death Anniversary of Almas Sharq, the Genius of Afghan Music

Ahmad Zahir, nicknamed "Almas Sharq Afghanistan", is the most prominent and popular singer, songwriter and composer in the history of modern Afghan music. By combining authentic traditional Afghan music with Western pop, rock and jazz styles, he created a great revolution in the art of this country, and his voice is still alive and lasting after decades.
Characteristics of the legend of Afghan music:
Birth: 14 Joza 1325 (14 June 1946)
Died: 14 Joza 1358 (14 June 1979) in Salang (at the age of 33)
Father: Dr. Abdul Zahir (former Prime Minister, Speaker of the Parliament and Minister of Health of Afghanistan)
Musical style: Pop, Ghazal, Afghan folk and folk music.
Artistic Features and Legacy Instrumental Integration: He was the first to introduce Western musical instruments such as the electric guitar, organ, and trumpet into the Afghan pop music orchestra, combining them with instruments such as the accordion, harmonium, and tabla. Unique Poetry Selection: Ahmad Zahir performed poems by great Persian-speaking poets such as Hafez, Rumi, Saadi, and Khayyam, as well as contemporary poets such as Forough Farrokhzad and Simin Behbahani, with modern melodies.

Transnational Fame: His popularity went beyond the borders of Afghanistan and he has numerous fans in countries such as Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.

Ahmad Zahir, the legendary Afghan artist, was martyred in a tragic accident on 24th Jozay 1358 (1979) in Salang. The Afghan government at the time declared his murder to be a traffic accident.

Razaq Mamoon, in a treatise titled “How Was Ahmad Zahir Murdered?” He writes that, based on the account of Fakhriya Khanum Ahmad Zahir and some other sources close to him, the car carrying Ahmad Zahir was stopped by another car near the Chapraq bridge of Salang.
Three armed men, including a man named Arif "Judo", pulled him out of the car.
After a short fight, Ahmad Zahir shouted at Mahboobullah Pacha (he is a coward, come here and kill him). Then Ahmad Zahir was shot and he was killed.
However, Mahboobullah Pacha, one of those accused of involvement in the case of Ahmad Zahir's murder, considers the incident to be a traffic accident, not an organized assassination.
The murder of Ahmad Zahir is one of hundreds of mysterious murders in Afghanistan that, after almost half a century, is still shrouded in mystery.

Every year, millions of fans of the famous and immortal singer celebrate his birthday and death anniversary by posting photos, songs, and ... on social media pages and express their sadness in some way.

Afghan citizens write on their social media pages about Ahmad Zahir, the star of Afghanistan's east:

Dear Ahmad Zahir did not leave; he lives in every song, in every love, and in every memory. Some people live and die, but some people blend so much with the spirit of the times and the feelings of the people that they become part of the collective memory of a nation.

Ahmad Zahir was one of these pure people; an artist who not only sang, but also translated the love, pain, hope, and dreams of different generations into the language of music.

The Afghan artist writes; he was not just a singer; he was the narrator of hearts that still fall in love with his voice, shed tears, and think about life. The secret of his immortality is not limited to the beauty of his voice or fame, but lies in the love he had for his art; a love that turned every note into a lasting feeling and every song into a part of people's lives.

An Afghan writer remembers him thus; The philosophy of permanence may be that a person lives as long as he is present in hearts. Ahmad Zahir's body has been gone for years, but his soul still breathes in his songs. He proved that art born of love crosses the boundaries of time and reaches eternity.
For this reason, dear Ahmad Zahir is not a memory, he is a constant presence who is reborn in every song and begins life anew in the hearts of his lovers.

May the holy soul of this leader of art and love be more eternal.

Shahpour Nayebzadeh