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Share Poems on the great Poet - " Allahma Iqbal "





With the Love’s power elevate every low to elegance
With Mohammad’s name illuminate the whole world


If you are loyal to Mohammad(pbuh) we are yours
This universe is nothing the Tablet and the Pen are yours



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Biography of Allama Iqbal



Sir Mohammed Iqbal was born at Sialkot, India (now in Pakistan), on 9th November, 1877 of a pious family of small merchants and was educated at Government College, Lahore. He is commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal (????? ??????, Allama meaning "Scholar").

In Europe from 1905 to 1908, he earned his degree in philosophy from the University of Cambridge, qualified as a barrister in London, and received a doctorate from the University of Munich. His thesis, The Development of Metaphysics in Persia, revealed some aspects of Islamic mysticism formerly unknown in Europe.

On his return from Europe, he gained his livelihood by the practice of law, but his fame came from his Persian- and Urdu-language poetry, which was written in the classical style for public recitation. Through poetic symposia and in a milieu in which memorizing verse was customary, his poetry became widely known, even among the illiterate. Almost all the cultured Indian and Pakistani Muslims of his and later generations have had the habit of quoting Iqbal.
Before he visited Europe, his poetry affirmed Indian nationalism, as in Naya shawala ("The New Altar"), but time away from India caused him to shift his perspective. He came to criticize nationalism for a twofold reason: in Europe it had led to destructive racism and imperialism, and in India it was not founded on an adequate degree of common purpose. In a speech delivered at Aligarh in 1910, under the title "Islam as a Social and Political Ideal," he indicated the new Pan-Islamic direction of his hopes. The recurrent themes of Iqbal's poetry are a memory of the vanished glories of Islam, a complaint about its present decadence, and a call to unity and reform. Reform can be achieved by strengthening the individual through three successive stages: obedience to the law of Islam, self-control, and acceptance of the idea that everyone is potentially a vicegerent of God (na`ib, or mu`min). Furthermore, the life of action is to be preferred to ascetic resignation.

Three significant poems from this period, Shikwah ("The Complaint"), Jawab-e shikwah ("The Answer to the Complaint"), and Khizr-e rah ("Khizr, the Guide"), were published later in 1924 in the Urdu collection Bang-e dara ("The Call of the Bell"). In those works Iqbal gave intense expression to the anguish of Muslim powerlessness. Khizr (Arabic: Khidr), the Qur`anic prophet who asks the most difficult questions, is pictured bringing from God the baffling problems of the early 20th century.

Notoriety came in 1915 with the publication of his long Persian poem Asrar-e khudi (The Secrets of the Self). He wrote in Persian because he sought to address his appeal to the entire Muslim world. In this work he presents a theory of the self that is a strong condemnation of the self-negating quietism (i.e., the belief that perfection and spiritual peace are attained by passive absorption in contemplation of God and divine things) of classical Islamic mysticism; his criticism shocked many and excited controversy. Iqbal and his admirers steadily maintained that creative self-affirmation is a fundamental Muslim virtue; his critics said he imposed themes from the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche on Islam.

The dialectical quality of his thinking was expressed by the next long Persian poem, Rumuz-e bikhudi (1918; The Mysteries of Selflessness). Written as a counterpoint to the individualism preached in the Asrar-ekhudi, this poem called for self-surrender.

.................... . Lo, like a candle wrestling with the night
.................... . O'er my own self I pour my flooding tears
.................. I spent my self, that there might be more light,
.................... .. More loveliness, more joy for other men.

The Muslim community, as Iqbal conceived it, ought effectively to teach and to encourage generous service to the ideals of brotherhood and justice. The mystery of selflessness was the hidden strength of Islam. Ultimately, the only satisfactory mode of active self-realization was the sacrifice of the self in the service of causes greater than the self. The paradigm was the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the devoted service of the first believers. The second poem completes Iqbal's conception of the final destiny of the self.
Later, he published three more Persian volumes. Payam-e Mashriq (1923; "Message of the East"), written in response to J.W. von Goethe's West-?stlicher Divan (1819; "Divan of West and East"), affirmed the universal validity of Islam. In 1927 Zabur-e 'Ajam ("Persian Psalms") appeared, about which A.J. Arberry, its translator into English, wrote: "Iqbal displayed here an altogether extraordinary talent for the most delicate and delightful of all Persian styles, the ghazal," or love poem. Javid-nameh (1932; "The Song of Eternity") is considered Iqbal's masterpiece. Its theme, reminiscent of Dante's Divine Comedy, is the ascent of the poet, guided by the great 13th-century Persian mystic Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, through all the realms of thought and experience to the final encounter.
Iqbal's later publications of poetry in Urdu were Bal-e Jibril (1935; "Gabriel's Wing"), Zarb-e kalim (1937; "The Blow of Moses"), and the posthumous Armaghan-e Hijaz (1938; "Gift of the Hejaz"), which contained verses in both Urdu and Persian. He is considered the greatest poet in Urdu of the 20th century.

His Literary career

Upon his return to India in 1908, Iqbal took up assistant professorship at the Government College in Lahore, but for financial reasons he relinquished it within a year to practice law. During this period, Iqbal's personal life was in turmoil. He divorced Karim Bibi in 1916, but provided financial support to her and their children for the rest of his life.

While maintaining his legal practice, Iqbal began concentrating on spiritual and religious subjects, and publishing poetry and literary works. He became active in the Anjuman-e-Himayat-e-Islam, a congress of Muslim intellectuals, writers and poets as well as politicians, and in 1919 became the general secretary of the organisation. Iqbal's thoughts in his work primarily focused on the spiritual direction and development of human society, centred around experiences from his travel and stay in Western Europe and the Middle East. He was profoundly influenced by Western philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Henri Bergson and Goethe, and soon became a strong critic of Western society's separation of religion from state and what he perceived as its obsession with materialist pursuits.

The poetry and philosophy of Mawlana Rumi bore the deepest influence on Iqbal's mind. Deeply grounded in religion since childhood, Iqbal would begin intensely concentrating on the study of Islam, the culture and history of Islamic civilization and its political future, and embrace Rumi as "his guide." Iqbal would feature Rumi in the role of a guide in many of his poems, and his works focused on reminding his readers of the past glories of Islamic civilization, and delivering a message of a pure, spiritual focus on Islam as a source for socio-political liberation and greatness. Iqbal denounced political divisions within and amongst Muslim nations, and frequently alluded to and spoke in terms of the global Muslim community, or the Ummah.


Iqbal's Works in Urdu

Iqbal's first work published in Urdu, the Bang-e-Dara (The Call of the Marching Bell) of 1924, was a collection of poetry written by him in three distinct phases of his life.[4] The poems he wrote up to 1905, the year Iqbal left for England imbibe patriotism and imagery of landscape, and includes the Tarana-e-Hind (The Song of India), popularly known as Saare Jahan Se Achcha and another poem Tarana-e-Milli (Anthem of the (Muslim) Community), which was composed in the same metre and rhyme scheme as Saare Jahan Se Achcha. The second set of poems date from between 1905 and 1908 when Iqbal studied in Europe and dwell upon the nature of European society, which he emphasized had lost spiritual and religious values. This inspired Iqbal to write poems on the historical and cultural heritage of Islamic culture and Muslim people, not from an Indian but a global perspective. Iqbal urges the global community of Muslims, addressed as the Ummah to define personal, social and political existence by the values and teachings of Islam. Poems such as Tulu'i Islam (Dawn of Islam) and Khizr-e-Rah (The Guided Path) are especially acclaimed.

Iqbal preferred to work mainly in Persian for a predominant period of his career, but after 1930, his works were mainly in Urdu. The works of this period were often specifically directed at the Muslim masses of India, with an even stronger emphasis on Islam, and Muslim spiritual and political reawakening. Published in 1935, the Bal-e-Jibril (Wings of Gabriel) is considered by many critics as the finest of Iqbal's Urdu poetry, and was inspired by his visit to Spain, where he visited the monuments and legacy of the kingdom of the Moors. It consists of ghazals, poems, quatrains, epigrams and carries a strong sense religious passion.[4]

The Pas Cheh Bayed Kard ai Aqwam-e-Sharq (What are we to do, O Nations of the East?) includes the poem Musafir (Traveller). Again, Iqbal depicts Rumi as a character and an exposition of the mysteries of Islamic laws and Sufi perceptions is given. Iqbal laments the dissension and disunity among the Indian Muslims as well as Muslim nations. Musafir is an account of one of Iqbal's journeys to Afghanistan, in which the Pashtun people are counseled to learn the "secret of Islam" and to "build up the self" within themselves.[4] Iqbal's final work was the Armughan-e-Hijaz (The Gift of Hijaz), published posthumously in 1938. The first part contains quatrains in Persian, and the second part contains some poems and epigrams in Urdu. The Persian quatrains convey the impression as though the poet is travelling through the Hijaz in his imagination. Profundity of ideas and intensity of passion are the salient features of these short poems. The Urdu portion of the book contains some categorical criticism of the intellectual movements and social and political revolutions of the modern age.


Iqbal's grave in Lahore
After a long period of ill health, Iqbal died in April 1938 and was buried in front of the great Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. Two years later, the Muslim League voted for the idea of Pakistan. That the poet had influenced the making of that decision, which became a reality in 1947, is undisputed. He has been acclaimed as the father of Pakistan, and every year Iqbal Day is celebrated by Pakistanis.
Aspects of his thought are explored in K.G. Saiyidain, Iqbal's Educational Philosophy, 6th ed. rev. (1965), a standard analysis of the relevance of Iqbal's ideas about education written by a distinguished Indian educationist; Annemarie Schimmel, Gabriel's Wing, 2nd ed. (1989), a thorough analysis of Iqbal's religious symbolism, including a comprehensive bibliography in English; Syed Abdul Vahid, Iqbal: His Art and Thought, new ed. (1959), a standard introduction; Hafeez Malik (ed.), Iqbal, Poet-Philosopher of Pakistan (1971), representative Pakistani views; and S.M.H. Burney (S.M.H. Barni), Iqbal, Poet-Patriot of India (1987), focusing on nationalism and secularism in his poetry.

[*Muskaan*]

JAWAB-E_SHIKWA

THE RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT


Introduction

This long poem is part of the series of long poems in which ‘Allama Iqbal has discussed the rise and fall of the Muslim Ummah and has analyzed its causes, shown his bereavement as well as has offered its cure and has given the message of hope. A few of these poems have been mentioned in the Introduction to Poem 88 “Shikwah” (The Complaint).

The causes of the fall of the Muslim Ummah can be grouped into two classes, viz. the machinations of the Western world and the shortcomings of the Muslim themselves.The present poem is complementary to Shakwah. In Shakwah the ‘All«mah complains to God for the deplorable condition of the Muslim world and society and prays for help. In the present poem he relays the response given by God to Muslims. The details of the response are generally restricted to the Muslims’ own faults. These faults can be summarized as follows:

1. Muslims have distanced themselves from the Holy Qur’«n, Islamic values and the norms of their ancestors, and have adopted Western norms in thought and deeds.
2. They have given up Islamic learning.
3. Insincere religious and political leadership has appeared.
4. Muslims have lost the Love of God and the zeal for Taw??d.
5.They have fallen into traditionalism
6. They have given up activism and struggle in the cause of God and have adopted asceticism and monasticism.
7. They have lost the urge for struggle in the cause of Islam.
8. Muslim society is riddled with dissensions
9. Muslims are suffering from intellectual slavery.


The Poem - In Response to the Complaint


Whatever comes out of the heart is effective
It has no wings but has the power of flight

It has holy origins, it aims at elegance
It rises from dust, but has access to the celestial world

My love was seditious, rebellious and clever
My fearless wailing rent through the sky

On hearing it the sun said, “Somewhere there is somebody!”
The planets said, “At the ‘Arsh-i-Bar?n (1) there is somebody!”

The moon was saying, “No, it is some inhabitant of the earth!”
The milky way was saying, “Somebody is concealed just here”!

If someone understood my Remonstrance Ri?zwan (2)did
He understood me as the Man turned out of the Paradise !


Even angels exclaimed in surprise “What could this voice be!
Unknown even to the ‘Arsh’s keepers what the secret could be!

Is the mankind’s reach really even to the ‘Arsh?
Has this pinch of dust also learned flight?

How ignorant of good manners the earth’s denizens are!
How bold and insolent these denizens of the low are!

Is he so insolent that even angry with God he is?
Is he the same Man who once worshipped by angels was ?

He is the knower of Kamm (3), and of the enigmas of Kaif (4)
But, he is unacquainted with the secrets of modesty

Mankind are proud of the power of their rhetoric
These ignorant people are incapable of talking”!

A voice came “Very pathetic is your story
Full of restless tears is your wine-measure

Your ecstatic clamor pervaded the celestial world
How bold in speech is your Loving heart !

You sweetened the Remonstrance with elegant graces
You established intercourse between God and His people

We 5 are inclined to Mercy, but there is no one to implore
Whom can we show the way ? There is no wayfarer to the destination

Jewel polishing is common, but there is no proper jewel
There is no clay capable of being molded into ?dam

We confer the glory of Kai 6 on the deserving
We confer even a whole new world7 on those who search!


Arms are feeble, hearts are accustomed to apostasy
The ‘believers’ are a source of disgrace to the Prophet

Idol-breakers have departed, the rest are idol-makers
Though the father was Ibr«h?m8 the sons are ?zar9

The wine-drinkers, the wine, even the decanters are new
The sanctuary of the Ka‘bah, the idols, even you are new

There was a time when this alone was the source of Beauty
The wild tulip was the pride of the season of spring

Whichever Muslim there was, the Lover of God he was
A while ago your beloved this very Unfaithful was10

Make the covenant of fealty now with some local one
Make the Ummah of the Holy Prophet a local one!

How difficult for you is waking up at the dawn!
You have no Love for Us, sleep is dear to you

Rama?«n’s restriction is irksome to your free nature
You tell us ! Is this the appropriate rule of fidelity?

A nation exists on the din, you cease to exist if the din does not exist
Without mutual attraction the assembly of stars does not exist

You are the ones who do not know any art in the world
You are the nation which does not care for its nest

You are the harvest which harbors the lightning
You are those who sell their ancestors’ graves

As you have earned a good name by selling graves
Will you not sell if idols of stone you get?

Who effaced false worship from the face of the world?
Who rescued the human race from slavery ?11

Who adorned my Ka‘bah with their foreheads in Love?
Who put my Qur’«n to their breasts in reverence?


They were surely your ancestors, but what are you ?
Sitting in idleness, waiting for tomorrow are you !

What did you say? “For the Muslim is only the promise of houri
Even if the Remonstrance be unreasonable decorum is necessary

Justice is the Creator of Existence’ custom since eternity
When the infidel adopts Muslim ways he receives houris and palaces

Not a single one among you is longing for houris
The Effulgence of ??r exists but there is no M?s«12

The gain of this nation is one, also the loss is one
Only one is the prophet of all, d?n is one, ?m«n is one

The Holy ?aram is one, God is one, Qur’«n also is one
Would it have been very difficult for Muslims to be one

Sects abound somewhere and somewhere are castes!
Are these the ways to progress in the world?

Who is the renouncer of the laws of the Holy Prophet?
The criterion for whose actions is expediency of time ?

Who is enamored with the customs of the enemies
Whose thinking is disgusted with ancestors’ ways?

No warmth is in the heart, no feeling is in the soul
There is no respect for the message of Mu?ammad in you!

If some array themselves in mosques, it is the poor
If some endure the discomfort of fasting it is the poor

If some are reverent to Us it is the poor
If some hide your faults it is the poor

The rich in their arrogance of wealth are negligent of Us
The Millat-i-Bai?« is alive on the strength of the poor

That mature thinking of the nation’s preacher is gone
That natural lightning is gone, fiery speeches are gone

The ritual of adh«n has persisted, the spirit of Bil«l13 is gone
Philosophy has persisted, the teaching of Ghaz«l?14 is gone

Mosques are lamenting that the reciters of prayers are gone
That is those with attributes of ?ij«z’ people are gone

Clamor is that Muslims have disappeared from the world
We ask whether the Muslims were present anywhere?

In fashion you are Christians, in culture you are Hindus
Are these Muslims ! Who put the Jews to embarrassment!

Sure, you are even Saiyyid, Mirza and Afghan also
You are all these, say whether you are Musalmans also?

During speech the candor of the Muslim was fearless
His justice was strong, undefiled by consideration of bias

The tree of Muslim’s nature was watered with modesty
In valor he was an incomprehensible existence

Internal warmth was the essence of his wine’s quality
To empty itself was the custom of his decanter

Every Muslim was a lancet for the vein of infidelity
Activism was the polish to the mirror of his life

Whatever trust he had, on his own strength it was
You are afraid of death, he afraid of God alone was

If the art of the father not well-known to the son be
How can the son worthy of the heritage of the father be!

Everyone is intoxicated with the wine of indulgence
Are you Muslims? To you is this the way of Islam?

You have neither the faqr of Haidar15 nor the wealth of Uthman16
What spiritual relation between you and your ancestors exists?

They were respected in the world by being Muslims
And you became disgraced by abandoning the Qur’«n

You are indignant to each other, beneficent they were
You are guilty and prying into guilts, forgiving and merciful they were

Though everybody wants to reach the zenith of Thurayyah
Every body must first cultivate that kind of affable heart

The throne of Faghf?r 17 was theirs, the crown of Kai also
Is this all mere empty talk or you have that ardor also?

You are self-destructive, zealous and self-respecting they were
You flee from brotherhood, lovers and brotherhood they were

You are head to foot talk, action incarnate they were
You tantalize for flower-bud, with garden in their lap they were

Even now nations remember their story
Impressed on existence’s sheet is their fidelity!

Like stars on the nation’s horizon you appeared also
In the Indian idol’s love you became a Brahman also

In the love for flying you became separated from the nest also
Indolent were the youth already, became suspicious of d?n also

They have been freed from every restraint by ‘civilization’
Having been brought from Ka‘bah, they have been settled in the temple

Qais may not continue enduring hardships of seclusion in the wilderness
May stroll in the city, may not remain wandering in wilderness

He is insane, he may or may not in the city remain
It is necessary the Lailah’s veil may not remain

Let there be no wailing against ‘tyranny’ or complaint of ‘injustice’
Love is free, why should not the Beauty be free also?

The new age is a lightning, consuming every barn is
Safe from this no wilderness and no rose-garden is

Of this new fire old nations are the fuel
The Ummah of the last Prophet is set afire

If the ?m«n of Ibrahim is acquired even now
Fire can create the garden’s norm even now

The gardener should not be upset by seeing the garden’s state
Branches are about to appear from the bunches of buds

The garden will be cleared soon of the waste and trash
The red of the martyrs’ blood will be producing rose buds

Look a little the color of the sky somewhat red is
This the glowing of the horizon by the rising sun is!

Some nations in the existence’s garden benefited from their labors are
And some deprived of fruits and even destroyed by autumn are

Hundreds of trees deteriorated and hundreds flourishing are
Hundreds still even concealed in the bosom of the garden are

The tree of Islam a model of flourishing is
This the fruit of eons of gardening efforts is


Your skirt is undefiled by the dust of homeland
You are the Y?suf18 for whom every Egypt is Kan’«n19

It will never be possible to destroy your caravan
Nothing except the ‘Clarions’s Call’ are your chattel

You are a candle-like tree, in its flame’s smoke your roots are
Your thoughts free from the care of the end are#20

You will not be destroyed by the destruction of Iran(21)
Wine’s ecstasy is not connected with its container

It is evident from the story of the invasion of T«t«rs
That Ka‘bah got protectors from the temple(22)

You are the support of the boat of God in the world
The present age is night, you are a glimmering star

This tumult of Bulgaria’s invasion which is afoot
Is the message of awakening for the negligent( 23)

You think this is the plan for hurting your sentiments
This is a test of your sacrifice and your self respect

Why are you afraid of the hooves of the enemies’ horses ?
The enemies’ blows will be unable to extinguish the light of the Truth

Your potential is still hidden from the world’s nations
The assembly of existence still has need for you

The whole world is kept alive by your warmth
Your Khil«fah is the star of the possibility’s destiny

There is no time for leisure, there is work to be done
Completion of the light of Taw??d is still to be done

Like fragrance you are contained in the flower-bud, become scattered
Become the chattel traveling on the wings of the breeze of the rose-garden

If you are poor, changed from speck to the wilderness be
From the melody of the wave changed to tumult of the storm be

With the Love’s power elevate every low to elegance
With Mu?ammad’s name illuminate the whole world

If there is no flower nightingale’s music should also not be
In the world’s garden smile of flower-buds should also not be


If there is no cup-bearer, wine, and decanter should also not be
Taw??d’s assembly in the world and you should also not be

The system of the universe is stable by this very name
The existence’ pulse is warm with this very name

In the wilderness, on the mountain-side, in the plains it is
In the ocean, in the lap of the wave, in the storm it is

In China’s city, in Morocco’s desert it is
And concealed in the ?m«n of the Muslim it is

The world’s eyes should witness this sight till eternity
The Elegance of the grandeur of “Rafa‘n« Laka Zikrak” 24 should see

The majority people, that is the non-white world25
The world which would nurture your martyrs

The world reared by the sun, the crescent’s world
What the people of Love call the Bil«l’s world

Is agitated like mercury by this name
Is diving in Light like the Beloved

Intellect is your shield, Love is your sword
My dervish !(26) Your viceregency is world-conquering

Your Takb?r like fire for Godlessness is
If you are Muslim your prudence your destiny is

If you are loyal to Mu?ammad we are yours
This universe is nothing the Tablet and the Pen(27) are yours.



Explanatory Notes

1. ‘Arsh-i-Bar?n Literally it means the “High Divine Throne”. It is difficult to comprehend the nature of the Throne of God because it so much different from the earthly thrones. For details see Appendix II.

2. Ri?w«n - The angel who is the gate keeper of Paradise.

3,4. Kaif and Kamm - These are two terms of Greek philosophy which were adopted by the early Muslim philosophers. They concern properties of matter. Kaif refers to the qualitative properties or “attributes”, such as color, taste, big, small etc. Kamm refers to quantitative properties and is derived from Aristotle’s ten categories. It includes volume, length, age, weight etc. These two terms were the precursors of the Muslim philosophy of Existence. This philosophy dealt with two aspects of the Existence of God, i.e. the “Sif«t (attributes) of God” and the “Dh«t (Essence) of God”. Together these two terms give the complete knowledge about something. This verse means that though Man is conversant with all knowledge about God and His universe he is not aware of the secrets and qualities of modesty.

5. The use of the words “We” and “Us” in this and other poems does not compromise the concept of Taw??d of God in Islam. These words are used instead of “I” and “Me” to indicate His Grandeur and Glory. These plural pronouns indicate the Majesty of God. The Holy Qur’«n uses these expressions frequently e.g. (2:34,35).

6. Ka’? - This is the generic name of one of the ancient pre-Islamic dynasties of pre-Christian Ir«n (then Persia). As Persia was a world power for several pre-Christian centuries this dynasty is often used as a metaphor for grandeur and power.

7. This means the “New World” and alludes to the discovery and occupation of the continents of America and Australia by Europeans.

8. S. Ibr«h?m A.S- See Appendix I, No. 43.

9. ?zar- See Appendix I, No. 13.

10. Har J«’? - This word in the original literally means “omni-present”. However, it is commonly used for an unfaithful beloved. This is a pun on the word and is used as sarcasm for God. Also see the last verse of stanza 22 of poem 88, “Shakwah” (The Complaint.

11. ‘All«mah Iqb«l has emphasized this achievement of Islam and early Muslims at many places in his works. See Appendix III, No, 23, pp. 119-20, Section titled “On the Subject that the Purpose of the Prophethood of Sayyidina Mu?ammad S.A.W. was the Formation and Establishment of Freedom, Equality and Fraternity of Mankind”. This concept is based on the message of the Holy Qur’«n. Though this message of the Holy Prophet S.A.W. has been explained in many verses of the Holy Qur’«n and Muslims have been instructed to make all possible sacrifices in their struggle to make the mission successful the following three verses are very significant in that the message has been repeated verbatim three times to emphasize its importance. These verse were: 9:33; 48:28; and 61:9.

12. S. M?s« A.S- See Appendix I, No. 48.

13. S. Bil«l R.A. - See Appendix I, No. 17.

14. Im«m Ab? ?«mid al-Ghaz«l?- See Appendix I, No. 7.

15. S. ‘?l? R.A. See Appendix I, No. 33

16. S. Uthm«n Ibn `?ff«n R.A - See Appendix I, No. 77

17. Faghf?r- This is the generic title of the Emperors of Ancient China.

18,19, S. Y?suf A.S. Allusion to the story of S. Y?suf A.S. for which see the Holy Qur’«n Surah 12 and Appendix I, No. 80. The message of this verse is that Islam and Muslims are super-national and are not restricted to geographical boundaries. This thought has also been emphasized by ‘All«mah Iqb«l by repeating it in his works. Cf.

(199) When T«riq burnt the boats on the Spain’s shore
People said “Your deed is against common sense

(200) We are far from our homeland how shall we reach back
Renunciation of resources is not permitted by the Shari«h”

(201) He laughed and took his hand to the sword and said
“Every land is our land because it is our God’s land

(Appendix III, No. 24).

20. This is the expression of the Islamic teaching that a true Muslim should struggle in the cause of God and Truth without caring for his success and failure. Islam’s history is replete with acts of unimaginable heroism in the cause of God. ‘All«mah Iqb«l has also conveyed this message repeatedly in his poems. Detailed description of Islam’s teachings on this point are contained in the poem 144. Khi?ar-i-R«h (The Guide), section Zindag? (Life) which appears later in this commentary.

21. As stated earlier the Muslim world was on the path of decline even before World War I, which continued for a long time. However, focusing attention on Ir«n in this verse is not for exigencies of poetry. Under the Q«j«r dynasty (1794-1925) Ir«n was drawn into European power politics, entering into treaties with France (1807), Britain (1814), and ceding most of it’s territory in the Caucasus to Russia. Though Britain and Russia had guaranteed Ir«n’s independence in 1834 Britain forced Ir«n’s withdrawal from Afghanist«n in 1885. The discovery of oil in 1901 increased Western interference in the Ir«n’s affairs. In 1907 Britain and Russia agreed to divide Iran into two zones of influence. An army officer Raz« Khan mounted a coup de`etat and became dictator in 1921, assuming the title of Raz« Sh«h Pahlav? in 1925. All these circumstances bereaved ‘All«mah Iqb«l on account of which he included Ir«n in this verse. However, he has used it as a conviction of hope for Islam and Muslims to reduce their frustration at the world affairs vis- a-vis Muslims.

22. Allusion to the Mongol invasion on and destruction of the Islamic world in the 13th. century. This included the destruction of Baghd«d ca. 1218, which was the capital of the Khal?fah and the murder of Must‘a?am Billah, the Khalifah. The descendants of Mongols, who were a branch of T«t«rs embraced Islam and rendered glorious service to Islam in political as well as cultural fields.

23. Reference to the two Balk«n Wars (October 1912- July 1913) in which the Balk«n Provinces of the Uthm«niyyah Khil«fah declared their independence and attacked Turkey. The Bulgarians had captured Adrianople and were marching on Constantinople, the Turkish capital. These wars were instigated and supported by the European imperialist powers in a conspiracy to destroy Turkey. Their machinations would have succeeded but for the timely bold and sincere move by General Enver P«shah in which he forced his way into the cabinet meeting, which was debating surrender, killed the War Minister, and forced the government to a defense which ultimately succeeded . By this move he saved the Turkish capital and even conquered back Adrianople. Obviously, this should have been an eye-opener to the Turkish Government. If they had reformed and strengthened themselves they would not have faced the disgrace of the defeat in World War I.

24. Allusion to the Holy Qur’«n 94:4 which reads “And raised high the esteem in which you are held”, (addressed to the Holy Prophet S.A.W.). The pervious S?rah and this one are complementary to each other and carry the same message to the Holy Prophet S.A.W. and through him, to the Muslim Ummah. In these s?rahs the ups and downs of human life are referred to and the message of hope and consolation is conveyed to muslims, on the basis of God’s Mercies. The Holy Prophet S.A.W. is commanded to pursue the path of virtue and proclaim the bounties of God. ‘All«mah Iqb«l is reminding the Muslim Ummah of this message to muster courage and face their trials and tribulations with heart within and God overhead.

25. ‘All«mah Iqb«l had drawn the world’s attention repeatedly in his works to the moral degeneration and ethical bankruptcy of the Western nations which are responsible for all their political, economic and social evils. Small samples of this message have been presented previously in notes. He also believed that the human race will ultimately rise through Islam and not through Western values. Cf.

“The idealism of Europe never became a living factor in her life, and the result is a perverted ego seeking itself through mutually intolerant democracies whose sole function is to exploit the poor in the interest of the rich. Believe me, Europe today is the greatest hindrance in the way of man’s ethical advancement. The Muslim, on the other hand, is in possession of these ultimate ideas on the basis of a revelation which, speaking from the inmost depths of life, internalizes its apparent externality.”

(Appendix III, No. 27).

As the Islamic world, being outside Europe, is looked down upon by Western nations, and called “dark people” the reference here is to the “world of the dark people”

26. Darv?sh- This a stage in s?fism. According to s?fism when a person reaches this stage of spiritual elegance he does not need strict observance of rituals for his soul’s purification. He also has the ardent Love of God and the latter has much regard for the darv?sh and grants his supplications. The word is used here in that context, i.e. God would grant the request of ‘All«mah Iqb«l for alleviating the sufferings of the Muslim world and improving its condition to ultimately restore it to its pervious glory.

27. Lau? O Qalam Reference to the Lau?-i-Mu?f?? or the “preserved tablet” and the “qalam” or pen accompanying it. This combination exists in the metaphysical world and they are the implements with which the decrees of God are recorded and in which they are preserved. The Holy Qur’«n is also preserved in the same way. See The Holy Qur’«n 85:21-22.

[aftab.yusufzai]

~A longing~

O Lord ! I have become weary of human assemblages!
When the heart is sad no pleasure in assemblages can be

I seek escape from tumult, my heart desires
The silence which speech may ardently love!

I vehemently desire silence, I strongly long that
A small hut in the mountain's side may there be

Freed from worry I may live in retirement
Freed from the cares of the world I may be

Birds chirping may give the pleasure of the lyre
In the spring's noise may the orchestra's melody be

The flower bud bursting may give God's message to me
Showing the whole world 1 to me this small wine-cup may be

My arm may be my pillow, and the green grass my bed be
Putting the congregation to shame my solitude's quality be

The nightingale be so familiar with my face that
Her little heart harboring no fear from me may be

Avenues of green trees standing on both sides be
The spring's clear water providing a beautiful picture be

The view of the mountain range may be so beautiful
To see it the waves of water again and again rising be

The verdure may be asleep in the lap of the earth
Water running through the bushes may glistening be

Again and again the flowered boughs touching the water be
As if some beauty looking at itself in mirror be

When the sun apply myrtle to the evening's bride
The tunic of every flower may pinkish golden be

When night's travellers falter behind with fatigue
Their only hope my broken earthenware lamp may be

May the lightning lead them to my hut
When clouds hovering over the whole sky be .

The early dawn's cuckoo, that morning's mu’adhdhin2
May my confidante he be, and may his confidante I be

May I not be obligated to the temple or to the mosque
May the hut’s hole alone herald of morning’s arrival be

When the dew may come to perform the flowers’ ablution
May wailing my supplication, weeping my ablution be

In this silence may my heart’s wailing rise so high
That for stars’ caravan the clarion’s call my wailing be

May every compassionate heart weeping with me be
Perhaps it may awaken those who may unconscious be.

Allahma Iqbal

[aftab.yusufzai]

~Age of Infancy~

The earth and sky were unknown worlds to me
Only the expanse of mother's bosom was a world to me

Every movement was a symbol of life's pleasure to me
My own speech was like a meaningless word to me

During infancy's pain if somebody made me cry
The noise of the door chain would comfort me

Oh! How I stared at the moon for long hours
Staring at its silent journey among broken clouds

I would ask repeatedly about its mountains and plains
And how surprised would I be at that prudent lie

My eye was devoted to seeing, my lip was prone to speak
My heart was no less than inquisitiveness personified

Allahma Iqbal

[aftab.yusufzai]

~The child's invocation [bachaey ki duaa]~

My longing comes to my lips as supplication of mine
O God! May like the candle be the life of mine!

May the world's darkness disappear through the life of mine!
May every place light up with the sparkling light of mine!

May my homeland through me attain elegance
As the garden through flowers attains elegance

May my life like that of the moth be, O Lord!
May I love the lamp of knowledge, O Lord!

May supportive of the poor my life's way be
May loving the old, the suffering my way be

O God! Protect me from the evil ways
Show me the path leading to the good ways

Allahma Iqbal

[aftab.yusufzai]

~The tomb-stone of saiyyid~

O you whose life is confined in the material world
O you whose soul is imprisoned in the cage

Look at the freedom of this garden's warblers
Look at the prosperity of those once desolate

This is the congregation with which I was concerned
This is the reward of patience and perseverance

My tomb-stone is ardently desirous of speech, look !
At this tomb-stone's inscription with insight look !

If your aim in the world is d?n's education
Never teach your nation world's abdication

Do not use your tongue for sectarianism
Resurrection Day's tumult for booty is stalking

Your writings should pave the way for unity
Beware! No heart should be hurt by your speech

In the new congregation do not start old tales
Do not start again what are now unacceptable tales

Listen to my advice if you are any statesman
Courage is your support if you are a leader of men


Hesitation in expressing your purpose does not behoove you
If your intentions are good you should not fear anything

The Mu’min's heart is clear of fear and hypocrisy
The Mu’min's heart is fearless against the ruler's power

If your hands do hold the miraculous pen
If your heart's cup is clear like the cup of Jam

You are a Divine pupil! Keep your tongue immaculate!
Beware, Lest your prayer's call remains unanswered!

With the miracle of your verse awaken those sleeping
Burn down falsehood's produce with the flame of your call

Allahma Iqbal

[aftab.yusufzai]

~Shikwaa [The Complaint]~


Why should I be destructive and remain reckless of betterment?
Think not of the future, remain occupied in today’s problems?

Should I hear nightingale’s wails, and remain completely silent?
O companion! Am I some flower so that I may remain silent?

The strength of my poetry is encouraging to me
Woe be to me[1]! My remonstrance is against God!

It is true that we are famous in the methods of obeisance
But we are relating our story of pain out of compulsion

Though a silent orchestra, we are full of complaint
If the wailing comes to lips we are excusable

O God! Listen to the remonstrance also from the faithful
Listen to some complaint also from the one accustomed to praise you

Though Thy Eternal Essence had existed since eternity
The flower existed in the garden but fragrance had not dispersed

Justice is a condition, O Lord of Universal Benevolence
How could flower’s fragrance spread if zephyr did not exist?

This problem’s solution was the source of satisfaction to us
Otherwise was the Holy Prophet’s Ummah insane?

The scene of Thy world was strange before us
Stones were adored somewhere, trees were worshipped somewhere

The eyes of Man were accustomed to tangible forms
How could they be amenable to accept the Unseen God?

Doth Those know who ever told Thy beads?
The strength of the Muslim’s arm completed Thy task!

Seljuks [2] were living here and the Turanas[3] also
The Chinese in China and in Iran the Sassanas[4] also

The Greeks were also living in the same habitation
In the same world were the Jews and the Christians also

But who raised the sword in Thy name?
Who reclaimed the despoiled world in Thy name?

We alone were the marshals of Thy troops!
We were fighting now on land and now in the oceans

Some times we were calling adhans in the Europe’s cathedrals
And sometimes in the scorching African deserts

We never cared for the grandeur of monarchs
We recited the Kalimah[5] under the shade of swords

If we lived we lived for the calamities of wars
If we died we died for the grandeur of Thy name

We did not wield the sword for our kingdoms
Did we roam about the world fearlessly for wealth?

If our nation had been greedy of worldly wealth
Why would we have been idol breakers instead of idol sellers?

Once firmly standing in the battle we were immovable
Even lions in the battle against us would be in flight

We were enraged if some one rebelled against Thee
Not to talk of sword we were fighting against canons

We impressed Tawhids’s picture on every heart
We conveyed this message even under the dagger

Tell us Thou, by whom was uprooted the gate of Khaibar[7]
By whom was conquered the city which was Qaisar’s?[8]

By whom were the images of created gods destroyed?
By whom were the armies of infidels slaughtered?

By whom was the fire temple of Iran extinguished?
By whom was the story of Yazdan[9] restored to life?

Which nation did become Thy seeker exclusively?
And became embroiled in wars’ calamities for Thee?

Whose world-conquering sword did world-ruler become?
By whose Takbar did Thy world enlightened become?

Through whose fear idols did perpetually alarmed remain?
Falling on their faces saying “Huwa Allah O Ahad [10] did remain?

If the time of prayer right during the battle fell
Hijaz’ nation in prostration facing the Ka’abah fell

Both Mahmud and Ayaz in the same row stood[6]
None as the slave and none as the master stood

The slave and the master, the poor and the rich all became one!
On arrival in Thy Audience all were reduced to one!

We continuously wandered all over the world
We wandered like the wine-cup with Tawhid’s wine

We wandered with Thy Message in the mountains, in the deserts
And doth Thou know whether we ever returned unsuccessful?

What of the deserts! We did not spare even oceans!
We galloped our horses in the dark ocean!

We effaced falsehood from the earth’s surface
We freed the human race from bonds of slavery

We filled Thy Ka’bah with our foreheads
We put Thy Qur’an to our hearts

Still Thou complaineth that we are lacking fealty
If we are lacking fealty Thou also art not generous

There are other ummahs, among them are sinners also
There are modest people and arrogant ones also

Among them are slothful, indolent as well as clever people
There are also hundreds who are disgusted with Thy name

Thy Graces descend on the other people’s abodes
Lightning strikes only the poor Muslims’ abodes

The idols in temples say ‘The Muslims are gone’
They are glad that the Ka’bah’s sentinels are gone

From the world’s stage the ?ud?[12] singers are gone
They, with the Qur’an in their arm pits, are gone

Infidelity is mocking, hast Thou some feeling or not?
Dost Thou have any regard for Thy own Tawhid or not?

We do not complain that their treasures are full
Who are not in possession of even basic social graces

Outrageous that infidels are rewarded with Houris and palaces
And the poor Muslims are placated with only promise of Houris

We have been deprived of the former graces and favors
What is the matter, we are deprived of the former honors?

Why is the material wealth rare among Muslims?
Thy omnipotence is boundless and inestimable

With Thy Will the desert’s bosom would produce bubbles
The desert’s rambler can be facing flood of mirage’s waves

Others’ sarcasm, disgrace and poverty is our lot
Is abjection the reward for Loving Thee?

Now, this world is the lover of others
For us it is only an imaginary world

We have departed, others have taken over the world
Do not complain now that devoid of Tawhid has become the world

We live with the object of spreading Thy fame in the world
Can the wine-cup exist if the cup-bearer does not live?

Thy assemblage is gone, and Thy Lovers are also gone
The night’s sighs and the dawn’s wailings are gone

They had loved Thee, they are gone with their rewards
They had hardly settled down and they were turned out

The Lovers came but with tomorrow’s promise were sent away
Now seek them with Thy beautiful face’s lamp[13] every way!

Lailah’s pathos is the same, and Qais’ bosom is the same
In the Najd’s wilderness and mountains the deer’s running is the same

The Love’s heart is the same, the Beauty’s magic is the same
The Ummah of the Holy Prophet is the same, Thou art the same

Why then this displeasure without reason is?
Why then this displeasure for Thy Lovers is?

Did we forsake Thee, did we forsake the Arabian Holy Prophet?
Did we adopt idol sculpture, did we idol breaking forsake?

Did we forsake Love, and did we forsake the madness of Love?
Did we forsake the customs of Salman[15] and Uwais of Qur’an?

We have the Takbar’s fire suppressed in our hearts!
We are living the life of Bilal the Negro!

Granted that Love has lost its former elegance also
We may have lost treading the path of Love also

We may have lost the restless heart like the compass also
And we may have lost the observance of fidelity’s rules also

Thou art changing friendship between us and others
It is difficult to say but Thou art also unfaithful!

Thou perfected the Deen on the peak of Faran[15]
Thou captivated the hearts of thousands in a moment

Thou consumed the produce of Love with fire
Thou burned the congregation with Thy face’s fire

Why are not our breasts filled with Love’s sparks now?
We are the same Lovers, dost Thou not remember now?

The noise of Lovers’ chains in the Najd’s Valley has disappeared
Qais has no more remained longing for the litter’s sight

Those old ambitions, we, as well as the heart have disappeared
The house is destroyed as Thou art not present in the house

O that happy day when Thou with elegance will come back
When Thou unveiled to our congregation will come back

Others are sitting at the stream bank in the rose garden
Listening to the cuckoo’s call with wine-cup in their hand

In the garden on a side far from the riotous crowd are sitting
Thy Lovers are also patiently wanting for a Hu![16]

Again endow Thy moths with Longing for burning themselves
Give the command for consumption in Love to the old lightning

The wandering nation is riding again towards Hijaz
The taste of flight has carried the unfledged nightingale

The fragrance of humility is restless in every flower bud
Just start the music, orchestra is seeking the plectrum

Songs are restless to come out of the strings
??r is impatient for burning in the same fire

Make easy the difficulties of the blessed Ummah
Place the poor ant shoulder to shoulder to Sulaiman

Make the invaluable produce of Love accessible again
Change the idolatrous Muslims of India into Muslims again

A stream of blood drips from the frustrations mine
Wailing palpitates in the wounded breast of mine!

The rose’ fragrance took garden’s secret outside the garden
Outrageous that flowers themselves are informers against the garden

The spring is over, broken is the orchestra of the garden
Flown away from branches are the songsters of the garden

Only a nightingale is left which is singing still
In its breast overflows the flood of songs still

Turtle-doves from the juniper’s branches are gone also
Flower petals dropping from the flower are scattered also

The garden’s old beautiful walk-ways are gone also
The branches became bare of the cover of leaves also

But his nature remained free of the season’s restrictions
Would somebody in the garden understand his complaint!!

There is no pleasure in dying and no taste in living is
If there is any pleasure it in bearing this affliction is

Many a virtue is restless in my mirror!
Many an effulgence is fluttering in my breast!

But there is none in this garden to see them
There are no poppies with Love’s stain on their breasts [18]

May hearts open up with the song of this lonely nightingale
May the sleeping hearts wake up with this very Bang-i-Dara

May the hearts come to life again with a new covenant
May the hearts be thirsty again for this same old wine

My alembic may be from `Ajam, but my wine is from Hijaz
The song may be Indian but my tune is from Hijaz.

Explanatory Notes;

1. “Dust in the mouth”- This is the expression used in the original poem. This expression is used as a curse in Urdu and is pronounced when someone makes an exaggerated statement or request.

2. Seljuks- This was a Turkish tribe which inhabited Central Asia. Later they accepted Islam.

3. Teranas- People inhabiting the tract north of the Oxus River.

4. Sassanids- This was a tribe inhabiting Persia. They ruled over a large empire east of the Byzantine Empire across the Euphrates River (ca. 226-641). They were followers of Zoroaster and worshipped fire. They were defeated by the Muslims in 641 during the time of Caliph Omar ibn Khattab.

5. Kalimah-The Muslim creed of “La Ilaha Ill Allah Muhammed Ar Rasullillah,” (There is no deity except God and Mohammed [Peace be upon him] is His Prophet).

6. This alludes to Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna and his very favorite slave, Ayaz
Ek hi saf mein khade Mahmud O Ayaz
Na koi Banda raha na koi Banda Nawaz
This is the original urdu of the couplet. This couplet is often quoted even today. In Islam every man whatever his situation in life is a brother in faith. Nothing shows this more strongly then when men stand in a row to offer prayers. All are equal in the eyes of God be it Mahmud the Sultan or Ayaz the slave.

7. Khaibar- This was a stronghold of Jews in Hejaz, where they consolidated themselves after their expulsion from Madinah Munawwarah (presently Medina in Saudi Arabia) (625). Khaibar had six forts of which Qames was the strongest. It was attacked by the Holy Prophet in ca. 630. after the jews broke their treaty with the muslims. The gate of the fort of Qames was broken by Ali Ibn Abi Talib which is a very famous act of bravery in Islamic history.

8. City of Qaisar- Allusion to Constantinople

9. Yazdan- This is the god of Virtue and Good in the Zoroastrian religion as opposed to the god of Evil and Sin represented by Ahirman. The word is also used in Persian and Urdu for God, as is done here.

10. Allusion to the Holy Qur’an

11. Allusion to the achievements of Khair-al-Din Barbarasah (1474-1546. This particular verse alludes to the expedition of Barbarasah Brothers (Arouj and Khair-al-Dan Barbarasah) in north-west Africa for expelling the Spaniards from those Muslim lands and establishing the suzerainty of the Islamic Ottoman Caliphate. About 1512 they conquered up to the north-western sea coast and in their zeal drove their horses to some distance in the Atlantic Ocean, saying that if the land of God extended beyond the African coast they would conquer it also in His name.

12. Hud?- Songs which camel drivers sing when the caravan is marching.

13. The expression “searching something with a lamp in hand” is used in Urdu to search for something almost non-existent. The intensity of the search as well as a hint of taunt is added by Iqbal by including the part of the “lamp of the Beautiful Face of God”.

14. This is a pun on the word “harja’&#; used in the text. It means omni-present as well as a person who is not restricted to one person in love and fidelity.

15. Peak of Faran- Faran is the mountain on which the Cave of Hira is located. It was while The Holy Prophet was meditating in the Cave of Hira as was his usual habit that God sent the Arch Angel Gabriel to him with the Message. This was the first revelation of the Holy Quran the chapter that is called Iqra (Read).

16. Hu- This is an abbreviation for ‘huva’ which means ‘He’ and is used for God. Here it is used as part of the expression ‘Allh Hu’ which means ‘Only God has real Existence’ and is used in Ta?awwuf’s spiritual exercises.


17. In the end of the poem Iqbal is referring to himself and his book, Bang-i-Dara.

18. The poppy flower has a black stain at the bottom of its corolla. This is poetically referred to as the mark of Love of God.

[aftab.yusufzai]

~THE MOSQUE OF CORDOBA (Masjid-e-Qartabaa)~

The cycle of day and night [is] the engraver of events.
The cycle of day and night [is] the essence of life and death.
The cycle of day and night is a two-colored thread of silk
with which the being weaves its attire of traits.
The cycle of day and night [is] the lamentation of the musical-instrument of the origin
through which the being shows the vicissitudes of possibilities.
It tries you, it tries me;
the cycle of day and night is the examiner of the cosmos.
If you're impure, if I'm impure
[then] it leads to your funeral procession, it leads to my funeral procession.
What else is the truth of your days and nights;
a surge of the time sans day and night.
All the marvels of the skills are transient;
the existence of world is ephemeral! The existence of world is ephemeral!

[The fate of] the beginning and the end is death, [the fate of] the unseen and apparent is death.
Be it an antiquated imprint or the latest one, its last destination is death.
Yet there exists a hue of eternity in this imprint;
the one that has been completed by some man of God.
The actions of the man of God get accelerated with [the help of] love.
The essence of life is love; death is forbidden for it.
hough the gush of the time is intense and fast
love itself is a tempest that restrains [other] tempests.
In the calendar of love, besides the contemporary age,
|there're other ages too that don't have names.
Love is the mainstay of Gabriel, love is the heart of Mustafa.
Love is the Messenger of God, love is the message of God.
The flower looks dazzling because of the intoxication of love.
Love is the undiluted wine, love is the wine-cup of a munificent drinker.
Love is the jurist of the Shariat, love is the commander of the army.
Love is the traveler because of which it passes through thousands of stages.

The lifeline streams out of the plectrum of love.
The radiance of life is due to love; the fire of life is because of love.

O Mosque of Cordoba! Your existence [too] is because of love.
Love is infinite time that's beyond the cycle of transient time.
Be it painting, architecture, music poetry or calligraphy,
all these arts thrive on the intensity of love!
The intensity of love turns a stone into a heart
[and] it's love that bestows depth of feeling, exhilaration and melody to the voice.
Your environ is charming, my songs are poignant;
you make the hearts bow before God, I make the hearts capacious.
The bosom of man isn't inferior to the empyrean throne of God
though his body is made of earth and is mortal.
Though the angels [also] prostrate before God
but their prostration lacks poignancy.
[Though] I'm an infidel from India, behold my earnestness
[that] my heart prays benison for the Prophet, my lips do the same.

The zeal is in my tune, the zeal is in my flute;
the hymn of God is in my essence.
Your grandeur and beauty manifests the man of God;
he too is eminent and handsome, you too are eminent and handsome.
Your foundation is stable, you've countless pillars
[which look like] the rows of palm trees in the oasis of Syria.
The radiance of Sinai valley is spread over your nooks and corners;
this tall minaret of yours is the place of manifestation for Gabriel.
The pious Muslim can never be eliminated, for
his calls for prayers reveal the mysteries of Moses and Abraham.
His land is limitless, his sky is boundless;
the surge of his sea is spread over Tigris, Danube and Nile.
His reigns have been awe-inspiring, his tales have been extraordinary;
it was he who commanded the antiquated epoch to perish.
He's the cupbearer to those who have taste, he's the cavalier of the field of passion;
his wine is pure, his sword is of high trait.

He's the soldier whose armor is [the belief in] one God;
under the shadow of swords his refuge is [the belief in] one God.

Through you the mysteries of the pious Muslim,
the warmth of his days, the poignancy of his nights,
his lofty position, his exalted thoughts,
his exhilaration, his passion, his humility, his dalliance, have been revealed.
The hand of God is the hand of the pious Muslim,
which is triumphant, effectual, resourceful [and] skillful.
[He possesses] the traits of both man and angel and the attributes of the Lord;
his heart, though carefree, is richer than the two worlds.
His expectations are few, his objectives are sublime;
his style is irresistible, his sight is captivating.
[He's] soft while conversing, passionate while in action;
be it the battlefield or a social gathering [he's always] pious and orderly.
His faith is the focal point of Truth
and the rest of the cosmos is illusion, sorcery and unreal.

He's the destination of reason, he is the output of love;
he's is the warmth of the assemblage in the circuit of cosmos.
You're the Mecca of the designers, the apostle of the grandeur of Islam;
by virtue of you, the land of Spain has become as hallowed as that of Mecca.
If any other model, as exquisite as you, exists in this world
it is in the heart of a Muslim and nowhere else.
Alas! Those men of Truth! Those Arab cavaliers!
The possessors of 'inspiring character', the followers of truth and faith;
their rule has revealed this simple mystery
that the State ruled by the faithful is pro-poor, not monarchical;
their insights have trained the East and the West;
their reasoning was the guiding force in the darkness of Europe.
It is because of their blood that, even today, the Spanish people
are friendly, hospitable, simple and handsome.
In this country, even now, [people's eyes] look like those of gazelle
and, even today, the arrows of their sights are enchanting.
The aroma of Yemen, even today, is mixed in its winds;
the tunes of Hejaz, even now, are fused in its songs.
In the eyes of the faithful your land's estimation is equal to that of sky.
Alas! Your environ has not heard the call for prayer for centuries.
In which vale, at what destination,
the strong caravan of the zealous lovers [of God] got stuck up.
Germany has witnessed the Reformation
that has erased all the imprints of antiquated faith;
because of which the piety of the Pope has become an erroneous term
and the subtle ferry of reason sailed on its course.
France too has experienced the Revolution
that has changed the world of the Westerners.
The Roman nation that has been submerged in retrogressive culture
has, once again, become powerful because of the new ideas.
The soul of the Muslim nation too is experiencing similar unrest;
what lies ahead is a mystery of God that I can't reveal.
Wait and see what spurts out of the seabed;
the blue dome [of sky] changes to what colour.
In the vale, surrounded by the mountain range, the cloud is swallowed up by the redness;
the sun has set leaving behind the mounds of rubies from Badakhshan.
The song of the farmer's daughter is simple and poignant;
youth is like a tempest to the vessel of heart.
O stream of Kabeer! On your bank
someone is perceiving the dream of some other age.
[Though] the coming world is still covered with the curtain of destiny,
before my eyes its beginning is uncovered.
If I remove the curtains from the face of the [future] thoughts
the Western people won't face up to my songs.
The life that has no place for revolution is death
[for] the spirit of the nation lies in struggle and revolution.
The nation, which takes stock of its actions in each age,
develops into a sword in the hand of death.
All the imprints are incomplete in the absence of love and endeavor;
melody is like a crude insanity in the absence of love and endeavor

Allahma Iqbal

[azharm]

can we share in roman urdu Yousaf ji?