Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal, also known as Allama Iqbal, was a philosopher, poet and politician in British India who is widely regarded as having inspired the Pakistan Movement.
(Bal-e-Jibril-142) Saqi Nama (ساقی نامہ) Sakinama
SAKINAMA
Iram Ban Gya Daman-E-Kohsar
Spring’s caravan has pitched its tent
At the foot of the mountain, making it look like the fabled garden of Iram
Shaheed-E-Azal Lalah Khooni Kafan
With a riot of flowers—iris, rose, narcissus, lily, eglantine,
And tulip in its martyr’s gory shroud.
Lahoo Ki Hai Gardish Rag-E-Sang Mein
The landscape is all covered with a multicoloured sheet,
and color flows even in the veins of stones like blood.
Thehar Nahin Aashiyan Mein Tayoor
The breezes blow intoxicatingly in a blue sky,
so that the birds do not feel like remaining in their nests and fly about.
Atakti, Lachakti, Sirakti Huwi
Look at that hill‐stream. How it halts
and bends and glides and swings around,
Bare Paich Kha Kar Niklti Huwi
Jumping, slipping and then, collecting itself,
surges up and rushes on.
Paharon Ke Dil Cheer Deti Hai Ye
Should it be stemmed, it would burst the rocks
and cut open the hills’ hearts
Sunati Hai Ye Zindagi Ka Payam
This hill‐stream, my fair saki,
has a message to give us concerning life.
Ke Ati Nahin Fasal-E-Gul Roz Roz
Attune me to this message and,
Come, let us celebrate the spring, which comes but once a year.
Woh Mai Jis Se Hai Masti-E-Kainat
Give me that wine whose Whose light illuminates life’s mind,
whose heat burns up the veils of hidden things,
Woh Mai Jis Se Khulta Hai Raaz-E-Azal
Give me that wine whose heat burns up the veils of hidden things,
Whose light illuminates life’s mind,
Lara De Mamoole Ko Shahbaz Se
Come lift the veil off mysteries,
And make a mere wagtail take eagles on.
Naya Raag Hai, Saaz Badle Gye
The times have changed; so have their signs.
New is the music, and so are the instruments.
Ke Hairat Mein Hai Sheesha Baaz-E-Farang
The magic of the West has been exposed,
And the magician stands aghast.
Zameen Mir-E-Sultan Se Baizar Hai
The politics of the ancient regime are in disgrace:
world is tired of kings.
Tamasha Dikha Kar Madari Gya
The age of capitalism has passed,
The juggler, having shown his tricks, has gone.
Hamala Ke Chashme Ubalne Lage
The Chinese are awaking from their heavy sleep.
Fresh springs are bubbling forth from Himalayan heights.
Tajalli Ka Phir Muntazir Hai Kaleem
Cut open is the heart of Sinai and Faran,
And Moses waits for a renewed theophany.
Magar Dil Abhi Taak Hai Zunnar Posh
The Muslim, zealous though about God’s unity,
Still wears the Hindu’s sacred thread around his heart.
Butan-E-Ajam Ke Poojari Tamam!
In culture, mysticism, canon law and dialectical theology—
He worships idols of non‐Arab make.
Ye Ummat Rawayat Mein Kho Gyi
The truth has been lost in absurdities,
And in traditions is this Ummah rooted still.
Magar Lazzat-E-Shauq Se Be-Naseeb!
The preacher’s sermon may beguile your heart,
But there is no sincerity, no warmth in it.
Lughat Ke Bakheron Mein Uljha Huwa
It is a tangled skein of lexical complexities,
Sought to be solved by logical dexterity.
Mohabbat Mein Yakta, Hamiyyat Mein Fard
The Sufi, once foremost in serving God,
Unmatched in love and ardency of soul,
Ye Salik Maqamat Mein Kho Gya
Has got lost in the maze of Ajam’s ideas:
At half‐way stations is this traveller stuck.
Musalman Nahin, Raakh Ka Dhair Hai
Gone out is the fire of love. O how sad!
The Muslim is a heap of ashes, nothing more.
Wohi Jaam Gardish Mein La Saqiya!
O Saki, serve me that old wine again,
Let that old cup go round once more.
Meri Khaak Jugnu Bana Kar Ura
Lend me the wings of Love and make me fly.
Turn my dust to fireflies that flit about.
Jawanon Ko Peeron Ka Ustad Kar
Free young men’s minds from slavery,
And make them mentors of the old.
Nafs Iss Badan Mein Tere Dam Se Hai
The millat’s tree is green thanks to your sap:
You are its body’s breath.
Dil-E-Murtaza(R.A.), Souz-E-Siddique(R.A.) De
Give it the strength to vibrate and to throb;
Lend it the heart of Murtaza, the fervor of Siddiq.
Tammana Ko Seenon Mein Baidar Kar
Drive that old arrow through its heart
Which will revive desire in it.
Zameenon Ke Shab Zinda Daron Ki Khair
Blest be the stars of Your heavens; blest be
Those who spend their nights praying to You.
Mera Ishq, Meri Nazar Bakhs De
Endow the young with fervent souls;
Grant them my vision and my love.
Ye Sabat Hai Tu Iss Ko Syyar Kar
I am a boat in a whirlpool, stuck in one place.
Rescue me and grant me mobility.
K Teri Nigahon Mein Hai Kainat
Tell me about the mysteries of life and death,
For Your eye spans the universe.
Mere Dil Ki Poshida Be-Tabiyan
The sleeplessness if my tear‐shedding eyes;
The restless yearnings hidden in my heart;
Meri Khalwat-O-Anjuman Ka Gudaz
The prayer-fulness of my cries at midnight;
My melting into tears in solitude and company;
Umeedain Meri, Justujoo’ain Meri
Gazaalan-E-Afkaar Ka Marghzaar
My aspirations, longings and desires;
My hopes and quests; my mind that mirrors the times (A field for thought’s gazelles to roam);
Gamanon Ke Lashkar, Yaqeen Ka Sabaat
My heart, which is a battlefield of life,
Where legions of doubt war with faith—
Issi Se Faqeeri Mein Hun Main Ameer
O Saki, these are all my wealth;
Possessing them, I am rich in my poverty.
Luta De, Thikane Laga De Isse!
Distribute all these riches in my caravan,
And let them come to some good use.
Har Ek Shay Se Paida Ram-E-Zindagi
In constant motion is the sea of life.
All things display life’s volatility.
K Shaole Mein Poshida Hai Mouj-E-Dood
It is life that puts bodies forth,
Just as a whiff of smoke becomes a flame.
Khush Ayi Isse Mehnat Aab-O-Gil
Unpleasant to it is the company of matter,
but it likes to see uts striving to improve itself.
Anasir Ke Phandon Se Baizar Bhi
It is fixed, yet in motion,
straining at the leash to get free of the elements.
Magar Har Kahin Be Chugun, Benazir
A unity imprisoned in diversity,
It is unique in every form and shape.
Issi Ne Tarasha Hai Ye Somnaat
This world, this sex‐dimensioned idol‐house,
This Somnat is all of its fashioning.
K Tu Main Nahin, Aur Main Tu Nahin
It is not its way to repeat itself:
You are not I, I am not you.
Magar Ayn-E-Mehfil Mein Khalwat Nasheen
With you and me and others it has formed assemblies,
but is solitary in their midst.
Ye Chandi Mein, Sone Mein, Paare Mein Hai
It shines in lightning, in the stars,
In silver, gold and mercury.
Issi Ke Hain Kante, Issi Ke Hain Phool
Its is the wilderness, its are the trees,
Its are the roses, its are the thorns.
Kahin Iss Ke Phande Mein Jibreel-O-Hoor
It pulverizes mountains with its might,
And captures Gabriel and houris in its noose.
Lahoo Se Chakoron Ke Aluda Chang
There is a silver‐grey, brave falcon here,
Its talons covered with the blood of partridges,
Pharakta Huwa Jaal Mein Na-Saboor
And over there, far from its nest,
A pigeon helplessly aflutter in a snare.
Tarapta Hai Har Zarra-E-Kainat
Stability is an illusion of eyes,
For every atom in the world pulsates with change.
Ke Har Lehza Hai Taza Shaan-E-Wujood
The caravan of life does not halt anywhere,
For every moment life renews itself.
Faqat Zauq-E-Parwaaz Hai Zindagi
Do you think life is great mystery?
No, it is only a desire to soar aloft.
Safar Iss Ko Manzil Se Barh Kar Pasand
It has seen many ups and downs,
But likes to travel rather than to reach the goal;
Safar Hai Haqiqat, Hazar Hai Majaaz
For travelling is life’s outfit: it
Is real, while rest is appearance, nothing more.
Tarapne Pharakne Mein Rahat Isse
Life loves to tie up knots and then unravel them.
Its pleasure lies in throbbing and in fluttering.
Kathan Tha Bara Thaamna Mout Ka
When it found itself face to face with death,
It learned that it was hard to ward it off.
Rahi Zindagi Mout Ki Ghaat Mein
So it descended to this world, where retribution is the law,
And lay in wait for death.
Uthi Dast-O-Kohsaar Se Fouj Fouj
Because of its love of duality, It sorted all things out in pairs,
And then arose, host after host, from mountains and from wilderness.
Issi Shakh Se Phootte Bhi Rahe
It was a branch from which flowers kept shedding
and bursting forth afresh.
Ubharta Hai Mit Mit Ke Naqsh-E-Hayat
The ignorant think that life’s impress is ephemeral,
but it fades only to emerge anew.
Azal Se Abad Tak Ram-E-Yak Nafas
Extremely fleet‐footed, It reaches its goal instantly.
From time’s beginning to its end is but one moment’s way for it.
Damon Ke Ulat Phair Ka Naam Hai
Time, chain of days and nights, is nothing but
A name for breathing in and breathing out.
Khudi Kya Hai, Talwaar Ki Dhaar Hai
What is this whiff of air called breath? A sword,
and selfhood is that sword’s sharp edge.
Khudi Kya Hai, Baidari-E-Kainat
What is the self? Life’s inner mystery,
The universe’s waking up.
Samundar Hai Ek Boond Pani Mein Band
The self, drunk with display, is also fond of solitude;
—an ocean in a drop.
Mann-O-Tu Mein Paida, Mann-O-Tu Se Paak
It shines in light and darkness both;
Displayed in individuals, yet free from them.
Na Had Iss Ke Peeche. Na Had Samne
Behind it is eternity without beginning, and before it is eternity without an end;
It is unlimited both ways.
Sitam Iss Ki Moujon Ke Sehti Huwi
Swept on by the waves of time’s stream,And at the mercy of their buffeting,
Damadam Nigahain Badalti Huwi
It yet changes the course of its quest constantly,
Renewing its way of looking at things.
Pahar Is Ski Zarbon Se Raig-E-Rawan
For it huge rocks are light as air:
It smashes mountains into shifting sand.
Yehi Iss Ki Taqweem Ka Raaz Hai
Both its beginning and its end are journeying,
For constant motion is its being’s law.
Ye Berang Hai Doob Kar Rang Mein
It is a ray of light in the moon and a spark in stone. It dwells
In colors, but is colorless itself.
Nashaib-O-Faraz-O-Pas-O-Paish Se
It has nothing to do with more or less,
With light and low, with fore and aft.
Huwi Khaak-E-Adam Mein Soorat Pazeer
Since time’s beginning it was struggling to emerge,
And finally emerged in the dust that is man.
Falak Jis Tarah Aankh Ke Til Mein Hai
It is in your heart that the Self has its abode,
As the sky is reflected in the pupil of the eye.
Woh Naa Jis Se Jati Rahe Is Ski Aab
To one who treasures his self,
bread won at the cost of self‐respect is gall.
Rahe Jis Se Dunya Mein Gardan Buland
He values only bread
he gains with head held high.
Khudi Ko Nigah Rakh, Ayazi Na Kar
Abjure the pomp and might of a Mahmud;
Preserve your self, do not be an Ayaz.
Ke Ho Jis Se Har Sajda Tujh Par Haraam
Worth offering is only that prostration
which makes all others forbidden acts.
Ye Alam Ke Hai Zair-E-Farmaan-E-Mout
This world, this riot of colors and of sounds,
Which is under the sway of death,
Jahan Zindagi Hai Faqat Khurad-O-Nosh
This idol‐house of eye and ear,
In which to live is but to eat and drink,
Musafir ! Ye Tera Nasheman Nahin
Is nothing but the Self’s initial stage.
O traveller, it is not your final goal.
Jahan Tujh Se Hai, Tu Jahan Se Nahin
The fire that is you has not come out of this heap of dust.
You have not come out of this world; It has come out of you.
Tilism-E-Zaman-O-Makan Torh Kar
Smash up this mountainous blockade,
Go further on and break out oft his magic ring of time and space.
Zameen Iss Ki Sayd, Asman Is Ka Sayd
God’s lion is the self; Its quarry is world
Its quarry are both earth and sky.
K Khali Nahin Hai Zameer-E-Wujood
There are a hundred worlds still to appear,
For Being’s mind has not drained of its creative capabilities.
Teri Shoukhi-E-Fikr-O-Kirdaar Ka
All latent worlds are waiting for releasing blows
From your dynamic action and exuberant thought.
K Teri Khudi Tujh Pe Ho Ashkaar
It is the purpose of the revolution of the spheres
That your selfhood should be revealed to you.
Tujhe Kya Bataon Teri Sarnawisht
You are the conqueror of this world of good and evil.
How can I tell you The whole of your long history?
Haqiqat Hai Ayna, Guftaar Zang
Words are but a strait‐jacket for reality:
Reality is a mirror, and speech the coating that makes it opaque.
Magar Taab-E-Guftaar Kehti Hai, Bas !
Breath’s candle is alight within my breast,
But my power of utterance cries halt.
Farogh-E-Tajali Basozd Param’
Should I fly even a hairbreadth too high,
The blaze of glory would burn up my wings.
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