MY FAVOURITE LINES FROM ALLAMA IQBAL'S POEMS SHIKWA AND JAWAAB E SHIKWA

                                                                      

               Allama Iqbal  in England  ( second from right ).1932   .

Allama Iqbal was profoundly influenced by Western philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Henri Bergson and Goethe . Even his book Javid Nama ( Book of Eternity ) considered to be one of the masterpieces of Iqbal is inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy and just as Dante's guide was Virgil, Iqbal is guided by Rumi. I hereunder  post some lines of my choice from allama’s poems Shikwa and Jawaab e shikwa .

1 Bu e Gul Le gayee Beroon e Chaman raaz e chaman .

Kyaa qayaamat Hai  ke Khudd Phool Hain Ghamaaz i Chaman

 Ahd e Gul Khatam Huva toot Gayaa Saaz e Chaman

Udd gaye Daaliyon se Zamzamaa Pardaaz e Chaman

Ek Bul Bul Hai ke Hai Mehaw e  Taranumm Ab Tak

Uss Ke seene Mein Hai Nagmon kaa Talaatum Ab Tak

( Allama Iqbal  from Shikwa )

The scent of the blossoms stole

The secrets of the garden away

What Calamity !the traitor’s role

The gardens buds aught play!

The garden’s lyric is done ;

The season of flowers is gone ;

And from its perch upon the twig ,

Each hiss songster has flown .

A lonely nightingale sings on

In garden all day long;

Its throat with the jingle still

And pours out its soul in the song.   

2 Qumriyaan Shakh e snober se Gurezaan Bhi Huyeen

Pattiyaan Phool Ki Jhar Jhar ke pareshaan Bhi Huyeen

Woh Puraani Ravishein Bagh ki Veeraan Bhi Huyeen

Daaliyaan Pairahan e barg se Uriyaan Bhi Huyeen

Qaed i Mawsim se Tabiyat Rahee Azaad uss ski

Kaash Gulshan mein samajhataa Koyee Fariyaad uss ski

( Allama Iqbal from Shikwa )

The ring doves averse from the cypress ;

Have from the garden flown ;

The petals dismayed left the flower ,

Letting boughs naked, have random strewn.

Those ancient garden walks

Lie desolate and are shorn,

Ravished of their leafy robes ,

Are stripped of , they had worn;

Unmoved by passing season’s turn,

The songster sings alone:

Alas! If in this garden some

Could feel the clog of its moan!

3  BaadaKush Gair hain Gulshan mein lab e Joo Baithey

Suntein hain jaam bakaf nagamaa e  koo Koo Baithey

Door Hangaam e Gulzaar Se Yukk Soo Baithey

Tere Deewane Bhi Hain Muntizar e Hoo Baithey

Apney parwaanon Ko Phir Dhawq e Afrozi Dhe

Barq e Daireena ko Farmaan e Jigar Sozee Dhe.

( Allama Iqbal from Shikwa )

Drunken aliens in the garden ,

By the fountain are sitting .

Sparkling glasses in their hands

They listen the cuckoo singing!

Away from the disorder in the garden

Quiet in the corner seated too,

Love aching loonies await

The furor igniting spice of “HOO” !

Ignite in thy moths the urge

To burn themselves in the flare .

Kindle again the ancient lightning ,

Mark our souls with thy name !

4 Dil Se Jo Baat Nikalti hai assar rakhti hai

Par Nahin Taaqat e Parwaaz magar Rakhti Hai

Qudsi ul Asl hai Rifat Pe nazar Rakhti Hai

Khaaq Se Uthatee hai Garduun pe Guzar rakhti hai

Ishq Thhaa Fitanaa gar o sarkash o Chaalak meraa

Aasmaan Cheer gayaa naala i Bebaak Meraa

( From Jawaab E shikwa Allama Iqbal )

Passion, streaming from heart

Never fails to have effect.

But No ! Blessed is its origin ,

On heights its locus is set ;

Though they Have no wings ,

Yet have power to fly ,

And though from dust it rises ,

Yet pierces through the sky.

So reckless and erratic was my passion ,

Such clamor raised its sighs,

So intense was my plaint

It tore through the skies .   

5 Peer o Garduun Ne kahaa Sun Ki kahin hai Koyee

Bole Sayaare sare Arshe Bareen hai Koyee

Chaand Kehtaa thaa nahin Ahl e Zameen Hai Koyee

Kehkashaan kehtee thhee Posheeda Yaheen hai Koyee

Kuchch Jo Samjhaa Mere shikwe Ko to Rizwaan Samjhaa

Mujhe Jannat Se Nikaala Huvaa insaan Samjhaa

( From Jawaab e Shikwa By Allama Iqbal )

The aged sphere heard in amazement ,

Some one is some where , said he .

The planets paused and chimed in ,

On paradise some one must be.

Bright moon said “ You are Wrong ,

Some mortal from earth below ”

The milky way too joined parleys ,

Some one is hiding here we do not know.

Guardian of heavens “ Rizwaan ”alone

Could understand and recognize ,

He made out for a human who

Had lost his paradise.  
( Translation  from urdu is  by Sultan Zahur Akhtar     )             




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