Lenin - Khuda Ke Huzoor Mein

Aye Anfus-o-Afaq Mein Paida Tere Ayaat;
Haq Ye Hai, Ke Hai Zinda-o-Painda Teri Zaat.

Signs, within the soul and within the Universe bear witness;
Truth it is indeed, that Your identity is existing and everlasting.

Main Kaise Samajhta, Ke Tu Hai Ya Ke Nahi Hai?
Hardam Mutaghayyar They Khirad Ke Nazariyyat.

How will I know whether Your existence is there or not?
The view point of Intellectuals was always fluctuating and differing.

Mehram Nahi Fitrat Ke Sarod-e-Azali Se;
Beena-e-Kawaakib Ho Ke Daana-e-Nabataat.

Man is not in tune with the Nature's Infinite Music.
Be he the great Astronomer or even he be expert in Botany.

Aaj Aankh Ne dekha, Tho Wo Aalam Huwa Saabit;
Main Jisko Samajhta Tha Kaleesa Ke Khuraafaat.

To-day when i saw, the thing became evident.
That I once thought the mummery (superstitions) of the Church.

Ham Bande Shab-o-Roz Mein Jakde Huwe Bande;
Tu Khaliq-e-Asaar-o-Nigaarind-e-Aanaat.

We are handcuffed in the chains of day and night!
You are the Creator of Essence and Beautifier of Moments (Time).

Ek Baat Agar Mujhko Ijaazat Ho Tho Poochun?
Hal Kar Na Sake Jisko Hakeemon Ke Maqaalaat.

Let me have leave to ask this question, one
Not answered by the subtleties of the schools

Jab Tak Main Jiya Khema-e-Aflaak Ke Neeche;
Kaante Ki Tarha Dil Mein Khatak'ti Rahi Ye Baat.

Until I lived under the Tent of Heavens;
These words, Like a thorn, continued to irritate in my heart.

Guftaar Ke Usloob Pe Kaabu Nahi Rehta;
Jab Rooh Ke Andar Mutalaatim Ho Khayaalaat.

I could not keep my tumbling words within bounds.
When thoughts are wavy/unsteady inside the soul.

Wo Kaunsa Aadam Hai? Ke Tu Jiska Hai Mabood?
Wo Aadam-e-Khaaki? Ke Jo Hai Zer-e-Samawaat?

Which is that mortal being of which You are the Lord?
Those beings formed of dust beneath these heavens?

Mashrikh Ke Khudaawand Safedaan-e-Farangi;
Maghrib Ke Khudaawand Darakh'shanda Filizzaat.

The masters of the East are pale of the Europeans,
The masters of the West are the glittering metals.(Gold etc)

Europe Mein Bahut Roshani-o-ilm-o-Hunar Hai;
Haq Ye Hai Ke Be-Chashmah-e-Haiwaan Hain Ye Zulmaat.

Ya,its true that there is light of knowledge & skill in Europe
But becouse of d Darkness(non belief in God), their's no life in it

Raanai-e-Taameer Mein, Raunak Mein Safa Mein;
Girjon Se Kaheen Badhke Hain Bank'on Ke Imaaraat

In beauty of construction, in brightness, in cleanliness,
Towers of banks are much more greater than the places of worship

Zaahir Mein Tijaarat Hai, Haqeeqat Mein Juwa Hai;
Sood Ek Ka, Lakhon Ke Liye Marg-e-Mafaajaat.

Business in appearance, but gamble in reality,
Profit for one, but for millions it is swooping death.

Ye ilm Ye Hikmath Ye Tadabbur Ye Hukoomat;
Peete Hain Lahoo, Dete Hain Taaleem-e-Musaawaat.

The knowledge,the wisdom, the scholarship & the government,
Drink/Suck the blood of the poor and say that they treat them all as equal

Bekari-o-Uryaani-o-Mai'Khaari-o-IfLaas
Kya Kam Hain Farangi Madaniyat Ke Fatoohaat?

Unemployment, nakedness, Drunkenness, bankruptcy etc;
Are these the mean triumphs of the Western civilization?

Wo Qaum, Ke Faizaan-e-Samaawi Se Ho Mehroom;
Hadd Uske Kamalaat Ki Hai Barq-o-Bukharaat.

That nation which is deprived of heavenly grace
Doesn't Progress beyond than electricity or steam. (Means only worldly life)

Hai Dil Ke Liye Maut, Machine'on Ki Hukoomat;
Ehsaas-e-Murawwat Ko Kuchal Dete Hain Alaat

Rule of machines are death to our hearts (humans),
These machines destroy sense and feelings of human kindness.

Aasaar Tho Kuch Kuch Nazar Aatey Hain Ke Aakhir;
Tadbeer Ko Taqdeer Ke Shaatir Ne Kiya Maat

The symptoms do appear here and there, but at the end.
The tactics of the humans have been completely defeated by the Fate

Mai'Khaane Ki Bunyaad Mein Aaya Hai Tazal'zul;
Baithey Hain isee Fikr Mein Peeran-e-Kharabaat

The Wine house's foundations got a jolt,
Old men of bad habits sit with this concern.

Chehron Pe Jo Surkhi Nazar Aati Hai Sarr-e- Shaam;
Ya Ghaazah Hai Ya Saaghar-o-Meena Ke Karaamaat.

The redness that appears on faces at the time of dusk,
Is it a cosmetic and painting or miracles of cups and glasses?

Tu Qadir-o-Aadil Hai Magar Tere Jahaan Mein;
Hain Talkh Bahut Banda-e-Mazdoor Ke Auqaat.

You are all Powerful, and The Just, but in Your world;
The times(fortunes) of the labourers, are very bitter/short.

Kabb Doobega Sarmaaya Parasti Ka Safeenah;
Dunya Hai Teri Muntazir-e-Roz-e-Makafaat

When shall the ship of money-worship drown?
Your world is awaiting the day of returns(reward or wrath).

Introduction To Allama Iqbal

It is hard to introduce someone as great as Allama Iqbal by a layman like me. Even Allama Iqbal didn't know what he was then how come others know what he is. It is well explained in this couplets

Iqbal Bhi Iqbal Se Agaah Nahi Hai
Kuch Ismein Tamashkur Nahi Wallah Nahi Hai

Iqbal himself is not aware of what he is. It is not a joke, by Allah it is not.

But anyhow I will try my best to make you understand what Iqbal was.

Iqbal (1877-1938 ) was a great poet in himself as well as a great philosopher. One can say that he expressed his philosophy with his talent of poetry. His knowledge of Islam was not good in his early writings of poetry as one can make out from his initial poetry. Gradually he changed his style of poetry and matured as a great scholar in Islam. The title “Allama” itself is a proof for his knowledge in Islam. Apart from being a philosopher he worked as a teacher and also served as a politician. He was also a linguist as he coined many Urdu words. He was a far-sighted man. He had a wast vision as that of Shaheen-his poetic bird.

He has written poetry in both Urdu and Persian language. He has delivered a series of famous lectures which were published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam which is in English. His poetry in Urdu and Persian is considered to be among the greatest of the modern era.

He has got may titles like ‘Sir’, ‘Dr’ and ‘Allama’. He is also called as Shair-e-Mashriq (”The Poet of the East”), and Hakeem-ul-Ummat (”The Sage of Ummah”). He is officially recognised as the “National poet” in Pakistan and also known as Muffakir-e-Pakistan (”The Thinker of Pakistan”). In Afghanistan and Iran, he is known as Iqbal-e Lahori.

It is said that Iqbal was greatly influenced by the philosophies of Nietzsche and Bergson, while he regarded the western civilization as decadent and was extremely critical about it. While in referring to Nietzsche one of his couplets he says:

Agar Hota Wo Bajzoob-e-Farangi Iss Zamane Mein
Tho Iqbal Usko Samjhata, Ke Maqaam-e-Kibriya Kya Hai.

Had Nietzsche (Farangi) been present in this era
Iqbal would have thought him what is the position of glory of God.

Allama Iqbal turned to Islam for inspiration and rejected nationalism as a disease of the West. He argued that Muslims must find their destiny through the fundamental teachings of Islam i.e Qur’an and the sayings of prophet.

Quran Mein Ho Ghota Zann, Aey Mard-e-Musalman
Allah Karey Tujh Ko Ata Jiddat-e-Kirdaar
Jo Harf-e-Qul il Afw Mein Posheeda Hai Abtak
Iss Daur Mein Shayad Wo Haqeeqat Ho Namudaar

Ghota zann = Referring to read, consult and understand;
Jiddat-e-Kirdaar = Strong faith/strong character;
Harf-e-Qul il afw = Words of Quran;
Posheeda = Hidden; Namudar = To expose.

Poetry Written by Allama Iqbal:

• Asrar-e-Khudi (”The Secrets of the Self”) ·
• Rumuz-e-Bekhudi (”The Secrets of Selflessness”) ·
• Payam-e-Mashriq (”Message from the East”) ·
• Bang-e-Dara (”The Call Of The Marching Bell”) ·
• Zabur-e-Ajam (”Persian Psalms”) ·
• Javid Nama ·
• Bal-e-Jibril (”Gabriel’s Wing”) ·
• Zarb-e-Kalim (”The Rod of the Moses”) ·
• Pas Chih Bayad Kard (”What should then be done O people of the East”) ·
• Armaghan-e-Hijaz (”Gift from Hijaz”) ·

All his Urdu books are composed into Kulliyat-e-Iqbal Urdu. And all his Persian books are composed into Kulliyat-e-Iqbal Persian.

Prose written by Allama Iqbal:

• The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam ·
• The Development of Metaphysics in Persia ·
• Ilm Al-Iqtisad ·

That's it for now. I will be keep writing now and then on Allama Iqbal. Stay Tuned.