A Longing (Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

A Longing

            Poet: Allama Muhammad Iqbal

 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

A Mountain and A Squirrel (Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

A Mountain and A Squirrel

                                                 Poet: Allama Muhammad Iqbal

                                                                                                                                                     

 A mountain was saying this to a squirrel

'Commit suicide if you have self-respect

You are insignificant, still so arrogant, how strange!

You are neither wise, nor intelligent! not even shrewd!

It is strange when the insignificant pose as important!

When the stupid ones like you pose as intelligent!

You are no match in comparison with my splendor

Even the earth is low compared with my splendor

The grandeur of mine does not fall to your lot

The poor animal cannot equal the great mountain! '

On hearing this the squirrel said, 'Hold your tongue!

These are immature thoughts, expel them from your heart!

I do not care if I am not large like you!

You are not a pretty little thing like me

Everything shows the Omni-potence of God

Some large, some small, is the wisdom of God

He has created you large in the world

And He has taught me climbing large trees

You are unable to walk a single step

Only large size! What other greatness have you?

If you are large show me some of the skills I have

Show me how you break this beetle nut as I can

Nothing is useless in this world

Nothing is bad in God's creation

A Spider and A Fly(Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

A Spider and A Fly

                                  Poet: Allama Muhammad Iqbal

 One day a spider said to a fly

'Though you pass this way daily

My hut has never been honored by you

By making a chance visit inside by you

Though depriving strangers of a visit does not matter

Evading the near and dear ones does not look good

My house will be honored by a visit by you

A ladder is before you if you decide to step in

Hearing this the fly said to the spider,

'Sire, you should entice some simpleton thus

This fly would never be pulled into your net

Whoever climbed your net could never step down'

The spider said, 'How strange, you consider me a cheat

I have never seen a simpleton like you in the world

I only wanted to entertain you

I had no personal gain in view

You have come flying from some unknown distant place

Resting for a while in my house would not harm you

Many things in this house are worth your seeing

Though apparently a humble hut you are seeing

Dainty drapes are hanging from the doors

And I have decorated the walls with mirrors

Beddings are available for guests' comforts

Not to everyone's lot do fall these comforts'.

The fly said, 'All this may very well be

But do not expect me to enter your house

'May God protect me from these soft beds

Once asleep in them getting up again is impossible'

The spider spoke to itself on hearing this talk

'How to trap it? This wretched fellow is clever

Many desires are fulfilled with flattery in the world

All in the world are enslaved with flattery'

Thinking this the spider spoke to the fly thus!

'Madam, God has bestowed great honors on you!

Everyone loves your beautiful face

Even if someone sees you for the first time

Your eyes look like clusters of glittering diamonds

God has adorned your beautiful head with a plume

This beauty, this dress, this elegance, this neatness!

And all this is very much enhanced by singing in flight'.

The fly was touched by this flattery

And spoke, 'I do not fear you any more

I hate the habit of declining requests

Disappointing somebody is bad indeed'

Saying this it flew from its place

When it got close the spider snapped it

The spider had been starving for many days

The fly provided a good leisurely meal

A Prayer (Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

  A Prayer

              (Poet : Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

My invocations are sincere and true,

They form my ablutions and prayers due.

One glance of guide such joy and warmth can grant,

On marge of stream can bloom the tulip plant.

One has no comrade on Love's journey long

Save fervent zeal, and passion great and strong.

O God, at gates of rich I do not bow,

You are my dwelling place and nesting bough.

Your Love in my breast burns like Doomsday morn,

The cry, He is God, on my lips is born.

Your Love, makes me God, fret with pain and pine,

You are the only quest and aim of mine.

Without You town appears devoid of life,

When present, same town appears astir with strife.

For wine of gnosis I request and ask,

To get some dregs I break the cup and glass.

The mystics' gourds and commons' pitchers wait

For liquor of your Grace and Bounty great.

Against Your godhead I have a genuine plaint,

For You the Spaceless, while for me restraint.

Both verse and wisdom indicate the way

Which longing face to face can not convey.

A Cow and A Goat (Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

A Cow and A Goat

                                Poet : Allama Muhammad Iqbal

There was a verdant pasture somewhere

Whose land was the very picture of beauty

How can the beauty of that elegance be described

Brooks of sparkling water were running on every side

Many were the pomegranate trees

And so were the shady peepul trees

Cool breeze flowed everywhere

Birds were singing everywhere

A goat arrived at a brook's bank from somewhere

It came browsing from somewhere in the nearby land

As she stopped and looked around

She noticed a cow standing by

The goat first presented her compliments to the cow

Then respectfully started this conversation

'How are you! Madam Cow'?

The cow replied, 'Not too well

'My life is a mere existence

My life is a complete agony

My life is in danger, what can I say?

My luck is bad, what can I say?

I am surprised at the state of affairs

I am cursing the evil people

The poor ones like us are powerless

Misfortunes surround the ones like us

None should nicely deal with Man

May God protect us from Man!

He murmurs if my milk declines

He sells me if my weight declines

He subdues us with cleverness!

Alluring, he always subjugates us!

I nurse his children with milk

I give them new life with milk

My goodness is repaid with evil

My prayer to God is for mercy! '

Having heard the cow's story like this

The goat replied, 'This complaint is unjust

Though truth is always bitter

I shall speak what is fair

This pasture, and this cool breeze

This green grass and this shade

Such comforts, were beyond our lot!

They were a far cry for us speechless poor!

We owe these pleasures to Man

We owe all our happiness to Man

We derive all our prosperity from him

What is better for us, freedom or bondage to him?

Hundreds of dangers lurk in the wilderness

May God protect us from the wilderness!

We are heavily indebted to him

Unjust is our complaint against him

If you appreciate the life's comforts

You would never complain against Man'

Hearing all this the cow felt embarrassed

She was sorry for complaining against Man

She mused over the good and the bad

And thoughtfully she said this

'Small though is the body of the goat

Convincing is the advice of the goat! '

Dua Bang -E-Dra ( Allama Muhammad iqbal )

Dua  (Prayer)  (Bang-e-Dra-126)

                                                  Poet : Allama Muhammad iqbal

Ya Rab! Dil-e-Muslim Ko Woh Zinda Tamana De

 Jo Qalb Ko Garma De, Jo Rooh Ko Tarpa De

                                 Phir Wadi-e-Faran Ke Har Zarre Ko Chamka De

                                 Phir Shauq-e-Tamasha De, Phir Zauq-e-Taqaza

Mehroom-e-Tamasha Ko Phir Dida-e-Beena De

 Dekha Hai Jo Kuch Mein Ne Auron Ko Bhi Dikhla De

                                 Bhatke Huway Aahu Ko Phir Soo’ay Haram Le Chal

                                 Iss Sheher Ke Khugar Ko Phir Wusaat-e-Sehra De

Paida Dil-e-Weeran Mein Phir Shaurish-e-Mehshar Kar

 Iss Mehmil-e-Khali Ko Phir Shahid-e-Laila De

                                 Iss Dour Ki Zulmat Mein Har Qalb-e-Preshan Ko

                                 Woh Dagh-e-Mohabbat De Jo Chand Ko Sharma De

Riffat Mein Maqasid Ko Humdosh-e-Surraya Kar

 Khuddari-e-Sahil De, Azadi-e-Darya De

                                  Be Lous Mohabbat Ho, Bebak Sadaqat Ho

                                  Seenon Mein Ujala Kar, Dil Soorat-e-Meena De

Ehsas Anayat Kar Asaar-e-Mosibat Ka

 Amroz Ki Shuarish Mein Andesha-e-Farda De

                                   Main Bulbul-e-Nalan Hun Ek Ujre Gulistan Ka

                                   Taseer Ka Saa’il Hun, Mauhtaj Ko, Data De!

Ilm-o-Ishq (Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

Ilm-o-Ishq  (Zarb-e-Kaleem-011)

                                 Poet : Allama Muhammad Iqbal

Ilm Ne Mujh Se Kaha Ishq Hai Diwana-Pan

 Ishq Ne Mujh Se Kaha Ilm Hai Takhmeen-o-Zan

                            Band-e-Takhmeen-o-Zan! Kirm-e-Kitabi Na Ban

                            Ishq Sarapa Huzoor, Ilm Sarapa Hijab!

Ishq Ki Garmi Se Hai Maarka-e-Kainat

 Ilm Maqam-e-Sifat, Ishq Tamasha-e-Zaat

                             Ishq Sukoon-o-Sabat,Ishq Hayat-o-Mamat

                             Ilm Hai Paida Sawal, Ishq Hai Pinhan Jawab!

Ishq Ke Hain Maujazat Saltanat-o-Faqr-o-Deen

 Ishq Ke Adna Ghulam Sahib-e-Taj-o-Nageen

                              Ishq Makan-o-Makeen, Ishq Zaman-o-Zameen

                              Ishq Sarapa Yaqeen, Aur Yaqeen Fatah-e-Bab!

Shara-e-Mohabbat Mein Hai Ishrat-e-Manzil Haraam

 Shorish-e-Toofan Halal, Lazzat-e-Sahil Haraam

                              Ishq Pe Bijli Halal, Ishq Pe Hasil Haraam

                              Ilm Hai Ibn-Ul-Kitab, Ishq Umm-Ul-Kitab!