Zauq-e-Ibrahim

Sheikh Muhammad Ibrahim Zauq (1789–1854) ( Urdu: شیخ محمد ابراہیم ذوق ) was a noted Urdu poet . He wrote poetry under nom de plume "Zauq", and was appointed poet laureate of the Mughal Court in Delhi.

He was a poor youth, with only ordinary education, who went on to acquire quite some learning in history, tradition and astrology in his later years. Zauq was a prominent contemporary of Ghalib and in the history of Urdu poetry the rivalry of the two poets is quite well known. During his lifetime Zauq was more popular than Ghalib for the critical values in those days were mainly confined to judging a piece of poetry on the basis of usage of words, phrases and idioms. Content and style were barely taken into account while appreciating poetry.

Zauq was born at Delhi in 1789. His father, Sheikh Muhammad Ramzan was a lowly placed soldier in the Mughal army.

It was no less than a miracle that Zauq, without having the proper treatment on account of the penury of his family, survived the attack of a dreaded malady like smallpox during his childhood.

His father had no means to equip his son with the best available education of the time. He was sent to a maktab (elementary religious school) that was run by Hafiz Ghulam Rasool. Hafiz himself was a poet and used Shauq as his nom de plume. Under his influence the young Muhammad Ibrahim also got attracted towards poetry. Hafiz provided the required encouragement, took him as his pupil in poetry too and suggested Zauq as his nom de plume.

Though Zauq could not complete the course of the maktab, he got hooked to poetry. In those days Shah Naseer was the most famous master poet of Delhi. Zauq began showing his ghazals to Shah Naseer for improvement. Naseer recognized the natural talent and made him his pupil. Gradually, Zauq began participating in the mushairas. His natural bent of mind towards poetry coupled with his singular obsession to excel in the pursuit brought him fame and fortune. He would be better appreciated in the mushairas than his mentor. Shah Naseer got very annoyed with the growing popularity of Zauq. He threw him out of the group of his pupils. Zauq, thereafter, relied only on his talent and continued writing poetry with a vengeance.

Another poet, Meer Kazim Husain Beqarar, a friend of Zauq's was appointed the mentor of the Crown Prince Zafar, who later ascended the throne. Through him Zauq could get the chance to enter the royal court. He also started participating in the royal mushairas. When Beqarar took up the job of Meer Munshi (Head Clerk) in the Office of John Elphinstone, Crown Prince Zafar appointed Zauq as his mentor with a monthly salary of Rs. 4 that was ultimately raised to Rs. 100 when Bahadur Shah Zafar ascended the throne. He remained the poet laureate of the Mughal Court till his death in 1854..

Zauq’s reputation in Urdu poetry is because of his eulogies that reflect his command over the language and his expertise in composing poetry in extremely difficult meters. Since he got associated with the royal court right from his teens and remained there till his death, he had to write mostly eulogies to seek the patronage and rewards from the princes and the King. His mentor, Shah Naseer, would also pay attention only to the linguistic eloquence and mastery over prosody. Zauq also emulated the example of his mentor. Such style of poetry suits eulogy writing. Many critics regard him a great eulogy writer next only to Sauda.

His ghazals also have some literary values. Since Bahadur Shah Zafar was fond of using simple and colloquial diction, Zauq too composed his ghazals using simple words, phrases of everyday use and similes rooted in the common culture. His ghazals are also notable for their spontaneity. Zauq was a deeply religious man. In his ghazals too he would deal with religious and ethical themes. Therefore, his ghazals lack lyricism and appear to be the verses of a preacher.

Zauq died in 1854, and today his grave lies in a bylanes of Paharganj, Delhi. His grave was restored after the Supreme Court orders in early 2000s, but his home in nearby Nabi Karim area, was never identified.

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marate hain tere pyar se hum aur ziyada
tu lutf mein karta hai sitam aur ziyada
den kyon ki na wo dag-e-alam aur ziyada
qimat mein badhe dil ke diram aur ziyada

kya hovega do char qadah se mujhe saqi
main lunga tere sar ke qasam aur ziyada

wo dil ko churakar jo lage aankh churane
yaron ka gaya un pe bharam aur ziyada
kyon main ne kaha tujh sa khudai mein nahi aur
magarur hua ab wo sanam aur ziyada
lete hain samar shakh-e-samaravar ko jhukakar
jhukate hain sakhi vaqt-e-karam aur ziyada

jo kunj-e-qana’at mein hain taqadir pe shakir
hai “zauq” barabar unhen kam aur ziyada

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Lai hayat aaye qaza le chali chale
na apni khushi aaye na apni khushi chale

behatar to hai yahi ke na duniya se dil lage
par kya karen jo kam na bedillagi chale
ho umr-e-khizr bhi to kahenge bavaqt-e-marg
hum kya rahe yahan abhi aaye abhi chale

duniya ne kis ka rah-e-fana mein diya hai sath
tum bhi chale chalo yun hi jab tak chali chale

nazan na ho khirad pe jo hona hai wo hi ho
danish teri na kuch meri danishvari chale

kam honge is bisat pe hum jaise badqimar
jo chal hum chale wo nihayat buri chale
ja ki hava-e-shauq mein hain is chaman se ‘zauq’
apni bala se bad-e-saba kaheen chale

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ab to ghabaraa ke ye kahate hai.n ke mar jaayenge 
mar ke bhii chain na paayaa to kidhar jaayenge

tum ne Thaharaa_ii agar Gair ke ghar jaane kii 
to iraade yahaa.N kuchh aur Thahar jaayenge

ham nahii.n vo jo kare.n Khuun kaa daavaa tujh par 
balqi puuchhegaa Khudaa bhii to mukar jaayenge

aag dozaKh kii bhii ho jaayegii paanii paanii 
jab ye aasii arq-e-sharm se tar jaayenge

sholaa-e-aah ko bijalii kii tarah chamakaauu.N 
par mujhe Dar hai, ki vo dekh kar Dar jaayenge

laaye jo mast hai.n turbat pe gulaabii aa.Nkhe.n 
aur agar kuchh nahii.n, do phuul to dhar jaayenge

nahii.n paayegaa nishaa.N ko_ii hamaaraa hargiz 
ham jahaa.N se ravish-e-tiir-e-nazar jaayenge

pahu.Nche.nge rahaguzar-e-yaar talak ham kyuuN kar 
pahale jab tak na do aalam se guzar jaayenge

'Zauq' jo madarase ke biga.De hue hai.n mullaah 
unako maiKhaane me.n le aao sa.Nvar jaayenge

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Kisi be-kas ko aai bedaad-gar maara to kya maara 
Jo aap hi mar raha ho us ko gar maara to kya maara 

Na maara aap ko, jo khaak ho akseer ban jaata 
Agar paare ko aai askeer-gar maara to kya maara 

HaNsi k saath yaaN rona hai misl-e-qulqul-e-meena 
Kisi ne qehqaha aai be-khabar maara to kya maara 

Gaya shaitaan maara eik sajde k na karne mein 
Agar lakhoN baras sajde mein sar maara to kya maara 

BaRe moozi ko maara, nafs-e-ammaara ko gar maara 
Nahang o azhdaha o sheir-e-nar maara to kya maara 

Dil-e-sangeen-e-khushru par bhi zarb-e-kohkan pohnchi
Agar tesha sar-e-kohsaar par maara to kya maara 

Dil-e-bad-khwaah mein tha maarna ya chashm-e-bad-beeN mein 
Falak par Zauq, teer-e-aah gar maara to kya maara 

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Jawaab-e-Shikwa

Iqbal Saheb Ka Shikwa

Shayer Asghar Gondvi

ye ishq ne dekhaa hai ye aql se pinhaaN hai

qatare men samandar hai zarre men bayaabaaN hai

ai paikar-e-mahabuubii main kis se tujhe dekhuuN

jis ne tujhe dekhaa hai vo diidaa-e-hairaaN hai

sau baar teraa daaman haathon men mere aayaa

jab aaNkh khulii dekhaa apanaa hii girebaaN hai

ye husn kii maujen hain yaa josh-e-tamannaa hai

us shoKh ke honThon par ik barq sii larazaaN hai

'Asghar' se mile lekin 'Asghar' ko nahiin dekhaa

ashaar men sunte hain kuchh kuchh vo numaayaaN hai

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Ye raaz hai meri zindgi ka

pahne huye hoon kafan Khudi ka

phir nashtar-e-Ghum se cherte hain

ik tarz hai ye bhi dil dahi ka

o lafz-o-baya main chupane wale

ab qasd hai aur Khamoshi ka

marna to hai ibtada ki ik bat

jina hai kamal moontahi ka

haa sina golon ki tarah kar chak

de mar ke saboot zindgi ka

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Ye mujh se pochiye kya justaju main lazzat hai

faza-e-dahar main tahlil ho gaya hoon mai

hatake shisha-o-sagar hujom-e-masti main

tamam arsa-e-alam pe cha gaya hoon mai

ura hoon jab to falak pe liya hai dam ja kar

zameen ko tor gaya hoon jo rah gaya hoon mai

rahi hai Khak ke zarroon main bhi chamak meri

kabhi kabhi to sitaroon main mil gaya hoon mai

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paas-e-adab main josh-e-tamanna liye huwe

mai bhi hoon ek hobab main dariya liye huwe

rag-rag main aur kuch na raha joz Khayal-e-dost

us shoK ko hoon aj sarpa liye huwe

sarmaya-e-hayat hai hirmane-e-ashiqi

hai sath ek sorat-e-zeba liye huwe

josh-e-junoon main chot gaya astan-e-yar

rote hain mounh main daman-e-sahra liye huwe

`Asghar` hujom-e-dard-e-Garibi main uski yaad

ai hai ik tilismi tamanna liye huwe

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majoo ka aks hai Khat-e-jam-e-sharab main

ya Khoon uchal raha hai rag-e-mohtab main

wo mot hai k kahte hain jisko sukoon sab

wo ain zindgi hai jo hai iztarab main

dozakh bhi ek jalwa-e-firdoos se husn hai

jo is se bekhabar hain wahi hain azab main

us din bhi meri rooh thi mahw-e-nishat-e-did

moosa ulajh gae the sawal-o-jawab main

mai iztarab-e-shoq kahoo ya jamal-e-dost

ik barq hai jo kaondh rahi hai naqaab main

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Ik alam-e-hairat hai fana hai na baqa hai

hairat bhi ye hai k kya janiye kya hai

sao bar jala hai to ye sao bar bana hai

hum sokhta janoo ka nasheman bhi bala hai

honthoo pe tabassum hai k ek barq-e-bala hai

ankhoo ka ishara hai k sailab-e-fana hai

sunta hoon bare gorr se afsana-e-hasti

kuch Khwab hai kuch asl hai kuch tarz-e-ada hai

hai tere tasawor se yaha noor ki barish

ye jan-e-hazi hai k shabistan-e-hira hai

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Khuda jane kaha hai `Asghar`-e-dewana barsoo se

ki us ko DhoonDhte hain ka`baba-o-butKhana barsoo se

tarpana hai na jalana hai na jalkar Khak hona hai

ye kyun soi hoi hai fitrat-e-parwana barsoo se

koi aisa nahi yaar ab k jo is dard ko samjhe

nahi maloom kyun Khamosh hai diwana barasoo se

hasinoo par na rang aaya na phooloon main bahar aii

nahin aya jo lab par naGma-e-mastana barsoo se

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Husn ko wusaten jo deen ishq ko hausla diya

Jo na mile na mit sake mujh ko wo mudd'aa diya

Haath me leke jaam-e-maey aaj wo muskura diya

Aql ko sard kar dia ruh ko jagmaga diya

Dil pe liya hai daag-e-ishq khoke bahaar-e-zindagi

Ik ghul-e-tar ke waaste mainey chaman lutaa diya

Kuchh to kaho ye kya hua tum bhi the saath kya

Ghum me yah kyun suroor tha dard ne kyun maza diya

Ab na yah meri zaat hai ab na ye kaaenaat hae

Mainey nawa-e-ishq ko saaz se yun mila diya

Aks jamaal-e-yaar ka aainaa-e-khudi me dekh

Yah ghum-e-ishq kya dia mujhse mujhe chhipa diya

Hashr me aaftaab-e-hashr aur wo shor-e-al'amaan

'Asghar'-e-butparast ne zulf ka waasta diya

aalaam-e-rozgaar ko aasaaN banaa diyaa

jo gham huaa, use gham-e-janaaN banaa diyaa

maiN kaamyaab-e-deed bhii, mahruum-e-deed bhii

jalvoN ke aZhdahaam ne hairaaN banaa diyaa

yuuN muskuraye, jaan si kaliyoN meN paR gayii

yuuN lab-kushaa hue ki gulistaaN banaa diyaa

voh shorisheN, nizaam-e-jahaaN jinke dam se hai

jab muKhtasar kiyaa unheN insaaN banaa diyaa

aye sheikh! voh baseet haqiqat hai kufr kii

kuchh qaid-o-rasm ne jise iimaaN banaa diyaa

ham us nigaah-e-naaz ko samjhe the neshtar

tumne to muskuraa ke rag-e-jaaN banaa diyaa

Iqbal Saheb Ki Dua

Dua

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Prayer

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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 de

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!

Translation

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Lord, fill the Muslim’s heart with a desire so fervent

That it will set his heart aflame and stir his soul.

Light up again every speck of dust in the Valley of Faran.

Make us long again for beautiful sights, and create in us the urge to make demands.

Give piercing vision to those deprived of sight,

and show to others what I have seen.

Lead the stray gazelle back to the Sanctuary.

It has grown used to the city ‐ Give it back the vastness of the desert.

Stir up again the ruins of the heart with a commotion like judgment Day.

Let this empty litter once again seat a sweetheart ‐ a Layla!

In the darkness of this age give to every troubled heart

Scars of love that would shame the moon.

Let the goals be as high as the Pleiades.

Give us the calm and poise of the shore, But the freedom of the sea.

Let love be selfless and truth fearless;

Let our breasts be flooded with light‐Make our hearts clear as crystal.

Enable us to foresee the calamity that is coming;

In the midst of today’s upheaval give us a vision of tomorrow.

I am a nightingale making my lament, I am from a garden which has been ravaged.

I wish that my prayer would have effect—Give to a beggar, bounteous Lord!

Iqbal Saheb ka ek khubsurat Kalaam

Maan Ka Khawab

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Mein Soyi Jo Ek Shab To Dekha Ye Khawab

Badha Aur Jis Say Mera Iztarab

Ye Dekha Ke Mein Ja Rahi Hun Kahin

Andhera Hai Aur Rah Milti Nahin

Larazta Tha Der Se Mera Baal Baal

Qadam Ka Tha Dehshat Se Uthna Mahal

Jo Kuch Hosla Pa Ke Aagay Badhi

To Dekha Qitar Aik Ladkon Ki Thi

Zumurad Si Poshak Pehne Huay

Diye Sub Ke Hathon Mein Jalte Huay

Woh Chup Chap Thay Agay Peeche Rawaan

Khuda Jaane Jaana Tha Un Ko Kahan

Iss Soch Mein Thi Ke Mera Pisar

Mujhe Uss Jamaat Mein Aya Nazar

Woh Peche Tha Aur Taez Chalta Na Tha

Diya Uss Ke Hathon Mein Jalta Na Tha

Kaha Mein Ne Pehchan Ker, Meri Jaan!

Mujhe Chor Ker Aa Gye Tum Kahan?

Judai Mein Rehti Hun Main Be-Qarar

Paroti Hun Her Rouz Ashkon Ke Haar

Na Perwa Humari Zara Tum Ne Ki

Gye Chor, Achi Wafa Tum Ne Ki!

Jo Bache Ne Dekha Mera Peach O Taab

Diya Uss Ne Munh Phair Ker Yun Jawab

Rulati Hai Tujh Ko Juddai Meri

Nahin Uss Mein Kuch Bhi Bhalai Meri

Ye Keh Ker Vo Kuch Dair Tak Chup Raha

Diya Phir Dikha Ker Ye Kehne Laga

Samajhti Hai Tu Ho Gaya Kya Issay?

Tere Aanasuon Ne Bhujaya Issay!

Asraar-e-Khudi

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An Invocation

O thou that art as the soul in the body of the universe,

Thou art our soul and thou art ever fleeing from us.

Thou breathest music into Lifeʹs lute;

Life envies Death when death is for thy sake.

Once more bring comfort to our sad hearts,

Once more dwell in our breasts!

Once more demand from us the sacrifice of name and fame,

Strengthen our weak love.

We are oft complaining of destiny,

Thou art of great price and we have naught.

Hide not thy fair face from the empty handed!

Sell cheap the love of Salman and Bilal!

Give us the sleepless eye and the passionate heart,

Give us again the nature of quick silver! 

Show unto us one of thy manifest signs,

That the necks of our enemies may be bowed!

Make this chaff a mountain crested with fire,

Burn with out fire all that is not God!

When the people of Islam let the thread of

Unity go from their hands,

They fell into a hundred mazes.

We are dispersed like stars in the world;

Though of the same family, we are strange to one another.

Bind again these scattered leaves, Revive the law of love!

Take us back to serve thee as of old,

Commit thy cause to them that love thee!

We are travellers: give us resignation as our goal!

Give us the strong faith of Abraham!

Make us know the meaning of “There is no god,”

Make us acquainted with the mystery of “except Allah”!

I who burn like a candle for the sake of others

Teach myself to weep like that candle.

O God! a tear that is heart‐enkindling,

Passionful, wrung forth by pain, peace consuming,

May I sow in the garden, and may it grow into a fireThat washes away the fire‐brand from the tulipʹs robe!

My heart is with yester‐eve, my eye is on to‐morrow:

Amidst the company I am alone.

“Every one fancies he is my friend,

But none ever sought the secrets within my soul.”

Oh, where in the wide world is my comrade?

I am the Bush of Sinai: where is my Moses?

I am tyrannous, I have done many a wrong to myself,

I have nourished a flame in my bosom,

A flame that burnt to ashes the wares of understanding,

Cast fire on the skirt of discretion,

Lessened with madness the proud reason,

And inflamed the very being of knowledge:

Its blaze enthrones the sun in the sky

And lightnings encircle it with adoration for ever.

Mine eye fell to weeping, like dew,

Since I was entrusted with that hidden fire.

I taught the candle to burn openly,

While I myself burned unseen by the worldʹs eye.

As last flames burst forth from every hair of me,

Fire dropped from the veins of my thought:

My nightingale picked up the grains of spark

And created a fire‐tempered song.

The breast of this age is without a heart,

Majnun quivers with pain because Laylaʹs howdah is empty.

It is not easy for the candle to throb alone:

Ah, is there no moth worthy of me?

How long shall I wait for one to share my grief?

How long must I search for a confidant?

O Thou whose face lends light to the moon and the stars,

Withdraw Thy fire from the soul!

Take back what Thou hast put in my breast,

Remove the stabbing radiance from my mirror,

Or give me one old comrade

To be the mirror of mine all‐burning love!

In the sea wave tosses side by side with wave:

Each hath a partner in its emotion.

In heaven star consorts with star,

And the bright moon lays her head on the knees of Night.

Morning touches Nightʹs dark side,

And To‐day throws itself against To‐morrow.

One river loses its being in another,

A waft of air dies in perfume.

There is dancing in every nook of the wilderness,

Madman dances with madman.

Because in thine essence Thou art single,

Thou hast evolved for Thyself a whole world.

I am as the tulip of the field,

In the midst of a company I am alone.

I beg of Thy grace a sympathising friend,

And adept in the mysteries of my nature,

A friend endowed with madness and wisdom,

One that knoweth not the phantom of vain things,

That I may confide my lament to his soul

And see again my face in his heart.

His image I will mould of mine own clay,

I will be to him both idol and worshipper.

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Time is a sword

Green be the Holy grave of Shafi‘i (Imam Shafi R.A.), Whose vine has cheered a whole world

His thought plucked a star from heaven: He named time “a cutting sword.”

How shall I say what is the secret of this sword? In its flashing edge there is life.

Its owner is exalted above hope and fear, His hand is whiter than the hand of Moses.

At one stroke thereof water gushes from the rock And the sea becomes land from dearth of moisture.

Moses held this sword in his hand, Therefore he wrought more than man may contrive.

He clove the Red Sea asunder, And made its waters like dry earth.

The arm of Ali (R.A.), the conqueror of Khaibar, Drew its strength from this same sword.

The revolution of the sky is worth seeing, The change of day and night is worth observing.

Look, O thou enthralled by Yesterday and Tomorrow,

Behold another world in thine own heart!

Thou hast sown the seed of darkness in the clay,

Thou hast imagined Time as a line:

Thy thought measures length of Time

With the measure of night and day.

Thou makʹst this line a girdle on thine infidel waist;

Thou art an advertiser of falsehood, like idols.

Thou wert the Elixir, and thou hast become a Peck of dust;

Thou wert born the conscience of Truth, and thou hast become a lie!

Art thou a Muslim? Then cast off this girdle!

Be a candle to the feast of the religion of the free!

Knowing not the origin of Time,

Thou art ignorant of everlasting Life.

How long wilt thou be a thrall of night and day?

Learn the mystery of Time from the words “I have a time with God.”

Phenomena arise from the march of Time,

Life is one of Timeʹs mysteries.

The cause of Time is not the revolution of the sun

Time is everlasting, but the sun does not last for ever.

Time is joy and sorrow, festival and fast,

Time is the secret of moonlight and sunlight.

Thou hast extended Time, like Space,

And distinguished Yesterday from Tomorrow.

Thou hast fled, like a scent, from thine own garden;

Thou hast made thy prison with thine own hand.

Our Time, which has neither beginning nor end,

Blossoms from the flower‐bed of our mind.

To know its root quickens the living with new life:

Its being is more splendid than the dawn.

Life is of Time, and Time is of Life:

“Do not abuse Time!” was the command of the Prophet.

Now I will tell you a point of wisdom as brilliant as a pearl,

That you should realize the difference

between a slave and a free man!

A slave is lost in the magic of days and nights,

But Time, with all its expansion, is lost in the heart of a free man!

A slave weaves the shroud for himself by his times,

And covers himself with the sheet of days and nights!

But a free man keeps himself above the earth

And attacks the world with all his might!

A slave is caught in the snare of days and nights like a bird,

And the pleasure of flight is forbidden to his soul!

But the quick‐breathing breast of a free man

Becomes a cage for the Bird of Time!

To a slave, Nature is a meaningless word,

And there is nothing rare in the impressions of his soul!

Owing to his heaviness and laziness his abode is always the same,

And the cries of his morn and eve are always the same!

But the attempt of a free man creates new things every moment

And his string continuously produces new tunes!

His nature is not obliged to any sort of repetition,

Because his path is not like the circle caused by compasses!

To a slave Time is but a chain,

And he always complains against the fate!

But the courage of a free man gives instructions to his fate

And the great revolutions of the world are caused by his powerful hand!

The past the future are dissolved in his preset

And all the delayed plans are observed by his quick action!

These words of mine are beyond sound, beyond discussion,

For their meaning can’t be understood easily!

Although I have expressed my views about

Time yet my shallow words are ashamed of the meaning;—

And the meaning itself has a complaint:

“What have I to do with the words?”

In fact, a living meaning when expressed in words, dies out;

Your very breaths extinguish its fire!

Nevertheless, the point of Absence and

Presence is in the depth of our heart;

The mystery of Time and its motion is in the depth of our heart!

The musical instrument of Time has its own silent tunes:

Oh, dive deep into your heart that you may realize the secret of Time!

Oh, the memory of those days when Timeʹs sword

Was allied with the strength of our hands!

We sowed the seed of religion in menʹs hearts

And unveiled the face of Truth;

Our nails tore loose the knot of this world,

Our bowing in prayer gave blessings to the earth.

From the jar of Truth we made rosy wine gush forth,

We charged against the ancient taverns.

O thou in whose cup is old wine,

A wine so hot that the glass is well nigh turned to water,

Wilt thou in thy pride and arrogance and self‐conceit

Taunt us with our emptiness?

Our cup, too, hath graced the symposium

Our breast hath owned a spirit.

The new age with all its glories

Hath risen from the dust of our feet.

Our blood hath watered Godʹs harvest,

All worshippers of God are our debtors.

The takbir was our gift to the world,

Ka‘bas were built of our clay.

By means of us God taught the Koran,

From our hand He dispensed His bounty.

Although crown and signet have passed from us.,

Do not look with contempt on our beggarliness!

In thine eyes we are good for nothing,

Thinking old thoughts, despicable.

We have honour from “There is no god but Allah,”

We are the protectors of the universe.

Freed from the vexation of to‐day and tomorrow,

We have pledged ourselves to love One.

We are the conscience hidden in Godʹs heart,

We are the heirs of Moses and Aaron.

Sun and moon are still bright with our radiance,

Lightning‐flashes still lurk in our cloud.

In our essence Divinity is mirrored:

The Muslimʹs being is one of the signs of God.

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