koi gul baqi rahega: by the great martyr and scholar Allamah Kifaayat 'Ali Kaafi ('alayhirraHmah): touching recitation by Mawlana Farooq Hassan, student of mawlana khadim hussain sahib another by the late mushtaq qadri the reason for posting this here is that it shares the theme of sacrifice, love and the caducity of this life - it's sufferings and pleasures. --- although it is usually recited in a sad tone - as if a farewell ode at a permanent parting, in my opinion, it can also be recited with the gusto of a dare or a war-cry - I usually imagine the sounds of war-drums beating in the background. It is not a song of submissive resignation to the iron-fist of circumstances but a rallying cry of a bold and assertive power: what you consider to be our defeat or subjugation - is merely a transitory interlude - meet us on the other side of it and see if we don't make you bite the dust - it is the parting challenge of an indomitable spirit, an invincible force, as it retreats in a strategic move to foregather it's ranks for a final and decisive assault, in a battle which in-fact straddles two worlds - certainly, it is not the plaintive voice of a despairing horde.
Reimagining Iqbal at the Mosque of Cordoba masjid-e-qurtuba (click on a word or phrase to see it's meaning as given by platts)
YES. The book was dedicated to him. Thus Javidnamah can mean either The Book of Eternity (Javid = Eternal) or The Book of Javed.
These Farsi works of Iqbal are considered (including by him) his masterworks--both the Asrar e Khudi, Rumuz e Bekhudi and his, magnum opus, Javidnamah. Here Iqbal sits all by himself in the field of modern Urdu/Farsi poetry. These 3 books are amongst the great treasures of Farsi literature and can be compared with the greatest works of the past.
CONCERNING MUSLIM FREEDOM, AND THE SECRET OF THE TRAGEDY OF KERBELA Whoever maketh compact with the One That is, hath been delivered from the yoke Of every idol Unto love belongs The true believer, and Love unto him Love maketh all things possible to us Reason is ruthless; Love is even more, Purer, and nimbler, and more unafraid Lost in the maze of cause and of effect Is Reason; Love strikes boldly in the field Of Action. Crafty Reason sets a snare; Love overthrows the prey with strong right arm. Reason is rich in fear and doubt; but Love Has firm resolve, faith indissoluble. Reason constructs, to make a wilderness; Love lays wide waste, to build all up anew. Reason is cheap, and plentiful as air; Love is most scarce to find, and of great price. Reason stands firm upon phenomena, But Love is naked of material robes. Reason says, Thrust thyself into the fore” Love answers Try thy heart, and prove thyself Reason by acquisition is informed Of other; Love is born of inward grace And makes account with Self. Reason declares Be happy and be prosperous; Love replies Become a servant, that thou mayest be free Freedom brings full contentment to Love’s soul Freedom, the driver of Love’s riding-beast Hast thou not heard what things in time to war Love wrought with lustful Reason? I would speak Of that great leader of all men who love Tuly the Lord, that upright cypress-tree Of the Apostle’s garden, Ali’s son,51 Whose father led the sacrificial feast That he might prove a mighty offering;52 And for that prince of the best race of men The Last of the Apostles gave his back To ride upon, a camel passing fair,53 Crimsoned his blood the cheek of jealous Love (Which theme adorns my verse in beauty bold) Who is sublime in our Community As Say, the Lord is God exalts the Book.54 Moses and Pharaoh, Shabbir and Yazid-55 From Life spring these conflicting potencies Truth lives in Shabbir’s strength; Untruth is that Fierce, final anguish of regretful death. And when the Caliphate first snapped its thread Fron the Koran, in Freedom’s throat was poured A fatal poison, like a rain-charged cloud The effulgence of the best of peoples rose Out of the West, to spill on Kerbela, And in that soil, that desert was before, Sowed, as he died, a field of tulip-blood. There, till the Resurrection, tyranny Was evermore cut off; a garden fair Immortalizes where his lifeblood surged. For Truth alone his blood dripped to the dust, Wherefore he has become the edifice56 Of faith in God’s pure Unity. Indeed Had his ambition been for earthly rule, Not so provisioned would he have set forth On his last journey, having enemies Innumerable as the desert sands, Equal his friends in number to God’s Name. The mystery that was epitomized In Abraham and Ishmael through his life And death stood forth at last in full revealed. Firm as a mountain-chain was his resolve, Impetuous, unwavering to its goal The Sword is for the glory of the Faith And is unsheathed but to defend the Law. The Muslim, servant unto God alone Before no Pharaoh casteth down his head. His blood interpreted these mysteries, And waked our slumbering community. He drew the sword There is none other God And shed the blood of them that served the lie; Inscribing in the wilderness save God He wrote for all to read the exordium Of our salvation. From Husain we learned The riddle of the Book, and at his flame Kindled our torches. Vanished now from ken Damascus Might, the splendour of Baghdad, Granada’s majesty, all lost to mind; Yet still the srings he smote within our soul Vibrate, still ever new our faith abides In his Allahu Akbar, Gentle breeze, Thou messenger of them that are afar, Bear these my tears to lave his holy dust. The original Farsi is below: در معنی حریت اسلامیہ و سر حادثۂ کربلا ہر کہ پیمان با ہوالموجود بست گردنش از بند ہر معبود رست مؤمن از عشق است و عشق از مؤمنست عشق را ناممکن ما ممکن است عقل سفاک است و او سفاک تر پاک تر چالاک تر بیباک تر عقل در پیچاک اسباب و علل عشق چوگان باز میدان عمل عشق صید از زور بازو افکند عقل مکار است و دامی میزند عقل را سرمایہ از بیم و شک است عشق را عزم و یقین لاینفک است آن کند تعمیر تا ویران کند این کند ویران کہ آبادان کند عقل چون باد است ارزان در جہان عشق کمیاب و بہای او گران عقل محکم از اساس چون و چند عشق عریان از لباس چون و چند عقل می گوید کہ خود را پیش کن عشق گوید امتحان خویش کن عقل با غیر آشنا از اکتساب عشق از فضل است و با خود در حساب عقل گوید شاد شو آباد شو عشق گوید بندہ شو آزاد شو عشق را آرام جان حریت است ناقہ اش را ساربان حریت است آن شنیدستی کہ ہنگام نبرد عشق با عقل ہوس پرور چہ کرد آن امام عاشقان پور بتول سرو آزادی ز بستان رسول اللہ اللہ بای بسم اللہ پدر معنی ذبح عظیم آمد پسر بہر آن شہزادہ ی خیر الملل دوش ختم المرسلین نعم الجمل سرخ رو عشق غیور از خون او شوخی این مصرع از مضمون او در میان امت ان کیوان جناب ہمچو حرف قل ہو اللہ در کتاب موسی و فرعون و شبیر و یزید این دو قوت از حیات آید پدید زندہ حق از قوت شبیری است باطل آخر داغ حسرت میری است چون خلافت رشتہ از قرآن گسیخت حریت را زہر اندر کام ریخت خاست آن سر جلوہ ی خیرالامم چون سحاب قبلہ باران در قدم بر زمین کربلا بارید و رفت لالہ در ویرانہ ہا کارید و رفت تا قیامت قطع استبداد کرد موج خون او چمن ایجاد کرد بہر حق در خاک و خون غلتیدہ است پس بنای لاالہ گردیدہ است مدعایش سلطنت بودی اگر خود نکردی با چنین سامان سفر دشمنان چون ریگ صحرا لاتعد دوستان او بہ یزدان ہم عدد سر ابراہیم و اسمعیل بود یعنی آن اجمال را تفصیل بود عزم او چون کوہساران استوار پایدار و تند سیر و کامگار تیغ بہر عزت دین است و بس مقصد او حفظ آئین است و بس ماسوی اللہ را مسلمان بندہ نیست پیش فرعونی سرش افکندہ نیست خون او تفسیر این اسرار کرد ملت خوابیدہ را بیدار کرد تیغ لا چون از میان بیرون کشید از رگ ارباب باطل خون کشید نقش الا اللہ بر صحرا نوشت سطر عنوان نجات ما نوشت رمز قرآن از حسین آموختیم ز آتش او شعلہ ہا اندوختیم شوکت شام و فر بغداد رفت سطوت غرناطہ ہم از یاد رفت تار ما از زخمہ اش لرزان ہنوز تازہ از تکبیر او ایمان ہنوز ای صبا ای پیک دور افتادگان اشک ما بر خاک پاک او رسان Arberry's translation is a marvel and a great tribute to his skills as a translator...
