Poetry - Allama Iqbal Shikwa and Jawaab-E- Shikwa

Lyrics Shikwa/ Jawab-e-Shikwa

Dil se jo baat nikalti hai, asar rakhti hai,

Par nahin, taaqat-e-parwaaz magsr rakhti hai.

Qudsi-ul-asal hai, rif-atpe nazar rakhti hai,

Khaak se uthti hai, gardoon pe guzar rakhti hai.

Ishq tha fitna gar-o-sarkash-o-chalaak mira,

Aasman cheer gaya nala-e-bebaak mira. _______________

Pir-e-gardoon ne kaha sun ke, kahin hai koi!

Bole sayyaare, sar-e-arsh-e-barin hai koi!

Chaand kahta tha, nahin, ahl-e-zamin hai koi!

Kahkashaan kahti thi, poshida yahin hai koi!

Kuchh jo samjha tau mere shikwe ko Ruzwan samjha,

Mujhe jannat se nikala hua insaan samjha. _______________

Thi farishton ko bhi hairat, ke yeh aawaaz hai kya!

Arsh waalon pe bhi khulta nahin yeh raaz hai kya!

Taa sar-e-arsh bhi insaan ki tag-o-taaz hai kya?

Aa gai khak ki chutki ko bhi parwaaz hai kya?

Ghaafil aadaab se yeh sukkaam-e-zamin kaise hain,

Shokh-o-gustaakh yeh pasti ke makin kaise hain, _______________

Is qadar shokh ke Allah se bhi barham hai,

Tha jo masjud-e-malaik yeh wohi Aadam hai?

Aalam-e kaif hai, dana-e-ramuz-e-kam hai,

Haan, magar ijaz ke asrar se namahram hai.

Naaz hai taaqat-e-guftaar pe insaanon ko,

Baat karne ka saliqa nahin nadaanon ko! _______________

Aai aawaaz ghum-angez hai afsana tira,

Ashk-e-betaab se labrezhai paimana tira.

Shukr shikwe ko kiya husn-e-ada se tu ne,

Hum sakhun kar diyabandon ko khuda se tu ne.

Hum tau mayal ba-karam hai, koi sayal hi nahin,

Rah dikhlain kise rahraw-e-manzil hi nahin. _______________

Tarbiat aam tau hai, jauhar-e-qabil hi nahin,

Jis se taamir ho aadam ki yeh who gil hi nahin.

Koi qabil ho tau hum shan-e-kai dete hain;

Dhoondne waalon ko duniya bhi nai dete hain!

Haath be-zor hain, ilhaad se dil khoo-gar hain,

Ummati baais-e-ruswai-e-paighamber hain. _______________

But-shikan uth gaye, baaqi jo rahe but-gar hain,

Tha Brahim pidar, aur pisar Aazar hain.

Bada aasham naye baaqi naya khum bhi naye,

Harm-e-Kaaba naya, but bhi naye, tum bhi naye.

Who bhi din the ke yehi maya-e-raanai tha,

Naazish-e-mausim-e-gul lala-e-sahraai tha! _______________

Jo Musalmaan tha Allah ka saudai tha,

Kabhi mehboob tumhara yehi harjaai tha.

Safah-e-dahar se baatil ko mitaya kis ne?

Nau-e-insaan ko ghulami se chhuraya kis ne?

Mere Kaabe ko jabeenon se basaya kis ne?

Mere Quran ko seenon se lagaya kis ne? _______________

The tau aaba who tumhaare hi, magar tum kya ho?

Haath par haath dhare muntezir-e-farda ho!

Kya kaha? "bahr-e-musalmaan hai faqt waade-e-hur,"

Shikwa beja bhi kare koi tau laazim hai shaoor!

Adal hai faatir-e-hasti ka azal se dastur,

Muslim aaeen hua kafir tau mile hur-o-qasur; _______________

Tum mein hooron ka koichahne wala hi nahin,

Jalwa-e-tur tau maujood hai, Moosa hi nahin.

Munfait ek hai is qaum ki, nuqsaan bhi ek,

Ek hi sab ka nabi, din bhi, imaan bhi ek,

Harm-e-paak bhi, Allah bhi, Quran bhi ek,

Kuchh bari baat thi hote jo musalmaan bhi ek! _______________

Firqa bandi hai kahin, aur kahin zaaten hain.

Kya zamane mein panpaneki yehi baaten hain?

Jaa ke hote hain masaajid mein saf-aara tau gharib,

Zahmat-e-roza jo karte hain gawara tau gharib.

Naam leta hai agar koi hamara, tau gharib,

Pardah rakhta hao agar koi tumhara, tau gharib. _______________

Umra nasha-e-daulat mein hain ghafil hum se,

Zinda hai millat-e-baiza ghurba ke dam se.

Shor hai ho gaye duniya se musalmaan naabood,

Hum yeh kahte hain ke the bhi kahin Muslim maujood?

Waza mein tum ho nisari, tau tamuddan mein Hanood,

Yeh musalmaan hain! Jinhen dekh ke sharmain Yahud? _______________

Baap ka ilm na bete ko agar azbar ho,

Phir pisar qabil-e-miraas-e-pidar kyonkar ho!

Har koi mast-e-mai-e-zauq-e-tan aasaani hai,

Tum musalmaan ho? Yeh andaaz-e-musalmaani hai?

Chaahte sab hain ke hon auj-e-surayya pe muqeem,

Pahle waisa koi paida tau kare qalb-e-salim! _______________

Ahd-e-nau barq hai, aatish zan-e-har khirman hai,

Aiman is se koi sahra no koi gulshan hai.

Is nai aag ka aqwaam-e-kuhan eendhan hai,

Millat-e-khatam-e-rasal shoula ba parahan hai.

Dekh kar range-e-chaman ho na pareshan maali,

Kookab-e-ghuncha se shaakhen hain chamakne wali, _______________

Khas-o-khashaak se hota hai gulistan khaali,

Gul bar andaaz hai khun-e-shuhda ki laali.

Rang gardoon ka zara dekh tau unnabi hai,

Yeh nikalte hue suraj ki ufaq taabi hai.

Nakhl-e-Islam namoona hai bro-mandi ka,

Phal hai yeh sainkron saalon ki chaman bandi ka. _______________

Qaafila ho na sakega kabhi weeran tera,

Ghair yak baang-e-dara kuchh nahin samaan tera.

Nakhl-e-shama asti-o-dar should dood resha-e-tu,

Aaqbat soz bood saya-e-andesha-e-tu.

Ki Mohammed se wafa tu ne tau hum tere hain,

Yeh jahan cheez hai kya, lauh-eo-qalam tere hain.

SHAKWA AND JAWAB-I SHAKWA(THE COMPLAINT AND RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT)BY DR. SIR MUHAMMAD IQBAL

Iqbal wrote the two poems, “Shakwa” and “Jawab-i Shakwa” (Complaint to God and its Response), in early twentieth century. It was the prime time of his poetic revelation, which is called his third period that began in 1908 and ended at his death in 1938. During that time Muslims in India had almost lost their entity as a nation. They had become the most oppressed community in British ruled India. A little before Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898) had realised that the major cause of Indian Muslims’ misfortune was their illiteracy and the lack of knowledge. After a long struggle and much hardship he succeeded in establishing an Anglo Oriental College at Aligarh which later on became a university. Presently this university is a big place of learning and research in India. This university became a source of self-awareness among a negligible portion of Muslim minority in India. However, the masses of the community remained deprived of education and ultimately remained suffering in all parts of life. Due to poverty and lack of resources they were unable to educate their children. Among those who were lucky and got education remained unable to get a job. They remained jobless as all the fields of life and key posts were occupied and dominated by non-Muslims and the British. Such a situation gave birth to the persons like Altaf Husain Hali, Shibli Nomani, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, Ali Brethren, and others who worked in their respective fields to fight for the rights of Muslims. All of them were contemporaries of Iqbal and were among the front-line fighters for freedom. However Iqbal stood alone with his powerful poetic way to waken self confidence in the people of his community. He and his contemporaries (named above) were able to move the masses and carried them forward on the road to get rid of the British rule. Iqbal nurtured the minds of the people and changed the direction of the society through his melodious voice reciting his own songs in a touching way reminding them of their past glory. He was the person who discovered a leader like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and convinced him to lead the nation under whose banner Muslims of India were united and marched towards independence till the world saw a new country “Pakistan” emerged on the world map with the rising sum of the morning of August 14, 1947.

Iqbal’s poem “Shakwa” was one of his most thrilling poems, which he recited personally in the month of April 1911 at the annual session of Anjuman Himayat-i Islam held in the compound of Islamia College, Lahore. It was largely applauded and subsequently published in the magazines and journals of the country. This poem consists of 31 stanzas having six verses each. In the poem Iqbal has highlighted Islam’s living traditions in such a way that it strikes the very heart of a person. The carefully selected and well-knit words of the poem were immensely effective. They filled the hearts of a deprived nation with new life, courage and enthusiasm. The poem “Shakwa” is a unique example of a complaint to God. We have used English translation from Dr. M.A.K. Khalil’s Call of the Marching Bell, which is English rendering of Iqbal’s Bang-i Dara.

In the first stage of this poem Iqbal counts the chivalrous deeds of the Muslims reminding them of their past glory when they happened to be the leaders and teachers of mankind. They implemented the rule of God on the earth and brought revolutionary reforms in the states under their control where justice prevailed. Hereunder I quote three stanzas from this part of “Shakwa”:

Ham jo jeetey thay to jangon ki museebat ke liyeAur marte thay tirey naam ke azmat ke liyeThi na kuch tegh zani apnee hukumat key liyeSar bakaf phirte thay kiya dhar men daulat ke liye?Qaum apni jo zaro-maal-i jahan par martiBut faroshi ke iwaz but shikani kiyum karti?

(If we lived we lived for the calamities of warsIf we died we died for the grandeur of Thy nameWe did not wield the sword for our kingdoms

Did we roam about the world fearlessly for wealth?If our nation had been greedy of worldly wealth Why would we have been idol breakers instead of idol sellers?)

Mahfil-i kaun-o Makan men sahar-o sham phirayMa-i tauheed ko ley kar sifat-i jam phirayKoh men’ dasht mey ley kar tira paigham phirayAur maaloom hay tujh ko kabhi nakaam phirayDasht to dasht hain darya bhi na chorey hamnay Bahr-i zulmaat men daura diy-e ghorey hamnay

(We continuously wandered all over the worldWe wandered like the wine cup with Tawhid’s[1] wineWe wandered with Thy message in the mountains, in the desertsAnd doth Thou know whether we ever returned unsuccessful?What of the deserts! we did not spare even oceans!We galloped our horses in the dark ocean.?)

Safah-i dhar se batil ko mitaya hamneyNau-i insan ko ghulami se churaya hamneyTerey kaabe ko jabeenon sey bassaya hamneyTerey Qur’an ko seeno sey lagaya hamneyPhir Bhi hamsey ye gila hai ke wafadar naheen Ham wafadar naheen too bhi to dildar naheen

(We effaced falsehood from the earth’s surfaceWe freed the human race from bonds of slaveryWe filled Thy Kaa’ba with our foreheadsWe put Thy Qur’an to our heartsStill Thou complaineth that we are lacking fealty If we are lacking fealty Thou also art not generous.)

The second part shows the state of decline of Muslim nation. But Iqbal has projected this aspect so beautifully that instead of creating a sense of despair and destitute in the mind it inspires a new vigour and courage to stand up and deal with rival forces. Quoted hereunder are three stanzas of this part:

Ummaten aur bhi hain un men gunahgaar bhi hain Ijz waley bhi hain mast-i ma-e pindar bhi hainInmey kahil bhi hain ghafil bhi hain hushyar bhi hain Saikron hain ke tirey naam se bezaar bhi hainRahmaten hain teri aghyar ke kashanon parBarq girti hai to becharey musalmanon par

(There are other nations, among them are sinners alsoThere are modest people and arrogant ones alsoAmong them are slothful, indolent as well as clever peopleThere are also hundreds who are disgused with Thy nameThy graces descend on the other people’s abodesLightning strikes only the poor Muslims’ abodes.)

But sanam khanon men kahte hain musalmaan gaiHai khushi unko ke Kaabey key nigehbaan gaiManzil-i dhar se unton ke hudi khuwan gaiApni baghlon men dabba-e huey Qur-an ghaiKhanda zan kufr hai ehsaas tujhe hai ke naheenApniTauhid ka kuch paas tujhe hai ke naheen

(The idols in temples say ‘The Muslims are gone’They are glad that the Ka’bah’s sentinels are goneFrom the world’s stage the hudi[2] singers are goneThey, with the Qur’an in their arm pits, are gone.Infidelity is mocking , hast Thou some feeling or not?Dost Thou have any regard for Thy own Tawhid or not?)

Bani aghyar ki ab chahne wali dunyaRahgai apne liye ek khayali dunyaHam to rukhsat hue auron ney sanbhali dunya Phir na kahna hui Tauheed se khali dunyaHam to jeetey hain ke dunya men tera naam raheKaheen mumkin hai ke saaqi na rahey jaam rahe?

(Now the world is the lover of othersFor us it is only an imaginary worldWe have departed, others have taken over the worldDo not complain now that the world has become devoid of Tawhid

We live with the object of spreading Thy fame in the worldCan the wine cup exist if the cup bearer does not live?)

The third part of Shakwa is a direct complaint to God. Three beautiful stanzas of this part are quoted as under:

Ye shikayat naheen hain unke khazane maamoor Naheen mahfil men jinhen baat bhi karne ka shaoorQahr to ye hai ke kafir ko milen hoor-o qasoorAur becharey musalman ko faqat waida-i hoorAb wo altaaf naheen ham pe inaayaat naheenBaat ye kiya hai ke pheli si madaraat naheen

(We do not complain that their treasures are fullWho are not in possession of even basic social gracesOutrageous that infidel are rewarded with Houries and palaces And the poor Muslims are placated with only promise of Houries

We have been deprived of the former graces and favoursWhat is the matter, we are deprived of the former honours.)

Ishq ki khair wo pehli si ada bhi na sahiJada paimaiye tasleemo raza bhi na sahi Muztarib dil sifat-i qiblanuma bhi na sahiAur paabandiye aaeen-i wafa bhi na sahi

Kabhi hamse kabhi ghairon se shanasai haiBaat kahney ki naheen too bhi to harjai hai

(Granted that Love has not the former elegance alsoWe may have lost treading the path of Love alsoWe have lost the restless heart like the compass alsoAnd we may have lost the observance of fidelity’s rules alsoThou art changing friendship between us and othersIt is difficult to say but Thou art also unfaithful.)

Sarey faraan pey kiya deen ko kamil too ne Ek isharey pe haszroon kay liye dil tooneAathish andoz kiya ishq ka hasil toonePhoonk di garmiye rukhsaar sey mahfil tooneAaj kiyun seene hmare sharar aabaad naheenHam wohee sokhta saamaan hain tujhey yaad naheen?

(Thou perfected the Din on the peak of Faran[3]

Thou captivated the hearts of thousands in a momentThou consumed the produce of Love with the fire Thou burned the congregation with Thy face’s fireWhy are not our breasts filled with love’s sparks now?We are the same lovers, dost Thou not remember now?)

The fourth part of Shakwa is the ending of this poem. Here we find Iqbal singing as a nightingale in a

garden praying and expressing his sentiments in the most beautiful and touching manner. Out of these we quote below four stanzas;

Wadiye najd men wo shor-i salasil na raha, Qais deewana-i nazzarai mehmil na rahaHausley wo na rahey ham na rahey dil na rahaGhar ye ujra hai ke too raunaq-i mahfil na rahaAye khush aan rooz ke aayee wa basad naaz aayeeBay hijabana su-i mahfil-i maa baaz aayee

(The noise of lover’s chains in the Najd’s valley has disappeared Qais has no more remained longing for the litter’s sightThose old ambitions, we, as well as the heart have disappeared The house is destroyed as Thou art not present in the houseO that happy day when Thou with elegance will come backWhen Thou unveiled to our congregation will come back.)

Mushkilen ummat-i marhoom ki aasaan ka deMoor-i bey maya ko hamdosh-i Sulaiman ka deJins-i nayab-i mohabbat ko phir arzaan kardeHind key der nasheeno ko musalmaan kardeJoo-i khoon mi chakad az hasrat-i derina-i maMee tapad nala ba nashtarkada-i seena-i ma

(Make easy the difficulties of the blessed Ummah

Place the poor ant shoulder to shoulder to Sulaiman[4]

Make the invaluable produce of Love accessible againChange the idolatrous Muslims of India into Muslims againA stream of blood drips from the frustrations mineWailing palpitates in the wounded breast of mine!)

Boo-i gul lay gai bairoon-i chaman raaz-i chamanKiya qayaamat hai ke khud phool hain ghammaz-i chamanAhd-i gul khatm hua toot gaya saz-i chamanUr gai daliyon se zamzama pardaz-i chamanEk bulbul hai ke hai mahv-i tarannum abtakUske seeney men hai naghmoon ka talatum abtak

(The rose’ fragrance took garden’s secret outside the gardenOutrageous that flowers themselves are informers against the gardenThe spring is over, broken is the orchestra of the gardenFlown away from branches are the songsters of the gardenOnly nightingale is left which is singing stillIn its breast overflows the flood of songs still.[5])

Lutf marney men hai baqi na maza jeeney menKuch maza hai to yihee khoon-i jigar peeney menKitney betaab hain johar mirey aaeeney menKis Qadar jalway taraptey hain mirey seeney men Is Gulistaan men magar dekhnay waley hi naheen

Daagh jo seene men rakhte hoon wo lalay hi naheen

(There is no pleasure in dying and no taste in living isIf there is any pleasure, it in bearing this affliction isMany a virtue is restless in my mirror!Many an effulgence is fluttering in my breast!But there is none in this garden to see themThere is no poppies[6] with love’s stains in their breasts).

After one year of reciting Shakwa Iqbal presented Jawab-i Shakwa in a huge gathering in 1913 at a famous public place Outside Mochi Gate of Lahore City. Jawab-I Shakwa contains 36 stanzas of six lines or verses each. This thrilling poem in a way was a call from God rather than a reply to Iqbal’s complaint. It added fire to the already boiling blood of the nation after Iqbal’s Shakwa, as a result of the Indian Muslims arose with a new life filled with enthusiasm, courage and a determination to change their fate. Inspired by Iqbal’s songs they were united, fought the war of independence and achieved victory. Once again the Muslims of India were a free nation and masters of their own destiny living in an independent country called Pakistan, the new Muslim State appeared on the world map on the 14th of. August 1947.

The revelation of Jawab-I Shakwa and its compilation took a long time of over one year. In this poem a comprehensive reply to Iqbal’s complaint to Allah is given This poem contains 36 stanzas out of which I have selected nine stanzas which are quoted hereunder together with their English translation;At the outset Allah says,

Ham to mayal ba karam hain koi saail hi naeein

Rah dikhlaeen kisay rahrav-i manzil hi naheen.Tarbiat aam to hai johar-i qabil hi naheenJis say taamir ho adam ke ye wo gil hi naheenKoi qabil ho to ham shan-i kai detay hainDhoodnay walay ko dunya bhi nayi detay hain.

We[7] are inclined to Mercy, but there is no one to imploreWhom can we show the way? There is no wayfarer to the destinationJewel polishing is common but there is no proper jewelThere is no clay capable of being moulded into AdamWe confer the glory of Kai[8] on the deservingWe confer even a whole new world on those who search.The following three stanzas are in direct reply to the three stanzas in the Complaint (Shakwa):

Wo bhi din thay ke yihi maayai raanaa-i thaa Naazish-i mausami gul laala-i Sahra-i thaJo musalman tha allah ka shaida-i thaKabhi mahboob tumhara yihi harjai thaKisi yakjai sey ab ahd-i ghulaami karlo Millat-i Ahmad-i Mursil ko Moqami karlo

(There was a time when this alone was the source of beauty The wild tulip was the pride of the season of springWhichever Muslim there was, the Lover of Got he wasA while ago your beloved this very Unfaithful was

Make the covenant of fealty now with some local oneMake the Ummah of the Holy Prophet a local one.)

Safah-i dahr sey baatil ko mitaya kisneNau-i insaan ko ghulami sey churaya kisneMerey kaabae ko jabeenon sey basaaya kisne Merey Qur’an ko seenon sey lagaya kisneThay to aaba wo tumharay hi magar tum kiya hoHath par hath dharay muntazir-i farda ho

(Who effaced false worship from the face of the world?Who rescued the human race from slavery?Who adorned my Ka’bah with their foreheads in Love?Who put my Qur’an to their breasts in reverence?They were surely your ancestors, but what are you?Sitting in idleness, waiting for tomorrow are you!)

Kiya kaha bahri musalman hai faqat waadai hoorShakwa beja bhi karay koi to laazim hai shaoorAdl hai faatir-i hasti ka azal sey dastoorMuslim aaeen hua kfir to milay hoor-o qasoorTum men hooron ka koi chahnay wala hi naheen Jawai toor to maujood hai Moosa hi naheen

(What did you say? For the Muslims is only the promise of Houri

Even if the Remonstrance be unreasonable decorum is necessaryJustice is the Creator of Existence’ custom since eternityWhen the infidel adopts Muslim ways he receives Houris and palacesNot a single one of you is longing for Houris The effulgence of Tur exists but there is no Musa.[9])

At the end of Jawab-i Shakwa the Response offers a new hope for Ummah and also provides the remedy of all diseases of the Muslims. The following 30 verses (five stanzas) are the essence of this poem:

Ummateen gulshan-i hasti men samar cheeda bhi hainAur mahroom-i samar bhi hain khizan deeda bhi hainSankron Nakhl hain kaheeda bhi’ baleeda bhi hainSankron batn-i chaman men abhi poshida bhi hainNakhl-i Islam namuna hai bromandi kaPhal hai ye sankron saddiyun ki chaman bandi ka.

(Some nations in the existence’s garden benefited from their labour areAnd some deprived from fruits and even destroyed by autumn areHundreds of trees deteriorated and hundreds flourishing areHundreds still even concealed in the bosom of the garden areThe tree of Islam a model of flourishing isThis the fruit of cons of gardening efforts is)

Pak hai gard-i watan say sar-i daman teraToo wo Yusuf hai ke har misr hai kanaan tera

Qafla ho na sakega kabhi veran teraGhair yek bang-i dara kuch naheen saman teraNakhl-i shamasti-o dar shola dawad resha-i toAaqibat soz bawad saya-i andesha-i to

(Your skirt is undefiled by the dust of homelandYou are the Yusuf for whom every Egypt is Kan’an[10] It will never be possible to destroy your caravanNothing except the Clarions’s Call are your chattel You are a candle like tree, it its flame’s smoke your roots are Your thoughts free from the care of the end are.)

Misl-i boo qaid haye ghunche men pareeshan hojaRakht bar dosh hawa-i chmanistaan hoja Hai tunak maya to zarrey say biyabaan hojaNaghma-i Mauj say hangaama-i toofaan hojaQuwwat-i Ishq sey her past koi balaa kardeyDhr men ism-i Muhammad sey Ujala krdey

(Like fragrance you are contained in the flower bud, become scattered Become the chattel travelling on the wings of the breeze of the rose gardenIf you are poor, changed from speck to the wilderness beFrom the melody of wave changed to tumult of the storm beWith the Love’s power elevate every low to elegance With Muhammad’s name illuminate the whole world.)

Ho na ye phool to bulbul ka tarannum bhi na hoChaman-i dhr men kalyun ka tabassum bhi na hoYe na saqi ho to phir mai bhi na ho khum bhi na hoBazm-i tawhid bhi dunya bh na ho tum bhi na hoKhema aflaak ka istada isi naam se haiNabz-i hasti taphis aamada isi nam sey hai

(If there is no flower nightingale music should also not beIn the world’s garden smile of flower buds should also not beIf there is no cup bearer, wine and decanter should also not beTawhid’s Assembly in the world and you should also not beThe system of the universe is stable by this very nameThe existence’ pulse is warm with this very name.)

Aql hai teri sipar ish a shamsheer teriMerey darvesh khilafat hai jehangir teri Ma siwallah ke lia aag hai takbeer teriToo Musalman ho to taqdir hai tadbir teriKi Muhammad se wafa toonay to ham teray hainYe jahan cheez hai kiya lauho qalam tere hain

(Intellect is your shield, Love is your swordMy dervish! Your vicegerency is world-conquering Your Takbir like fire for Godlessness is

If you are Muslim your prudence your destiny isIf you are loyal to Muhammad we are yoursThis universe is nothing the Tablet and the Pen[11] are yours.)

Shikwa - Allama Iqbal

Kyon Ziaan kaar banun, sood faramosh rahoon?Fikr-e-farda na karun, mahw-e-ghum-e-dosh rahoon,

Naale bulbul ke sunoon, aur hama tan gosh rahoon,Hamnawa main bhi koi gul hoon ke khamosh rahoon?

Jurrat aamoz meri taab-e-sakhun hai mujhko,Shikwa Allah se khakam badahan hai mujhko.

Aye Khuda shikwa-e-arbab-e-wafa bhi sun le,Khu gar-e-hamd se thoda sa gila bhi sun le.

Thi toh maujood azal se hi teri zaat-e-qadim,Phool tha zeb-e-chaman, par na pareshan thi shamim;

Shart insaaf hai, aye, sahib-e-altaf-e-amim,Boo-e-gul phailti kis tarah jo hoti na nasim?

Hum se pahle tha ajab tere jahan ka manzir,Kahin masjood the patthar, kahin maabood shajar,

Khugar-e-paikar-e-mahsoos thi insaan ki nazar,Maanta phir koi un-dekhe Khuda ko kyonkar?

Tujhko maaloom hai leta tha koi naam tera?Quwwat-e-baazoo-e-Muslim ne kiya kaam tera!

Bas rahe the yahin salijuq bhi, toorani bhi,Ahl-e-chin cheen mein, Iran mein sasaani bhi,

Isi maamoore mein aabad the Yunaani bhi,Isi duniya mein Yahudi bhi the, Nusraani bhi,

Par tere naam pe talwar uthai kis ne,Baat joh bigdi huyi thi woh banaayi kis ne?

The hameen ek tere maarka aaraaon mein!

Khushkion mein kabhi ladte, kabhi dariyaon mein,

Di azaanen kabhi Europe ke kaleesaaon mein,Kabhi Africa ke tapte huye sahraaon mein.

Thi na kuchh teg zani apni hakumat ke liye,Sar ba-kaf phirte the kya dahar mein daulat ke liye?

Qaum apni jo zar-o-maal-e-jahan par marti,But faroshi ke iwaz but shikni kyon karti?

Naqsh tauheed ka har dil pe bithaya hum ne,Zer-e-khanjar bhi yeh paigham sunaya hum ne.

Tu hi kah de ke ukhada dar-e-Khyber kis ne,Shaher qaiser ka jo tha us ko kiya sar kis ne?

Tore makhluq khudawandon ke paikar kis ne?Kaat kar rakh diye kaffaar ke lashkar kis ne?

Aa gaya ain ladaai mein agar waqt-e-namaz,Qibla roo ho ke zamin bos hui qaum-e-Hejaz,

Ek hi saf mein khade ho gaye mahmud-o-Ayaz,No koi banda raha aur no koi banda nawaz.

Banda-o-sahib-o-muhtaaj-o-ghani ek huye,Teri sarkar mein pahunche toh sabhi ek huye.

Mehfil-e-kaun-o-makaan mein shar-o-shaam phire,Mai-e-tauheed ko lekar sift-e-jam phire.

Dasht toh dasht hain, darya bhi na chhode hum ne,Bahr-e-zulmaat mein dauda diye ghore hum ne.

Safah-e-dahar se baatil ko mitaya hum ne,Nau-e-insaan ko ghulami se chhudaya hum ne,

Tere kaabe ko jabeenon se basaya hum ne,Tere Qur'an ko seenon se lagaya hum ne.

Phir bhi hum se yeh gila hai, ke wafadar nahin,Hum wafadar nahin, tu bhi toh dildar nahin!

Rahmaten hain teri aghiyar ke kashaanon par,Barq girti hai toh bechare Musalmaanon par!

Yeh shikayat nahin, hain un ke khazane maamur,Nahin mehfil mein jinhen baat bhi karne ka shaoor,

Qahar toh yeh hai ke kafir ko milen hoor-o-qasoor,Aur bechaare Musalmaan ko faqt waada-e-hoor!

Taan-e-aghiyaar hai, ruswai hai, nadaari hai,Kya tere naam pe marne ka iwaz khwari hai?

Hum toh jeete hain ke duniya mein tera naam rahe,Kahin mumkin hai saqi na rahe, jaam rahe?

Teri mehfil bhi gayi, chahne wale bhi gaye,Shab ki aahen bhi gayi, subah ke nale bhi gaye,

Dil tujhe de bhi gaye, apna sila le bhi gaye,Aa ke baithe bhi na the, ke nikaale bhi gaye.

Aaye ushaaq, gaye waada-e-farda lekar,Ab unhen dhoond chirag-e-rukh-e-zeba lekar!

Dard-e-Laila bhi wohi, Qais ka pahlu bhi wohi,

Nejd ke dasht-o-jabal mein ram-e-aahoo bhi wohi,

Ishq ka dil bhi wohi, husn ka jaadoo bhi wohi,Ummat-e-Ahmed-e-Mursil bhi wohi, tu bhi wohi,

Phir yeh aazurdagi-e-ghair-sabab kya maani,Apne shaidaaon pe yeh chashm-e-ghazab kya maani?

Ishq ki khair, woh pehli si ada bhi na sahi,Jaada paimaai taslim-o-raza bhi na sahi,

Kabhi hum se, kabhi ghairon se shanasaai hai,Baat kahne ki nahin, tu bhi toh harjaai hai.

Ahd-e-gul khatam hua, toot gaya saaz-e-chaman,Ud gaye dalion se zamzama pardaaz-e-chaman.

Ek bulbul hai ke hai mahw-e-tarannum ab tak,Us ke seene mein hai naghmon ka talatam ab tak.

Qumrian shaakh-e-sanober se gurezaan bhi hui,Pattian phool ki jhad jhad ke pareshan bhi hui;

Woh purani ravishen bagh ki veeran bhi hui,Daalian parahan-e-barg se uriaan bhi hui.

Qaid-e-mausim se tabiyat rahi aazad uski,Kaash gulshan mein samjhta koi faryaad uski.

Chaak is bulbul-e-tanha ki nawa se dil hon,Jaagne wale isi baang-e-dara se dil hon.

Yaani phir zinda naye ahd-e-wafa se dil hon,Phir isi bada-e-deereena ke pyaase dil hon.

Ajmi khum hai toh kya, ma'y toh Hejaazi hai meri,Naghma Hindi hai toh kya, la'y toh Hejaazi hai meri.

Shikwah ( Complaint )

- Allama Iqbal

An English translation:

Why should I abet the loss, why forget the gain,Why forfeit the future, bemoan the past in vain?

Hear the wail of nightingale, and remain unstirred,

Am I a flower insensate that will not say a word?

The power of speech emboldens me to speak out my heart,I'll sure be damned, I know, if fault my God.

Hear, O Lord, from the faithful ones this sad lament,From those used to hymn a praise, a word of discontent.

Enternally were you present, Lord, eternally omniscient,The flower hung upon the tree, but without incense.

Be Thou fair, tell us true, O fountainhead of grace, How could the scent spread without the breeze apace?

The world presented a queer sight ere we took the stage,Stones and plants in your stead were worshipped in that age.

Man, being inured to senses, couldn't accept a thing unseen,How could a formless God impress his senses keen?

Tell me, Lord, if anyone ever invoked Thy name,The strength of Muslim arm alone restored Thy fame.

There was no dearth of peoples on this earth before,Turkish tribes and Persian clans lived in days of yore;

The Greeks and the Chinese both bred and throve,Christians as well as the Jews on this planet roved.

But who in Thy holy name raised his valiant sword,Who set the things right, resolved the rigmarole?

We were the warrior bands battling for Thy cause,Now on land, now on water, we the crusades fought.

Now in Europe's synods did we loudly pray,Now in African deserts made a bold foray.

Not for territorial greed did we wield the sword,Not for pelf and power did we suffer the blows.

Had we been tempted by the greed of glittering gold,Instead of breaking idols, would have idols sold.

We impressed on every heart the oneness of our mighty Lord,Even under the threat of sword, bold and clever was our call.

Who conquered, tell us Thou, the fearful Khyber pass?Who vanquished the Imperial Rome, who made it fall?

Who broke the idols of the primitive folks?Who fought the kafirs, massacred their hordes?

If the prayer time arrived right amid the war,With their faces turned to Kaaba, knelt down the brave Hejaz.

Mahmud and Ayaz stood together in the same flank,The ruler and the ruled forget the difference in their rank.

The rich and poor, Lord and slave, all were levelled down,All became brethern in love, with Thy grace crowned.

We roamed the world through, visited every place,Did our rounds like the cup, serving sacred ale.

Forget about the forests, we spared not the seas,Into the dark, unfathomed ocean, we pushed our steeds.

We removed falsehood from the earth's face,

We broke the shackles of the human race.

We reclaimed your Kaaba with our kneeling brows,We pressed the sacred Quran to our heart and soul.

Even then you grumble, we are false, untrue,If you call us faithless, tell us what are you?

You reserve your favours for men of other shades,While you hurl your bolts on the Muslim race.

This is not our complaint that such alone are blesse,Who do not know the etiquette, nor even can converse.

The tragedy is while kafirs are with houries actually blest,On vague hopes of houries in heaven the Muslim race is made to rest!

Poverty, taunts, ignominy stare us in the face,Is humiliation the sole reward of our suffering race?

To perpetuate Thy name is our sole concern,Deprived of the saqi's aid can the cup revolve and turn?

Gone is your assemblage, off your lovers have sailed,The midnight sights are no more heard, nor the morning wails;

They pledged their hearts to you, what is their return?Hardly had they stepped inside, when they were externed.

Thy lovers came and went away, fed on hopes of future grace,Search them now with the lamp of your glowing face.

Unassuaged is Laila's ache, unquenched is Qais's thirst,In the wilderness of Nejd, the wild deer are still berserk.

The same passion thrills the hearts, enchanting still is beauty's gaze,You are the same as before, same too is the Prophet's race.

Why then this indifference, without a cause or fault?Why with your threatening looks dost thou break our heart?

Accepted that the flame of love burneth low and dim,We do not, as in your, dance attendance on your whims;

But you too, pardon us, possess a coquettish heart,Now on us, now on others, alight your amorous darts.

The spring has now taken leave, broken lies the lyre string,The birds that chirped among the leaves have also taken wing;

A single nightingale is left singing on the tree,A flood of song in her breast is longing for release.

From atop the firs and pines the doves have flown away,The floral petals lie scattered all along the way.

Desolate lie the garden paths, once dressed and neat,Leafless hang the branches on the naked trees.

The nightingale is unconcerned with the season's range,Would that someone in the grove appreciates her wail.

May the nightingale's wail pierce the listeners' hearts,May the clinking caravan awaken slumbering thoughts!

Let the hearts pledge anew their faith to you, O Lord,Let's re-charge our cups from the taverns of the past.

Through I hold a Persian cup, the wine is pure Hejaz,Thought I sing an Indian song, the turn is of the Arabian caste.