For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مرگِ ناگہاں کیوں ہو ۔ س۔و۔ بھجن طالبؔ شاہ آبادی
۱
تعارف کیوں نہ ہو تیرا بھلا ذکرِ بتاں کیوں ہو
زباں رکھتے ہوئے عاشق ترا بے داستاں کیوں ہو
۲
جہاں بدکار کو بھی ہو نہ سجدوں کا شرف حاصل
مقدر میں جبیں کے وہ فرازِ آستاں کیوں ہو
۳
بقا جاوید، پیغام بقا جاوید ہوتا ہے
کوئی فانی ہمارے اور خدا کے درمیاں کیوں ہو
۴
مکینِ لا مکاں ہو کر بھی وہ دنیا میں آتا ہے
جو دل میں بس رہا ہو اُس کو قیدِ آسماں کیوں ہو
۵
نفس کو آخری ہچکی کا صدمہ ہی جو سہنا ہے
تو اِک زندہ شہادت ہو وہ مرگِ ناگہاں کیوں ہو
۶
کرم کر طالبِؔ مجبور پر اے سرورِ عالم
ترا بندہ ترے ہوتے ہوئے بے خانماں کیوں ہو
मर्ग-ए नागहाँ क्यूं हो – स.व. भजन तालिब शाह-आबादी
१
ता’अरुफ़ क्यूं न हो तेरा भला ज़िक्र-ए बुताँ क्यूं हो
ज़बाँ रखते हुए आशिक़ तेरा बे-दास्ताँ क्यूं हो
२
जहाँ बदकार को भी हो न सज्दौं का शरफ़ हासिल
मुक़द्दर में जबीं के वो फ़राज़-ए आस्ताँ क्यूं हो
३
बक़ा जावेद, पैग़ाम-ए बक़ा जावेद होता है
कोई फ़ानी हमारे और ख़ुदा के दर्मियाँ क्यूं हो
४
मकीन-ए ला-मकाँ हो कर भी वो दुनिया में आता है
जो दिल में बस रहा हो उसको क़ैद-ए आसमाँ क्यूं हो
५
नफ़स को आख़िरी हिचकी का सदमा ही जो सहना है
तो एक ज़िंदा शहादत हो वो मर्ग-ए नागहाँ क्यूं हो
६
करम कर तालिब-ए मज्बूर पर अए सरवर-ए आलम
तेरा बंदा तेरे होते हुए बे-ख़ानुमाँ क्यूं हो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sv bhajan taalib shaahabaadi (1924-xxxx) MA, MOL, PhD. PhD from tehraan university, research on chishtia order. Served as pastor in lukhnau, dehli and hyderabad. Grandfather had converted to Christianity. Worked in hyderabad for many years d running the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies and translating the Bible into urdu. Family origins in multan, sialkoT and lahore. This Ghazal, while an ode to Jesus Christ, is composed in the zamin of Ghalib, and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
ta’aruf1 kyuN na ho teraa bhalaa2 zikr3-e butaaN4 kyuN ho
zabaaN rakhte hu’e aashiq teraa be-daastaaN5 kyuN ho 1.introduction, praise 2.after all 3.mention, narration 4.idols, gods 5.without story, silent
The poet was a practicing pastor and active in the Church. This Ghazal/nazm is an ode to his faith in Jesus Christ. Why shouldn’t your praise be proclaimed, why mention (false) idols/gods? While having a tongue, how can your lover remain silent, without telling your story? The poet/preacher affirms his right to proseletyze, duty to proclaim the good news.
2
jahaaN1 badkaar2 ko bhii ho na sajdoN3 kaa sharaf4 haasil5
muqaddar6 meN jabiiN7 ke voh faraaz8-e aastaaN9 kyuN ho
1.where 2.evil doer, sinner 3.obeisance, prostration 4.privilege 5.available 6.fate, fortune 7.forehead, brow 8.height, elevated status 9.threshold
In conventional prayer, the forehead is bowed at the threshold of god. But if the threshold is so high that it does not give the lowly sinner the privilege to bow at it, to repent and earn forgiveness, then why should such a forbidding threshold be the fortune of the sinner’s forehead. This is the Christian tradition of repentence and forgiveness. Thus, in a world where the sinner does not gain the privilege of prostration/repentence, how could the fortune of the sinner’s forehead ever touch the heights of the divine threshold?
3
baqaa jaaved, paiGhaam-e baqaa jaaved hotaa hai
koi faanii hamaare aur Khuda ke darmiyaaN kyuN ho 1.immortality 2.eternal 3.message 4.mortal 5.in between, intermediary
Immortality is eternal, the message of immortality is eternal, then why should a mortal be an intermediary between us and god. The implication is that Christ is god, is immortal, and our direct connection is with him, without the need for an intermediary.
4
makiin1-e laa-makaaN2 ho kar bhii voh duniyaa meN aataa hai
jo dil meN bas3 rahaa ho uss ko qaid4-e aasmaaN kyuN ho 1.resident 2.beyond space, unlimited expanse 3.residing, living 4.limitation
Though residing in the realm/expanse beyond space, he still comes into this world. If he resides in the heart, how could he be confined by the sky? This is probably about the belief that Christ came down to earth as a saviour of human beings even though he was comfortable in heaven. He came down because of his love of humanity as demonstrated by his making a home in hearts.
5
nafas1 ko aaKhri2 hichkii3 kaa sadma4 hii jo sahnaa5 hai
to ek zinda shahaadat6 ho voh marg7-e naagahaaN8 kyuN ho 1.soul 2.last 3.hiccup, strained breath 4.shock 5.endure 6.martyrdom, testimony 7.death 8.unknown, sudden
If the soul must endure the shock of its final breath, then let it be a living testimony, why should it be a sudden, an unknown death? The poet contemplates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ as a testimony to the love and forgiveness of god. Why should this not be an open declaration/invitation to faith. Why should this be an unknown, unnoticed, purposeless death. This is a declaration that Christ’s sacrifice/martyrdom had a purpose.
6
karam1 kar taalib2-e majbuur3 par aye sarvar4-e aalam5
teraa bandaa6 tere hote hu’e be-khaanamaaN7 kyuN ho 1.mercy 2.pen-name of the poet 3.helpless 4.lord 5.world 6.servant, devotee 7.homeless, without shelter, abandoned
Show mercy on the helpless taalib, O lord of the universe, how can your servant remain homeless/abandoned while you exist? The poet/devotee pleads for divine mercy, addressing God/Jesus Christ and placing his confidence/hope in his protection.
sv bhajan taalib shaahabaadi (1924-xxxx) MA, MOL, PhD. PhD from tehraan university, research on chishtia order. Served as pastor in lukhnau, dehli and hyderabad. Grandfather had converted to Christianity. Worked in hyderabad for many years d running the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies and translating the Bible into urdu. Family origins in multan, sialkoT and lahore. This Ghazal, while an ode to Jesus Christ, is composed in the zamin of Ghalib, and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
ta’aruf1 kyuN na ho teraa bhalaa2 zikr3-e butaaN4 kyuN ho
zabaaN rakhte hu’e aashiq teraa be-daastaaN5 kyuN ho
1.introduction, praise 2.after all 3.mention, narration 4.idols, gods 5.without story, silent
The poet was a practicing pastor and active in the Church. This Ghazal/nazm is an ode to his faith in Jesus Christ. Why shouldn’t your praise be proclaimed, why mention (false) idols/gods? While having a tongue, how can your lover remain silent, without telling your story? The poet/preacher affirms his right to proseletyze, duty to proclaim the good news.
2
jahaaN1 badkaar2 ko bhii ho na sajdoN3 kaa sharaf4 haasil5
muqaddar6 meN jabiiN7 ke voh faraaz8-e aastaaN9 kyuN ho
1.where 2.evil doer, sinner 3.obeisance, prostration 4.privilege 5.available 6.fate, fortune 7.forehead, brow 8.height, elevated status 9.threshold
In conventional prayer, the forehead is bowed at the threshold of god. But if the threshold is so high that it does not give the lowly sinner the privilege to bow at it, to repent and earn forgiveness, then why should such a forbidding threshold be the fortune of the sinner’s forehead. This is the Christian tradition of repentence and forgiveness. Thus, in a world where the sinner does not gain the privilege of prostration/repentence, how could the fortune of the sinner’s forehead ever touch the heights of the divine threshold?
3
baqaa jaaved, paiGhaam-e baqaa jaaved hotaa hai
koi faanii hamaare aur Khuda ke darmiyaaN kyuN ho
1.immortality 2.eternal 3.message 4.mortal 5.in between, intermediary
Immortality is eternal, the message of immortality is eternal, then why should a mortal be an intermediary between us and god. The implication is that Christ is god, is immortal, and our direct connection is with him, without the need for an intermediary.
4
makiin1-e laa-makaaN2 ho kar bhii voh duniyaa meN aataa hai
jo dil meN bas3 rahaa ho uss ko qaid4-e aasmaaN kyuN ho
1.resident 2.beyond space, unlimited expanse 3.residing, living 4.limitation
Though residing in the realm/expanse beyond space, he still comes into this world. If he resides in the heart, how could he be confined by the sky? This is probably about the belief that Christ came down to earth as a saviour of human beings even though he was comfortable in heaven. He came down because of his love of humanity as demonstrated by his making a home in hearts.
5
nafas1 ko aaKhri2 hichkii3 kaa sadma4 hii jo sahnaa5 hai
to ek zinda shahaadat6 ho voh marg7-e naagahaaN8 kyuN ho
1.soul 2.last 3.hiccup, strained breath 4.shock 5.endure 6.martyrdom, testimony 7.death 8.unknown, sudden
If the soul must endure the shock of its final breath, then let it be a living testimony, why should it be a sudden, an unknown death? The poet contemplates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ as a testimony to the love and forgiveness of god. Why should this not be an open declaration/invitation to faith. Why should this be an unknown, unnoticed, purposeless death. This is a declaration that Christ’s sacrifice/martyrdom had a purpose.
6
karam1 kar taalib2-e majbuur3 par aye sarvar4-e aalam5
teraa bandaa6 tere hote hu’e be-khaanamaaN7 kyuN ho
1.mercy 2.pen-name of the poet 3.helpless 4.lord 5.world 6.servant, devotee 7.homeless, without shelter, abandoned
Show mercy on the helpless taalib, O lord of the universe, how can your servant remain homeless/abandoned while you exist? The poet/devotee pleads for divine mercy, addressing God/Jesus Christ and placing his confidence/hope in his protection.
