Recitation
اندھی اطاعت – شاہد
دُنیا کے اِنتظام میں کیسا کمال ہے
فرمان کے جواز کا کیوں نہ سوال ہے
حاکم بھی ہمیشہ یہی سازش ہے بناتا
مقصد بھی چھپاتا و خدا داد بتاتا
خوابوں کی بشارت میں یہی بات چُھپی ہے
بیٹا ہوذبح آنکھ پہ پٹ٘ی بھی بندھی ہے
تعمیل کی تعریف پہ ہاں نظم لکھی ہے
جلتے ہوے جہاز پہ طِفلی بھی جلی ہے
اوُنوُدا دسوں سال تک ہتیار نہ ڈالا
ہر حال میں افسر کا رہے بول ہی بالا
می لائی میں کیونکر ہوا یوں خون کا بہنا
اِنسانیت سے برتر افسر کا تھا کہنا
توہینِ رِسالت کا ایسا ہی استحصال
مقصد چھپا کے کرتا خود غرض استعمال
معصوم سی اک بھول پہ اِلزام لگا تھا
انور کو مگر بھول کا احساس قوی تھا
الزام پہ منطق کا چلا زور نہ کچھ بھی
ہاتھ اپنا قلم کر دیا معصوم تھا پھر بھی
دینے خراج آئے برابر کے گاؤں سے
دم بھرنے اِطاعت کا، چرچا کیا پھر سے
کیا تو نے کبھی یوں ہی اِطاعت کو سراہا ہے
اندھی روائتوں کو ایمان بنایاہے
اِس رسم کو مذہب نے یوں سر پہ چڑھایا ہے
حقیقت کو بھی کاٹا ہے، منطق کو چِڑایا ہے
اِس اندھی اِطاعت کا کتنا وسیع ہے جال
خود کُش کو بھی یقینأ دیتا ہے اِشتعال
توڑ دیں اِس اندھی اِطاعت کا تسلّط
اِنسانیت سے ہے ہمیں یہ فکر کی دعوت
وہ فکر جو اعمال کا ذمہّ خود لے
وہ فکر بے وجہ جوانی کو جو قرباں نہ کرے
وہ فکر جو اندھے روایات کی حامی نہ بھرے
وہ فکر جو میزان میں ہر حکم کو تولے
وہ فکر جو فتووں کو کسوٹی پہ کسے
وہ فکرخدائی کے جو فرماں جانچے
وہ فکر جو تحقیق کی کوشش تو کرے
وہ فکر جو انکار کی جراؑت بھی کرے
وہ فکر جو خوابوں کی بشارت سے بچے
وہ فکر جو آنکھ پہ پٹی نہ بندھےعقل پہ پردہ نہ دھرے
अंधी इता’अत – शाहेद
दुनिया के इंतज़ाम में कैसा कमाल है
फ़रमान के ज्वाज़ का क्यूं न सवाल है
हाकिम भी हमेशा यही साज़िश है बनाता
मक़्सद भी छुपाता ओ ख़ुदादाद बताता
ख़्वाबों कि बशारत में यही बात छुपी है
बेटा हो ज़िबह आंख पे पट्टी भी बंधी है
तामील की तारीफ़ पे हां नज़्म लिखी है
जलते हुए जहाज़ पे तिफ़्ली भी जली है
ऊनूदा दसौं साल तक हथियार न डाला
हर हाल में अफ़्सर का रहे बोल ही बाला
मी लाई में क्यूंकर हुआ यूं ख़ून का बहना
इन्सानियत से बरतर अफ़्सर का था कहना
तौहीन-ए रिसालत का ऐसा है इस्तेहसाल
मक़्सद छुपा के करता ख़ुदग़र्ज़ इस्तेमाल
मासूम सी एक भूल पे इल्ज़ाम लगा था
अनवर को मगर भूल के एहसास क़वी था
इल्ज़ाम पे मन्तक़ का चला ज़ोर न कुछ भी
हाथ अपना क़लम कर दिया मासूम था फिर भी
देने ख़िराज आए बराबर के गाऊं से
दम भरने इता’अत का, चर्चा किया फिर से
क्या तू ने कही यूं हि, इताअत को सराहा है
अंधी रिवायतों को ईमान बनाया है
इस रस्म को मज़हब ने युं सर पे चढ़ाया है
हक़ीक़त को भी काटा है, मन्तक़ को चिड़ाया है
इस अंधी इता’अत का कितना वस’ई है जाल
ख़ुद्कुश को भी यक़ीनन देता है इश्ते’आल
तोड़ दें इस अंधी इता’अत का तस्सलुत
इन्सानियत से है हमें ये फ़िक्र की दावत
वो फ़िक्र जो आमाल का ज़िम्मा ख़ुद ले
वो फ़िक्र बे-वजह जवानी को जो क़ुर्बां न करे
वो फ़िक्र जो अंधे रिवायात कि हामी न भरे
वो फ़िक्र जो मीज़ान में हर हुक्म को तोले
वो फ़िक्र जो फ़तवों को कसोटी पे कसे
वो फ़िक्र ख़ुदाई के जो फ़रमां जांचे
वो फ़िक्र जो तहक़ीक़ की कोशिश तो करे
वो फ़िक्र जो इंकार कि जुर’अत भी करे
वो फ़िक्र जो ख़्वाबों की बशारत से बचे
वो फ़िक्र जो आंख पे पट्टी न बंधे, अक़्ल पे पर्दा न धरे
andhi ita’at – shahed
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. I wrote this affected and saddened by the fifteen year old boy in Pakistan who cut off his hand. I think social and cultural pressures play havoc with all of our lives. Suspension/compartmentalization of rationality is a worldwide problem. Time to stand up.
duniya ke intezaam1 meN kaisa kamaal2 hai
farmaan3 ke juvaaz4 ka kyuN na savaal hai
haakim5 bhi hamesha yahi saazish6 hai banaata
maqsad7 bhi chhupaata o Khudadaad8 bataata1. affairs, working 2. skill, trickery 3. orders, edicts 4. justification, legitimacy 5. king/governor/president 6. conspiracy 7. purpose 8. god given
The affairs of the world have a (strange) beauty of excellence. Complying with orders without a thought is quite common. The ruler too always conspires to hide his (real) purpose and declare his orders divinely inspired.
KhwaabauN ki bashaarat1 meN yahi baat chhupi hai
beTa ho zibah2 aanNkh pe paTTi bhi bandhi hai1. revelation, divine message 2. throat slit
This has reference to the story of Ibrahim and Ismail. Ibrahim received a message in his dream that he should slit his son’s throat and proceeded to do so. My intent here is not to debate what actually happened but how this story is used. It is used to extoll blind, unquestioning obedience. The additional bit in the popularly held story is that Ibrahim tied a blindfold on his eyes because he could not bear to see his son die. “aaNkh pe paTTi baandhna” is also a phrase used to imply refusal to see reason, facts. Thus, I use it here to say that they not only extoll blind obedience, they also extoll refusal to see reason.
ta’ameel1 ki ta’reef2 pe haaN nazm3 likhi hai
jalte hue jahaaz pe tifli4 bhi jali hai1. obedience, compliance 2. praise 3. poem 4. childhood
There is a poem in praise of obedience. In the fiery ship, childhood was also burnt. This has reference to a poem which used to be a part of any English text book. The boy was ordered by his father to stand at the wheel. The ship caught fire but the boy stood even with flames coming up to his head only because his father had ordered him to do so. The poem extolls this blind obedience, makes a virtue of it and holds it up as an example.
oonooda1 dasauN2 saal tak hathiyaar na Daala
har haal meN afsar3 ka rahe bol hi baala4 1. Hiro Onoda, Japanese soldier 2. tens 3. officer 4. high, regarded
Onoda did not lay down his arms for tens of years. Under all circumstances, he wanted to keep the word of his commander. This has reference to a Japanese soldier, who hid in the jungle in the Phillipines. Even though the war was over, he refused to surrender for 25 years, carrying on a clandestine war, all because his commander had ordered him never to lay down his weapons. Finally, they traced who his commander was and brought him to the jungles to give orders to surrender over a megaphone. Onoda was extolled and handsomely rewarded for obedience to orders!
mii laaii1 meN kyuNkar hua yuN Khoon ka bahna
insaaniyat se bartar2 afsar ka thha kahna1. MyLai village in Vietnam 2. superior
Why do you think there was blood flowing in MyLai. It was because the word of the commander had precedence over human values. This reference to the US war on Vietnam in which there were many mass murders but this one stood out where soldiers lined up villagers including children and shot them because they were ordered to do so.
tauheen-e risaalat1 ka aisa hi istehsaal2
maqsad3 chhupa ke karta KhudGharz4 iste’maal51. insulting the prophet, blasphemy 2. undue benefit, exploitation 3. purpose, intent 4. selfish 5. use/misuse
Accusations of blasphemy are in much the same way exploitative. Hiding their real intent selfish (and powerful) people misuse them.
ma’soom1 si ek bhool2 pe ilzaam3 lagaa tha
anwar4 ko magar bhool ka ehsaas4 qavi5 tha
ilzaam3 pe mantaq6 ka chala zor7 na kuchh bhi
haath apna qalam8 kar diya ma’soom1 tha phir bhi
dene Khiraaj9 aaye baraabar ke gaauN se
dam bharne10 ita’at11 ka, charcha12 kya phir se1. blameless 2. forgetfulness, slip 3. accusation 4. Anwar, 15 year old Pakistani boy who severed his own hand 5. strong 6. logic 7. force, power 8. sever, cut off 9. homage 10. extoll, praise 11. obedience 12. praise, preach He was blameless but was accused for a minor slip. Anwar’s sense of shame was very strong and logic could not stand up to the accusation. He severed his own hand as punishment, atonement for his perceived sin. People from surrounding villages came to pay homage, thus extolling unquestioning obedience and preaching it for everyone to follow.
kya tu ne kabhi yuN hi ita’at1 ko saraaha2 hai
andhi rivaayatauN3 ko eemaan4 banaaya hai
is rasm ko mazhab5 ne yuN sar pe chaRhaaya hai
haqeeqat6 ko bhi kaaTa hai, mantaq7 ko chiRaaya8 hai
is andhi ita’at9 ka kitna vase’e10 hai jaal11
Khudkush12 ko bhi yaqeenan13 deta hai ishtea’al14 1. (blind) obedience, followership 2. praise 3. traditions 4. faith 5. religion 6. truth, facts 7. logic, reason 8. make fun of 9. blind obedience 10. vast 11. net, web 12. suicide (bomber) 13. certainly 14. ignite
Have you ever praised such blind followership, ever thought of traditions as faith? Religion has made this practice so important that it denies facts and makes fun of logic. How vast is the web of unquestioning obedience. Surely, it also gives incitement to the suicide bomber.
toR deN is andhi ita’at ka tassalut1
insaaniyat se hai hameN ye fikr2 ki da’vat3
vo fikr jo a’amaal4 ki zimma5 Khud le6
vo fikr be-vajah7 javaani ko jo qurbaaN8 na kare
vo fikr jo andhe rivayaat9 ki haami10 na bhare
vo fikr jo meezaan11 meN har hukm12 ko tole
vo fikr jo fatvauN13 ko kasoTi pe kase14
vo fikr Khudaaii ke jo farmaaN15 jaaNche
vo fikr jo tahqeeq16 ki koshish17 to kare
vo fikr jo inkaar18 ki jur’at19 bhi kare
vo fikr jo KhwaabauN ki bashaarat20 se bache
vo fikr jo aaNkh pe paTTi na bandhe aql pe parda na dhare1. dominance 2. thought, reason 3. invitation 4. actions 5. responsibility 6. take it on your head, assume responsibility 7. without reason 8. sacrifice 9. traditions 10. agree, support 11. balance 12. order 13. religious edicts 4. touchstone to test purity of gold 15. orders 16. inquiry, investigation 17. try, attenpt 18. refusal, denial 19. daring, courage 20. revelation (divine) Let us break this dominance of blind obedience. Humanism invites us to reason. The reason which will take responsibility for its own actions. The reason, which would not sacrifice youth for no reason at all. The reason which will not support/propagate unthinking traditions. The reason which will weigh orders in a balance. The reason which will test the (purity) authenticity of religious edicts. The reason which will examine even divine orders. The reason which will at least try to investigate/inquire. The reason which has the courage to deny. The reason which escape (the illusion of) revelation. The reason which will not tie a blindfold, will not close its mind.
andhi ita’at – shahed
I wrote this affected and saddened by the fifteen year old boy in Pakistan who cut off his hand. I think social and cultural pressures play havoc with all of our lives. Suspension/compartmentalization of rationality is a worldwide problem. Time to stand up.
duniya ke intezaam1 meN kaisa kamaal2 hai
farmaan3 ke juvaaz4 ka kyuN na savaal hai
haakim5 bhi hamesha yahi saazish6 hai banaata
maqsad7 bhi chhupaata o Khudadaad8 bataata
1. affairs, working 2. skill, trickery 3. orders, edicts 4. justification, legitimacy 5. king/governor/president 6. conspiracy 7. purpose 8. god given
The affairs of the world have a (strange) beauty of excellence. Complying with orders without a thought is quite common. The ruler too always conspires to hide his (real) purpose and declare his orders divinely inspired.
KhwaabauN ki bashaarat1 meN yahi baat chhupi hai
beTa ho zibah2 aanNkh pe paTTi bhi bandhi hai
1. revelation, divine message 2. throat slit
This has reference to the story of Ibrahim and Ismail. Ibrahim received a message in his dream that he should slit his son’s throat and proceeded to do so. My intent here is not to debate what actually happened but how this story is used. It is used to extoll blind, unquestioning obedience. The additional bit in the popularly held story is that Ibrahim tied a blindfold on his eyes because he could not bear to see his son die. “aaNkh pe paTTi baandhna” is also a phrase used to imply refusal to see reason, facts. Thus, I use it here to say that they not only extoll blind obedience, they also extoll refusal to see reason.
ta’ameel1 ki ta’reef2 pe haaN nazm3 likhi hai
jalte hue jahaaz pe tifli4 bhi jali hai
1. obedience, compliance 2. praise 3. poem 4. childhood
There is a poem in praise of obedience. In the fiery ship, childhood was also burnt. This has reference to a poem which used to be a part of any English text book. The boy was ordered by his father to stand at the wheel. The ship caught fire but the boy stood even with flames coming up to his head only because his father had ordered him to do so. The poem extolls this blind obedience, makes a virtue of it and holds it up as an example.
oonooda1 dasauN2 saal tak hathiyaar na Daala
har haal meN afsar3 ka rahe bol hi baala4
1. Hiro Onoda, Japanese soldier 2. tens 3. officer 4. high, regarded
Onoda did not lay down his arms for tens of years. Under all circumstances, he wanted to keep the word of his commander. This has reference to a Japanese soldier, who hid in the jungle in the Phillipines. Even though the war was over, he refused to surrender for 25 years, carrying on a clandestine war, all because his commander had ordered him never to lay down his weapons. Finally, they traced who his commander was and brought him to the jungles to give orders to surrender over a megaphone. Onoda was extolled and handsomely rewarded for obedience to orders!
mii laaii1 meN kyuNkar hua yuN Khoon ka bahna
insaaniyat se bartar2 afsar ka thha kahna
1. MyLai village in Vietnam 2. superior
Why do you think there was blood flowing in MyLai. It was because the word of the commander had precedence over human values. This reference to the US war on Vietnam in which there were many mass murders but this one stood out where soldiers lined up villagers including children and shot them because they were ordered to do so.
tauheen-e risaalat1 ka aisa hi istehsaal2
maqsad3 chhupa ke karta KhudGharz4 iste’maal5
1. insulting the prophet, blasphemy 2. undue benefit, exploitation 3. purpose, intent 4. selfish 5. use/misuse
Accusations of blasphemy are in much the same was exploitative. Hiding their real intent selfish (and powerful) people misuse them.
ma’soom1 si ek bhool2 pe ilzaam3 lagaa tha
anwar4 ko magar bhool ka ehsaas4 qavi5 tha
ilzaam3 pe mantaq6 ka chala zor7 na kuchh bhi
haath apna qalam8 kar diya ma’soom1 tha phir bhi
dene Khiraaj9 aaye baraabar ke gaauN se
dam bharne10 ita’at11 ka, charcha12 kya phir se
1. blameless 2. forgetfulness, slip 3. accusation 4. Anwar, 15 year old Pakistani boy who severed his own hand 5. strong 6. logic 7. force, power 8. sever, cut off 9. homage 10. extoll, praise 11. obedience 12. praise, preach
He was blameless but was accused for a minor slip. Anwar’s sense of shame was very strong and logic could not stand up to the accusation. He severed his own hand as punishment, atonement for his perceived sin. People from surrounding villages came to pay homage, thus extolling unquestioning obedience and preaching it for everyone to follow.
kya tu ne kabhi yuN hi ita’at1 ko saraaha2 hai
andhi rivaayatauN3 ko eemaan4 banaaya hai
is rasm ko mazhab5 ne yuN sar pe chaRhaaya hai
haqeeqat6 ko bhi kaaTa hai, mantaq7 ko chiRaaya8 hai
is andhi ita’at9 ka kitna vase’e10 hai jaal11
Khudkush12 ko bhi yaqeenan13 deta hai ishtea’al14
1. (blind) obedience, followership 2. praise 3. traditions 4. faith 5. religion 6. truth, facts 7. logic, reason 8. make fun of 9. blind obedience 10. vast 11. net, web 12. suicide (bomber) 13. certainly 14. ignite
Have you ever praised such blind followership, ever thought of traditions as faith? Religion has made this practice so important that it denies facts and makes fun of logic. How vast is the web of unquestioning obedience. Surely, it also gives incitement to the suicide bomber.
toR deN is andhi ita’at ka tassalut1
insaaniyat se hai hameN ye fikr2 ki da’vat3
vo fikr jo a’amaal4 ki zimma5 Khud le6
vo fikr be-vajah7 javaani ko jo qurbaaN8 na kare
vo fikr jo andhe rivayaat9 ki haami10 na bhare
vo fikr jo meezaan11 meN har hukm12 ko tole
vo fikr jo fatvauN13 ko kasoTi pe kase14
vo fikr Khudaaii ke jo farmaaN15 jaaNche
vo fikr jo tahqeeq16 ki koshish17 to kare
vo fikr jo inkaar18 ki jur’at19 bhi kare
vo fikr jo KhwaabauN ki bashaarat20 se bache
vo fikr jo aaNkh pe paTTi na bandhe aql pe parda na dhare
1. dominance 2. thought, reason 3. invitation 4. actions 5. responsibility 6. take it on your head, assume responsibility 7. without reason 8. sacrifice 9. traditions 10. agree, support 11. balance 12. orders 13. religious edicts 4. touchstone to test purity of gold 15. orders 16. inquiry, investigation 17. try, attenpt 18. refusal, denial 19. daring, courage 20. revelation (divine)
Let us break this dominance of blind obedience. Humanism invites us to reason. The reason which will take responsibility for its own actions. The reason, which would not sacrifice youth for no reason at all. The reason which will not support/propagate unthinking traditions. The reason which will weigh orders in a balance. The reason which will test the (purity) authenticity of religious edicts. The reason which will examine even divine orders. The reason which will at least try to investigate/inquire. The reason which has the courage to deny. The reason which escape (the illusion of) revelation. The reason which will not tie a blindfold, will not close its mind.
