husn o ishq – iqbal

حُسْن و عشق – محمد اقبال

 

جس طرح ڈوبتی ہے کشتیِ سیمینِ قمر
نورِ خورشید كے طوفان میں ہنگامِ سحر

 

جیسے ہو جاتاہے گُم نور کا لے کر آنچل
چاندنی رات میں مہتاب کا ہمرنگ کنول

 

جلوۂ طور میں جیسے یدِ بیضائے كلیم
موجۂ نکہتِ گلزار میں غنچے کی شمییم

 

ہے تیرے سیلِ محبت میں یوں ہی دِل میرا

 

تو جو محفل ہے تو ہنگامۂ محفل ہوں میں
حُسْن کی برق ہے تو ، عشق کا حاصل ہوں میں

 

تو سحر ہے تو میرے اشک ہیں شبنم تیری
شامِ غربت ہوں اگر میں تو شفق تو میری

 

میرے دِل میں تیری زلفوں كی پریشانی ہے
تیری تصویر سے  پیدا میری حیرانی ہے

 

حُسْن کامل ہے تیرا ، عشق ہے کامل میرا

 

ہے میرے باغِ سخن كے لئے تو بادِ بہار
میرے بے تاب تخیّل کو دیا تو نے قرار

 

جب سے آباد تیرا عشق ہوا سینے میں
نئے جوہر ہوئے  پیدا میرے آئینے میں

 

حُسْن سے عشق کی فطرت کو ہے تحریکِ کمال
تجھ سے سرسبز ہوئے میری اُمیدوں كے نہال

 

قافلہ ہو گیا آسودۂ منزل میرا

हुस्न ओ इश्क़ – मोहम्मद इक़बाल

 

जिस तरह डूबती है किश्ती-ए सीमीन-ए क़मर

नूर-ए ख़ुर्शीद के तूफ़ान में हंगाम-ए सहर

 

जैसे हो जाता गुम नूर का ले कर आंचल

चाँदनी रात में महताब का हमरंग कंवल

 

जलवा-ए तूर में जैसे यद-ए बैज़ा-ए कलीम

मौजा-ए निकहत-ए गुलज़ार में ग़ुनचे की शमीम

 

है तेरे सैल-ए मोहब्बत में युं ही दिल मेरा

 

तू जो महफ़िल है तो हंगामा-ए महफ़िल हुं मैं

हुस्न की बर्क़ है तू, इश्क़ का हासिल हुं मैं

 

तू सहर है तो मेर अश्क हैं शबनम तेरी

शाम-ए ग़ुरबत हुं अगर मैं तो शफ़क़ तू मेरी

 

मेरे दिल में तेरी ज़ुल्फ़ों की परेशानी है

तेरी तस्वीर से पैदा मेरी हैरानी है

 

हुस्न कामिल है तेरा, इश्क़ है कामिल मेरा

 

है मेरे बाग़-ए सुख़न के लिए तू बाद-ए बहार

मेरे बे-ताब तख़य्युल को दिया तू ने क़रार

 

जब से आबाद तेरा इश्क़ हुआ सीने में

नये जौहर हुए पैदा मेरे आईने में

 

हुस्न से इश्क़ की फ़ित्रत को है तहरीक-ए कमाल

तुझ से सर-सब्ज़ हुए मेरी उम्मीदौं के निहाल

 

क़ाफ़िला हो गया आसूदा-ए मंज़िल मेरा

husn o ishq – mohammed iqbal

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion.  This is a rare type of composition for iqbal who generally eschews romantic poetry and rarely uses romantic imagery. Here at first reading this is a tribute to the beauty of the beloved. A more careful look will tell you that the beloved can be conventional or it may be god, it may be mohammed or even urdu language. I will point out places where such intrepretations are particularly apt.

jis tarah Doobti hai kishti1-e seemeen2-e qamar3
noor4-e Khurshid5 ke toofan meN haNgaam6-e sahr7 
1.boat of 2.silvery 3.moon 4.brilliance of 5.sun 6.at the time of 7.dawn
The crescent moon is like a boat, sailing in the sky. At the time of dawn there is a storm of brilliance of the sun that rises and the boat is drowned. It is more like the silvery boat dissolves into the brilliance of the morning sun.

jaise ho jaata hai gum1 noor ka le kar aaNchal2
chaandni raat meN mahtab3 ka hamraNg4 kaNval
1.lost 2.hem of apron/veil/skirt 3.full moon 4.same colour
Imagine a calm lake, its surface drenched in bright moonlight. The lotus with a milky colour, wearing the aaNchal of this sheet of moonlight is quite likely to disappear from sight. Is iqbal talking about the sufi concept of the lover becoming one with the beloved, losing his/her identity in that of the divine.

jalva1-e toor2 meN jaise yad3-e baiza4-e kaleem5
mauja5-e nikhat6-e gulzar7 meN Ghunche8 ki shameem9 
1.beauty, brilliance 2.Mt. Toor, where Moses is reported to have gone asking to see a manifestation of god 3.hand 4.white 5.another name of Moses 5.wave 6.fragrance 7.garden 8.flower bud 9.fragrance
Legend is that Moses went on Mt. Toor asking to see a manifestation of god. He was told to put his hand inside his cloak and then pull it out. When he did, his hand had miraculously turned marble white. Later there was a lightning strike/burning bush. iqbal suggests that the whiteness of the hand of Moses blends with the divine brilliance manifesting itself on Toor. The fragrance of a single bloom gets lost in waves of redolence of the garden.

hai tere sayl1-e mohabbat meN yuN hi dil mera1.flood of
Just like this my heart too gets drowned in/loses its identity in the flood of love of you. Of course, this can apply to a conventional beloved as well as to the Sufi concept of union with the divine.

tu jo mahfil1 hai to haNgaama2-e mahfil huN maiN
husn3 ki barq4 hai tu, ishq5 ka haasil6 huN maiN
1.gathering, community 2.enthusiasm, fervour 3.beauty 4.lightning/brilliance 5.love 6.essence, real value
If you are the gathering, then I am the tumult/fervour of the gathering. You are the brilliance of Beauty, I am the essence of Love. Is this gathering/community the “ummah” – to which iqbal speaks with great fervour. In that case the “tu”/you is mohammed.

tu sahr1 hai to mere ashk2 haiN shabnam3 teri
shaam4-e Ghurbat5 huN agar maiN to shafaq6 tu meri
1.dawn 2.tears 3.dew drops 4.evening of 5.sorrow, desolation, away from home, wandering/lost 6.twilight
If you are the dawn, then my tears are dew drops at sunrise. If I am the evening of desolation then you are the twilight. I am closely linked to you … as two sides of the same coin.

mere dil meN teri zulfauN1 ki pareshaani2 hai
teri tasveer3 se paida4 meri hairaani5 hai
1.hair, tresses 2.spread 3.image 4.generated 5.perplexed, puzzled, fascinated
The hair of the beloved are always dark and long. “zulf pareshan hona” is a display of beauty. Thus, your beauty is displayed in my heart, where your image creates a fascination.

husn1 kaamil2 hai tera, ishq3 hai kaamil4 mera1.Beauty 2.complete/perfect 3.love/devotion 4.complete
Your Beauty is perfect, my devotion, undiluted.

hai mere baaGh1-e suKhan2 ke liye tu baad3-e bahaar4
mere be-taab5 taKhayyul6 ko diya tu ne qaraar7 
1.garden of 2.verse 3.breeze of 4.spring 5.restless 6.imagination 7.equanimity, accord
This one she’r makes me think that the whole composition can also be interpreted as a tribute to urdu. In all asha’ar the beloved can equally well be considered to be urdu. See josh malihabadi’s “apni maleka-e suKhan se”. Thus … you are like the spring breeze in the garden of my verse. You give equanimity/concordance to my confused thinking/speech/versification.

jab se aabad1 tera ishq2 hua seene meN
naye jauhar3 hue paida mere aaiine4 meN
1.settle into 2.love 3.abilities 4.mirror used as a metaphor conscience … looking at yourself in the mirror is to examine yourself, ask your conscience
Ever since your love (O god or O mohammed) came into my heart, my conscience has acquired new abilities (to examine right and wrong).

husn1 se ishq2 ki fitrat3 ko hai tahreek4-e kamaal5
tujh se sar-sabz6 hue meri ummeedauN7 ke nihaal8 
1.Beauty 2.Love 3.nature, natural capabilities 4.stimulation, movement 5.goodness, perfection 6.green, verdant 7.hopes 8.saplings
The natural capabilites of Love are stimulated by Beauty to accomplish good/to try to reach perfection. Because of you the young saplings of my hope are verdant/growing.

qaafila1 ho gaya aasuda2-e manzil3 mera1.caravan, community 2.relieved, tranquil 3.destination
My caravan/community/ummah was relieved (of anxiety about reaching) the destination.

husn o ishq – mohammed iqbal

This is a rare type of composition for iqbal who generally eschews romantic poetry and rarely uses romantic imagery.  Here at first reading this is a tribute to the beauty of the beloved.  A more careful look will tell you that the beloved can be conventional or it may be god, it may be mohammed or even urdu language.  I will point out places where such intrepretations are particularly apt.

jis tarah Doobti hai kishti1-e seemeen2-e qamar3
noor4-e Khurshid5 ke toofan meN haNgaam6-e sahr7

1.boat of 2.silvery 3.moon 4.brilliance of 5.sun 6.at the time of 7.dawn

The crescent moon is like a boat, sailing in the sky.  At the time of dawn there is a storm of brilliance of the sun that rises and the boat is drowned.  It is more like the silvery boat dissolves into the brilliance of the morning sun.

jaise ho jaata hai gum1 noor ka le kar aaNchal2
chaandni raat meN mahtab3 ka hamraNg4 kaNval

1.lost 2.hem of apron/veil/skirt 3.full moon 4.same colour

Imagine a calm lake, its surface drenched in bright moonlight.  The lotus with a milky colour, wearing the aaNchal of this sheet of moonlight is quite likely to disappear from sight.  Is iqbal talking about the sufi concept of the lover becoming one with the beloved, losing his/her identity in that of the divine.

jalva1-e toor2 meN jaise yad3-e baiza4-e kaleem5
mauja5-e nikhat6-e gulzar7 meN Ghunche8 ki shameem9

1.beauty, brilliance 2.Mt. Toor, where Moses is reported to have gone asking to see a manifestation of god 3.hand 4.white 5.another name of Moses 5.wave 6.fragrance 7.garden 8.flower bud 9.fragrance

Legend is that Moses went on Mt. Toor asking to see a manifestation of god.  He was told to put his hand inside his cloak and then pull it out.  When he did, his hand had miraculously turned marble white.  Later there was a lightning strike/burning bush.  iqbal suggests that the whiteness of the hand of Moses blends with the divine brilliance manifesting itself on Toor.  The fragrance of a single bloom gets lost in waves of redolence of the garden.

hai tere sayl1-e mohabbat meN yuN hi dil mera

1.flood of

Just like this my heart too gets drowned in/loses its identity in the flood of love of you.  Of course, this can apply to a conventional beloved as well as to the Sufi concept of union with the divine.

tu jo mahfil1 hai to haNgaama2-e mahfil huN maiN
husn3 ki barq4 hai tu, ishq5 ka haasil6 huN maiN

1.gathering, community 2.enthusiasm, fervour 3.beauty 4.lightning/brilliance 5.love 6.essence, real value

If you are the gathering, then I am the tumult/fervour of the gathering.  You are the brilliance of Beauty, I am the essence of Love.  Is this gathering/community the “ummah” – to which iqbal speaks with great fervour.  In that case the “tu”/you is mohammed.

tu sahr1 hai to mere ashk2 haiN shabnam3 teri
shaam4-e Ghurbat5 huN agar maiN to shafaq6 tu meri

1.dawn 2.tears 3.dew drops 4.evening of 5.sorrow, desolation, away from home, wandering/lost 6.twilight

If you are the dawn, then my tears are dew drops at sunrise.  If I am the evening of desolation then you are the twilight.  I am closely linked to you … as two sides of the same coin.

mere dil meN teri zulfauN1 ki pareshaani2 hai
teri tasveer3 se paida4 meri hairaani5 hai

1.hair, tresses 2.spread 3.image 4.generated 5.perplexed, puzzled, fascinated

The hair of the beloved are always dark and long.  “zulf pareshan hona” is a display of beauty.  Thus, your beauty is displayed in my heart, where your image creates a fascination.

husn1 kaamil2 hai tera, ishq3 hai kaamil4 mera

1.Beauty 2.complete/perfect 3.love/devotion 4.complete

Your Beauty is perfect, my devotion, undiluted.

hai mere baaGh1-e suKhan2 ke liye tu baad3-e bahaar4
mere be-taab5 taKhayyul6 ko diya tu ne qaraar7

1.garden of 2.verse 3.breeze of 4.spring 5.restless 6.imagination 7.equanimity, accord

This one she’r makes me think that the whole composition can also be interpreted as a tribute to urdu.  In all asha’ar the beloved can equally well be considered to be urdu.  See josh malihabadi’s “apni maleka-e suKhan se”.  Thus … you are like the spring breeze in the garden of my verse.  You give equanimity/concordance to my confused thinking/speech/versification.

jab se aabad1 tera ishq2 hua seene meN
naye jauhar3 hue paida mere aaiine4 meN

1.settle into 2.love 3.abilities 4.mirror used as a metaphor conscience … looking at yourself in the mirror is to examine yourself, ask your conscience

Ever since your love (O god or O mohammed) came into my heart, my conscience has acquired new abilities (to examine right and wrong).

husn1 se ishq2 ki fitrat3 ko hai tahreek4-e kamaal5
tujh se sar-sabz6 hue meri ummeedauN7 ke nihaal8

1.Beauty 2.Love 3.nature, natural capabilities 4.stimulation, movement 5.goodness, perfection 6.green, verdant 7.hopes 8.saplings

The natural capabilites of Love are stimulated by Beauty to accomplish good/to try to reach perfection.  Because of you the young saplings of my hope are verdant/growing.

qaafila1 ho gaya aasuda2-e manzil3 mera

1.caravan, community 2.relieved, tranquil 3.destination

My caravan/community/ummah was relieved (of anxiety about reaching) the destination.