saaqi naama – mohammed iqbal
Introduction

saaqi naama is one of iqbal’s more celebrated urdu compositions.  It is composed in seven distinct sections strung together as a longer thematic nazm.  It is linguistically beautiful and powerful and presents an intertwined composition of disparate strains including a call for rejuvenation of the ummah, a call for restoring the old glory of islam, political observations about colonialism, sufi concepts of universal love and iqbal’s own development of “Khudi”.  “Khudi” as proposed by iqbal is an amorphous mixture of sense of self, pride, self-reliance, self-respect and ego.  It is iqbal’s concept of the “ideal man” and has echoes of Nietzshe’s “Superman” although iqbal explicitly rejects Nietzshe’s atheism.  The “saaqi” in saaqi naama is god to whom iqbal addresses an appeal.  “saaqi naama” is a well established sub-genre of farsi and urdu poetry – there are long compositions of the same title by hafiz and zuhuri.  Very short introductions to each of the seven sections is given below.

Section 1 – Preamble

The preamble describes the beauty of spring and the throbbing energy of new life, calling upon the “saaqi” (the divine) to reveal secrets/mysteries of divinity.  It is supposed to set the stage for a spring like awakening or re-birth in Islam.

Section 2 – Decay under Colonialism

In this section iqbal observes the many changes taking place in the world as people throw off the yoke of colonialism.  At this stage iqbal is still enamoured with the Russian Revolution and speaks highly of that change as well as of Chinese rising up against British Colonization (Opium Wars).  He laments that every community is waking up but the Muslim is still somnambulant.

Section 3 – Restoration

In the preamble iqbal starts with the idea of spring as a metaphor for renewal.  But this metaphor does not lead to a call for reformation but rather to a call for restoration of an imagined ancient glory.  He gives up on the older generation and hopes that the younger generation will be an improvement.  He makes an impassioned plea to the “saaqi” to endow the younger generation with the same passion (divine love akin to Sufism) that drives him.

Section 4 – vahdat-al-vujood

What drives iqbal is the concept of one-ness of all – the creator and creation.  This sufi concept of “vahdat-al-vujood” akin to the Vedic concept of “advaita” is described in a few beautiful asha’ar which also bring out “apparent” contradictions of multiplicity of manifestations of the same spirit, therefore not a contradiction.

Section 5 – manzil

Life is not defined as reaching a “manzil – destination”, says iqbal but as a constant movement, constant struggle.  Life likes the struggle/process more than the destination.  It is this struggle that overcomes death and rejuvenates itself.

Section 6 – Khudi

iqbal defines “Khudi” in linguistically beautiful terms as a combination of almost super-human qualities of self-reliance and individuality.  The underpinning is to call on youth to acquire “Khudi”.  “Khudi” is one with the “divine spirit” going back to the concept of vahdat-al-vujood.

Section 7 – The Message

The concluding section is largely a further definition of “Khudi” combined with a call to action.  “Khudi” does not bow to power.  Basic sustenance is but the first stage of “Khudi” and there are many worlds beyond this waiting for your onslaught, waiting to be conquered.  Says iqbal, “there is much more in my heart, but if I fly beyond this, my wings will be singed”.  It is up to you, O reader, to take it forward.

saaqi naama – mohammed iqbal
Section 4

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion.  See Background tab for overall introduction. What drives iqbal is the concept of one-ness of all – the creator and creation. This sufi concept of “vahdat-al-vujood” akin to the Vedic concept of “advaita” is described in a few beautiful asha’ar which also bring out “apparent” contradictions of multiplicity of manifestations of the same spirit, therefore not a contradiction. See “Background tab” for a full introduction.

damaadam¹ ravaaN² hai yam³-e zindagi
har shai⁴ se paida ram⁵-e zindagi
isi se hui hai badan ki numood⁶
ke shole⁷ meN poshida⁸ hai mauj⁹-e dood¹⁰  1.minute by minute, constantly 2.flowing 3.river 4.thing 5.run, dynamism 6.appearance, manifestation 7.flame 8.hidden 9.wave 10.smoke
The river of life/soul flows constantly. Everything contains in it the dymamism (movement, run) of life/soul. It is this dynamism of life/spirit that gives birth to the body just like the wisp of smoke is hidden in the flame.

giraaN¹ garche² hai sohbat³-e aab-o-gil⁴
Khush aaii isay mehnat-e aab-o-gil
ye saabit⁵ bhi hai aur sayyar⁶ bhi
anaasir⁷ ke phandauN⁸ se bezaar⁹ bhi1.heavy, unbearable 2.even though 3.company, association 4.water and clay – human body 5.stationary, confined 6.moving, free 7.elements 8.noose, trap 9.tired of
iqbal describes the struggle between spirit and body. Even though the spirit finds the burden of the body unbearable, it accepts it because it is pleased with the effort that the body makes. It is confined in the body and at the same time a free spirit. It is tired of the entrapment in elements (fire, water, air and clay).

ye vahdat¹ hai kasrat² meN har-dam³ asiir⁴
magar har kahiN be-chegooN⁵ be-naziir⁶
ye aalam⁷ ye but-Khaana⁸-e shash-jehaat⁹
isi ne taraasha¹⁰ hai ye somnath¹¹  1.unity – vahdat-al-vujood, advaita 2.multiplicity 3.always 4.imprisoned 5.immaterial i.e. spiritual 6.without example, unique 7.world 8.house of idols 9.six directions 10.carved, sculpted 11.the temple of somnath used as a symbold of the material world
It is the same one spirit that manifests itself in all multiplicities. It is itself at the same time not material (but spiritual) and is unique. This world of six directions, this idol house like the beautiful somnath has been sculpted by this spirit.

pasand is to takraar¹ ki Khoo² nahiN
ke tu maiN nahiN aur maiN tu nahiN
man-o-tu³ se hai anjuman⁴ aafriN⁵
magar ain⁶ mahfil⁷ meN Khilwat-nashiN⁸  1.duplication (as in mukarrar) 2.nature 3.you and me, individuals 4.gathering 5.acclaimed, laudable 6.focus, centre 7.gathering 8.taking seclusion, withdrawing
It (the spirit/soul) does not like the nature of duplication/multiplicity. That is why all of us are different, I am not you and you are not me. It is because of all of us that our gathering is so pleasant and laudable but in the middle of this gathering the spirit is able to keep itself secluded.

chamak is ki bijli meN taare meN hai
ye chaandi meN, sonay meN, paare meN hai
isi ke biyabaaN¹ isi ke babool²
isi ke haiN kaaNTe is ke haiN phool1.wilderness 2.acacia, thorny brush
It is the same spirit that shines in lightning and in stars, in silver, gold and mercury. It is manifest in the wilderness and thorny brush in thorns and flowers.

kahiN is ki taaqat se kohsaar¹ choor
kahiN is ke phande² meN jibreel³ o hoor⁴
kahiN jurah-shaheen⁵-e seemaab-raNg⁶
lahu se chakorauN⁷ ke aalooda⁸ chaNg⁹  1.hills, mountains 2.noose, net 3.Gabriel 4.angels 5.male falcon used here to mean attacking/hunting falcon 6.colour of mercury, shining white 7.partridges 8.smeared 9.claws, talons
It (soul/spirit) can pulverize mountains with its strength or capture angels in its noose. Sometimes it manifests itself as the silvery white falcon on the hunt, its talons dripping with the blood of partridge. Here iqbal means to show that the hunter hunted in nature are all part of the same spirit.

kabootar kahiN aashiyaane¹ se duur
phaRakta hua jaal meN na-suboor² 1.nest 2.impatiently
iqbal continues the theme of the hunter/hunted and the same spirit manifest in both. Here the picture is of a helpless dove caught in a net far away from its nest, flapping its wings impatiently/helplessly. The same spirit is manifest in this too.