Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-living) has written extensively about communal harmony and has reached across community lines to write odes to many other religious figures. This is an ode to mohammed comparable to best among n’aat-e mohammadi.
1
hua noor¹ ‘oor² haqiqatan³, tha ayaaN⁴ libaas-e-majaaz⁵ meN
nazar aaii jis ki jhalak hameN tan⁶-e hashimi⁷-e hijaaz⁸ meN 1.(divine) light 2.bear, naked, revealed 3.in truth 4.manifest 5.dressed as or disguised as material body 6.body of 7.name of the tribe in which mohammed was born 8.area around makka/madina
In reality it was divine light that was revealed to us disguised/clothed in material/human form, which we saw a glimpse of, in a man of the hashimi tribe of hijaaz (arabia). Note: In the original from which I transcribed this it was written ‘tan-e hashimi-e majaaz’. But I think that this might be an error of kitaabat/typography. I have taken the liberty to modify it).
2
ba-Khuda ahad¹ hua jalva-za², jo jahaaN ki mahfil-e-naaz³ meN
to chhupaaye ahmad⁴-e paak⁵ ke na chhupa vo meem⁶ daraaz⁷ meN    1.one, unique, only 2.manifest, appear 3.beautiful gathering 4.another name of mohammed 5.pure, noble 6.letter of the urdu alphabet, meem-m 7.rift, middle
This is a beautiful play on words ahad and ahmad. ‘ahad’ meaning one and only is usually used to refer to god and ahmad is one of the names of mohammed. By god, when the the light of the “one” was revealed to this beautiful world, even if you try to hide the ‘meem’ from the middle of ahmad, you could not. In other words, the light of ahad is the same as the light of ahmad.
3
na thi Khud-faroshi¹ o Khud-sari² kabhi ahmad³-e hama-naaz⁴ meN
na magar jalaal⁵-e ahad⁶ chhupa, kabhi us ke raNg⁷-e niyaaz⁸ meN     1.self-promotion 2.obstinacy, pride 3.mohammed 4.embodiment of elegance 5.glory 6.one, god 7.character 8.humility
Even though there was no self-promotion or pride in mohammed (who was the embodiment of elegance), the glory of god could not be hidden/disguised by his humble character. In other words, the glory of god showed through in spite of his humility.
4
tu hi ibteda¹, tu hi inteha², tu hi mustafa³, tu hi mujtaba⁴
tu hi soz⁵ meN tu hi saaz⁶ meN, tu hi tark⁷ meN tu hi taaz⁸ meN     1.beginning 2.end 3.beloved (of god) 4.chosen (by god) 5.pain, sorrow 6.music, happiness 7.giving up, inaction 8.striving
This invokes the islamic belief that mohammed’s spirit was created (the beginning, ibteda) before the rest of the universe and that mohammed was the last (inteha) of the prophets. mustafa and mujtaba are also names/titles of mohammed. Thus, you are the beginning and the end, you are the beloved and the chosen. You are with us in our sorrow and happiness, when we give up and when we strive.
5
tu hi aan¹-e haq², tu hi shaan³-e haq, tu hi kaan⁴-e haq, tu hi jaan⁵-e haq
thi uloohiyat⁶ ki sada⁷ nehaaN⁸, teri saut⁹-e naGhma-taraaz¹⁰ meN     1.dignity 2.god, Truth, righteousness 3.glory 4.mine (as in gold mine) 5.soul, essence 6.divinity 7.sound 9.voice, call 10.song/verse making
You reflect the dignity and glory of god. You are the treasure and the soul of righteousness. Hidden in the sound of your verses (of the qur’aan) is the voice of divinity.
6
teri chashm-e-noor¹ hi asl² thi, ke baseerati³ dam⁴-e vasl⁵ thi
ke hui na aaiina-e-hairati⁶, jo majaaz⁷-e aaiina-saaz⁸ meN     1.shining eye 2.real, genuine 3.able to see 4.at the time of 5.union (with god) 6.perplexed mirror 7.illusion, manifestation 8.mirror maker, god
This has reference to the belief of ‘meraaj’ – the ascension of mohammed to see god. Your shining eyes were real and retained their sight at the time of union with god (as opposed to moosa who fainted on tuur). Also in urdu poetic tradition the mirror can be perplexed as in this she’r of mir taqi mir
muNh takaa hi kare hai jis tis ka
hairati hai ye aaiina kis ka
Your eyes, O, mohammed, did not become a “perplexed mirror” when the glory of god became manifest before you.
7
tera makka k’aaba-e farsh¹ hai, to madina qibla²-e arsh³ hai
ke jahaaN habib⁴-e Khuda raha, to Khuda se naaz-o-niyaaz⁵ hai      1.floor, earth 2.focus 3.skies, heavens 4.beloved 5.playfulness and prayer
(O, mohammed) Your (city of) makka has the k’aaba towards which the (muslim) world turns and medina is the focus of heavens. (makka and madina are the two cities in which mohammed lived for substantial portions of his life). Through the places where the beloved of god (mohammed) lived we can get access to the love (of god) and his benevolence (through prayer).
8
tu hi Khizr-e-raah¹-e paiambaraaN², tu hi murshid³-e hama-murshidaaN⁴
haiN zamaane⁵ bhar ke bashar⁶ sabhi, teri chashm-e-lutf⁷ ki aaz⁸ meN    1.guide of the pathway 2.messengers 3.guide 4.all guides 5.times 6.humans, people 7.eye of benevolence 8.desire
Khizr is a legendary old man featured in the Bible and in the qur’aan. He is immortal and is supposed to be constantly traveling and knows all the routes. He is the patron saint/guide of all travelers/seekers. Thus, you, O, mohammed are the Khizr of all messengers (of god). You are the guide/murshid of all guides/murshidaaN. All the people of the world desire your benevolent glance.
9
Khas¹ o Khaar² ki tu bahaar³ hai, gul-e-zaar⁴ ki tu nikhaar⁵ hai
hai shikwa⁶-e ibn⁷-e subuktagiN⁸ tere inkesaar⁹-e ayaaz¹⁰ meN     1.straw 2.thorns 3.spring, rejuvenation 4.crying/sorrowful flower 5.freshness, blossoming 6.complaint 7.son of 8.name of the father of mahmood Ghazni 9.humility, reserve 10.name of the slave/beloved of mahmood
“ibn-e subuktagiN” is mahmood Ghazni who had a faithful and devoted slave by the name of ayaaz. Their relationship is a metaphor for platonic love and devotion. “gul-e zaar” – sorrowful/wilted flower is also a play on the pen-name of the poet … gulzaar. Thus, you, O, mohammed, rejuvenate/bring back to life straw and thorns. You refresh this sorrowful flower (gul-e zaar/gulzar – the poet). The poet also complains that mohammed is holding back his favours. Thus he is complaining like mahmood would complain if ayaaz were reserved with him.