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Recitation
جنّت ۔ ہری چند اَخْتَر
۱
ملے گی شیخ کو جنّت ہمیں دوزخ عطا ہو گا
بس اِتنی بات ہے جِس كے لئے محشر بَپا ہو گا
۲
رہیں دو دو فرِشتے ساتھ اب اِنصاف کیا ہو گا
کِسی نے کچھ لِکھا ہو گا ، کِسی نے کچھ لکھا ہو گا
۳
بروزِ حشر حاکم قادرِ مُطلق خدا ہو گا
فرشتوں کے لِکھے اور شیخ کی باتوں سے کیا ہو گا
۴
مُرَکّب ہوں میں نِسیان و خطا سے کیا کہوں یارب
کبھی حرفِ تمنّا بھی زباں پر آ گیا ہوگا
۵
تری دُنیا میں صبر و شکر سے ہم نے بسر کر لی
تری دُنیا سے بڑھ کر بھی تیرے دوزخ میں کیا ہو گا
۶
سکونِ مستقل دِل بے تمنّا، شیخ کی صحبت
یہ جنّت ہے تو اِس جنّت سے دوزخ کیا برا ہو گا
۷
میرے اشعار پر خاموش ہے جِزبِز نہیں ہوتا
یہ واعظ واعظوں میں کچھ حقیقت آشْنا ہوگا
۸
بھروسہ کِس قدر ہے تجھ کو اَخْتَر اُس کی رحمت پر
اگر وہ شیخ صاحب کا خدا نکلا تو کیا ہو گا
इंसाफ़ क्या होगा – हरी चंद अख़्तर
१
मिलेगी शैख़ को जन्नत हमें दोज़ख़ आता होगा
बस इतनी बात है जिस के लिए महशर बपा होगा
२
रहे दो दो फ़रिश्ते साथ अब इंसाफ़ क्या होगा
किसी ने कुच्छ लिखा होगा, किसी ने कुच्छ लिखा होगा
३
बा रोज़-ए हश्र हाकिम क़ादिर-ए मुत्लक़ ख़ुदा होगा
फ़रिश्तों के लिखे और शैख़ की बातौं से क्या होगा
४
मुरक्कब हूं में निस्यान ओ ख़ता का क्या कहूँ यारब
कभी हर्फ़-ए तमन्ना भी ज़बां पर आ गया होगा
५
तेरी दुनिया में सब्र ओ शुक्र से हम ने बसर कर ली
तेरी दुनिया से बढ़ कर भी तेरे दोज़ख़ में क्या होगा
६
सुकून-ए मुस्तक़िल दिल बे-तमन्ना शैख़ की सोहबत
ये जन्नत है तो इस जन्नत से दोज़ख़ क्या बुरा होगा
७
मेरे अश’आर पर ख़ामोश है जिज़्बिज़ नहीं होता
ये वा’एज़ वा’एजौं में कुच्छ हक़ीक़त आशना होगा
८
भरोसा किस क़दर है तुझ को अख़्तर उस की रहमत पर
अगर वो शैख़ साहब का ख़ुदा निकला तो क्या होगा
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. hari chand aKhtar (1901-1958) makes fun of orthodoxy in a number of delightful and sarcastic ways and concludes with ‘tongue in cheek’ fear of what might happen in the end.
1
milegi shaiKh ko jannat hameN dozaKh ata1 hoga
bas itni baat hai jis ke liye mahshar2 bapa3 hoga 1.grant 2.doomsday 3.happen, spread, get arranged (to happen)
The shaiKh will get heaven and we will be granted hell. Just for this little thing you (o god) will arrange (this elaborate charade of) doomsday!
2
rahe do do farishte1 saath ab insaaf2 kya hoga
kisi ne kuchh likha hoga, kisi ne kuchh likha hoga 1.angels 2.justice
Islamic folk tradition has it that there are two angels constantly sitting, one on each shoulder and they write down everything you do. This accounting is used on doomsday for judgement. The poet expresses sarcastic disdain for the writings of these angels – they may be writing whatever comes to mind, how can you give any credibility to what they say! Ghalib’s she’r comes to mind
pakRay jaatey haiN farishtauN ke likhay par naahaq
aadmi koii hamaara dam-e tahrir bhi tha
We get unjustifiably blamed based on the writing of two angels
Was there anyone on our behalf at the time of writing
3
ba roz-e hashr1 haakim2 qaadir3-e mutlaq4 Khuda hoga
farishtauN5 ke likhe aur shaiKh ki baatauN se kya hoga 1.day of judgement 2.ruler, commander 3.able, having power over 4.absolute 5.angels
The poet’s sarcasm is directed primarily at the shaiKh – at orthodoxy. On the day judgement the writing of the angels or the testimony of the shaiKh will not count for anything because god will be in absolute control (and he knows everything).
4
murakkab1 huN maiN nisyaan2 o Khata3 se kya kahuN yaarab4
kabhi harf5-e tamanna6 bhi zabaaN par aa gaya hoga 1.mixture of many ingredients 2.forgetfulness 3.mistake 4.lord 5.word of 6.desire
The unstated picture could be of a supplicant who has repeatedly asked god for favours but did not receive any. He is concerned that god is annoyed because of repeated supplication. I am after all a mixture of forgetfulness and error, O lord. After all this is an expression of my desires, it may have come to my lips many times.
5
teri duniya meN sabr1 o shukr2 se hum ne basar3 kar li
teri duniya se baRh kar bhi tere dozaKh meN kya hoga 1.patience 2.thanks 3.spend (life), bear
Many calamities have been visited on humans in this world which they have borne with patience and thanks. How can the punishment of hell be any more than what we have already seen!
6
sukoon1-e mustaqil2 dil be-tamanna3 shaiKh ki sohbat4
ye jannat hai to is jannat se dozaKh kya bura hoga 1.tranquility 2.complete, constant 3.without desire 4.company
In heaven all needs will be automatically met, thus there will be no desire left in the heart. There will be complete tranquility – no excitement. On top of all this, you will have the shaiKh for company. If this is heaven, how can hell be any worse!
7
mere ash’aar1 par Khaamosh hai jizbiz2 nahiN hota
ye vaa’ez3 vaa’ezauN meN kuchh haqiqat-aashna4 hoga 1.couplets, verse 2.offended 3.preacher 4.familiar with reality
aKhtar gives a left handed compliment to the shaiKh. He is silent, does not react (angrily) to my verse, is not offended. This preacher appears to be a bit realistic compared to other preachers!
8
bharosa1 kis qadar2 hai tujh ko aKhtar3 us ki rahmat4 par
agar vo shaiKh sahib ka Khuda nikla to kya hoga 1.faith, belief 2.how much 3.poet’s pen name 4.benevolence
How much belief you have on his (god’s) benevolence, O aKhtar. What will happen if he turns out to be (vindictive) like the shaiKh describes him to be – a tongue in cheek, sarcastic fear of the unknown.
hari chand aKhtar (1901-1958) makes fun of orthodoxy in a number of delightful and sarcastic ways and concludes with ‘tongue in cheek’ fear of what might happen in the end.
1
milegi shaiKh ko jannat hameN dozaKh ata1 hoga
bas itni baat hai jis ke liye mahshar2 bapa3 hoga
1.grant 2.doomsday 3.happen, spread, get arranged (to happen)
The shaiKh will get heaven and we will be granted hell. Just for this little thing you (o god) will arrange (this elaborate charade of) doomsday!
2
rahe do do farishte1 saath ab insaaf2 kya hoga
kisi ne kuchh likha hoga, kisi ne kuchh likha hoga
1.angels 2.justice
Islamic folk tradition has it that there are two angels constantly sitting, one on each shoulder and they write down everything you do. This accounting is used on doomsday for judgement. The poet expresses sarcastic disdain for the writings of these angels – they may be writing whatever comes to mind, how can you give any credibility to what they say! Ghalib’s she’r comes to mind
pakRay jaatey haiN farishtauN ke likhay par naahaq
aadmi koii hamaara dam-e tahrir bhi tha
We get unjustifiably blamed based on the writing of two angels
Was there anyone on our behalf at the time of writing
3
ba roz-e hashr1 haakim2 qaadir3-e mutlaq4 Khuda hoga
farishtauN5 ke likhe aur shaiKh ki baatauN se kya hoga
1.day of judgement 2.ruler, commander 3.able, having power over 4.absolute 5.angels
The poet’s sarcasm is directed primarily at the shaiKh – at orthodoxy. On the day judgement the writing of the angels or the testimony of the shaiKh will not count for anything because god will be in absolute control (and he knows everything).
4
murakkab1 huN maiN nisyaan2 o Khata3 se kya kahuN yaarab4
kabhi harf5-e tamanna6 bhi zabaaN par aa gaya hoga
1.mixture of many ingredients 2.forgetfulness 3.mistake 4.lord 5.word of 6.desire
The unstated picture could be of a supplicant who has repeatedly asked god for favours but did not receive any. He is concerned that god is annoyed because of repeated supplication. I am after all a mixture of forgetfulness and error, O lord. After all this is an expression of my desires, it may have come to my lips many times.
4
teri duniya meN sabr1 o shukr2 se hum ne basar3 kar li
teri duniya se baRh kar bhi tere dozaKh meN kya hoga
1.patience 2.thanks 3.spend (life), bear
Many calamities have been visited on humans in this world which they have borne with patience and thanks. How can the punishment of hell be any more than what we have already seen!
5
sukoon1-e mustaqil2 dil be-tamanna3 shaiKh ki sohbat4
ye jannat hai to is jannat se dozaKh kya bura hoga
1.tranquility 2.complete, constant 3.without desire 4.company
In heaven all needs will be automatically met, thus there will be no desire left in the heart. There will be complete tranquility – no excitement. On top of all this, you will have the shaiKh for company. If this is heaven, how can hell be any worse!
6
mere ash’aar1 par Khaamosh hai jizbiz2 nahiN hota
ye vaa’ez3 vaa’ezauN meN kuchh haqiqat-aashna4 hoga
1.couplets, verse 2.offended 3.preacher 4.familiar with reality
aKhtar gives a left handed compliment to the shaiKh. He is silent, does not react (angrily) to my verse, is not offended. This preacher appears to be a bit realistic compared to other preachers!
7
bharosa1 kis qadar2 hai tujh ko aKhtar3 us ki rahmat4 par
agar vo shaiKh sahib ka Khuda nikla to kya hoga
1.faith, belief 2.how much 3.poet’s pen name 4.benevolence
How much belief you have in his (god’s) benevolence, O aKhtar. What will happen if he turns out to be (vindictive) like the shaiKh describes him to be – a tongue in cheek, sarcastic fear of the unknown.
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