maiN kaisa musalmaaN huN bhaii-husain hydari

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.

میں کیسا مسلماں ہوں بھائی ۔ حسین حیدری

۱

سڑک پہ سگرٹ پیتے وقت، جو اذاں سُنائی دی مجھ کو

تو یاد آیا کہ وقت ہے کیا، اور بات ذہن میں یہ آئی

میں کیسا مسلماں ہوں بھائی

۲

میں شیعہ ہوں یا سُنّی ہوں، میں خوجا ہوں یا بوہری ہوں

میں گاؤں سے ہوں یا شہری ہوں، میں باغی ہوں یا صوفی ہوں

میں قومی ہوں یا ڈھونگی ہوں، میں کیسا مسلماں ہوں بھائی

۳

میں سجدہ کرنے والا ہوں یا جھٹکا کھانے والا ہوں

میں ٹوپی پہن کے پھرتا ہوں یا داڑھی اُڑا کے رہتا ہوں

میں آیت قول سے پڑھتا ہوں یا فلمی گانے رمتا ہوں

میں اللہ اللہ کرتا ہوں یا شیخوں سے لڑ پڑتا ہوں

میں کیسا مسلماں ہوں بھائی

۴

میں ہندستانی مسلماں ہوں

دکّن سے ہوں، یو پی سے ہوں، بھوپال سے ہوں، دِلّی سے ہوں

کشمیر سے ہوں، گجرات سے ہوں، ہر اونچی نیچی ذات سے ہوں

میں ہی ہوں جلاہا، موچی بھی، میں ڈاکٹر بھی ہوں، درزی بھی

مجھ میں گیتا کا سار بھی ہے، اِک اُردو کا اخبار بھی ہے

میرا ایک مہینا رمضان بھی ہے، میں نے کیا تو گنگا سنان بھی ہے

اپنے ہی طور سے جیتا ہوں، دارو سگرٹ بھی پیتا ہوں

کوئی نیتا میری نس نس میں نہیں، میں کسی پارٹی کے بس میں نہیں

میں ہندستانی مسلماں ہوں

۵

خونی دروازہ مجھ میں ہے، اِک بھُول بُھلیّاں مجھ میں ہے

میں بابری کا اِک گنبد ہوں، میں شہر کے بیچ میں سرحد ہوں

جھگّیوں میں پلتی غربت میں، مدرسوں کی ٹوٹی سی جھت بھی میں

رنگوں میں بھڑکتا شولہ میں، کرتے پر خون کا دھبّا میں

میں ہندستانی مسلماں ہوں

۶

مندر کی چوکھٹ میری ہے، مسجد کے قبلے میرے ہیں

گردوارے کا دربار میرا، ییشو کے گرجے میرے ہیں

سو میں سے چودہ ہوں لیکن، چودہ یہ کم نہیں پڑتے ہیں

میں پورے سو میں بستا ہوں، پورے سو مجھ میں بستے ہیں

مجھے ایک نظر سے دیکھ نہ تو، مرے ایک نہیں سو چہرے ہیں

سو رنگ کے ہیں کردار میرے، سو قلم سے لکّھی کہانی ہوں

میں جتنا مسلماں ہوں بھائی، میں اُتنا ہندستانی ہوں

۷

میں ہندستانی مسلماں ہوں، میں ہندستانی مسلماں ہوں

 

मैं कैसा मुसल्मां हुं भाई – हुसैन हैदरी

सड़क पे सिग्रट पीते वक़्त, जो अज़’आं सुनाई दी मुझ को

तो याद आया के वक़्त है क्या और बात ज़हन में ये आई

मैं कैसा मुसल्मां हूं भाई

मैं शि’या हूं या सुन्नी हूं, मैं ख़ोजा हूं या बोहरी हूं

मैं गाऊं से हूं या शहरी हूं, मैं बाग़ी हूं या सूफ़ी हूं

मैं क़ौमी हूं या ढोंगी हूं, मैं कैसा मुसल्मां हूं भाई

मैं सिज्दा करने वाला हूं यो झटका खाने वाला हूं

मैं टोपी पहन के फिर्ता हूं या दाढ़ी उड़ा के रहता हूं

मैं आयत क़ौल से पढ़ता हूं या फ़िल्मी गाने रमता हूं

मैं अल्लाह अल्लाह करता हूं या शेख़ौं से लढ पढता हूं

मैं कैसा मुसल्मां हूं भाई

मैं हिंदुस्तानी मुसल्मां हूं

दक्कन से हूं, यू पी से हूं, भोपाल से हूं, दिल्ली से हूं

कश्मीर से हूं, गुजरात से हूं, हर ऊंची नीची ज़ात से हूं

मैं ही हूं जुलाहा, मोची भी, मैं डाक्टर भी हूं, दर्ज़ी भी

मुझ में गीता का सार भी है, एक उर्दू का अख़्बार भी है

मेरा एक महीना रमज़ान भी है, मैं ने किया तो गंगा स्नान भी है

अपने ही तौर से जीता हूं, दारू सिग्रट भी पीता हूं

मैं हिंदुस्तानी मुसल्मां हूं

ख़ूनी दरवाज़ा मुझ में है, एक भूल भुलय्यां मुझ में है

मैं बाबरी का एक गुंबद हूं, मैं शहर के बीच में सरहद हूं

झुग्गियौं में पल्ती ग़ुर्बत मैं, मदरसौं की टुटी छत भी मैं

रंगौं में भढक्ता शो’ला मैं, कुर्तेपर ख़ून का धब्बा मैं

मैं हिंदुस्तानी मुसल्मां हूं

मन्दिर की चोखट मेरी है, मस्जिद के क़िब्ले मेरे हैं

गुरद्वारे का दरबार मेरा, येशू के गिर्जे मेरे हैं

सौ में चादाह हूं लैकिन, चोदाह ये कम नहीं पढते हैं

मैं पूरे सौ में बस्ता हूं, पूरे सौ मुझ में बस्ते हैं

मुझे एक नज़र से देख न तू, मेरे एक नहीं सौ चेहरे हैं

सौ रंग के हैं किर्दार मेरे, सौ क़लम की लिक्खी कहानी हूं

मैं जितना मुसेल्मां हूं भाई, मैं उतना हिंदुस्तानी हूं

मैं हिंदुस्तानी मुसल्मां हूं, मैं हिंदुस्तानी मुसल्मां हूं

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. husain hydari appears to be a young professional probably from mumbai from the video clips that I have seen. I do not know much more about him. But both this nazm and this emerging genre of urdu verse in the style of rap songs appears to be gaining much popularity.
1
saRak pe cigarette piite vaqt, jo az’aaN sunaaii dii mujh ko
to yaad aaya ke vaqt hai kya, aur baat zahn1 meN ye aaii
maiN kaisa musalmaaN huN bhaaii   
1.mind, thought
While I was standing on the street, taking a smoke, I heard the call to prayer, the az’aan. I suddenly became aware of what time it was and the thought came to my mind, what kind of a muslim am I? The question starts out with a bit of introspection but soon evolves into something else.

2
maiN shi’a huN, ya sunni huN, maiN Khoja huN, ya bohri huN
maiN gaauN se huN, ya shahri huN, maiN baaGhi1 huN, ya sufi2 huN
maiN qaumi3 huN, ya DhoNgi huN, maiN kaisa musalmaaN huN bhaaii    
1.rebellious, denier 2.mystic, spiritual 3.belonging to community/homeland
Am I shia, sunni, Khoja or bohri, what am I (the implication that there is a wide range among muslims). Am I a villager or from a city (another dimension of variety among muslims). Do I rebel against faith/reject it or do I, like a mystic accept a broader spiritualism. Am I of the community (another possible meaning – of the homeland) or am I pretender. What kind of a muslim am I (there are many shades).

3
maiN sajda1 karne vaala huN, ya jhaTka khaane vaala huN
maiN Topi pahan ke phirta huN, ya daaRhi uRa ke rahta huN
maiN aayet2 qaul3 se paRhta huN, ya filmi gaane ramta4 huN
maiN allah allah karta huN, ya shaiKhoN se laR paRta huN
maiN kaisa musalmaaN huN bhaaii    
1.bow down/prostrate in prayer 2.qur’aan verse 3.belief, respect 4.chant
‘jhaTka khaana’ is amenable to two interpretations (a) eat non-halaal/unsanctioned food or (b) meaningless gesticulation/jerks. Do I offer sincere prayers or meaningless gesticulations or, do I obey dietary laws of islam or ignore them. Do I wear the islamic skull cap or wear a beard. Do I read/recite verses of the qur’aan meaningfully or chant them like movie songs. Do I take the name of god (obey religious injunctions) or do I pick disputes with the shaiKh. What kind of a muslim am I.

4
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN
dakkan se huN, UP se huN, bhopaal se huN, dilli se huN
kashmir se huN, gujarat se huN, har ooNchi neechi zaat1 se huN
maiN hi huN julaaha, mochi bhi, maiN doctor bhi huN, darzi bhi
mujh meN geeta ka saar2 bhi hai, ek urdu ka aKhbaar bhi hai
mera ek mahiina ramzaan bhi hai, maiN ne kiya to gaNga snaan3 bhi hai
apne hi taur4 se jeeta huN, daaru cigarette bhi piita huN
koii neta5 meri nas nas6 meN nahiN, maiN kisi paarTi ke bas7 meN nahiN
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN   
1.caste 2.lessons, principles 3.bathe in the Ganges 4.style, ways 5.(political) leader 6.fiber, muscle 7.control
I am an Indian muslim. I am from kashmir, dakkan, UP, bhopal, gujarat. I am from every caste. I am weaver, cobbler, doctor and tailor too. I carry the principles of the geeta and read urdu too. I observe the month of ramzaan and bathe in the gaNga too. I live in my own style, drink wine and smoke too. There is no leader who can hold the fiber of my body, I am not in control of any political party. I am an Indian muslim.

5
Khooni darvaaza1 mujh meN hai, ek bhool bhulayyaaN2 mujh meN hai
maiN baabari ka ek guNbad3 huN, maiN shahr ke beech meN sarhad4 huN
jhuggioN5 meN palti Ghurbat6 maiN, madrasoN7 ki TooTi si chhat bhi maiN
raNgoN meN bhaRakta sho’la maiN, kurte par Khoon ka dhabba8 maiN
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN    
1.red/bloody door, one of the seven gates of dehli (it still stands) where a lot of muslims were executed by the British in 1857 2.“secret” passages in the walls of a dargaah in lakhnow, where a lot of muslims had taken refuge and were caught and killed in 1857 3.dome 4.boundary 5.slums 6.poverty 7.(islamic) schools 8.stain
I was slaughtered in 1857. The domes of my (babari) masjid were reduced to rubble. I was cordoned off inside the city beyond a created border. I represent the poverty of the slums and the collapsed roof of the madrasa in disrepair. I get burned in raging flames of many colours, I carry blood stains on my clothes. I am in Indian muslim.

6
mandir ki chaukhaT1 meri hai, masjid ke qible2 mere haiN
gurdvaare ka darbaar mera, yeshu3 ke girje4 mere haiN
sau5 meN se chaudah6 huN laikin, chaudah ye kam nahiN paRte haiN
maiN puure sau meN basta huN, puure sau mujh meN baste haiN
mujhe ek nazar se dekh na tu, mere ek nahiN sau chehre haiN
sau raNg ke haiN kirdaar7 mere, sau qalam8 se likkhi kahaani huN
maiN jitna musalmaaN huN bhaaii, maiN utna hindustani huN   
1.threshold 2.the main arch 3.Jesus 4.church 5.hundred 6.fourteen 7.character 8.pen
The threshold of temple belongs to me, I own the qibla of the mosque. The assembly of the gurdvaara is mine as well as the church of Jesus. I am 14% of the population but this counts for something. I live among all the hundred, all the hundred are a part of me. Do not look at me as if I am one, I have a hundred faces. I have a hundred different characters, a story written by a hundred pens. I am as much an Indian as I am a muslim. Editorial note – it is rather sad that an Indian muslim has to/is forced to declare his identity/allegiance.

7
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN, maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN     I am an Indian muslim, I am an Indian muslim.

husain hydari appears to be a young professional probably from mumbai from the video clips that I have seen.  I do not know much more about him.  But both this nazm and this emerging genre of urdu verse in the style of rap songs appears to be gaining much popularity.
1
saRak pe cigarette piite vaqt, jo az’aaN sunaaii dii mujh ko
to yaad aaya ke vaqt hai kya, aur baat zahn1 meN ye aaii
maiN kaisa musalmaaN huN bhaaii

1.mind, thought

While I was standing on the street, taking a smoke, I heard the call to prayer, the az’aan.  I suddenly became aware of what time it was and the thought came to my mind, what kind of a muslim am I?  The question starts out with a bit of introspection but soon evolves into something else.
2
maiN shi’a huN, ya sunni huN, maiN Khoja huN, ya bohri huN
maiN gaauN se huN, ya shahri huN, maiN baaGhi1 huN, ya sufi2 huN
maiN qaumi3 huN, ya DhoNgi huN, maiN kaisa musalmaaN huN bhaaii

1.rebellious, denier 2.mystic, spiritual 3.belonging to community/homeland

Am I shia, sunni, Khoja or bohri, what am I (the implication that there is a wide range among muslims).  Am I a villager or from a city (another dimension of variety among muslims).  Do I rebel against faith/reject it or do I, like a mystic accept a broader spiritualism.  Am I of the community (another possible meaning – of the homeland) or am I pretender.  What kind of a muslim am I (there are many shades).
3
maiN sajda1 karne vaala huN, ya jhaTka khaane vaala huN
maiN Topi pahan ke phirta huN, ya daaRhi uRa ke rahta huN
maiN aayet2 qaul3 se paRhta huN, ya filmi gaane ramta4 huN
maiN allah allah karta huN, ya shaiKhoN se laR paRta huN
maiN kaisa musalmaaN huN bhaaii

1.bow down/prostrate in prayer 2.qur’aan verse 3.belief, respect 4.chant

‘jhaTka khaana’ is amenable to two interpretations (a) eat non-halaal/unsanctioned food or (b) meaningless gesticulation/jerks.  Do I offer sincere prayers or meaningless gesticulations or, do I obey dietary laws of islam or ignore them.  Do I wear the islamic skull cap or wear a beard.  Do I read/recite verses of the qur’aan meaningfully or chant them like movie songs.  Do I take the name of god (obey religious injunctions) or do I pick disputes with the shaiKh.  What kind of a muslim am I.
4
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN
dakkan se huN, UP se huN, bhopaal se huN, dilli se huN
kashmir se huN, gujarat se huN, har ooNchi neechi zaat1 se huN
maiN hi huN julaaha, mochi bhi, maiN doctor bhi huN, darzi bhi
mujh meN geeta ka saar2 bhi hai, ek urdu ka aKhbaar bhi hai
mera ek mahiina ramzaan bhi hai, maiN ne kiya to gaNga snaan3 bhi hai
apne hi taur4 se jeeta huN, daaru cigarette bhi piita huN
koii neta5 meri nas nas6 meN nahiN, maiN kisi paarTi ke bas7 meN nahiN
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN

1.caste 2.lessons, principles 3.bathe in the Ganges 4.style, ways 5.(political) leader 6.fiber, muscle 7.control

I am an Indian muslim.  I am from kashmir, dakkan, UP, bhopal, gujarat.  I am from every caste.  I am weaver, cobbler, doctor and tailor too.  I carry the principles of the geeta and read urdu too.  I observe the month of ramzaan and bathe in the gaNga too.  I live in my own style, drink wine and smoke too.  There is no leader who can hold the fiber of my body, I am not in control of any political party.  I am an Indian muslim.
5
Khooni darvaaza1 mujh meN hai, ek bhool bhulayyaaN2 mujh meN hai
maiN baabari ka ek guNbad3 huN, maiN shahr ke beech meN sarhad4 huN
jhuggioN5 meN palti Ghurbat6 maiN, madrasoN7 ki TooTi si chhat bhi maiN
raNgoN meN bhaRakta sho’la maiN, kurte par Khoon ka dhabba8 maiN
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN

1.red/bloody door, one of the seven gates of dehli (it still stands) where a lot of muslims were executed by the British in 1857 2.“secret” passages in the walls of a dargaah in lakhnow, where a lot of muslims had taken refuge and were caught and killed in 1857 3.dome 4.boundary 5.slums 6.poverty 7.(islamic) schools 8.stain

I was slaughtered in 1857.  The domes of my (babari) masjid were reduced to rubble.  I was cordoned off inside the city beyond a created border.  I represent the poverty of the slums and the collapsed roof of the madrasa in disrepair.  I get burned in raging flames of many colours, I carry blood stains on my clothes.  I am in Indian muslim.
6
mandir ki chaukhaT1 meri hai, masjid ke qible2 mere haiN
gurdvaare ka darbaar mera, yeshu3 ke girje4 mere haiN
sau5 meN se chaudah6 huN laikin, chaudah ye kam nahiN paRte haiN
maiN puure sau meN basta huN, puure sau mujh meN baste haiN
mujhe ek nazar se dekh na tu, mere ek nahiN sau chehre haiN
sau raNg ke haiN kirdaar7 mere, sau qalam8 se likkhi kahaani huN
maiN jitna musalmaaN huN bhaaii, maiN utna hindustani huN

1.threshold 2.the main arch 3.Jesus 4.church 5.hundred 6.fourteen 7.character 8.pen

The threshold of temple belongs to me, I own the qibla of the mosque.  The assembly of the gurdvaara is mine as well as the church of Jesus.  I am 14% of the population but this counts for something.  I live among all the hundred, all the hundred are a part of me.  Do not look at me as if I am one, I have a hundred faces.  I have a hundred different characters, a story written by a hundred pens.  I am as much an Indian as I am a muslim.  Editorial note – it is rather sad that an Indian muslim has to/is forced to declare his identity/allegiance.
7
maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN, maiN hindustani musalmaaN huN

I am an Indian muslim, I am an Indian muslim.

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