anand narain mulla – aal-e ahmad suroor

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

آنند  نرائن  مُلّا  ۔  آلِ  احمد  سُرُورؔ

۱

کیا  بیاں  ہوں  صفات  ملا  کی

جس  پہ  پیار  آے  وہ  برہمن  ہے

۲

جس  کی  کرنوں  سے  جلوۂ  صد  رنگ

آج  اُردو  ادب  کا  دامن  ہے

۳

نثر  میں  اک  جہانِ  دیدہ  وری

نظم  میں  موجِ  فکر  روشن  ہے

۴

رِند،  جس  سے  ہے  میکدے  کو  شرف

پھول،  جو  آبروئے  گلشن  ہے

۵

اپنی  تہذیب  کا  منارۂ  نور

روحِ  انسانیت  کا  درپن  ہے

۶

سوز  میں  ہر  سخن  کی  آنچ  گُھلی

ساز  میں  سب  کے  دل  کی  دھڑکن  ہے

۷

ظلمتوں  کی  ہزار  ہو  یلغار

پھر  بھی  اپنا  چراغ  روشن  ہے

आनन्द नरायन मुल्ला – आल्ए अहमद सुरूर

क्या बयान हों सिफ़ात मुल्ला की
जिस पे प्यार आये वो बरहमन है


जिस की किरनों से जल्वा-ए सद-रंग
आज उर्दू अदब का दामन है


नस्र में एक जहान-ए दीदावरी
नज़्म में मौज-ए फ़िक्र रोशन है


रिंद, जिस से है मैकदे को शरफ़
फूल, जो आब्रू-ए गुल्शन है


अपनी तहज़ीब का मिनारा-ए नूर
रूह-ए इंसानियत का दर्पण है


सोज़ में हर सख़न की आँच घुली
साज़ में सब के दिल की धढकन है


ज़ुल्मतों की हज़ार हो यल्ग़ार
फिर भी अपना चराग़ रोशन है

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. aal-e ahmad suroor (1911-2002) academic, critic, writer, editor and poet. MA in English and urdu literature. He taught at aligaRh and lakhnau universities, serving as head of the department of urdu at aligaRh. He was associated with, if not an active member of the Progressive Writers’ Association. His poetic compositions tend to be thoughtful and philosophical. This short nazm/Ghazal was written as a tribute to panDit anand narain mulla when a celebratory function was organized in his honour on his 90th birthday.
1
kya bayaan1 hoN sifaat2 mulla3 ki
jis pe pyaar aaye vo barahman hai    
1.narrate, describe 2.qualities 3.anand narain mulla
How can I narrate/describe the qualities of mulla. He is the kind of brahman on whom love can be showered. Note the play of words. ‘mulla’ can be interpreted as the muslim priest and brahman as the hindu priest. Thus, how can I describe the qualities of the muslim priest who is a hindu priest on whom love can be showered.

2
jis ki kirnoN1 se jalva2-e sad-raNg3
aaj urdu adab4 ka daaman5 hai   
1.rays of light 2.glory 3.hundred colours/styles/images 4.literature 5.hem of the garment, valley, spread, scope, vastness
Rays of light of his wisdom and his verse, fill the domain of urdu with a hundred glorious images.

3
nasr1 meN ek jahaan2-e diida-vari3
nazm meN mauj4-e fikr5 raushan6 hai    
1.prose 2.world 3.discerning eye, wisdom 4.wave 5.thought, reason 6.lit up, shining
His discerning eye, evident in his prose writing and a wave of in depth thought and reason shines in his verse.

4
rind1, jis se hai maikade2 ko sharaf3
phuul, jo aabruu4-e gulshan hai   
1.wine lover 2.tavern 3.nobility, honour 4.respect, dignity
A wine-lover who brings honour to the tavern; a flower that embodies the dignity of the garden.

5
apni tahziib1 ka minaara-e-nuur2
ruuh3-e insaaniyat4 ka darpan5 hai   
1.culture 2.guiding light, lighthouse, tower of light 3.spirit 4.humanism 5.mirror, reflection
The guiding light of our culture, reflecting the soul/spirit of humanism.

6
soz1 meN har suKhan2 ki aaNch3 ghulii4
saaz5 meN sab ke dil ki dhaRkan hai    
1.pain, fire, passion 2.words, verse 3.fire, glow 4.dissolved, melted 5.music, rhythm
The glow of pain and passion melting in every word, the heart of humanity throbbing in every rhyme.

7
zulmatoN1 ki hazaar ho yalGhaar2
phir bhi apna charaaGh3 raushan4 hai    
1.darkness, ignorance 2.attack by a horde 3.lamp 4.lit
Even if darkness/ignorance/injustice attacks from all sides, his lamp of wisdom remains lit.

aal-e ahmad suroor (1911-2002) academic, critic, writer, editor and poet.  MA in English and urdu literature.  He taught at aligaRh and lakhnau universities, serving as head of the department of urdu at aligaRh.  He was associated with, if not an active member of the Progressive Writers’ Association.  His poetic compositions tend to be thoughtful and philosophical.  This short nazm/Ghazal was written as a tribute to panDit anand narain mulla when a celebratory function was organized in his honour on his 90th birthday.
1
kya bayaan1 hoN sifaat2 mulla3 ki
jis pe pyaar aaye vo barahman hai

1.narrate, describe 2.qualities 3.anand narain mulla

How can I narrate/describe the qualities of mulla.  He is the kind of brahman on whom love can be showered.  Note the play of words.  ‘mulla’ can be interpreted as the muslim priest and brahman as the hindu priest.  Thus, how can I describe the qualities of the muslim priest who is a hindu priest on whom love can be showered.
2
jis ki kirnoN1 se jalva2-e sad-raNg3
aaj urdu adab4 ka daaman5 hai

1.rays of light 2.glory 3.hundred colours/styles/images 4.literature 5.hem of the garment, valley, spread, scope, vastness

Rays of light of his wisdom and his verse, fill the domain of urdu with a hundred glorious images.
3
nasr1 meN ek jahaan2-e diida-vari3
nazm meN mauj4-e fikr5 raushan6 hai

1.prose 2.world 3.discerning eye, wisdom 4.wave 5.thought, reason 6.lit up, shining

His discerning eye, evident in his prose writing and a wave of in depth thought and reason shines in his verse.
4
rind1, jis se hai maikade2 ko sharaf3
phuul, jo aabruu4-e gulshan hai

1.wine lover 2.tavern 3.nobility, honour 4.respect, dignity

A wine-lover who brings honour to the tavern; a flower that embodies the dignity of the garden.
5
apni tahziib1 ka minaara-e-nuur2
ruuh3-e insaaniyat4 ka darpan5 hai

1.culture 2.guiding light, lighthouse, tower of light 3.spirit 4.humanism 5.mirror, reflection

The guiding light of our culture, reflecting the soul/spirit of humanism.
6
soz1 meN har suKhan2 ki aaNch3 ghulii4
saaz5 meN sab ke dil ki dhaRkan hai

1.pain, fire, passion 2.words, verse 3.fire, glow 4.dissolved, melted 5.music, rhythm

The glow of pain and passion melting in every word, the heart of humanity throbbing in every rhyme.
7
zulmatoN1 ki hazaar ho yalGhaar2
phir bhi apna charaaGh3 raushan4 hai

1.darkness, ignorance 2.attack by a horde 3.lamp 4.lit

Even if darkness/ignorance/injustice attacks from all sides, his lamp of wisdom remains lit.