For word meanings and explanation click on the ‘Roman’ or ‘Notes’ tab.
Recitation
ایک نوجوان خاتون سے – اسرار الحق مجاز
حجابِ فتنہ پرور اب اُٹھالیتی تو اچھاتھا
خود اپنے حسن کو پردہ بنالیتی تو اچھاتھا
تری نیچی نظر خود تیری عصمت کی محافظ ہے
تواس نشتر کی تیزی آزمالیتی تو اچھاتھا
تری چینِ جبیں خوداک سزا قانونِ فطرت میں
اِسی شمشیر سے کارِ سزا لیتی تو اچھاتھا
یہ تیرا زرد رُخ،یہ خشک لب، یہ وہم یہ وحشت
تو اپنے سر سے یہ بادل ہٹالیتی تو اچھاتھا
دلِ مجروح کو مجروح تر کرنے سے کیاحاصل
تو آنسو پونچھ کر اب مسکرا لیتی تو اچھاتھا
تیرے زیرِ نگیں گھر ہومحل ہو قصر ہو کچھ ہو
میں یہ کہتاہوں تو ارض و سمالیتی تو اچھاتھا
اگر خلوت میں تو نے سر اُٹھایابھی تو کیاحاصل
بھری محفل میں آکر سر جھکالیتی تو اچھاتھا
ترے ماتھے کاٹیکامرد کی قسمت کاتارا ہے
اگر تو سازِ بیداری اُٹھا لیتی تو اچھاتھا
عیاں ہیں دشمنوں کے خنجروں پر خون کے دھبےّ
اِنھیں تو رنگِ عارض میں ملالیتی تو اچھاتھا
سنانیں کھینچ لی ہیں سر پھرے باغی جوانوں نے
تو سامانِ جراحت اب اُ ٹھا لیتی تو اچھاتھا
تیرے ماتھے پہ یہ آنچل بہت ہی خوب ہے لیکن
تو اِس آنچل سے اک پرچم بنالیتی تو اچھا تھا
एक नौजवान ख़ातून से – अस्रार-उल-हक़ मजाज़
हिजाब ए फ़ित्ना परवर अब उठा लेती तो अच्छा था
ख़ुद अपने हुस्न को पर्दा बना लेती तो अच्छा था
तेरी नीची नज़र ख़ुद तेरी इस्मत की मुहाफ़िज़ है
तू इस नश्तर की तेज़ी आज़मा लेती तो अच्छा था
तेरी चीन ए जबीं ख़ुद एक सज़ा ख़ानून-ए-फ़ित्रत में
इसी शमशीर से कार ए सज़ा लेती तो अच्छा था
ये तेरा ज़र्द रुख़, ये ख़ुश्क लब, ये वहम ये वहशत
तू अपने सर से ये बादल हटा लेती तो अच्छा था
दिल ए मजरूह को मजरूह तर करने से क्या हासिल
तू आंसू पोंछ कर अब मुस्कुरा लेती तो अच्छा था
तेरे ज़ेर-ए नगीं घर हो, महल हो, क़सर हो, कुछ हो
मैं ये कहता हूँ तू अर्ज़ ओ समा लेती तो अच्छा था
अगर ख़िल्वत में तू ने सर उठाया तो भी क्या हासिल
भरी महफ़िल में आकर सर झुका लेती तो अच्छा था
तेरे माथे का टीका मर्द की क़िस्मत का तारा है
अगर तू साज़-ए-बेदारी उठा लेती तो अच्छा था
अयाँ हैं दुश्मनों के ख़न्जरौं पर ख़ून के धब्बे
इन्हें तू रंग-ए-आरिज़ में मिला लेती तो अच्छा था
सिनानें खैंच लीं हैं सर फिरे बाग़ी जवानों ने
तू सामान ए जराहत अब उठा लेती तो अच्छा था
तेरे माथे पे ये आँचल बहुत ही ख़ूब है लेकिन
तू इस आँचल से एक परचम बना लेती तो अच्छा था
ek naujavan Khatoon se – asrar ul haq majaz
Click here for overall comments and on any she’r for meanings and discussion. asrar-ul haq majaz (1911-1955) was progressive as well as romantic poet, a heartthrob. He received his BA from aligaRh after interruptions in earlier schooling. He developed close relationships with progressives and was a major force in the Progressive Writers’ Association. He lived in aligaRh, dehli and lucknow working for radio stations, editing magazines on and off but with no steady income. He met with a rather tragic end at the young age of 44. For its time and context this may be considered a “progressive” poem. In discussion of other couplets below I do point out where it still has a strong dose of conventionality and patronizing.While my comments may highlight those, it is important to acknowledge the beautiful language and indeed the “courage for its time”.
hijaab1-e fitna parvar2 ab uTha leti to achha tha
Khud apne husn ko parda bana leti to achha tha1.veil 2.mishcief causing
It would be better if you discard this mischief causing veil and make your beauty itself a veil. Calling “hijaab”, “fitna parvar” (mischief causing) is itself mischievous and does not quite recognize that it is imposed/enforced, not adopted as “mischief”. And I don’t quite understand what making “husn” a “parda” means unless it means that somehow it serves as a “guardian of chastity” (which parda is supposed to do). In any case it is an act of courage to call for discarding the veil.
teri neechi nazar1 Khud teri ismat2 ki muhaafiz3 hai
tu is nashtar4 ki tezi5 aazma6 leti to achha tha1.lowered eyes 2.purity, virtue 3.protector 4.knife 5.sharpness 6.try out
Your lowered eyes themselves protect your virtue, it would be better if you try out the sharpness of this knife. In spite of the invitation to throw off the hijab, there is still the invitation (or is it an admonition) to keep “neechi nazar” and there is the obsession with “protection of virtue”. And it is enough to protect her. There is the implication that she invites trouble by raising her eyes … looking at men eye to eye.
teri cheen-e jabeeN1 Khud ek sazaa Khanoon-e fitrat2 meN
isi shamsheer3 se kaar-e sazaa4 leti to achha tha1.frown, wrinked brow 2.law of nature 3.sword 4.work of punishing Your wrinkled brow is a punishment by nature, it is better if you use this sword itself to punish (rather than go behind a veil). The metaphor of a curved sword and the slight curve of the frown is beautiful. But also the idea that a frown is enough of a deterrent is simply romantic non-sense and it is placing “delicate womanhood” on the pedestal. But these comments have had the benefit of years of development in feminist thought and we must recognize the beauty and courage of majaz.
ye tera zard ruKh1, ye Khusk lab2, ye vahm ye vahshat
tu apne sar se ye baadal haTa leti to achha tha1.pale face 2.dry lips 3.doubt, uncertainty 4.fear, terror 5.cloud, curse
Your pale face, dry lips, this uncertainty, this fear, it would be better if you remove this cloud over your head. There is recognition that there is injustice/threat that results in fear, but the cure is to admonish/advise the victim rather than focus on the victimizer (the whole system).
dil-e-majrooh1 ko majrooh tar2 karne se kya haasil3
tu aansoo ponchh kar ab muskura leti to achha tha1.wounded heart 2.more wounded 3.benefit
What is the use of hurting your own wounded heart, it would be better if you wipe your tears and smile. I can’t help smiling at the patronizing tone … I am not sure if the people at the time saw it that way. Pakistani Women’s association even adopted one she’r (see below) of this poem as its slogan.
tere zer e nagiN1 ghar ho, mahal ho, qasr2 ho, kuchh ho
maiN ye kahta huN tu arz-o-sama3 leti to achha tha1.nagiN is jewel and implies ring. The ring has a stamp – stamp of approval. Thus zer-e-nagiN means to have things in control 2.palace 3.earth and sky
You may have the household, or the palace under your control, but I say it would be better if you take on the earth and the sky. Having the household under her thumb is of course a carefully cultivated cultural fiction. But the invitation here is to step out and take ownership of “earth and sky”.
agar Kilhvat1 meN tu ne sar uThaaya to bhi kya haasil2
bhari mahfil3 meN aakar sar jhuka leti to achha tha1.privacy 2.benefit, use 3.full assembly, out in the open
What use is it, even if you can raise your head (assert yourself) in privacy, it is better to be out in the open, even with a lowered head. Why this need to lower eyes and bow the head? But we must recognize the evolution of thought.
tere maathe ka Teeka mard ki qismat ka taara hai
agar tu saaz-e bedaari1 uThaa leti to achha tha1.musical instrument of awakening
The “Teeka” on your brow brings good fortune to man. It would have been better if you had picked up the lute of awakening. I am not sure about the relationship between the two misras. She continues to bear the burden of “male qismat” and has not yet graduated into being her own person, though the invitation to pick up the musical instrument of awakening is a step forward. We have to wait for feminist poets for further awakening.
ayaaN1 haiN dushmanoN ke KhanjaroN par Khoon ke dhabbe
inheN tu rang-e aariz2 meN mila leti to achha tha1.visible, apparent, manifest 2.colour of face, rouge, make-up
There is blood on the drawn knives of the enemy, it would be better if you use this blood as rouge for make-up. Society is out with daggers drawn and there is blood. It is best to blend its redness in a daring act as a part of the adornment (make-up) of the face – brave words.
sinaneN1 khainch liN haiN sar phire2 baaGhi3 javaanoN ne
tu samaan-e jaraahat4 ab uTha leti to achha tha1.spears, arrows 2.mad, angry, determined 3.rebellious 4.instruments of cutting/wounding
Rebellious mad young men have picked up the sword, it would be better if you join them in battle. There is some ambiguity here … (a) young men are going on the attack, you pick up instruments of war to resist them or (b) young men are prepared to rebel in your cause (really?) and you prepare to support them. This is the she’r that was adopted as a slogan by the Pakistan Women’s Association.
tere maathe pe ye aaNchal bahut hi Khoob1 hai laikin
tu is aaNchal se ek parcham2 bana leti to achha tha1.good, beautiful 2.banner
This veil on your head is beautiful, but it would be better if you make a banner out of it. A nice invitation take off the veil and make a banner … no word to the victimizer. Fahmida Riaz wants to open it and make a sail out of it to sail off into the blue yonder!
ek naujavan Khatoon se – asrar ul haq majaz
asrar-ul haq majaz (1911-1955) was progressive as well as romantic poet, a heartthrob. He received his BA from aligaRh after interruptions in earlier schooling. He developed close relationships with progressives and was a major force in the Progressive Writers’ Association. He lived in aligaRh, dehli and lucknow working for radio stations, editing magazines on and off but with no steady income. He met with a rather tragic end at the young age of 44. For its time and context this may be considered a “progressive” poem. In discussion of other couplets below I do point out where it still has a strong dose of conventionality and patronizing.While my comments may highlight those, it is important to acknowledge the beautiful language and indeed the “courage for its time”.
hijaab1-e fitna parvar2 ab uTha leti to achha tha
Khud apne husn ko parda bana leti to achha tha
1.veil 2.mishcief causing
It would be better if you discard this mischief causing veil and make your beauty itself a veil. Calling “hijaab”, “fitna parvar” (mischief causing) is itself mischievous and does not quite recognize that it is imposed/enforced, not adopted as “mischief”. And I don’t quite understand what making “husn” a “parda” means unless it means that somehow it serves as a “guardian of chastity” (which parda is supposed to do). In any case it is an act of courage to call for discarding the veil.
teri neechi nazar1 Khud teri ismat2 ki muhaafiz3 hai
tu is nashtar4 ki tezi5 aazma6 leti to achha tha
1.lowered eyes 2.purity, virtue 3.protector 4.knife 5.sharpness 6.try out
Your lowered eyes themselves protect your virtue, it would be better if you try out the sharpness of this knife. In spite of the invitation to throw off the hijab, there is still the invitation (or is it an admonition) to keep “neechi nazar” and there is the obsession with “protection of virtue”. And it is enough to protect her. There is the implication that she invites trouble by raising her eyes … looking at men eye to eye.
teri cheen-e jabeeN1 Khud ek sazaa Khanoon-e fitrat2 meN
isi shamsheer3 se kaar-e sazaa4 leti to achha tha
1.frown, wrinked brow 2.law of nature 3.sword 4.work of punishing
Your wrinkled brow is a punishment by nature, it is better if you use this sword itself to punish (rather than go behind a veil). The metaphor of a curved sword and the slight curve of the frown is beautiful. But also the idea that a frown is enough of a deterrent is simply romantic non-sense and it is placing “delicate womanhood” on the pedestal. But these comments have had the benefit of years of development in feminist thought and we must recognize the beauty and courage of majaz.
ye tera zard ruKh1, ye Khusk lab2, ye vahm ye vahshat
tu apne sar se ye baadal haTa leti to achha tha
1.pale face 2.dry lips 3.doubt, uncertainty 4.fear, terror 5.cloud, curse
Your pale face, dry lips, this uncertainty, this fear, it would be better if you remove this cloud over your head. There is recognition that there is injustice/threat that results in fear, but the cure is to admonish/advise the victim rather than focus on the victimizer (the whole system).
dil-e-majrooh1 ko majrooh tar2 karne se kya haasil3
tu aansoo ponchh kar ab muskura leti to achha tha
1.wounded heart 2.more wounded 3.benefit
What is the use of hurting your own wounded heart, it would be better if you wipe your tears and smile. I can’t help smiling at the patronizing tone … I am not sure if the people at the time saw it that way. Pakistani Women’s association even adopted one she’r (see below) of this poem as its slogan.
tere zer e nagiN1 ghar ho, mahal ho, qasr2 ho, kuchh ho
maiN ye kahta huN tu arz-o-sama3 leti to achha tha
1.nagiN is jewel and implies ring. The ring has a stamp – stamp of approval. Thus zer-e-nagiN means to have things in control 2.palace 3.earth and sky
You may have the household, or the palace under your control, but I say it would be better if you take on the earth and the sky. Having the household under her thumb is of course a carefully cultivated cultural fiction. But the invitation here is to step out and take ownership of “earth and sky”.
agar Kilhvat1 meN tu ne sar uThaaya to bhi kya haasil2
bhari mahfil3 meN aakar sar jhuka leti to achha tha
1.privacy 2.benefit, use 3.full assembly, out in the open
What use is it, even if you can raise your head (assert yourself) in privacy, it is better to be out in the open, even with a lowered head. Why this need to lower eyes and bow the head? But we must recognize the evolution of thought.
tere maathe ka Teeka mard ki qismat ka taara hai
agar tu saaz-e bedaari1 uThaa leti to achha tha
1.musical instrument of awakening
The “Teeka” on your brow brings good fortune to man. It would have been better if you had picked up the lute of awakening. I am not sure about the relationship between the two misras. She continues to bear the burden of “male qismat” and has not yet graduated into being her own person, though the invitation to pick up the musical instrument of awakening is a step forward. We have to wait for feminist poets for further awakening.
ayaaN1 haiN dushmanoN ke KhanjaroN par Khoon ke dhabbe
inheN tu rang-e aariz2 meN mila leti to achha tha
1.visible, apparent, manifest 2.colour of face, rouge, make-up
There is blood on the drawn knives of the enemy, it would be better if you use this blood as rouge for make-up. Society is out with daggers drawn and there is blood. It is best to blend its redness in a daring act as a part of the adornment (make-up) of the face – brave words.
sinaneN1 khainch liN haiN sar phire2 baaGhi3 javaanoN ne
tu samaan-e jaraahat4 ab uTha leti to achha tha
1.spears, arrows 2.mad, angry, determined 3.rebellious 4.instruments of cutting/wounding
Rebellious mad young men have picked up the sword, it would be better if you join them in battle. There is some ambiguity here … (a) young men are going on the attack, you pick up instruments of war to resist them or (b) young men are prepared to rebel in your cause (really?) and you prepare to support them. This is the she’r that was adopted as a slogan by the Pakistan Women’s Association.
tere maathe pe ye aaNchal bahut hi Khoob1 hai laikin
tu is aaNchal se ek parcham2 bana leti to achha tha
1.good, beautiful 2.banner
This veil on your head is beautiful, but it would be better if you make a banner out of it. A nice invitation take off the veil and make a banner … no word to the victimizer. Fahmida Riaz wants to open it and make a sail out of it to sail off into the blue yonder!
