Recitation
iqbal bano
faiz ahmed faiz
ہم دیکھیں گے ۔ فیض احمد فیض
ہم دیکھیں گے
لازم ہے کہ ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
وہ دن کے جس کا وعدہ ہے
جو لوحِ ازل پہ لکھا ہے
ہم دیکھیں گے
جب ظلم و ستم کے کوہِ گراں
روئی کی طرح اُ ڑ جائیں گے
ہم محکوموں کے پاوٗں تلے
یہ دھرتی دھڑ دھڑ دھڑکے گی
اور اہلِ حکم کے سر اوُپر
جب بجلی کڑ کڑ کڑکے گی
ہم دیکھیں گے
جب ارضِ خدا کے کعبہ سے
سب بت اُٹھوائے جائیں گے
ہم اہلِ صفا مردودِ حرم
مسند پر بٹھلائے جائیں گے
سب تاج اُچھالے جائیں گے
سب تخت گرائے جائیں گے
بس نام رہے گا اللہ کا
جو غائب بھی ہے حاضر بھی
جو منظر بھی ہے ناظر بھی
اُٹھے گا انالحق کا نعرہ
جو میں بھی ہوں اور تم بھی ہو
اور راج کرے گی خلقِ خدا
جو میں بھی ہوں اور تم بھی ہو
ہم دیکھیں گے
لازم ہے کہ ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
ہم دیکھیں گے
हम देखेंगे – फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़
हम देखें गे
लाज़िम है के हम भी देखें गे
वो दिन के जिस का वादा है
जो लौह ए अज़ल पे लिक्खा है
हम देखें गे
जब ज़ुल्म ओ सितम के कोह ए गरां
रूई की तरह उड़ जाएं गे
हम महकूमों के पाऊँ तले
ये धरती धड़ धड़ धड़केगी
और अहल ए हकम के सर ऊपर
जब बिजली कड़ कड़ कड़के गी
हम देखें गे
जब अर्ज़ ए ख़ुदा के काबे से
सब बुत उठवाए जाएँ गे
हम अहल ए सफ़ा मरदूद ए हरम
मसनद पे बिठाए जाएँ गे
सब ताज उछाले जाएँ गे
सब तख़्त गिराए जाएँ गे
बस नाम रहे गा अल्लाह का
जो ग़ायब भी है हाज़िर भी
जो मंज़र भी है नाज़िर भी
उठे गा अनलहक़ का नारा
जो मैं भी हूँ और तुम भी हो
और राज करे गी ख़ल्क़ ए ख़ुदा
जो मैं भी हूँ और तुम भी हो
हम देखें गे
लाज़िम है के हम भी देखें गे
हम देखें गे
hum dekheNge – faiz ahmed faiz
We will Surely See – Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. This poem was written when faiz was in exile, living in London during zia ul haq’s time. The poem was smuggled into pakistan and published in a newspaper – with its dual meaning – end of zia’s regime or the quranic day of judgement.
hum dekheNge
lazim1 hai ke hum bhi dekheNge
vo din ke jis ka vada2 hai
jo lauh e azal3 pe likkha hai
hum dekheNge1.inevitable 2.promise 3.tablet (book) of eternity/history
We will get to see. It is inevitable that we get to see the day that has been promised. Written on the tablet of history. We will get to see. In Islamic belief the day of judgement is “laazim” – inevitable. But the double meaning is not lost – the day of revolution is also inevitable, because justice will be done.
jab zulm o sitam ke koh e giraaN4
ruuii ki tarah uR jaeN gay
hum mehkoomoN5 ke paauN talay6
yeh dharti dhaR dhaR dhaRkey gi
aur ahl e hukum7 ke sar ooper
jab bijli kaR kaR kaRke gi
hum dekheNge4.heavy mountain, weight (of oppression) 5.governed, oppressed 6.underneath the feet 7.people of power
When mountains of oppression, will fly like cotton balls. Under the marching feet of the oppressed, the earth will tremble and on the heads of the oppressors lightning will descend. We will get to see. There is Quranic reference here again. Says the Quran – “on the day of reckoning mountains will fly asunder like dust (as if they were made of cotton)”. Faiz makes very clever use of this but converts the mountains to “koh e giraaN” ie mountains of oppression. Once again, the composition maintains its duality … it can be describing the “conventional” day of judgment as well as the dawn of a new order. There is reversal of power structure, a picture of revolution. The earth will tremble under the feet of the oppressed and lightning will crackle on the heads of the oppressors.
jab arz e Khuda8 ke Ka’abe se
sab buth uThwae jaeN ge
hum ahl e safa9 mardud e haram10
masnad11 pe biThaaiy jaeN ge
sab taaj uchhaalay jaeN ge
sab taKht girae jaeNge 8.god’s earth 9.separated/discarded people 10.exiled from the holy place 11.throne
When from the Ka’aba on god’s earth all idols shall be removed. We the discarded and the condemned shall be seated on the throne. All crowns shall be thrown away. All thrones shall be destroyed. Mohammed, when he declared Islam, removed all idols from the Ka’aba. The first two lines can be interpreted as a repetition of that historic event. It is possible that in referring to it as “arz e Khuda ka ka’aba” Faiz is declaring the whole earth to be as sacred as the Ka’aba. Faiz, in maintaining the duality of his composition can also be talking about the shattering of conventional centers of power as idols which will be destroyed. The description of the change of power structure – the oppressed being placed on cushioned thrones, crowns thrown up in the air in celebration of overthrow of kings – reinforces the duality of description of the day of judgement and day of revolution.
bas naam rahe ga allah ka
jo Ghaayeb12 bhi hai haazir13 bhi
jo manzar14 bhi hai naazir15 bhi
uTThe ga an-al-haq16 ka nara
jo maiN bhi huN aur tum bhi ho
aur raj kare gi Khalq e Khuda17
jo maiN bhi huN aur tum bhi ho12.hidden, absent 13.present 14.scene 15.seeing 16.I am the Truth 17.creation/creatures of god
God, who is absent and also present, the observer and also the observed, will remain in name only. A cry will be raised, “I am the truth”, which I am and you as well and all creatures of god will rule, which I am and you as well. We will get to see. It is inevitable that we get to see. We will get to see. The first misra can mean, “only the name of god will remain (everything else will be destroyed)” – a conventional interpretation. It can also mean, god will remain in name only (not in substance) and we the oppressed will do what is needed. The uprising of the oppressed will happen (in the name of or using the name of god). This uprising itself will be god and/or god will see it. Mansoor al Hallaj was a Sufi philosopher who traveled to India and was much influenced by the Vedas. He declared “an al haq” … a variation of “god is in every one (everything)”. He was declared a rebel and condemned to death. Faiz is raising this cry as the cry of rebellion and says that “haq” i.e.“truth” – which, I am and you are – essentially saying that god is in everyone (everything). “Khalq e Khuda” is also described as “which I am and you are too” i.e.everyone is equal. Is Faiz saying that the “day of judgment” is inevitable or is he saying that the “promised day” is the “dawn of a new order” and that is inevitable?
hum dekheNge
lazim hai ke hum bhi dekheNge
hum dekheNge
hum dekheNge – faiz ahmed faiz
We will Surely See – Faiz Ahmed Faiz
This poem was written when faiz was in exile, living in London during zia ul haq’s time. The poem was smuggled into pakistan and published in a newspaper – with its dual meaning – end of zia’s regime or the quranic day of judgement.
hum dekheNge
lazim1 hai ke hum bhi dekheNge
vo din ke jis ka vada2 hai
jo lauh e azal3 pe likkha hai
hum dekheNge
1.inevitable 2.promise 3.tablet (book) of eternity/history
We will get to see. It is inevitable that we get to see the day that has been promised. Written on the tablet of history. We will get to see. In Islamic belief the day of judgement is “laazim” – inevitable. But the double meaning is not lost – the day of revolution is also inevitable, because justice will be done.
jab zulm o sitam ke koh e giraaN4
ruuii ki tarah uR jaeN gay
hum mehkoomoN5 ke paauN talay6
yeh dharti dhaR dhaR dhaRkey gi
aur ahl e hukum7 ke sar ooper
jab bijli kaR kaR kaRke gi
hum dekheNge
4.heavy mountain, weight (of oppression) 5.governed, oppressed 6.underneath the feet 7.people of power
When mountains of oppression, will fly like cotton balls. Under the marching feet of the oppressed, the earth will tremble and on the heads of the oppressors lightning will descend. We will get to see. There is Quranic reference here again. Says the Quran – “on the day of reckoning mountains will fly asunder like dust (as if they were made of cotton)”. Faiz makes very clever use of this but converts the mountains to “koh e giraaN” ie mountains of oppression. Once again, the composition maintains its duality … it can be describing the “conventional” day of judgment as well as the dawn of a new order. There is reversal of power structure, a picture of revolution. The earth will tremble under the feet of the oppressed and lightning will crackle on the heads of the oppressors.
jab arz e Khuda8 ke Ka’abe se
sab buth uThwae jaeN ge
hum ahl e safa9 mardud e haram10
masnad11 pe biThaaiy jaeN ge
sab taaj uchhaalay jaeN ge
sab taKht girae jaeNge
8.god’s earth 9.separated/discarded people 10.exiled from the holy place 11.throne
When from the Ka’aba on god’s earth all idols shall be removed. We the discarded and the condemned shall be seated on the throne. All crowns shall be thrown away. All thrones shall be destroyed. Mohammed, when he declared Islam, removed all idols from the Ka’aba. The first two lines can be interpreted as a repetition of that historic event. It is possible that in referring to it as “arz e Khuda ka ka’aba” Faiz is declaring the whole earth to be as sacred as the Ka’aba. Faiz, in maintaining the duality of his composition can also be talking about the shattering of conventional centers of power as idols which will be destroyed. The description of the change of power structure – the oppressed being placed on cushioned thrones, crowns thrown up in the air in celebration of overthrow of kings – reinforces the duality of description of the day of judgement and day of revolution.
bas naam rahe ga allah ka
jo Ghaayeb12 bhi hai haazir13 bhi
jo manzar14 bhi hai naazir15 bhi
uTThe ga an-al-haq16 ka nara
jo maiN bhi huN aur tum bhi ho
aur raj kare gi Khalq e Khuda17
jo maiN bhi huN aur tum bhi ho
hum dekheNge
lazim hai ke hum bhi dekheNge
hum dekheNge
12.hidden, absent 13.present 14.scene 15.seeing 16.I am the Truth
17.creation/creatures of god
God, who is absent and also present, the observer and also the observed, will remain in name only. A cry will be raised, “I am the truth”, which I am and you as well and all creatures of god will rule, which I am and you as well. We will get to see. It is inevitable that we get to see. We will get to see. The first misra can mean, “only the name of god will remain (everything else will be destroyed)” – a conventional interpretation. It can also mean, god will remain in name only (not in substance) and we the oppressed will do what is needed. The uprising of the oppressed will happen (in the name of or using the name of god). This uprising itself will be god and/or god will see it. Mansoor al Hallaj was a Sufi philosopher who traveled to India and was much influenced by the Vedas. He declared “an al haq” … a variation of “god is in every one (everything)”. He was declared a rebel and condemned to death. Faiz is raising this cry as the cry of rebellion and says that “haq” i.e.“truth” – which, I am and you are – essentially saying that god is in everyone (everything). “Khalq e Khuda” is also described as “which I am and you are too” i.e.everyone is equal. Is Faiz saying that the “day of judgment” is inevitable or is he saying that the “promised day” is the “dawn of a new order” and that is inevitable?
We Shall See
Badri Raina
First published on the Indian Cultural Forum
Inevitable that we shall see
Dawn of the promised day,
When pinnacles of tyranny
Will come to be blown away
Like bales of cotton loosely held,
When the ground shall shudder underneath
The gumption of empowered feet,
And bang on the swollen head
Lightning strike with telling heat;
When despot- icons shall be removed
From God’s outraged earthly bed,
And taintless victims of crushing faith
Be seated on the regal spread;
When crowns shall be flung away
And thrones brought low from high,
That promised day we shall know,
We shall know, we shall see.
Only Allah’s name shall be,
Who is both manifest and concealed,
Both hidden and revealed;
When the proclamation “I am the Truth”
Shall be made by one and all
When “we the people” shall come to rule,
A rule that embraces one and all
Such a day we indeed shall see,
That belongs to one and all.
Re: Your post of March 11, 2016. Faiz’s nazm “hum dekheNge” is indeed powerful and its rendition in song by Iqbal Bano is indeed electrifying. Thank you for posting.
Although the nazm may also be suggesting a revolution of the oppressed, it occurred to me that the gist of the nazm is similar to the biblical expression “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth”.
This nazm plays on the heartstrings of most Muslims’ fervent (febrile?) religious ideas. Woh din jiska wa’ada hai. Day of Judgment. The great leveling, koh-e giraaN flying like fir, when the public will be centerstage. Faiz’s use of all the Islamic ideas as metaphors is not just cheeky, but quite shameless. Or is it Faiz’s way of acknowledging, not just borrowing, the collective Muslim hope / prayer for Deliverance one day? Except, Faiz promises deliverance here and now, and not in the Hereafter.
Bible does not offer any such hope, just survival no matter how pathetic.