maut – faiz ahmed faiz

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

موت  ۔  فیض  احمد  فیضؔ

۱

کس  طرح  آ  ئے  گی  جس  روز  قضا  آئے  گی

شائد  اِس  طرح  کہ  جس  روز  کبھی  اوّلِ  شب

بے  طلب  پہلے  پہل  مرحمتِ  بوسہ  لب

جس  سے  کھلنے  لگیں  ہر  سمت  طلسمات  کے  در

اور  کہیں  دور  سے  انجان  گلابوں  کی  بہار

یک  بیک  سینہٗ  مہتاب  کو  تڑپانے  لگے

۲

شاید  اِس  طرح  کہ  جس  طور  کبھی  آخرِشب

نیم  وا  کلیوں  سے  سر  سبز  سحر

یک  بیک  حجرہ  محبوب  میں  لہرانے  لگے

اور  خاموش  دریچوں  سے  بہ  ہنگامِ  رحیل

جھنجھناتے  ہوے  تاروں  کی  صدا  آنے  لگے

۳

کس  طرح  آئے  گی  جس  روز  قضا  آئے  گی

شاید  اِس  طرح  کے  جس  طور  تہ  نوکِ  سناں

کوئی  رگ  واہمہٰ  درد  سے  چلاّنے  لگے

اور  قزّاقِ  سناں  دست  کا  دھندلا  سایہ

از  کراں  تا  بہ  کراں  دہر  پہ  منڈلانے  لگے

۴

جس  طرح  آئے  گی  جس  روز  قضا  آئے  گی

خواہ  قاتل  کی  طرح  آئے  کہ  محبوب  صفت

دل  سے  بس  ہوگی  یہی  حرف  وداع  کی  صورت

لِاللہ  الحمد  بہ  انجامِ  دلِ  دل  زدگاں

کلمہٰ  شکر  بنامِ  لبِ  شیر  یں  دہناں

मौत – फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़

किस तरह आएगी जिस रोज़ क़ज़ा आएगी

शायेद इस तरह के जिस रोज़ कभी अव्वल ए शब

बे तलब पहले पहल मरहमत ए बोसा ए लब

जिस से खुलने लगें हर सिम्त तिलस्मात के दर

और कहीं दूर से अन्जान गुलाबों की बहार

यक ब यक सीना ए महताब को तडपाने लगे

शायेद इस तरह के जिस रोज़ कभी आख़िर ए शब

नीम वा कलियों से सर सब्ज़ सहर

यक ब यक हुजरा ए महबूब में लहराने लगे

और खामोश दरीचों से ब हंगाम ए रहैल

झुन्झुनाते हुए तारों की सदा आने लगे

किस तरह आएगी जिस रोज़ क़ज़ा आएगी

शायेद इस तरह के जिस तौर तह ए नोक ए सिनां

कोई रग वाहमा ए दर्द से चिल्लाने लगे

और क़ज़्ज़ाक़ ए सिनां दस्त का धुन्दला साया

अज़ करां ता ब करां दहर पे मनड्लाने लगे

जिस तरह आएगी जिस रोज़ क़ज़ा आएगी

ख़्वाह क़ातिल की तरह आए के महबूब सिफ़त

दिल से बस होगी यही हर्फ़ ए विदा’ की सूरत

लिल्लाह अल्हम्द ब अंजाम ए दिल ए दिल ज़दगां

कलमा ए शुक्र बनाम ए लब ए शीरीं दह्नां

maut – faiz ahmed faiz

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion.  Faiz is speculating on the gentle, sweet ways or the fierce, painful ways in which death might come, whenever it comes. And then he makes a declaration – whichever way it comes, he will remain true and pay tribute to beauty – the beauty has had a chance to experience during his lifetime. It is also worth repeating here a beautiful she’r from a Ghazal, which Faiz recited at a BBC arranged mushai’ra in his honor about two months before his death.
halqa kiye baiThe raho ek sham’a ko yaaro
kuchh raushni baaqi to hai, harchand ke kam hai
Sit surrounding this lamp for a while yet, friends
There is still some light left, even if faint

1
kis tarah aayegi jis roz qaza1 aayegi
shaayed is tarah ke jis roz kabhi avval e shab2
be talab3 pahle pahal4 marhamat5 e bosa e lab6
jis se khulne lageN har simt7 tilasmaat ke dar8
aur kahiN duur se anjaan9 gulabauN ki bahar10
yek ba yek seena e mahtab11 ko taRpaane lage
1. death 2. early evening 3. without asking 4. for the first time 5. kindness, granting 6. kiss on the lips 7. direction 8. doors to enchantment(s) 9. unknown, unseen 10. fragrance of roses 11. bosom of the moon/beloved
How will it come, the day death comes, perhaps like when at dusk, a grant of the first kiss on the lips, without asking, opens up doors to enchantment in every direction, and from afar, the fragrance of unseen roses suddenly causes pangs in the heart of the beloved. Death could come in gentle ways like the gentle, pleasant way like a first kiss. The mysteries of death are revealed as an enchantment! Or like the pleasant fragrance of unseen roses floating into the chamber of the beloved and bringing up memories – this sweet pain, another gentle way in which death might come.

2
shaayed is tarah ke jis roz kabhi aaKhir e shab12
neem va13 kaliyoN se sar sabz14 sahr15
yek ba yek16 hujra e mahboob17 meN lahrane lage
aur Khaamosh darichoN18 se ba hangaam e rahail19
jhunjhunate hue taaroN ki sada20 aane lage
12. end of the night 13. half open 14. green/fresh 15. dawn 16. suddenly 17. (bed)chamber of the beloved 18. windows 19. in the time of departure 20. sound
(Death might come) Perhaps like when as night ends and the new dawn with buds still half open shimmers into the chamber of the beloved and through silent windows as they depart the tinkling of fading stars can be heard. Death can come as a gentle pleasant dawn.

3
kis tarah aayegi, jis roz qaza aayegi
shaayed is tarah ke jis taur21 tah e nok e sinaaN22
koi rug23 vahama24 e dard se chillane lage
aur qazzaaq25 e sinaaN dast26 ka dhundla27 saaya
az karaaN ta ba karaaN28 dahar29 pe manDlane30 lage
21. way, method 22. under the point of a spear 23. vein 24. suspicion, anticipation 25. robber (of life), killer 26. spear in hand 27. faint, hazy 28. from end to end 29. world 29. world 30. strut about
How will it come, when death will come. Perhaps as if under the point of spear some vein screams in anticipation of pain and the blurred image of the spear bearing killer struts about from end to end i.e. in a terrifying and painful way.

4
jis tarah aayegi jis roz qaza aayegi
Khwaah31 qatil ki tarah aaye ke mahboob sifat32
dil se bas hogi yahi harf e vida’33 ki soorat34
lillah35 alhamd36 ba anjaam37 e dil e dil zadagaN38
kalama39 e shukr40 banaam e lab e shiriN dahnaN41
31. maybe 32. like/similar to qualities of the beloved 33. parting words 34. in the image/likeness of 35. by god 36. praise 37. result, fate 38. stricken of heart, lovers 39. declaration of faith 40. thanks 41. lips of the sweet mouthed
However it comes, whenever death comes, perhaps fierce like a killer or gentle like the beloved, the only parting words will be, “Praise be to the heart that has been stricken with love, and a tribute to the sweet lips of the beloved”. Whichever way death comes, in the gentle way like the love of the beloved or in the painful, violent way of the executioner – in either case Faiz declares that his parting words (summation of his life) will be a tribute to the lover (dil zadagaaN, stricken of heart – stricken by love) and to the beloved (shiriN dahanaN). There are two very different ways of interpreting this. The irreverant interpretation is that Faiz is making a pointed statement … orthodoxy always says “alhamdo lillah” – praise is (ONLY) for god. Such a statement at the time of death would add greatly to the piety of the dying. But Faiz wants to give praise to the hearts of those stricken by love. Orthodox “kalma”=declaration, is a declaration of acceptance of allah as the only god and Mohammed as his prophet. But Faiz makes a pointed declaration to the sweet lips of the beloved. The reverant interpretation is that Faiz considers Love to be divine and offers “alhamd” to it in the same spirit as convention offers it to god.

 

 

maut – faiz ahmed faiz

Faiz is speculating on the gentle, sweet ways or the fierce, painful ways in which death might come, whenever it comes.  And then he makes a declaration – whichever way it comes, he will remain true and pay tribute to beauty – the beauty has had a chance to experience during his lifetime.
It is also worth repeating here a beautiful she’r from a Ghazal, which Faiz recited at a BBC arranged mushai’ra in his honor about two months before his death.

halqa kiye baiThe raho ek sham’a ko yaaro
kuchh raushni baaqi to hai, harchand ke kam hai
Sit surrounding this lamp for a while yet, friends
There is still some light left, even if faint
 
kis tarah aayegi jis roz qaza1 aayegi
shaayed is tarah ke jis roz kabhi avval e shab2
be talab3 pahle pahal4 marhamat5 e bosa e lab6
jis se khulne lageN har simt7 tilasmaat ke dar8
aur kahiN duur se anjaan9 gulabauN ki bahar10
yek ba yek seena e mahtab11 ko taRpaane lage

1. death 2. early evening 3. without asking 4. for the first time 5. kindness, granting 6. kiss on the lips 7. direction 8. doors to enchantment(s) 9. unknown, unseen 10. fragrance of roses 11. bosom of the moon/beloved
How will it come, the day death comes, perhaps like when at dusk, a grant of the first kiss on the lips, without asking, opens up doors to enchantment in every direction, and from afar, the fragrance of unseen roses suddenly causes pangs in the heart of the beloved.  Death could come in gentle ways like the gentle, pleasant way like a first kiss.  The mysteries of death are revealed as an enchantment!  Or like the pleasant fragrance of unseen roses floating into the chamber of the beloved and bringing up memories – this sweet pain, another gentle way in which death might come.

shaayed is tarah ke jis roz kabhi aaKhir e shab12
neem va13 kaliyoN se sar sabz14 sahr15
yek ba yek16 hujra e mahboob17 meN lahrane lage
aur Khaamosh darichoN18 se ba hangaam e rahail19
jhunjhunate hue taaroN ki sada20 aane lage

12. end of the night 13. half open 14. green/fresh 15. dawn 16. suddenly 17. (bed)chamber of the beloved 18. windows 19. in the time of departure 20. sound
(Death might come) Perhaps like when as night ends and the new dawn with buds still half open shimmers into the chamber of the beloved and through silent windows as they depart the tinkling of fading stars can be heard.  Death can come as a gentle pleasant dawn.

kis tarah aayegi, jis roz qaza aayegi
shaayed is tarah ke jis taur21 tah e nok e sinaaN22
koi rug23 vahama24 e dard se chillane lage
aur qazzaaq25 e sinaaN dast26 ka dhundla27 saaya
az karaaN ta ba karaaN28 dahar29 pe manDlane30 lage

21. way, method 22. under the point of a spear 23. vein 24. suspicion, anticipation 25. robber (of life), killer 26. spear in hand 27. faint, hazy 28. from end to end 29. world 29. world 30. strut about
How will it come, when death will come.  Perhaps as if under the point of spear some vein screams in anticipation of pain and the blurred image of the spear bearing killer struts about from end to end i.e. in a terrifying and painful way.

jis tarah aayegi jis roz qaza aayegi
Khwaah31 qatil ki tarah aaye ke mahboob sifat32
dil se bas hogi yahi harf e vida’33 ki soorat34
lillah35 alhamd36 ba anjaam37 e dil e dil zadagaN38
kalama39 e shukr40 banaam e lab e shiriN dahnaN41(d)

31. maybe 32. like/similar to qualities of the beloved 33. parting words 34. in the image/likeness of 35. by god 36. praise 37. result, fate 38. stricken of heart, lovers 39. declaration of faith 40. thanks 41. lips of the sweet mouthed

However it comes, whenever death comes, perhaps fierce like a killer or gentle like the beloved, the only parting words will be, “Praise be to the heart that has been stricken with love, and a tribute to the sweet lips of the beloved”.
Whichever way death comes, in the gentle way like the love of the beloved or in the painful, violent way of the executioner – in either case Faiz declares that his parting words (summation of his life) will be a tribute to the lover (dil zadagaaN, stricken of heart – stricken by love) and to the beloved (shiriN dahanaN).
There are two very different ways of interpreting this.
The irreverant interpretation is that Faiz is making a pointed statement … orthodoxy always says “alhamdo lillah” – praise is (ONLY) for god.  Such a statement at the time of death would add greatly to the piety of the dying.  But Faiz wants to give praise to the hearts of those stricken by love. Orthodox “kalma”=declaration, is a declaration of acceptance of allah as the only god and Mohammed as his prophet.  But Faiz makes a pointed declaration to the sweet lips of the beloved.
The reverant interpretation is that Faiz considers Love to be divine and offers “alhamd” to it in the same spirit as convention offers it to god.