mojid o mufakkir is “inventor and thinker/philosopher” … josh makes an argument that technology has made life easier for human kind but the philosopher/thinker has raised mankind to new heights of an amorphous combination of “values, culture, ethics, humanity”.  The rigor of the argument aside, the language is so awesome, powerful and beautiful that (especially if you allow yourselves to be seduced by josh) you forget about the argument but simply get lost in admiring the composition.  I invite you to that journey …

tamaddun 1-10  In 10 stanzas josh describes how sophistication and culture developed among human beings.  Please remind yourselves that there is no anthropological rigour in this.  The development of civilization/settlements, of speech and writing, of social behaviour is described in the most lyrical and beautiful phrases.

iijadaat 11-18  In stanzas 11-18 josh describes the inventions of technology.  It is joyful to read his description of the timepiece or of the satellite or cinema/TV and of sentient machines.  The metaphors and the language are incomparably beautiful.  I have reordered a couple of stanza from josh’s original marsia to keep the keep the theme compatible in this set of stanzas.

shaa’estagi 19-29  In stanzas 19-29 humans become sensitive to inherited culture, indulge in archeological discoveries and refine culture further.

ehsaan 30-42 josh takes 13 stanzas to pay tribute to scientists and inventors in very beautiful and powerful language and then begins to wonder why humanity is not beholden to them.  He goes on to answer that it is one thing to take us to the “dome of the skies” but another to make us understand the meaning of life.

mufakkir  43-53  Explaining the meaning of life is what a mufakkir does and josh goes on to re-affirm why the mufakkir is foremost in human thought, not the mojid.

sifaat-e husain  54-60  Having described the qualities and contributions of the mufakkir josh proceeds to say that husain ibn-e ali is an exemplary mufakkir who rose to do all this for humanity … he rose carrying a flask of his own blood on his shoulder i.e., ready to sacrifice his own life.

haalaat-e daur-e yaziid  61-68   A few stanzas describing in musical language the changing order from principled governance to hubristic power grab and personal enrichment.

Khoon 69-74  These stanzas are an unadulterated, highly emotional praise of husain.  The terminology of “Khoon” is used not only to say that Husain was ready to sacrifice his own blood but also in the sense that in common parlance the word “Khoon” is used to imply character, heritage and the like.  Even if you are not inclined to shii belief, you will find this composition extremely enjoyable and emotionally charged.

karbala 75-84  josh uses these few stanzas to describe the prevailing conditions before the battle of karbala which led husain to lay down his life in principled resistance.

tarGheeb 85-90  This comes close to incitement and calls upon the audience to resist injustice.

Khiraaj 91-107  Unadulterated tribute to husain.  It is beautiful and powerful composition with rich metaphors.  Enjoyable even when read with a completely secular viewpoint.

almadad 108-116  A resounding call for help from the spirit of husain while calling upon the audience to act on the principles that impelled husain, to resist present day injustice.  His call on husain for water is a most dramatic and ironic climax to this marsia.

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. He composed several marsia, which are traditionally long. Please see the ‘Overview’ tab for a description of the full marsia.
54
thaa unhiN aaba-e insaani¹ meN ek mard-e jaleel²
qibla-e a’alam³, imaam-e asr⁴, amiir-e be adeel⁵
e’tebar-e mauj-e kausar⁶, aabroo-e salsabeel⁷
faKhr⁸-e ismail, jan⁹-e mustafa, naaz¹⁰-e Khaleel
mahvar¹¹-e geti o garduN¹², markaz¹³-e duniya o diiN¹⁴
mahbat¹⁵-e aavaaz-e haq¹⁶, maKhdoom¹⁷-e jibriil-e amiiN¹⁸    1.ancestors of humanity/humanism 2.man of high status 3.focus of the world 4.leader of all times 5. leader without equal 6.waves of kauser depend on him 7.honor of salsabiil – kausar and salsabiil are springs in paradise 8.pride 9.beloved 10.pride 11.axis of rotation 12.earth and sky 13.center 14.faith 15.origin 16.voice of truth 17.served by 18.Gabriel
Among the leading lights of humanism was a man of high status. The qibla/focal point of the world, leader of all time, lord without equal. The basis of the waves of kausar, the honor of salsabiil. The pride of ismail, the beloved of mohammed, the joy of ibrahim. The axis of rotation of the earth and sky, the centre of the universe. The author of the word of truth, righteousness, served by jibra’iil. husain, in karbala was denied access to water. Legend has it that to illustrate principles he intentionally did not force his way to water. josh implies that by giving up water in karbala, husain is the lord of the water (kauser and salsabiil) in paradise. ismail, mustafa and Khaliil (ibrahim) are all prophets in the Judeo-Islamic tradition. josh choses these three because, (and I speculate) – the ‘beloved of mustafa’ is obvious, both as grandson and the ‘consolidator of mustafa’s message’. The pride of ismail- because ismail agreed to be ‘sacrificed’ by his father following god‘s command, and husain sacrificed himself to ‘consolidate’ mohammed’s message. ‘pride of Khaliil/ibrahim’ probably because ibrahim sacrificed his son and husain sent out his son to battle and certain death.
55
shaah¹-e arbaab-e havaadis², shaara’e³ diin⁴ o vafa⁵
maKhzan⁶-e jins-e hidaayat⁷, masdar⁸-e sidq⁹ o safa¹⁰
saahib-e amr-e qadar¹¹, sultaan-e aaiin¹²-e qaza¹³
shahed¹⁴-e gul pairahan¹⁵, shahzaada-e rangiN qaba¹⁶
kirdegaar¹⁷-e asr¹⁸-e irfaN¹⁹, shahriyar²⁰-e zindagi
kushta²¹-e haq²², faateh²³-e marg²⁴, ifteKhaar²⁵-e zindagi 1.king 2.owners of happenings, people of action 3.path 4.religion 5. keeping your word 6.treasure 7.instrument of instruction 8. leader 9.truth 10.purity 11.decree of destiny 12.rules, traditions 13.death 14.beauty 15. flower robed 16.colored robe 17.lord 18.period, times 19. mystic knowledge 20.lord 21.killed 22.righteousness 23.conqueror 24.death 25.pride
King of righteous action, the pathway to faith. Treasure house of learning, paragon of Truth and Purity. Shaper of destiny, exemplar of ‘aaiin-e qaza’ (traditions of death/fate – the tradition that husain exemplified – dying with dignity rather than live with untruth/injustice). Flower bodied beauty, the prince of colorful robe (reference to his robe colored in blood as he was injured in battle and killed). Harbinger of mystic enlightenment, the king of Righteous Life. Killed for righteousness, conqueror of death, pride of life.
56
maah¹-e imaaN, raah-e irfaaN², shaah-e ehsaaN, jaah³-e diiN
shaan-e haq⁴, aan⁵-e karam⁶, jaan-e safa⁷, kaan⁸-e yaqiiN
puur⁹-e Hyder, suur¹⁰-e hejaN¹¹, noor-e jaaN, toor¹²-e mubiiN¹³
aab-e eeqaN¹⁴, baab-e zau¹⁵, taab-e falak¹⁶, daab-e zamiiN¹⁷
auj¹⁸-e baam¹⁹-e dil navaazi²⁰, mauj²¹-e bahr²²-e iltefaat²³
badr²⁴-e charKh²⁵-e sarfaroshi²⁶, sadr²⁷-e bazm²⁸-e ka’enaat²⁹ 1.full moon 2.mystic knowledge 3.honor 4.Truth 5.pride 6.benevolence 7.purity 8.mine (as in gold mine), treasure house 9.son 10. trumpet 11.declaration, defiance 12.Mt.Sinai, where Moses saw divine light 13.explication, clear 14.glory of faith 15.door to enlightenment 16.brilliance of the sky 17.weight (substance, dignity) of the earth 18.climax 19.roof 20.making (others) happy 21.wave 22.ocean 23.kindness 24.full moon 25.sky 26.sacrificing head (life), martyrdom 27.head 28.assembly 29.creation
Moon of Faith, pathway to Spirituality, king of Benevolence, glory of Belief. The grandeur of Truth, pride of Kindness, essence of Purity, treasure of Faith. Son of Hyder, trumpet of Defiance, lustre of Life, light of Divinity. Lustre of faith³, pathway to god, brilliance of Heaven, dignity of Earth. Epitomy of Empathy, swell of the ocean of Kindness. Moon of the sky of martyrdom, the center of Creation.
57
aalim¹-e asraar²-e aalam³, a’arif⁴-e zaat o sifaat⁵
naazim⁶-e shahr-e saqaafat⁷, naashir⁸-e aKhlaaqiyaat⁹
naasir¹⁰-e haq¹¹, paikar¹²-e aaiin¹³, dastur¹⁴-e najaat¹⁵
nazish¹⁶-e tariiKh¹⁷, mir-e vaqt¹⁸, daara¹⁹-e hayaat²⁰
harf-e diN, nutq-e mubiiN²¹, dars-e amal²², faKhr-e milal²³
barbat²⁴-e dasht²⁵-e mashiyat²⁶, naGhma²⁷-e saaz-e azal²⁸ 1.knower 2.secrets 3.universe 4.knower 5.instinct and nature 6.administrator 7.culture 8.publisher/writer 9.rules of behavior 10.helper 11.Truth 12.embodiment 13. canon, rule, principles 14.traditions, ways 15. deliverance 16.pride 17.history 18.lord of time (forever 19.king 20.life 21. clear voice 22.lesson of action 23.pride of communities (all) 24.music 25.forest, mystery 26.will of god 27.song 28.eternal music
Scholar of the mysteries of Creation, knowing the attributes of god. King of the city of Culture, the writer of the rules of Conduct. Helper of Truth, Embodiment of Principles, exemplar of Deliverance. Pride of History, lord of Time, captain of Life. Word of Faith, clarity of Word, lesson of Action, pride of Nations. Music of the word of god, song of Eternity. Just a powerful and musical torrent of adjectives and descriptors.
58
matla¹-e mahr²-e shahaadat³, mashriq⁴-e maah⁵-e shahud⁶
maslah⁷-e auza-e hasti⁸, ma’ani-e harf-e vujud⁹
manzil-e ashraq¹⁰, me’eraj¹¹-e bashar¹², mauj¹³-e sa’ud¹⁴
mimbar¹⁵-e altaaf¹⁶, mehraab¹⁷-e karam¹⁸, mizaan¹⁹-e jud²⁰
mazhar²¹-e husn-e amal²², sham’a-e harim²³-e haidari
moris²⁴-e aqtaab²⁵-e a’alam, vaaris²⁶-e paiGhambari²⁷ 1.emergence, rise 2.sun 3.martyrdom 4.east, rising 5.moon 6.martyrs 7.reformer 8.ways of life 9.existence 10.brightness, sunrise 11.apex 12. human 13.wave 14.sublime 15.platform, pulpit 16.kindnesses 17.centre piece 18.forgiveness 19. balance, measure 20.benevolence 21.manifestation 22.beauty of action 23.house 24.basis 25.north and south poles 26.helper 27.prophethood
Rising sun of martyrdom, glowing moon of martyrs. Teacher of the way of living, of the meaning of existence. Basis of Dawn, apex of Humanity, wave of Sublimity. Pulpit of Grace, arch of forgivenesses, standard of Benevolence. Exemplar of right action, light of the house of Ali. Axis of the world, keeper of the message of Mohammed.
59
munkasir¹, Khuddaar², shabnam taba’a³, safdar⁴, burdbaar⁵
sabr paimaaN⁶, shaam gustar⁷, roz dar shab⁸, zinda daar⁹
taj kob¹⁰, auraNg¹¹ soz¹², aiwaaN¹³ shikan¹⁴, sultaN shikaar¹⁵
ausia¹⁶ ijlaal¹⁷, paiGhambar hasham¹⁸, yazdaN viqaar¹⁹
jama’a-e ibriiq o sindaaN²⁰, saahib²¹-e saif²² o qalam
chatr²³-e haq²⁴, baala-e sartaaj²⁵-e shaahaaN²⁶ zer-e qadam²⁷    1.humble 2.self-respecting 3.nature of dew (soft, pleasing) 4.breaker of lines of battle, brave 5.dignified 6.committed to steadfastness 7.spreading coolness of the evening 8.lighting up the dark night 9.life giving 10.destroy 11.throne 12.burn 13.halls 14.break 15.hunt down kings 16.inheritor (of mohammed’s legacy) 17.grandeur 18.dignity of paiGhamber 19.high status (like god’s) 20.brings together sword and arrow, arms 21.owner 22.sword 23.umbrella, protection 24.righteousness 25.apex of the crown 26.kings 27.under foot
Self effacing, self-respecting, kind, brave and noble. Steadfast, dispenser of comfort, lighting up darkness, life giving. Breaking crowns, burning thrones, smashing halls of power, hunting kings. Heir to mohammed’s legacy and dignity, godlike status. Ready for war, if necessary, but weilding a pen to make peace too. Protector of Truth, trampling the royal crown.
60
shama’-e irfaaN¹, aaftaab-e rushd², qindil³-e usool⁴
mash’al-e baab⁵-e nubuvvat⁶, ka’aba⁷-e husn-e qubool⁸
bostan⁹-e murtuza, firdaus¹⁰-e aaGhosh-e batool¹¹
ziinat¹²-e auraNg¹³-e qudrat¹⁴, raakib¹⁵-e dosh¹⁶-e rasool¹⁷
ism-e aazam¹⁸ dar baGhal¹⁹, gul-haa-e irfaaN²⁰ dar kulaah²¹
Khuld²² bar kaf²³, aasmaaN bar dosh²⁴, kursi²⁵ bar nigaah²⁶ 1.mystics 2.wise leader 3.lamp 4.rules (righteous) 5.door 6.prophethood (of mohammed) 7. focus, center 8. acceptable, right 9.garden 10. paradise 11.parents of Husain 12.beauty 13. throne 14. god 15.rider 16.shoulder 17.Mohammed 18. great name 19.under arm 20.flowers (knowledge) of the mystics 21.under his cap 22. paradise 23.in the fist 24.on the shoulder 25. (of god) 26.in sight
The light of mystics, the sun of wisdom, the lamp of rectitude. The torch of the door of mohammed’s message, the focus of the beauty of Truth. The garden of murtuza, the paradise of the womb of batool. The beauty of the throne of god, the rider on the shoulders of mohammed. The name of god under his arm, the knowledge of mystics in his grip. Paradise in his hand, heavens on his shoulders, mindful of the seat of god.