Recitation
نقشِ قدم – سید محمد شاہد
یہ کیسا انوکھا بھرم دیکھتے ہیں
جہاں تیرا نقشِ قدم دیکھتے ہیں
طلب علم کی صرف قرآں سے ہو
یا ویدوں پہ وِدیاختم دیکھتے ہیں
جنّت کی حوروں کی لالچ میں خودکُش
یہاں پر جہنّم تو ہم دیکھتے ہیں
سوکھی چھاتی پہ بچے بلا سے مر یں
دودھ پیتا گنیش آج ہم دیکھتے ہیں
رام کی بھومی تو صرف کہنے کو تھی
اصل راون کاواں پر جنم دیکھتے ہیں
گاؤ رکشا کے ایسے فسادات جوڑے
قتل و غارت گری اور ستم دیکھتے ہیں
رِسالت کی توہین یا گاؤ رکشا
اِک مُکھؤٹے کے دو دو قِسم دیکھتے ہیں
ہمیں ہیں وہ کٹھپتلیاں جِن کو مذہب
نچاتا ہے پھر بھی نہ ہم دیکھتے ہیں
ملی جو عقل آگ میں جھونک کر
مگن بیٹھے مورکھ بھسم دیکھتے ہیں
اوہام کے ڈر سے مارے ہوے ہیں
خرافات ہی میں قسم د یکھتے ہیں
اندھے کوئیں میں ہیں بیٹھے خوشی سے
خود فریبی ہی کے خواب ہم دیکھتے ہیں
فقیری لکیروں کی کر کے قبول
منطق کی ارتھی کاغم دیکھتے ہیں
مہانتا جو دیکھی پراچیں سمئے میں
ستی کا بھی جلنا دھرم دیکھتے ہیں
فرسودہ آئین تیری شرع کے
عورت کا درجہ بھی کم دیکھتے ہیں
میں ہندوُ تو مُسلم، نہ مرضی سے بنتا
حقیقت میں گھٹنا ہے یہ جو جنم دیکھتے ہیں
وہ دیکھو کہ کچھ کچھ اُجالا سا پھوٹا
ہے اندھیر میں کتنا دم دیکھتے ہیں
تو نے کہی ہے جو یہ بات شاہد
فتوے کااب تو کرم دیکھتے ہیں
नक़्श-ए क़दम – शाहेद
ये कैसा अनोखा भरम देखते हैं
जहां तेरा नक़्श-ए क़दम देखते हैं
तलब इल्म की सिर्फ़ क़ुर’आं से हो
या वेदौं में विद्या ख़तम देखते हैं
जन्नत की हूरौं की लालच में ख़ुदकुश
यहां पर जहन्नुम तो हम देखते हैं
सूखी छाती पे बच्चे बला से मरें
दूध पीता गनेश आज हम देखते हैं
राम की भूमि तो सिर्फ़ कहने को थी
अस्ल रावन का वां पर जनम देखते हैं
गाऊ रक्षा के ऐसे फ़सादात जोड़े
क़त्ल ओ ग़ारत-गरी और सितम देखते हैं
रिसालत की तौहीन या गाऊ रक्षा
एक मुखौटे के दो दो क़िस्म देखते हैं
हमीं हैं वो कठपुतलियां जिन को मज़हब
नचाता है फिर भी न हम देखते हैं
मिली जो अक़ल आग में झोंक कर
मगन बैठे मूरख भसम देखते हैं
औहाम के डर से मारे हुए हैं
ख़ुराफ़ात ही में क़सम देखते हैं
अंधे कुऐं में हैं बैठे ख़ुशी से
ख़ुद फ़रेबी ही के ख़्वाब हम देखते हैं
फ़क़ीरी लकीरों की कर के क़ुबूल
मन्तक़ की अर्थी का ग़म देखते हैं
महानता जो देखि प्राचीं समय की
सती का भी जलना धरम देखते हैं
फ़रसूदा आईन तेरी शर’अ के
औरत का दर्जा भी कम देखते हैं
मैं हिन्दू तु मुस्लिम, न मर्ज़ी से बनता
हक़ीक़त में घटना है ये जो जनम देखते हैं
वो देखो के कुछ कुछ उजाला सा फूटा
है अंधेर में कितना दम देखते हैं
तू ने कही है जो ये बात शाहेद
फ़त्वे का अब तो करम देखते हैं
naqsh-e qadam – shahed
Click here for overall comments and on any she’r for word meanings and discussion. This composition is modeled after Ghalib’s Ghazal, using a misra “jahaaN tera naqsh-e qadam dekhte haiN” from the opening she’r which was given as a tarahi misra in an on-line literary group. This composition turns the meaning of the original Ghazal on its head rather irreverently. See Raina’s Ghalib https://urdushahkar.org/naqsh-e-qadam-rainas-ghalib/ for a full discussion of the original.
ye kaisa anokha1 bharam2 dekhte haiN
jahaaN tera naqsh3-e qadam4 dekhte haiN1.strange/fascinating 2.deception 3.print 4.feet
The original Ghalib Ghazal is a tribute to ali ibn-e abu taalib, saying – “wherever we see your footprints, there we see walkways in the garden of heaven”. Here the meaning is turned around, what a fascinating deception do we see/perpetrate, wherever we “see” your footprints.
talab1 ilm2 ki sirf3 qur’aaN se ho
ya vedauN4 pe vidya5 Khatam dekhte haiN1.demand, desire 2.knowledge, wisdom 3.only 4.hindu scriptures 5.learning, education
“talibaan” are supposed to be “taalib-e ilm” – desirous of knowledge. They (and many others) believe that all knowledge is in the qur’aan. No need to learn anything else. Or, (some Hindus believe) that all learning/wisdom is contained in the vedas.
jannat ki hoorauN ki laalach meN Khudkush1
yahaaN par jahannum to hum dekhte haiN1.suicide (bomber)
Suicide bombers lust for hoories of heaven. We see (experience) hell right here on earth.
sookhi chhaati pe bachche balaa se1 mareN
doodh peeta ganesh aaj hum dekhte haiN1.“meri balaa se” is an expression used to mean, “I don’t care, it doesn’t bother me”.
Infants may die of hunger on dry breasts, it means nothing to us. But today we must see Ganesh drink milk. This has reference to a superstition/rumour that spread in Dehli that a statue of Ganesh was “drinking milk”. There was such a rush to offer milk to the statue that there was a shortage of milk in the city, causing infants to have to go without.
ram ki bhoomi1 to sirf2 kahne ko thi
asl3 raavan4 ka vaaN par janam5 dekhte haiN 1.earth, place, birth place 2.only 3.really 4.demon character in ramayan, symbol of evil 5.birth
It was Ram’s land (birth place) only as matter of speaking. But there what we really see is the birth of Ravan (symbol of evil). This has reference to the claim by Hindu extremists that Babari Masjid was the exact birthplace of Ram. This was just a façade to hide their demonic evil acts.
gaau-raksha1 ke aise fasaadaat2 joRe3
qatl4 o Ghaarat-gari5 aur sitam6 dekhte haiN1.cow protection 2.riots 3.joined, used in the sense of ‘planned’ 4.killing 5.destruction 6.oppression
(They) have planned such riots using cow-protection (as an excuse) that now we see killing, destruction and oppression.
risaalat1 ki tauheen2 ya gaau-raksha3
ek mukhauTe4 ke do do qism5 dekhte haiN1.prophet 2.insult 3.cow-protection 4.mask/deception 5.varieties
Blasphemy – tauheen-e risaalat, insulting the prophet is used/misused in Pakistan just as freely as gau-raksha – cow-protection is used in India. Thus, we see the same/similar mask/deception in two different varieties.
hamiN haiN vo kaThputliyaaN1 jin ko mazhab2
nachaata hai phir bhi na hum dekhte haiN1.marionette, puppet 2.religion We ourselves are the puppets/marionettes manipulated by religion and we ourselves don’t see it.
mili jo aql aag meN jhoNk kar
magan1 baiThe moorakh2 bhasam3 dekhte haiN1.contented, self-satisfied 2.fools 3.ashes
Whatever intelligence we have/get, we throw in fire and contendedly watch the ashes like fools.
auhaam1 ke Dar se maare hue haiN
Khurafaat2 hi meN qasam3 dekhte haiN1.vahm, superstitions 2.trivialities, rituals 3.promise, future, hope
We live in fear of superstitions and see hope only in trivial rituals.
andhe kueN meN haiN baiThe Khushi se
Khud farebi1 hi ke Khwaab hum dekhte haiN1.self deception
We are happy sitting in a deep, blind well, dreaming dreams of self-deception.
faqiri lakirauN1 ki kar ke qubool2
mantaq3 ki arthi4 ka Gham dekhte haiN1.lakirauN ke faqir – slaves of (ancient) traditions, of what is written 2.accept 3.logic 4.funereal corpse
We accept ancient traditions and weep at the funereal corpse of logic.
mahanta1 jo dekhi pracheeN2 samay3 ki
sati4 ka bhi jalna dharam5 dekhte haiN1.greatness, glory 2.ancient 3.times 4.widow burnt on dead husband’s funeral pyre 5.sanctioned by religion, duty
As we see glory/greatness of ancient times/practices, we glorify and sanction the practice of sati.
farsooda1 aaiin2 teri shar’a3 ke
aurat ka darja4 bhi kam dekhte haiN1.obsolete 2.customs, traditions, laws 3.Islamic body of law
The obsolete customs/traditions/laws of sharia make the status of women lesser than that of men.
maiN hindu tu muslim, na marzi1 se banta
haqeeqat meN2 ghaTna3 hai ye jo janam3 dekhte haiN1.will, intention 2.accident 3.birth
I am Hindu, you are Muslim – we have not become this by choice/will/desire. In truth what we see is an accident of birth.
vo dekho ke kuchh kuchh ujaala sa phooTa
hai andher1 meN kitna dum dekhte haiN1.darkness, ignorance, oppression Look over there some light (of reason) has broken out in places. Let us see how much more strength is left in ignorance/oppression.
tu ne kahi hai jo ye baat shahed
fatwe1 ka ab to karam2 dekhte haiN1.religious edict 2.benevolence (sarcastic)
What you have said shahed, (is going to be a problem). Get ready now for the “benevolence” that the fatwa will bring.
naqsh-e qadam – shahed
This composition is modeled after Ghalib’s Ghazal, using a misra “jahaaN tera naqsh-e qadam dekhte haiN” from the opening she’r which was given as a tarahi misra in an on-line literary group. This composition turns the meaning of the original Ghazal on its head rather irreverently. See Raina’s Ghalib https://urdushahkar.org/naqsh-e-qadam-rainas-ghalib/ for a full discussion of the original.
ye kaisa anokha1 bharam2 dekhte haiN
jahaaN tera naqsh3-e qadam4 dekhte haiN
1.strange/fascinating 2.deception 3.print 4.feet
The original Ghalib Ghazal is a tribute to ali ibn-e abu taalib, saying – “wherever we see your footprints, there we see walkways in the garden of heaven”. Here the meaning is turned around, what a fascinating deception do we see/perpetrate, wherever we “see” your footprints.
talab1 ilm2 ki sirf3 qur’aaN se ho
ya vedauN4 pe vidya5 Khatam dekhte haiN
1.demand, desire 2.knowledge, wisdom 3.only 4.hindu scriptures 5.learning, education
“talibaan” are supposed to be “taalib-e ilm” – desirous of knowledge. They (and many others) believe that all knowledge is in the qur’aan. No need to learn anything else. Or, (some Hindus believe) that all learning/wisdom is contained in the vedas.
jannat ki hoorauN ki laalach meN Khudkush1
yahaaN par jahannum to hum dekhte haiN
1.suicide (bomber)
Suicide bombers lust for hoories of heaven. We see (experience) hell right here on earth.
sookhi chhaati pe bachche balaa se1 mareN
doodh peeta ganesh aaj hum dekhte haiN
1.“meri balaa se” is an expression used to mean, “I don’t care, it doesn’t bother me”.
Infants may die of hunger on dry breasts, it means nothing to us. But today we must see Ganesh drink milk. This has reference to a superstition/rumour that spread in Dehli that a statue of Ganesh was “drinking milk”. There was such a rush to offer milk to the statue that there was a shortage of milk in the city, causing infants to have to go without.
ram ki bhoomi1 to sirf2 kahne ko thi
asl3 raavan4 ka vaaN par janam5 dekhte haiN
1.earth, place, birth place 2.only 3.really 4.demon character in ramayan, symbol of evil 5.birth
It was Ram’s land (birth place) only as matter of speaking. But there what we really see is the birth of Ravan (symbol of evil). This has reference to the claim by Hindu extremists that Babari Masjid was the exact birthplace of Ram. This was just a façade to hide their demonic evil acts.
gaau-raksha1 ke aise fasaadaat2 joRe3
qatl4 o Ghaarat-gari5 aur sitam6 dekhte haiN
1.cow protection 2.riots 3.joined, used in the sense of ‘planned’ 4.killing 5.destruction 6.oppression
(They) have planned such riots using cow-protection (as an excuse) that now we see killing, destruction and oppression.
risaalat1 ki tauheen2 ya gaau-raksha3
ek mukhauTe4 ke do do qism5 dekhte haiN
1.prophet 2.insult 3.cow-protection 4.mask/deception 5.varieties
Blasphemy – tauheen-e risaalat, insulting the prophet is used/misused in Pakistan just as freely as gau-raksha – cow-protection is used in India. Thus, we see the same/similar mask/deception in two different varieties.
hamiN haiN vo kaThputliyaaN1 jin ko mazhab2
nachaata hai phir bhi na hum dekhte haiN
1.marionette, puppet 2.religion
We ourselves are the puppets/marionettes manipulated by religion and we ourselves don’t see it.
mili jo aql aag meN jhoNk kar
magan1 baiThe moorakh2 bhasam3 dekhte haiN
1.contented, self-satisfied 2.fools 3.ashes
Whatever intelligence we have/get, we throw in fire and contendedly watch the ashes like fools.
auhaam1 ke Dar se maare hue haiN
Khurafaat2 hi meN qasam3 dekhte haiN
1.vahm, superstitions 2.trivialities, rituals 3.promise, future, hope
We live in fear of superstitions and see hope only in trivial rituals.
andhe kueN meN haiN baiThe Khushi se
Khud farebi1 hi ke Khwaab hum dekhte haiN
1.self deception
We are happy sitting in a deep, blind well, dreaming dreams of self-deception.
faqiri lakirauN1 ki kar ke qubool2
mantaq3 ki arthi4 ka Gham dekhte haiN
1.lakirauN ke faqir – slaves of (ancient) traditions, of what is written 2.accept 3.logic 4.funereal corpse
We accept ancient traditions and weep at the funereal corpse of logic.
mahanta1 jo dekhi pracheeN2 samay3 ki
sati4 ka bhi jalna dharam5 dekhte haiN
1.greatness, glory 2.ancient 3.times 4.widow burnt on dead husband’s funeral pyre 5.sanctioned by religion, duty
As we see glory/greatness of ancient times/practices, we glorify and sanction the practice of sati.
farsooda1 aaiin2 teri shar’a3 ke
aurat ka darja4 bhi kam dekhte haiN
1.obsolete 2.customs, traditions, laws 3.Islamic body of law
The obsolete customs/traditions/laws of sharia make the status of women lesser than that of men.
maiN hindu tu muslim, na marzi1 se banta
haqeeqat meN2 ghaTna3 hai ye jo janam3 dekhte haiN
1.will, intention 2.accident 3.birth
I am Hindu, you are Muslim – we have not become this by choice/will/desire. In truth what we see is an accident of birth.
vo dekho ke kuchh kuchh ujaala sa phooTa
hai andher1 meN kitna dum dekhte haiN
1.darkness, ignorance, oppression
Look over there some light (of reason) has broken out in places. Let us see how much more strength is left in ignorance/oppression.
tu ne kahi hai jo ye baat shahed
fatwe1 ka ab to karam2 dekhte haiN
1.religious edict 2.benevolence (sarcastic)
What you have said shahed, (is going to be a problem). Get ready now for the “benevolence” that the fatwa will bring.
