Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. iqbal ahmed sohail (1884-1955), aazamgaRh, UP, freedom fighter, legislator and poet. His early education was traditional – learning faarsi and arabi from a tutor. He then joined a college to complete a BA and LLB. Later, when he started composing, he became a shaagird of shibli n’omaani, in 1898. He practiced law in aligaRh and was active in the freedom movement. This Ghazal, composed in 1919, probably reflects political repression and censorship of the British colonial government of the time. This Ghazal is in the style of Ghalib’s “ban gaya raqiib aaKhir tha jo raazdaaN apna” and is linked to several others in the same style under ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
sunaayeN kis ko ilaahi¹ Gham-e nehaaN² apna
is anjuman³ meN nahiN koii ham-zabaaN⁴ apna   1.god 2.hidden 3.gathering, society, country 4.speaking the same language, same feelings
The poet/lover/rebel nurtures a hidden pain. It can be the pain of love, spiritual yearning or the political desire for independence. In his circle of friends there are not many who share the same feelings and he cries out, O god, who can I talk to about my pain.
2
miTaaya¹ ham ne mohabbat meN KhaaNnuma² apna
na ho saka magar³ ab bhi vo badgumaaN⁴ apna   1.erased, gave up, wasted 2.household, living 3.but 4.distrustful, dismissive
I destroyed my household in the name of love, but still the distrustful beloved could not be mine.
3
nahiN hai Khauf¹-e asiiri² se himmat³-e parvaaz⁴
hameN to kunj⁵-e qafas⁶ hai ye aashiyaaN⁷ apna    1.fear 2.imprisonment, being caged 3.courage 4.flight 5.corner 6.cage 7.nest
Poets often portray themselves as free flying birds. Here the poet/bird is fearful of being caught and caged and does not have the courage to fly. His nest has become like a corner of a cage for him. This could well be a political statement reflecting colonial repression in 1919.
4
mujhe bhi izn¹-e fuGhaaN² mil sake to murGh³-e asiir⁴
tere qafas⁵ se badal⁶ luN maiN aashiyaaN⁷ apna    1.permission 2.lamentation, protest 3.bird 4.captured, caged 5.cage 6.exchange 7.nest
If I too were to get permission to lament/protest, then, O caged bird, I would gladly exchange my nest for your cage. Probably a political statement about suppression of speech.
5
ilaahi¹ Khair² keh sayyaad³ le ke dasta-e-gul⁴
chala hai aaj sajaane ko aashiyaaN⁵ apna 1.god 2.may I be safe 3.bird catcher 4.gul-dasta, bouquet 5.nest
Normally the bird catcher is cruel to the poet/bird (whether free or caged). But today he has collected some flowers into a bouquet and is taking it to the poet/bird’s nest. The poet is suspicious that something is up, and cries out – O god, may I be safe. The “bouquet” could be a promise of “Home Rule” or something similar and the bird catcher is the colonial ruler.
6
vafa-farosh¹ nahiN ham keh misl²-e laala-o-gul³
phireN dikhaate hue zaKhm⁴-e KhuuN-chakaaN⁵ apna     1.selling/displaying fidelity-faithfulness in love 2.in the example of 3.tulip and rose 4.wound 5.blood dripping
The tulip and rose with their red colour and dark centre are symbolic of a wounded heart (dark scar in the centre) and are red because of bleeding. This is the wound of love. The poet too is steadfast in love, but he does not go about displaying it like the tulip and rose.
7
ye amn¹-e saltanat²-e husn³ hai keh ahl⁴-e vafa⁵
hatheli⁶ par liye phirte haiN naqd⁷-e jaaN apna    1.peace, refuge, protection 2.reign 3.beauty 4.people of 5.faithfulness, fidelity 6.palm 7.value
The phrase ‘jaan hatheli pe le ke phirna’ is used to mean ready to die, take great risks. What kind of protection is this, offered by the reign of beauty, that faithful lovers have to go about in danger of their life all the time.
8
sukoot¹-e sham’a² pe sadqe³ hazaar nutq⁴ sohail⁵
keh kah saki to sar-e-bazm⁶ soz⁷-e jaaN apna     1.silence 2.candle 3.sacrificed 4.sounds, words 5.pen-name of the poet 6.openly in the gathering 7.fire, pain
The candle flame is the passion/pain of the candle in its love. When it is burning it is silently speaking of its love in the open gathering. A thousand words are sacrificed to this silence because words do to not make as sincere a statement as the candle flame does.