rubaaiyaat-tahqeeq-josh

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

رباعیات ۔ تحقیق ۔ جوش ملیح آبادی

۱

علّت کا نہ معلول و قضا کا منکر

حاشا نہ خبر نہ مبتدا کا منکر

یاروں نے تشخُّص کا تراشا ہے جو بُت

اِلحاد ہے صرف اُس خدا کا منکر

۲

ہل سے ہوتا ہے بارور جِسم کا باغ

جلتا ہے قلم سے ذہنِ اِنساں میں چراغ

ہل اور قلم کی عظمت کیا کہنا

رزّاقِ بدن ہے وہ تو یہ ربِّ دماغ

۳

باقی نہ رہے کاکلِ اخلاق میں خم

معمورۂ الحاد بنے شہرِ حرم

یہ گلشنِ کاروبارِ عالم کیا ہے

ہل آس نہ دے تو گنگ ہو جائے قلم

۴

ہاں، خیمۂِ اوراد و مناجات کی خیر

خرگاہِ اساطیر و حکایات کی خیر

سنکی وہ عقلِ بے مروّت کی ہوا

قندیلِ شبستانِ روایات کی خیر

۵

مابینِ مشککان و اربابِ یقیں

وہ خون خرابے ہیں کہ رنگیں ہے زمیں

لیکن جس ذات پر  بپا ہے یہ فساد

وہ کیا ہے، خود اُن کو بھی یہ معلوم نہیں

۶

مبنی تیرا حدیث و آیات پہ دین

میں شہرِ تآمل و تفکر کا مکین

تو شیفتۂ نطقِ رسالت اور میں

حرفِ ناگفتہ نبوّت کا امین

۷

بے علم حیات اِک قصرِ بے نور

بے فکر دماغ اِک کلیمِ بے طور

حقّا کہ اُلوہیت اِنسانی ہے

ترتیبِ قوائے عقل و تہذیبِ شعور

۸

اللہ ری خوں خواریِٔ ذوقِ افکار

ہر سانس میں ہونکتے ہیں لاکھوں اسرار

نیندوں میں بھی تا صبح چبھا کرتی ہے

کم بخت دِماغ کی مسلسل جھنکار

۹

خود غور کر اے مجتہدِ سرکہ جبیں

تو ہے، کہ یہ بندہ، حاملِ حاصلِ دیں

تجھ میں عمل خیر نہیں، ایماں ہے

مجھ میں عمل خیر ہے، ایمان نہیں

۱۰

اِک شئے ہے درونِ پردہ ہائے اسرار

دریائے شعور و  آگہی کے اُس پار

یہ قول تو در پردہ ہے اے مفتیِٔ دیں

اُس شئے کے وجود کا مہذّب اِنکار

 

रुबाईयात-तहक़ीक़-जोश मलीहाबादी

इल्लत का न मा’लूल ओ क़ज़ा का मुन्किर

हाशा न ख़बर न मुब्तेदा का मुन्किर

यारौं ने तशख़्ख़ुस का तराशा है जो बुत

इल्हाद है सिर्फ़ उस ख़ुदा का मुन्किर

हल से होता है बारवर जिस्म का बाग़

जल्ता है क़लम से ज़हन-ए इन्सां में चिराग़

हल और क़लम कि अज़्मत क्या कहना

रज़्ज़ाक़-ए बदन है वो तो ये रब्ब-ए दिमाग़

बाक़ी न रहे काकुल-ए अख़्लाक़ में ख़म

मा’मूरा-ए इल्हाद बने शहर-ए हरम

ये गुलशन-ए कारोबार-ए आलम क्या है

हल आस न दे तो गुंग हो जाए क़लम

हाँ, ख़ैमा-ए औराद ओ मुनाजात कि ख़ैर

ख़र-गाह-ए असातीर ओ हिकायात कि ख़ैर

सनकी वो अक़्ल-ए बे-मुरव्वत कि हवा

क़िन्दील-ए शबिस्तान-ए रिवायात कि ख़ैर

माबैन-ए मुश्केकान ओ अरबाब-ए यक़ीं

वो ख़ून ख़राबे हैं के रंगीं है ज़मीं

लैकिन जिस ज़ात पर बपा है ये फ़साद

वो क्या है, ख़ुद उन को भी मालूम नहीं

मब्नी तेरा हदीस ओ आयात पे दीन

मैं शहर-ए ता’मुल ओ तफ़क्कुर का मकीन

तू शेफ़्ता-ए नुत्क़-ए रिसालत और मैं

हर्फ़-ए नागुफ़्ता नुबुव्वत का अमीन

बे-इल्म हयात एक क़स्र-ए बे-नूर

बे-फ़िक्र दिमाग़ एक कलीम-ए बे-तूर

हक़्क़ा के उलूहिय्यत-ए इंसानी है

तरतीब-ए क़ुवा-ए अक़्ल तहज़ीब-ए श’ऊर

अल्लाह रि ख़ूं-ख़्वारि-ए ज़ौक़-ए अफ़्कार

हर सांस में हौंकते हैं लाखों अस्रार

नीन्दौं में भी ता सुबह चुभा करती है

कम-बख़्त दिमाग़ कि मुसल्सिल झन्कार

ख़ुद ग़ौर कर अए मुज्तहद-ए सिरका-जबीं

तू है, के ये बन्दा, हामिल-ए हासिल-ए दीं

तुझ में अमल-ए ख़ैर नहीं, ईमां है

मुझ में अमल-ए ख़ैर है, ईमान नहीं

१०

एक शै है दारुन-ए परदा-हा-ए अस्रार

दर्या-ए श’ऊर ओ आगही के उस पार

ये क़ौल तो दर परदा है अए मुफ़्ती-ए दीं

उस शै के वुजूद का मुहज़्ज़िब इन्कार

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is all about constant struggle to keep uncovering new knowledge. josh extends a powerful invitation to think and analyze not believe blindly.
1
illat1 ka na ma’lool2 o qaza3 ka munkir4
haasha5 na Khabar6 na mubtada7 ka munkir
yaarauN8 ne tashaKKhus9 ka taraasha10 hai jo but11
ilhaad12 hai sirf13 us Khuda ka munkir
1.causation 2.caused 3.divine will 4.denier 5.certainly 6.awareness, consciousness, soul 7.beginning 8.friends 9.personification 10.carve 11.idol, image/concept 12.atheism 13.only
josh states a rather personal view of atheism and attributes it to “atheism-all atheists”. This may be “poetic license” but goes far beyond what is generally accepted. Other atheists may think differently. He says that atheism only denies the personal shape that friends/believers have carved god into. It does not deny the concept of causer and caused, soul and beginning.

2
hal1 se hota hai baarvar2 jism3 ka baaGh
jalta hai qalam se zahn-e insaaN meN chiraaGh
hal aur qalam ki azmat4 kya kahna
razzaaq-e-badan5 hai vo, to ye rabb-e-dimaaGh6  
1.plough 2.fruitful 3.body 4.greatness 5.sustainer of the body 6.lord of the mind
josh recognizes the contributions of physical labour as well of intellectuals/poets. He uses the “plough” as representative of all labour and “pen” of intellectuals. The garden of the body is fruitful because of the work of the plough and the mind is lit up because of the pen. What can we say about the greatness of the plough and pen, one is the sustainer of the body the other of the mind.

3
baaqi1 na rahe kaakul2-e aKhlaaq3 meN Kham4
maa’moora5-e ilhaad6 bane shahr-e-haram7
ye gulshan8-e kaarobaar-e-aalam9 kya hai
hal10 aas11 na de to guNg12 ho jaaye qalam
1.remain 2.curly hair 3.habits, character 4.curls 5.filled with 6.atheism 7.used here to mean domain of faith 8.garden 9.affairs of the world 10.plough 11.hope 12.silent
josh asserts the primacy of productive labour once again using “plough” as representative of all labour. If the plough were to not give hope (sustenance) then the pen would go silent, the domain of faith would lose divinity and the curls of character would lose their beauty (curly hair are considered beautiful).

4
haaN, Khaima1-e auraad2 o munajaat3 ki Khair4
Khar-gaah-e-asaateer5 o hikayaat6 ki Khair
sanki7 vo aql-e-be-muravvat8 ki hava
qindeel9-e shabistaan10-e rivaayaat11 ki Khair
1.station/status 2.prayers/hymns 3.prayers asking for beneficence 4.well being – used here to mean ‘they are not safe’ 5.large tent/palace of books, library 6.stories, fables 7.blowing 8.intelligence that shows no favours 9.lamp 10.bedchamber 11.rituals
josh sees a wind of intelligence starting to blow. This intelligence will not show any favours and will blow away the lamp of the bedchamber of rituals, the repository of holy books and fables as well as prayers and hymns.

5
mabain1-e mushkekaan2 o arbaab-e-yaqiN3
vo Khoon-Kharaabe4 haiN ke raNgiN hai zamiN
laikin jis zaat5 par bapa6 hai ye fasaad7
vo kya hai, Khud un ko bhi ye maa’loom nahiN
1.between 2.doubters, skeptics 3.people of certainty/faith 4.blood spilling fights 5.being, existence 6.carry out, do 7.conflict
Between skeptics and people of faith there has been such bloody conflict that the earth is coloured red. But they themselves do not know what this “being” is over whom they are fighting.

6
mabni1 tera hadees2 o aayaat3 pe deen4
maiN shahr-e-ta’mmul5 o tafakkur6 ka makeen7
tu shefta8-e nutq9-e risaalat10 aur maiN
harf11-e naa-gufta12 nubuvvat13 ka ameen14  
1.based on 2.sayings of mohammed 3.verses of the qur’aan 4.faith 5.domain of deliberation 6.thought/reason 7.resident 8.lover of 9.sound/word of 10.messenger (of god) 11.word 12.unsaid, hidden 13.prophethood 14.guardian
Your faith is based on the sayings of mohammed and the verses of the qur’aan. I reside in the domain of deliberation and reason. You love the words of the messenger of god. I am the guardian of the hidden words of prophecy (of the reign of reason).

7
be-ilm1 hayaat2 ek qasr3-e be-noor4
be-fikr5 dimaaGh ek kalim6-e be-tuur7
haqqa8 ke uloohiyyat9-e insaani hai
tarteeb10-e quvaa11-e aql o tahzeeb12-e sha’oor13  
1.uneducated 2.life 3.palace 4.unlit, dark 5.illogical 6.Moses 7.without Mt. tuur 8.in truth 9.divinity 10.arrangement 11.qualities, capabilities 12.improvement, purification 13.wisdom
Life without education/intelligence is like a palace without lights. An unreasoning mind is as if Moses never went up Mt. tuur (the tradition is that Moses went up the mountain to ask to see god and received enlightenment). In truth the capabilities of the mind and wisdom are like divinity in humans.

8
allah ri KhooN-Khwaari1-e zauq2-e afkaar3
har saaNs meN hauNkte4 haiN laakhauN asraar5
neendauN meN bhi taa6 subah chubha karti hai
kam-baKht7 dimaaGh ki musalsil8 jhankaar
1.(blood drinking) cruelty 2.taste for 3.reasoning 4.panting 5.secrets, mysteries 6.until 7.unfortunate 8.constant
By god, the cruelty of the desire for rational thinking. The pain of thinking is like panting for breath. With each breath a new mystery emerges. Even in sleep, right up to dawn, this painful jingle keeps pricking the unfortunate mind.

9
Khud Ghaur1 kar aye mujtahed2-e sirka-jabiN3
tu hai, ke ye banda4, haamil5-e haasil6-e deeN7
tujh meN amal-e-Khair8 nahiN, eemaaN9 hai
mujh meN amal-e Khair hai, eemaan nahiN
1.contemplate 2.(usually religious) scholar 3.sour brain 4.servant 5.pregnant with, carrying 6.essence of 7.faith 8.good/just action 9.(blind) belief
You yourself think, you sour-brained (religious) scholar – are you or is this servant (meaning the poet himself) the carrier of the essence of faith. You don’t have a concept of just action, only blind belief. I don’t have blind belief but a just value system.

10
ek shai1 hai daroon2-e parda-haa3-e asraar4
darya5-e sha’oor6 o aagahi7 ke us paar
ye qaul8 to dar-parda9 hai aye mufti-e-deeN10
us shai ke vujood11 ka muhazzib12 inkaar13
1.thing, entity 2.inside/behind 3.curtains 4.mysteries 5.river of 6.wisdom 7.knowledge 8.statement 9.behind curtain, hidden 10.judge/expert on religious law 11.existence 12.civilized 13.refusal
josh accuses the religious scholars of covering their ignorance in a blanket of mystery. (You say that) there is something hidden behind curtains of mystery. It is on the other side of the river of wisdom and knowledge i.e. it cannot be ‘known/comprehended’. But O mufti, you are using this statement itself as cover to hide in a sophisticated way the untruth of the existence of “that thing”.

josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm.  He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal.  His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life.  He also wrote numerous rubaaii.  This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject.  This selection is all about constant struggle to keep uncovering new knowledge.  josh extends a powerful invitation to think and analyze not believe blindly.
1
illat1 ka na ma’lool2 o qaza3 ka munkir4
haasha5 na Khabar6 na mubtada7 ka munkir
yaarauN8 ne tashaKKhus9 ka taraasha10 hai jo but11
ilhaad12 hai sirf13 us Khuda ka munkir

1.causation 2.caused 3.divine will 4.denier 5.certainly 6.awareness, consciousness, soul 7.beginning 8.friends 9.personification 10.carve 11.idol, image/concept 12.atheism 13.only

josh states a rather personal view of atheism and attributes it to “atheism-all atheists”.  This may be “poetic license” but goes far beyond what is generally accepted.  Other atheists may think differently.  He says that atheism only denies the personal shape that friends/believers have carved god into.  It does not deny the concept of causer and caused, soul and beginning.
2
hal1 se hota hai baarvar2 jism3 ka baaGh
jalta hai qalam se zahn-e insaaN meN chiraaGh
hal aur qalam ki azmat4 kya kahna
razzaaq-e-badan5 hai vo, to ye rabb-e-dimaaGh6

1.plough 2.fruitful 3.body 4.greatness 5.sustainer of the body 6.lord of the mind

josh recognizes the contributions of physical labour as well of intellectuals/poets.  He uses the “plough” as representative of all labour and “pen” of intellectuals.  The garden of the body is fruitful because of the work of the plough and the mind is lit up because of the pen.  What can we say about the greatness of the plough and pen, one is the sustainer of the body the other of the mind.
3
baaqi1 na rahe kaakul2-e aKhlaaq3 meN Kham4
maa’moora5-e ilhaad6 bane shahr-e-haram7
ye gulshan8-e kaarobaar-e-aalam9 kya hai
hal10 aas11 na de to guNg12 ho jaaye qalam

1.remain 2.curly hair 3.habits, character 4.curls 5.filled with 6.atheism 7.used here to mean domain of faith 8.garden 9.affairs of the world 10.plough 11.hope 12.silent

josh asserts the primacy of productive labour once again using “plough” as representative of all labour.  If the plough were to not give hope (sustenance) then the pen would go silent, the domain of faith would lose divinity and the curls of character would lose their beauty (curly hair are considered beautiful).
4
haaN, Khaima1-e auraad2 o munajaat3 ki Khair4
Khar-gaah-e-asaateer5 o hikayaat6 ki Khair
sanki7 vo aql-e-be-muravvat8 ki hava
qindeel9-e shabistaan10-e rivaayaat11 ki Khair

1.station/status 2.prayers/hymns 3.prayers asking for beneficence 4.well being – used here to mean ‘they are not safe’ 5.large tent/palace of books, library 6.stories, fables 7.blowing 8.intelligence that shows no favours 9.lamp 10.bedchamber 11.rituals

josh sees a wind of intelligence starting to blow.  This intelligence will not show any favours and will blow away the lamp of the bedchamber of rituals, the repository of holy books and fables as well as prayers and hymns.
5
mabain1-e mushkekaan2 o arbaab-e-yaqiN3
vo Khoon-Kharaabe4 haiN ke raNgiN hai zamiN
laikin jis zaat5 par bapa6 hai ye fasaad7
vo kya hai, Khud un ko bhi ye maa’loom nahiN

1.between 2.doubters, skeptics 3.people of certainty/faith 4.blood spilling fights 5.being, existence 6.carry out, do 7.conflict

Between skeptics and people of faith there has been such bloody conflict that the earth is coloured red.  But they themselves do not know what this “being” is over whom they are fighting.
6
mabni1 tera hadees2 o aayaat3 pe deen4
maiN shahr-e-ta’mmul5 o tafakkur6 ka makeen7
tu shefta8-e nutq9-e risaalat10 aur maiN
harf11-e naa-gufta12 nubuvvat13 ka ameen14

1.based on 2.sayings of mohammed 3.verses of the qur’aan 4.faith 5.domain of deliberation 6.thought/reason 7.resident 8.lover of 9.sound/word of 10.messenger (of god) 11.word 12.unsaid, hidden 13.prophethood 14.guardian

Your faith is based on the sayings of mohammed and the verses of the qur’aan.  I reside in the domain of deliberation and reason.  You love the words of the messenger of god.  I am the guardian of the hidden words of prophecy (of the reign of reason).
7
be-ilm1 hayaat2 ek qasr3-e be-noor4
be-fikr5 dimaaGh ek kalim6-e be-tuur7
haqqa8 ke uloohiyyat9-e insaani hai
tarteeb10-e quvaa11-e aql o tahzeeb12-e sha’oor13

1.uneducated 2.life 3.palace 4.unlit, dark 5.illogical 6.Moses 7.without Mt. tuur 8.in truth 9.divinity 10.arrangement 11.qualities, capabilities 12.improvement, purification 13.wisdom

Life without education/intelligence is like a palace without lights.  An unreasoning mind is as if Moses never went up Mt. tuur (the tradition is that Moses went up the mountain to ask to see god and received enlightenment).  In truth the capabilities of the mind and wisdom are like divinity in humans.
8
allah ri KhooN-Khwaari1-e zauq2-e afkaar3
har saaNs meN hauNkte4 haiN laakhauN asraar5
neendauN meN bhi taa6 subah chubha karti hai
kam-baKht7 dimaaGh ki musalsil8 jhankaar

1.(blood drinking) cruelty 2.taste for 3.reasoning 4.panting 5.secrets, mysteries 6.until 7.unfortunate 8.constant

By god, the cruelty of the desire for rational thinking.  The pain of thinking is like panting for breath.  With each breath a new mystery emerges.  Even in sleep, right up to dawn, this painful jingle keeps pricking the unfortunate mind.
9
Khud Ghaur1 kar aye mujtahed2-e sirka-jabiN3
tu hai, ke ye banda4, haamil5-e haasil6-e deeN7
tujh meN amal-e-Khair8 nahiN, eemaaN9 hai
mujh meN amal-e Khair hai, eemaan nahiN

1.contemplate 2.(usually religious) scholar 3.sour brain 4.servant 5.pregnant with, carrying 6.essence of 7.faith 8.good/just action 9.(blind) belief

You yourself think, you sour-brained (religious) scholar – are you or is this servant (meaning the poet himself) the carrier of the essence of faith.  You don’t have a concept of just action, only blind belief.  I don’t have blind belief but a just value system.
10
ek shai1 hai daroon2-e parda-haa3-e asraar4
darya5-e sha’oor6 o aagahi7 ke us paar
ye qaul8 to dar-parda9 hai aye mufti-e-deeN10
us shai ke vujood11 ka muhazzib12 inkaar13

1.thing, entity 2.inside/behind 3.curtains 4.mysteries 5.river of 6.wisdom 7.knowledge 8.statement 9.behind curtain, hidden 10.judge/expert on religious law 11.existence 12.civilized 13.refusal

josh accuses the religious scholars of covering their ignorance in a blanket of mystery.  (You say that) there is something hidden behind curtains of mystery.  It is on the other side of the river of wisdom and knowledge i.e. it cannot be ‘known/comprehended’.  But O mufti, you are using this statement itself as cover to hide in a sophisticated way the untruth of the existence of “that thing”.

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