saaqi naama – mohammed iqbal
Introduction

saaqi naama is one of iqbal’s more celebrated urdu compositions.  It is composed in seven distinct sections strung together as a longer thematic nazm.  It is linguistically beautiful and powerful and presents an intertwined composition of disparate strains including a call for rejuvenation of the ummah, a call for restoring the old glory of islam, political observations about colonialism, sufi concepts of universal love and iqbal’s own development of “Khudi”.  “Khudi” as proposed by iqbal is an amorphous mixture of sense of self, pride, self-reliance, self-respect and ego.  It is iqbal’s concept of the “ideal man” and has echoes of Nietzshe’s “Superman” although iqbal explicitly rejects Nietzshe’s atheism.  The “saaqi” in saaqi naama is god to whom iqbal addresses an appeal.  “saaqi naama” is a well established sub-genre of farsi and urdu poetry – there are long compositions of the same title by hafiz and zuhuri.  Very short introductions to each of the seven sections is given below.

Section 1 – Preamble

The preamble describes the beauty of spring and the throbbing energy of new life, calling upon the “saaqi” (the divine) to reveal secrets/mysteries of divinity.  It is supposed to set the stage for a spring like awakening or re-birth in Islam.

Section 2 – Decay under Colonialism

In this section iqbal observes the many changes taking place in the world as people throw off the yoke of colonialism.  At this stage iqbal is still enamoured with the Russian Revolution and speaks highly of that change as well as of Chinese rising up against British Colonization (Opium Wars).  He laments that every community is waking up but the Muslim is still somnambulant.

Section 3 – Restoration

In the preamble iqbal starts with the idea of spring as a metaphor for renewal.  But this metaphor does not lead to a call for reformation but rather to a call for restoration of an imagined ancient glory.  He gives up on the older generation and hopes that the younger generation will be an improvement.  He makes an impassioned plea to the “saaqi” to endow the younger generation with the same passion (divine love akin to Sufism) that drives him.

Section 4 – vahdat-al-vujood

What drives iqbal is the concept of one-ness of all – the creator and creation.  This sufi concept of “vahdat-al-vujood” akin to the Vedic concept of “advaita” is described in a few beautiful asha’ar which also bring out “apparent” contradictions of multiplicity of manifestations of the same spirit, therefore not a contradiction.

Section 5 – manzil

Life is not defined as reaching a “manzil – destination”, says iqbal but as a constant movement, constant struggle.  Life likes the struggle/process more than the destination.  It is this struggle that overcomes death and rejuvenates itself.

Section 6 – Khudi

iqbal defines “Khudi” in linguistically beautiful terms as a combination of almost super-human qualities of self-reliance and individuality.  The underpinning is to call on youth to acquire “Khudi”.  “Khudi” is one with the “divine spirit” going back to the concept of vahdat-al-vujood.

Section 7 – The Message

The concluding section is largely a further definition of “Khudi” combined with a call to action.  “Khudi” does not bow to power.  Basic sustenance is but the first stage of “Khudi” and there are many worlds beyond this waiting for your onslaught, waiting to be conquered.  Says iqbal, “there is much more in my heart, but if I fly beyond this, my wings will be singed”.  It is up to you, O reader, to take it forward.

saaqi naama – mohammed iqbal
Section 01

Click here for background and any passage for meanings and discussion.  The preamble describes the beauty of spring and the throbbing energy of new life, calling upon the “saaqi” (the divine) to reveal secrets/mysteries of divinity. It is supposed to set the stage for a spring like awakening or re-birth in Islam. See “Background Tab” for a full introduction.

hua Khaima-zan¹ kaarvaan-e bahaar²
iram³ ban gaya daaman-e kohsaar⁴
gul⁵ o nargis⁶ o sosan⁷ o nastaran⁸
shaheed-e azal⁹ laala¹⁰ Khooni kafan1.camped 2.spring 3.garden of Eden 4.apron of the hills i.e. valley 5.rose 6.narcissus 7.lily 8.white rose 9.eternal martyr 10.tulip (with blood red shroud)
A beautiful description of the coming of spring to the valleys/foothills. The caravan of spring has made its camp and turned the valley into a heavenly garden. Flowers (rose, narcissus, lily and tulip) bloom all around (the tulip is metaphorically called the eternal martyr because its stamen look like a bleeding heart).

jahaaN chhup gaya parda-e raNg meN
lahu¹ ki hai gardish² rag-e saNg³ meN
fiza⁴ neeli neeli hava meN suroor⁵
Taharte nahiN aashiyaaN⁶ meN tuyoor⁷ 1.blood 2.flow 13.veins of stone 4.atmosphere, ambience 5.joy 6.nest 7.birds The world is hidden behind a curtain of colour.
It is throbbing with so much life that blood flows through even the veins of stone. The ambience is azure blue with great joy. Birds do not tarry in their nests.

vo joo¹-e kohastaaN² uchakti hui
aTakti lachakti sarakti hui
rukey jab to sil³ chiir deti hai ye
pahaaRon ke dil chiir deti hai ye1.brook, river 2.hills 3.slab (of rock)
The description of the mountain brook here has echoes of Tennyson’s “The Brook”. The mountain brook frolicking here, getting there, swaying and circling. If it is stopped it can tear through slabs of rock. It can rip the hearts of mountains.

zara dekh aye saaqi-e lala faam¹
sunaati hai ye zindagi ka payaam
pila de mujhe vo mae²-e parda-soz³
ke aati nahiN fasl⁴-e gul roz roz1.tulip bodied, beautiful like the tulip 2.wine of (love) 3.veil burning i.e. secret (of existence) revealing 4. season of (rose) i.e. spring
Just see/listen O beautiful saaqi she (mountain brook) sings the message of life. Give me wine (the wine of love – Sufi undertones), wine that burns the veil (between man and god). Do this now, for Spring does not come every day.

vo mae jis se raushan zameer¹-e hayaat
vo mae jis se hai masti²-e kayenaat³
vo mae jis meN hai soz o saaz⁴-e azal⁵
vo mae jis se khulta hai raaz⁶-e azal1.inner meaning (of life/creation) 2.intoxication, happiness 3.creation 4.sorrow and joy 5.eternity 6.secret, mystery (O, saaqi, give me)
The wine which sparkles with the inner meaning of life. The wine the happiness of which permeates the whole universe. The wine which contains joys and sorrows of eternity. The wine that reveals the secrets of eternity (divinity).

uTha saaqiya parda is raaz se
laRa de mamole¹ ko shahbaaz² se1.sparrow 2.hawk
(When you) lift the veil from this mystery (of creation), you will give the sparrow courage to attack (and overcome) the hawk. The sparrow may be a metaphor for iqbal’s mind and the hawk for the all powerful mystery of existence/creation.