saaqi naama 02-iqbal

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.

ساقی نامہ ۔ محمد اقبال

حصّہ ۲

 

زمانے کے انداز بدلے گئے

نیا راگ ہے ساز بدلے گئے

ہُوا اِس طرح فاش  رازِ فرنگ

کہ حیرت میں ہے شیشہ بازِ فرنگ

 

پرانی سیاست گری خوار ہے

زمیں میر و سلطاں سے بیزار ہے

گیا دورِ سرمایہ داری گیا

تماشا دِکھا کے مداری گیا

 

گراں خواب چینی سنبھلنے لگے

ہمالہ کے چشمے اُبلنے لگے

 

دِلِ طورِ سینا و فاراں دو نیم

تجلّی کا پھر منتظر ہے کلیم

مسلماں ہے توحید میں گرم جوش

مگر دِل ابھی تک ہے زُناّر پوش

 

تمدّن ، تصوّف ، شریعت ، کلام
بُتانِ عجم كے پجاری تمام
حقیقت خَرافات میں کھو گئی
یہ اُمّت روایات میں کھو گئی

 

لُبھاتا ہے دِل کو کلامِ خطیب
مگر لذّتِ شوق سے بے نصیب
بیان اِس کا منطِق سے سلجھا ہوا
لغت كے بکھیڑوں میں اُلجھا ہوا

 
وہ صوفی كہ تھا خدمتِ حق میں مرد
محبت میں یكتا ، حمیّت میں فرد
عجم كے خیالات میں کھو گیا
یہ سالِک مقامات میں کھو گیا

 

بجھی عشق کی آگ اندھیر ہے
مسلماں نہیں راکھ کا ڈھیر ہے

साक़ी नामा – मोहम्मद इक़बाल

हिस्सा २

 

ज़माने के अंदाज़ बदले गए
नया राग है साज़ बदले गए
हुआ इस तरह फ़ाश राज़ ए फ़रंग

के हैरत में है शीशा बाज़ ए फ़रंग

 

पुरानी सियासत गरी ख़्वार है
ज़मीं मीर ओ सुल्तां से बेज़ार है

गया दौर ए सरमाया दारी गया
तमाशा दिखा कर मदारी गया

 

गिरां ख़्वाब चीनी सँभलने लगे

हिमाला के चश्मे उबलने लगे

 

दिल ए तूर ए सीना ओ फ़ारान दो नीम
तज्जली का फिर मुन्तज़िर है कलीम
मुसलमां है तौहीद में गर्मजोश

मगर दिल अभी तक है ज़ुन्नार पोश

 

तमद्दुन, तसव्वुफ़, शरि’अत, कलाम

बुतान-ए अजम के पुजारी तमाम

हक़ीक़त ख़ुराफ़ात में खो गई

ये उम्मत रिवायात में खो गई

 

लुभाता है दिल को कलाम-ए ख़तीब

मगर लज़्ज़त-ए शौक़ से बे-नसीब

बयां इस का मंतक़ से सुलझा हुआ

लुग़त के बखेड़ों में उलझा हुआ

 

वो सूफ़ी के था ख़िदमत-ए हक़ में मर्द

मोहब्बत में यकता, हमिययत में फ़र्द

अजम के ख़यालात में खो गया

ये सालिक मक़ामात में खो गया

 

बुझी इश्क़ की आग अंधेर है

मुसलमां नहीं राख का ढेर है

saaqi naama – mohammed iqbal
Section 02

Click here for overall comments on Section 2 and on any passage for meanings and discussion.  See Background tab from full background.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. See “Background Tab” for a full introduction.

zamaane ke andaaz badle gaye
naya raag hai saaz1 badle gaye
hua is tarah faash2 raaz3-e faraNg4
ke hairat5 meN hai sheesha-baaz6-e faraNg
1.music 2.exposed 3.secret 4.European, British 5.puzzled 6.trickster, deceiver
The ways of the world have changed. There are new tunes and new music. The secrets of the foreigner have been exposed, so much so that the British deceiver is puzzled (about what to do).

purani siyasat-gari1 Khwaar2 hai
zamiN mir o sultaN3 se bezaar4 hai
gaya daur5-e sarmaya-daari6 gaya
tamaasha dikha kar madaari7 gaya
1.political ways 2.disrepute 3.lord and king 4.tired of 5.period of 6.feudalism, capitalism 7.trickster
The old political ways are in disrepute. The world is tired of lords and kings (this has reference to the Russian Revolution). The days of feudalism/capitalism are gone. The trickster has played his last tricks and is on his way out.

giraaN-Khwaab8 cheeni9 sambhalne10 lage
himala ke chashme ubalne11 lage
8.heavy in sleep/intoxication 9.Chinese 10.getting steady 11.boiling over (with rage)
Heavily opiated (opium wars) Chinese are waking up. The Himalayas are boiling over (with rage). The implication is that even opiated Chinese are waking up but we are going backwards.

dil-e toor-e seena1 o faraaN2 do-neem3
tajjali4 ka phir muntazir5 hai kaleem6
musalmaaN hai tauheed7 meN garmjosh8
magar dil abhi tak hai zunnar-posh9 
1.Mt. Toor of Sinai (where Moses saw divine light) 2. Mt. Faraan where Mohammed went to medidate and later to preach 3.cleft in two 4.enlightenment 5.waiting for 6.another name of Moses 7.faith (in one god) 8.enthusiastic 9.wearing the ‘zunnar’ – Hindu thread – used here only as a metaphor for un-Islamic traditions
The heart of Toor and Faraan are cleft in two (with sorrow at the condition of Muslims!). The Muslim is simply waiting for miracles to happen (just like Moses and Mohammed) without doing anything himself. While the Muslim claims/shows enthusiasm in his faith, he still wears the thread of infidelity (retains the practices of non-belief).

tamaddun1, tasavvuf2, shari’at3, kalaam4
butaan5-e ajam6 ke pujaari tamaam
haqiqat7 Kharafaat8 meN kho gayee
ye ummat9 rivayaat10 meN kho gayee
1.culture 2.mysticism 3.jurisprudence 4.theology (these are all formal branches of study of Islam instituted/started in Iran and Central Asia as a part of Sufi schools) 5.idols 6.areas beyond Arabia used here to refer to Iran and Central Asia 7.truth 8.trivialities 9.community 10.stories
iqbal is a bit conflicted here. He still subscribes to Sufi thought but is criticizing new trends in Sufism which have emerged outside Arabia. He wants to revert to the “original” and says that Truth is lost in trivialities and the community is taken in by “stories”.

lubhaata1 hai dil ko kalaam2-e Khateeb3
magar lazzat4-e shauq5 se be-naseeb6
bayaaN is ka mantiq7 se suljha8 hua
luGhat9 ke bakheRauN10 meN uljha11 hua
1.attract/entrap 2.discourse 3.orator/preacher 4.pleasure of 5.(divine/mystic) love 6.devoid of 7.logic 8.solved, unraveled 9.dictionary, verbosity 10.struggle, conflict 11.trapped in
The discourse of the orator is pleasing and traps you, but it is devoid of divine love/devotion. His explanation is neatly arranged in (worldly) logic and trapped in (trivial) verbosity.

vo sufi ke tha Khidmat1-e haq2 meN mard3
mohabbat meN yakta4, hamiyyat5 meN fard6
ajam7 ke Khayalaat meN kho gaya
ye saalik8 maqamaat9 meN kho gaya
1.service of 2.Truth/god 3.manly-used here to mean dedicated 4.unequalled 5.self-respect, dignity (not bowing down to power/wealth) 6.unique 7.lands beyond Arabia 8.traveler on the path of (divine) love 9.way stations, stages
The sufi who was dedicated to the love of the divine, who was unequalled in the strength of his passion, who would now to none other than the divine is now lost in the new thinking from lands beyond Arabia. He is lost at way-stations on the way to “fana”-union with the divine. Perhaps iqbal does not mean “hijaz” and “ajam” as geographic areas but as the original philosophy of islam versus a later corruption.

bujhi ishq ki aag andher hai
musalmaaN nahiN raakh ka Dher hai
The fire of love has been put out, what a calamity. It is no longer the original muslim, only his pale shadow, only the ashes left.

saaqi naama – mohammed iqbal
Section 02

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.  See “Background Tab” for a full introduction.

zamaane ke andaaz badle gaye
naya raag hai saaz1 badle gaye
hua is tarah faash2 raaz3-e faraNg4
ke hairat5 meN hai sheesha-baaz6-e faraNg

1.music 2.exposed 3.secret 4.European, British 5.puzzled 6.trickster, deceiver

The ways of the world have changed.  There are new tunes and new music.  The secrets of the foreigner have been exposed, so much so that the British deceiver is puzzled (about what to do).

purani siyasat-gari1 Khwaar2 hai
zamiN mir o sultaN3 se bezaar4 hai
gaya daur5-e sarmaya-daari6 gaya
tamaasha dikha kar madaari7 gaya

1.political ways 2.disrepute 3.lord and king 4.tired of 5.period of 6.feudalism, capitalism 7.trickster

The old political ways are in disrepute.  The world is tired of lords and kings (this has reference to the Russian Revolution).  The days of feudalism/capitalism are gone.  The trickster has played his last tricks and is on his way out.

giraaN-Khwaab8 cheeni9 sambhalne10 lage
himala ke chashme ubalne11 lage

8.heavy in sleep/intoxication 9.Chinese 10.getting steady 11.boiling over (with rage)

Heavily opiated (opium wars) Chinese are waking up.  The Himalayas are boiling over (with rage).  The implication is that even opiated Chinese are waking up but we are going backwards.

dil-e toor-e seena1 o faraaN2 do-neem3
tajjali4 ka phir muntazir5 hai kaleem6
musalmaaN hai tauheed7 meN garmjosh8
magar dil abhi tak hai zunnar-posh9

1.Mt. Toor of Sinai (where Moses saw divine light) 2. Mt. Faraan where Mohammed went to medidate and later to preach 3.cleft in two 4.enlightenment 5.waiting for 6.another name of Moses 7.faith (in one god) 8.enthusiastic 9.wearing the ‘zunnar’ – Hindu thread – used here only as a metaphor for un-Islamic traditions

The heart of Toor and Faraan are cleft in two (with sorrow at the condition of Muslims!).  The Muslim is simply waiting for miracles to happen (just like Moses and Mohammed) without doing anything himself. While the Muslim claims/shows enthusiasm in his faith, he still wears the thread of infidelity (retains the practices of non-belief).

tamaddun1, tasavvuf2, shari’at3, kalaam4
butaan5-e ajam6 ke pujaari tamaam
haqiqat7 Kharafaat8 meN kho gayee
ye ummat9 rivayaat10 meN kho gayee

1.culture 2.mysticism 3.jurisprudence 4.theology (these are all formal branches of study of Islam instituted/started in Iran and Central Asia as a part of Sufi schools) 5.idols 6.areas beyond Arabia used here to refer to Iran and Central Asia 7.truth 8.trivialities 9.community 10.stories

iqbal is a bit conflicted here.  He still subscribes to Sufi thought but is criticizing new trends in Sufism which have emerged outside Arabia.  He wants to revert to the “original” and says that Truth is lost in trivialities and the community is taken in by “stories”.

lubhaata1 hai dil ko kalaam2-e Khateeb3
magar lazzat4-e shauq5 se be-naseeb6
bayaaN is ka mantiq7 se suljha8 hua
luGhat9 ke bakheRauN10 meN uljha11 hua

1.attract/entrap 2.discourse 3.orator/preacher 4.pleasure of 5.(divine/mystic) love 6.devoid of 7.logic 8.solved, unraveled 9.dictionary, verbosity 10.struggle, conflict 11.trapped in

The discourse of the orator is pleasing and traps you, but it is devoid of divine love/devotion.  His explanation is neatly arranged in (worldly) logic and trapped in (trivial) verbosity.

vo sufi ke tha Khidmat1-e haq2 meN mard3
mohabbat meN yakta4, hamiyyat5 meN fard6
ajam7 ke Khayalaat meN kho gaya
ye saalik8 maqamaat9 meN kho gaya

1.service of 2.Truth/god 3.manly-used here to mean dedicated 4.unequalled 5.self-respect, dignity (not bowing down to power/wealth) 6.unique 7.lands beyond Arabia 8.traveler on the path of (divine) love 9.way stations, stages

The sufi who was dedicated to the love of the divine, who was unequalled in the strength of his passion, who would now to none other than the divine is now lost in the new thinking from lands beyond Arabia.  He is lost at way-stations on the way to “fana”-union with the divine.  Perhaps iqbal does not mean “hijaz” and “ajam” as geographic areas but as the original philosophy of islam versus a later corruption.

bujhi ishq ki aag andher hai
musalmaaN nahiN raakh ka Dher hai

The fire of love has been put out, what a calamity.  It is no longer the original muslim, only his pale shadow, only the ashes left.