For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
سجدہ گاہِ نماز ۔ فانیؔ بدایونی
۱
اللہ اللہ یہ شانِ کشتۂ ناز
ہے مری خاک سجدہ گاہِ نماز
۲
ہاں شبِ ہجر آج صبح نہ ہو
ہاں چلی جائے یادِ زلفِ دراز
۳
دھیان تیرا بہشتِ شوق سہی
دِلِ عاشق ہے ایک دوزخِ راز
۴
چشمِ حاسد مجھے نہ دیکھ سکی
ہوں دلیلِ بلندیِ پرواز
۵
آج پہلو میں کیوں ہے سنّاٹا
کیا ہوئی آہ آہ کی آواز
۶
راس آئے ہیں اشک و آہ کسے
کر نہ آب و ہوائے غم سے ساز
۷
آپ ہی اپنی آڑ میں تُو ہے
تو حقیقت ہے اور تو ہی مجاز
۸
ہم ہیں اور عزم آشیاں یعنی
رہ گئی دور طاقتِ پرواز
۹
ہے کہ فانیؔ نہیں ہے کیا کہئیے
راز ہے بے نیازِ محرمِ راز
सज्दा-गाह-ए नमाज़ – फ़ानी बदायूनी
१
अल्लाह अल्लाह ये शान-ए कुश्ता-ए नाज़
है मेरी ख़ाक सज्दा-गाह-ए नमाज़
२
हां शब-ए हिज्र आज सुबह न हो
हां चली जाए याद-ए ज़ुल्फ़-ए दराज़
३
ध्यान तेरा बेहिश्त-ए शौक़ सही
दिल-ए आशिक़ है एक दोज़ख़-ए राज़
४
चश्म-ए हासिद मुझे न देख सकी
हूं दलील-ए बलंदी-ए पर्वाज़
५
आज पहलू में क्यूं है सन्नाटा
क्या हुई आह आह की आवाज़
६
रास आए हैं अश्क ओ आह किसे
कर न आब ओ हवा-ए ग़म से साज़
७
आप हि अपनी आढ में तू है
तू हक़ीक़त है और तू हि मजाज़
८
हम हैं और अज़्म-ए आशियां यानी
रह गई दूर ताक़त-ए पर्वाज़
९
है के फ़ानी नहीं है, क्या कहिये
राज़ है बे-नियाज़-ए महरम-ए राज़
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed shaukat ali KhaaN faani badayuni (1879-1941), BA 1901, law 1908. Stumbling law practice. Invited to hyderabad by maharaja kishan parshaad in 1932, working as a principal of a reputed school. Alcohol proved to be a bid problem. He died forlorn and destitute. Much of his work was lost. This is one of series of 3 Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib, “maiN huN apni shikast ki aavaaz” and also a part of many more linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, shikast ki aavaaz.
1
allah-allah1 ye shaan2-e kushta3-e naaz4
hai meri Khaak5 sajda-gaah6-e namaaz7 1.by god 2.dignity 3.killed by 4.coquetry, the beloved 5.dust 6.prayer disc 7.prayer
In ritual muslim namaaz/prayer, clay from the “holy land” is fashioned into a ‘sajda gaah’ – a small round clay disc on which the forehead is placed in obeisance. The poet/lover is dead and decayed into dust. Such is his dignity that his dust/clay has been fashioned into a sajda-gaah. It is not explicitly stated whether the beloved uses it to offer prayers or is it the rival. In any case, the poet who has been killed by the beloved has such dignity. It is noteworthy that the beloved always remains young and beautiful even after the suitor/admirer is long dead – but still composing Ghazal.
2
haaN shab1-e hijr2 aaj sub’h na ho
haaN chali-jaaye3 yaad4-e zulf-e-daraaz5 1.night 2.separation (from the beloved) 3.used here as chalti jaaye – chalti rahe, let it keep going 4.memories 5.long hair
In urdu poetic tradition the pain of separation is valued – masochism. The poet/lover wishes that there be no dawn to the night of separation, that it keep going like memories of the beloved’s long (and dark) hair.
3
dhyaan1 tera behisht2-e shauq3 sahi
dil-e aashiq hai ek dozaKh4-e raaz5 1.thoughts, memories 2.heaven 3.desire, love 4.hell 5.secret
In poetic tradition the poet/lover conceals (keeps secret) his love of the beloved so as not to malign her reputation. Also, his heart burns with passion, like the fire of hell. Thus, memories of the beloved may be like heaven for the lover but his heart burns like hell where his secret is condemned to remain. The juxtaposition of heaven and hell is beautiful. Memories/heaven burn in hell!
4
chashm1-e haasid2 mujhe na dekh saki
huN daliil3-e balandi4-e parvaaz5 1.eye 2.jealous, envious 3.proof, testimony 4.height 5.flight
Other poets are envious of the poet. He flies so high that their eyes cannot even see him i.e., his compositions are of such a high calibre that they cannot reach that height.
5
aaj pahlu1 meN kyuN hai sannaaTa2
kya hui aah-aah3 ki aavaaz4 1.side, also used to mean bosom 2.silence 3.sighing, wailing 4.sound
Normally, the poet/lover would be sighing and wailing, yearning for the beloved. But today there is complete silence by his side or in his bosom. What happened to the sound of wailing. Perhaps the poet/lover is dead!
6
raas1 aaye haiN ashk2 o aah3 kise
kar na aab4 o havaa5-e Gham6 se saaz7 1.suitable, bring good fortune 2.tears 3.sighing 4.water/tears 5.air/sighing 6.sorrow 7.compatibility, friendship, accommodation
There is an interesting double use of ‘aab o havaa’. ‘aab o havaa’ as a phrase means the atmosphere/ambience/conditions. Individually the words ‘aab/water’ and ‘havaa/air’ correspond to tears and sighs. Have tears and sighs brought good luck to anyone? Do not make friends with the conditions of pain. Could this be about the world and mortal life. This life is often considered a parallel of pain. The ‘aab o havaa’ of this world is no good. Do not get attached to it.
7
aap hi apni aaR1 meN tu hai
tu haqiiqat2 hai aur tuu hi majaaz3 1.obstacle 2.truth, reality 3.illusion
In sufiyaana tradition haqiiqat/reality is the divine being, everything else is majaazi – illusionary. Also, according the principles of vahdat-ul-vujood – one-ness of all creation and the creator, haqiiqi can be reached through the majaazi. Because you don’t understand that you yourself are both haqiiqat and majaaz, you yourself are an obstacle in understanding yourselves.
8
hum haiN aur azm1-e aashiyaaN2 y’aani3
rah gaii duur taaqat4-e parvaaz5 1.determination 2.nest/home 3.meaning 4.strength, power 5.flight
The image is that of the poet as a caged bird. All this is left is me and my determination to fly to the nest. But the real meaning, the real condition is that the power of flight remains far beyond reach. This is probably because he is caged and not because he has lost his strength.
9
hai keh faani1 nahiN hai, kya kahiye
raaz2 hai be-niyaaz3-e mahram4-e raaz 1.pen-name of the poet, also means mortal, transitory 2.secret, mystery 3.indifferent, does not need 4.intimate
‘kya kahiye’ – literally ‘what can be said’, can also be used to mean, ‘what difference does it make’. ‘raaz’ – mystery, can also be used to mean god. Also, the poet calls himself ‘mahram-e raaz’ – intimate with the secret (of existence). What difference does it make whether faani remains (alive, in this world) or not. The major divine mystery does not need anyone to become mahram-e raaz – is in no need to be understood.
mohammed shaukat ali KhaaN faani badayuni (1879-1941), BA 1901, law 1908. Stumbling law practice. Invited to hyderabad by maharaja kishan parshaad in 1932, working as a principal of a reputed school. Alcohol proved to be a bid problem. He died forlorn and destitute. Much of his work was lost. This is one of series of 3 Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib, “maiN huN apni shikast ki aavaaz” and also a part of many more linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, shikast ki aavaaz.
1
allah-allah1 ye shaan2-e kushta3-e naaz4
hai meri Khaak5 sajda-gaah6-e namaaz7
1.by god 2.dignity 3.killed by 4.coquetry, the beloved 5.dust 6.prayer disc 7.prayer
In ritual muslim namaaz/prayer, clay from the “holy land” is fashioned into a ‘sajda gaah’ – a small round clay disc on which the forehead is placed in obeisance. The poet/lover is dead and decayed into dust. Such is his dignity that his dust/clay has been fashioned into a sajda-gaah. It is not explicitly stated whether the beloved uses it to offer prayers or is it the rival. In any case, the poet who has been killed by the beloved has such dignity. It is noteworthy that the beloved always remains young and beautiful even after the suitor/admirer is long dead – but still composing Ghazal.
2
haaN shab1-e hijr2 aaj sub’h na ho
haaN chali-jaaye3 yaad4-e zulf-e-daraaz5
1.night 2.separation (from the beloved) 3.used here as chalti jaaye – chalti rahe, let it keep going 4.memories 5.long hair
In urdu poetic tradition the pain of separation is valued – masochism. The poet/lover wishes that there be no dawn to the night of separation, that it keep going like memories of the beloved’s long (and dark) hair.
3
dhyaan1 tera behisht2-e shauq3 sahi
dil-e aashiq hai ek dozaKh4-e raaz5
1.thoughts, memories 2.heaven 3.desire, love 4.hell 5.secret
In poetic tradition the poet/lover conceals (keeps secret) his love of the beloved so as not to malign her reputation. Also, his heart burns with passion, like the fire of hell. Thus, memories of the beloved may be like heaven for the lover but his heart burns like hell where his secret is condemned to remain. The juxtaposition of heaven and hell is beautiful. Memories/heaven burn in hell!
4
chashm1-e haasid2 mujhe na dekh saki
huN daliil3-e balandi4-e parvaaz5
1.eye 2.jealous, envious 3.proof, testimony 4.height 5.flight
Other poets are envious of the poet. He flies so high that their eyes cannot even see him i.e., his compositions are of such a high calibre that they cannot reach that height.
5
aaj pahlu1 meN kyuN hai sannaaTa2
kya hui aah-aah3 ki aavaaz4
1.side, also used to mean bosom 2.silence 3.sighing, wailing 4.sound
Normally, the poet/lover would be sighing and wailing, yearning for the beloved. But today there is complete silence by his side or in his bosom. What happened to the sound of wailing. Perhaps the poet/lover is dead!
6
raas1 aaye haiN ashk2 o aah3 kise
kar na aab4 o havaa5-e Gham6 se saaz7
1.suitable, bring good fortune 2.tears 3.sighing 4.water/tears 5.air/sighing 6.sorrow 7.compatibility, friendship, accommodation
There is an interesting double use of ‘aab o havaa’. ‘aab o havaa’ as a phrase means the atmosphere/ambience/conditions. Individually the words ‘aab/water’ and ‘havaa/air’ correspond to tears and sighs. Have tears and sighs brought good luck to anyone? Do not make friends with the conditions of pain. Could this be about the world and mortal life. This life is often considered a parallel of pain. The ‘aab o havaa’ of this world is no good. Do not get attached to it.
7
aap hi apni aaR1 meN tu hai
tu haqiiqat2 hai aur tuu hi majaaz3
1.obstacle 2.truth, reality 3.illusion
In sufiyaana tradition haqiiqat/reality is the divine being, everything else is majaazi – illusionary. Also, according the principles of vahdat-ul-vujood – one-ness of all creation and the creator, haqiiqi can be reached through the majaazi. Because you don’t understand that you yourself are both haqiiqat and majaaz, you yourself are an obstacle in understanding yourselves.
8
hum haiN aur azm1-e aashiyaaN2 y’aani3
rah gaii duur taaqat4-e parvaaz5
1.determination 2.nest/home 3.meaning 4.strength, power 5.flight
The image is that of the poet as a caged bird. All this is left is me and my determination to fly to the nest. But the real meaning, the real condition is that the power of flight remains far beyond reach. This is probably because he is caged and not because he has lost his strength.
9
hai keh faani1 nahiN hai, kya kahiye
raaz2 hai be-niyaaz3-e mahram4-e raaz
1.pen-name of the poet, also means mortal, transitory 2.secret, mystery 3.indifferent, does not need 4.intimate
‘kya kahiye’ – literally ‘what can be said’, can also be used to mean, ‘what difference does it make’. ‘raaz’ – mystery, can also be used to mean god. Also, the poet calls himself ‘mahram-e raaz’ – intimate with the secret (of existence). What difference does it make whether faani remains (alive, in this world) or not. The major divine mystery does not need anyone to become mahram-e raaz – is in no need to be understood.
