Click here for overall comments and on each stanza for meanings and discussion. Josh has described the beauty of Dawn in 32 preceding stanzas. He now talks about the arrival/birth of Ali in powerful language, likening it to the rising sun and the emergence of knowledge.

33
yuNhi faraaz¹-e rooh² pe ubhra³ ek aaftab⁴
deeN ka nishaaN, Khirad⁵ ka alam⁶, aagahi⁷ ka baab⁸
haq saaz⁹ o haq nawaz¹⁰ o haq awaaz o haq ma’ab¹¹
maqsood¹²-e arsh¹³ mauris¹⁴ e aflaak¹⁵ bu Turab¹⁶
irfaan e zindagi¹⁷ ka alam kholta hua
band e qaba¹⁸-e lauh o qalam¹⁹ kholta hua1. height 2. spirit 3. emerged 4. sun 5. wisdom 6. banner 7. knowledge 8. door 9. maker 10. adds luster to 11. the place to return to 12. purpose, desire 13. sky (god) 14. first claimant 15. sky 16. father of earth (Ali) 17. mystical knowledge about life 18. ties of a robe 19. paper and pen
Just like the beautiful dawn he has been describing, a bright sun rose to the highest heights of spiritualism. According to Shia beliefs Mohammed is supposed to have said “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is the door” … “aagahi ka baab” is a reference to that. This rising sun was like the exemplar of Truth, the banner of Wisdom and the door to knowledge. “bu Turab”, meaning “father of the Earth”, is one of many titles of Ali. The definer and the protector of righteouness and the abode of truth, the desire of god, the “vaaris” of heavens, the father of the earth. He arrives unfurling the banner of spiritual knowledge and disrobing (making learning available) paper and pen.

34
paida hua surood¹-e azal² salsabeel³ meN
utri shu’aa’⁴ seena e fikr⁵-e jamil⁶ meN
raushan hue chiraGh dayaar⁷-e Khalil⁸ meN
jumbish⁹ hui dobaara¹⁰ par-e Jibra’eel¹¹ meN
chhan-ne¹² lagi shu’aa’ tafakkur¹³ ke baab¹⁴ se
phooTi kiran jabin¹⁵-e risalat ma’aab¹⁶ se1. song, music 2. eternity 3. river/canal in paradise 4. ray of light 5. thought, reason 6. beautiful 7. abode, home, hometown 8. Ibrahim (metaphor for all prophets) 9. movement 10. again 11. wings of Gabriel 12. filtering, coming through 13. thinking, reasoning 14. door 15. forehead 16. Mohammed
“surood-e azal” – the song of eternity is the message of eternal life. Thus with the emergence of this sun the song of eternal life broke out in the “salsabeel” (a river in paradise). According to Islamic tradition all prophets had a “ray of light” (perhaps a metaphor for knowledge) that was passed on from prophet to prophet, and descended into the heart of “beautiful reason” and lit up lamps in the abode of Ibrahim (metaphor for prophets preceding Mohammed). This ray of light is now coming to Mohammed and Jibraeel’s (carrier of the message) wings are fluttering again. Rays of light filtered through the door of reason as if emanating from the forehead of Mohammed.

35
nikhra¹ adab², Khyaal³ ko haasil hui zabaaN
damki jabin-e harf⁴ pe ma’ani⁵ ki kahkashaaN⁶
chhalkiN⁷ sharab-e naGhma-e haq⁸ ki gulabiyaaN⁹
dawoodiyat¹⁰ ne pesh kiya taj-e zar fishaaN¹¹
yusuf¹² baRhe jamaal-e faravaN¹³ liye hue
pariyaN dar aaiiN¹⁴ taKht e suleimaN¹⁵ liye hue1. became fresh (clear blue), got refined 2. literature 3. thought 4. forehead) face/countenance of word 5. meaning 6. constellation 7. spilled over, overflowed 8. wine of the song of truth/righteousness 9. redness 10. Dawood (David) used here metaphorically for all previous prophets 11. shining golden crown 12. Joseph, of legendary good looks 13. plentiful 14. came in 15. seat of justice/wisdom Josh possibly is describing the writing of the Quran and says that fresh thought, fresh writing found voice and words shone with meaning like constellations. All the previous prophets paid tribute, presenting a brilliant golden crown. Also note Khyal (personified) acquires a tongue, the countenance of “Word” (personified) acquires the shine of constellations. There was so much joy and celebration because of the concepts of justice “sharab e naGhma e haq” (sharab-celebration, naGhma-singing with joy) that it overflowed/spilled over. The legendary strengths of all previous prophets are being rolled into this one. Yusuf came forward presenting a gift of great good looks. Angels came bearing the throne of Solomon (a gift of wisdom and justice).

36
lafzauN ki mauj-e raNg meN GhaltaaN¹ hue guhar²
lahje ki aab ju³ meN chali kishti e qamar⁴
nok e qalam se ilm ki taal’a⁵ hui sahar⁶
aur phir sahar ki chhooT⁷ paRi zulfiqar par
baala-e zulfiqar⁸ alam⁹ jagmaga uTha
aur zau fashaN¹⁰ alam pe qalam jagmaga uTha1. immersed 2. pearls 3. stream 4. moon 5. emerge 6. dawn 7. brilliance 8. on top of the Zulfiqar (the sword of Ali) 9. flag, banner 10. brilliance spreading
Josh, describing the beauty of the words of the Quran says that the waves of words containing pearls (of wisdom), and their “lahja” or the music is such that it seems that the moon is sailing through the river of words (crescent moon looks like a boat). And from the point of this pen emerged a new dawn, new thinking, and its brilliance manifested itself on the sharp edge of the Zulfiqar. And on the Zulfiqar was hoisted the banner of light (of Truth). “Qalam jagmaga uTha” is giving brilliance to the words that were written.

37
ghoomi kaleed¹-e fazl², khula qufl³-e faiz-e a’am⁴
naagaah⁵ aasman pe goonja zamiN ka naam
gardish⁶ meN aaye naara e sall-e a’la⁷ ke jaam⁸
paRhte hue durood⁹ baRhe ambiya¹⁰ tamaam
ka’abe ke gird¹¹ ek kiran ghoomne lagi
rooh-e mohammed-e arabi jhoomne lagi1. key 2. benevolence (of god) 3. lock 4. public/general well being 5. suddenly 6. motion 7. cry of praise 8. wine cups 9. felicitations 10. prophets 11. around
Ali is reputed to have been born inside the Ka’aba. His family had caretaker responsibility over the Ka’aba. His mother was supposedly working around the Ka’aba while full term and felt the baby coming and went inside for delivery. With his arrival the means of well being/deliverance of all which were locked up were now unlocked. The name/fame of the lowly earth reached heavens. Cups of wine were exchanged (came into circulation) as a celebratory toast. All prophets came offering tribute. A brilliant ray of light shone on the Ka’aba and the spirit of Mohammed began to dance with joy.

38
shab-haa¹-e een o aaN² meN hui subah manjali³
baad-e murad⁴ naaz se machli gali gali
irfan⁵-e kayenaat⁶ ki chiTki⁷ kali kali
aur rooh⁸-e irteqa⁹ ne pukaara ke aye Ali
le ye kaleed-e ilm¹⁰ ye geti ka baab¹¹ hai
is Khaak¹² ko ubhaar¹³ ke tu bu turab¹⁴ hai1. plural of shab, nights 2. this and that, everything, all 3. manifest, appear 4. breeze of desire 5. (mystical) knowledge, consciousness 6. creation 7. blossomed 8. spirit 9. evolution, progress 10. key to knowledge (holding the key to knowledge is symbolical of giver of knowledge) 11. door to the world 12. dust, earth 13. pick up, bring to a higher status 14. father of earth, Ali
Josh is now praising Ali lyrically. Dark nights (of ignorance) came to an end as dawn manifested itself. The breeze of desire of learning danced with joy in every street. Mystical knowledge of the (secrets of) universe blossomed. The spirit of progress called, O Ali, take this key of knowledge, this is the door (way) to the world. Raise this earth, for you are “bu Turaab”. It is worth recalling Ghalib’s play on bu Turab.
nisbat-e naam se us ke hai ye rutba ke rahe
abadan pusht-e falak Kham shuda-e naaz-e zamiN
Because of association with his name its status is such that
Forever the sky bows down in obeisance to the EARTH.