THE MANTLE ODES IN RHYME

Three Qasaa’id Burdah in Four Languages

(Arabic, English, Persian & Urdu)

With Translation, Vocabulary and Commentary

Dr. Imtiaz A. Kazi

 ‫كيف تَرقَى ُرقَيّك األنبيَا ُء‬
َ
‫سما ًء َما َطاولت َها س َماء‬ َ ‫يَا‬
‫عالَ َك َو قَ ْد َحا‬ ُ ‫اوك في‬َ ‫س‬ َ ُ‫لم ي‬
‫سنَا ُء‬ َ ‫منك دُون ُهم و‬َ ‫سنًا‬ َ ‫َل‬
How can other Prophets attain your height
O Exalted one! as long revolves firmament
None equaled you ever in stature, it’s a fact
Light and height they’d, of you it did reflect
 ُ ‫ع َلى َر‬
‫سو ِل ِه الك َِريم‬ َ ُ‫نَح َم ُدهُ َو ن‬
َ ‫صلّي‬

Preface
In March 2016, I had the opportunity to visit National Book Foundation
Islamabad where I met the Chairman of the Foundation Dr. Inam ul Haq Javed.
It so happened that he had seen my versified English translation of Imam
Bouseri R.A.’s famous Qaseedah BURDATUL MADIH published from
Islamabad in 2008. The Qaseedah included explanation of difficult words,
rhymed translation in English, literal translation and explanatory Notes. Dr.
Sahib also noted in this book titled ELEGY OF STREAKY GARMENT the
mention of two more Qaseedahs namely; the original Ka’b bin Zohair’s Burdah
which the famous Arabian poet had composed and read before the Prophet
SAW at Masjid e Nabavi following the conquest of Makkah (630 A.D.). This
Qaseedah which contains 60 verses was offered by the poet to seek amnesty
for his past satirical poetry against the Prophet SAW. Not only he was granted
pardon but Prophet SAW bestowed him with his Yemeni shawl named
BURDAH in Arabic.

This Qaseedah was followed by Imam Bouseri’s BURDATUL MADEEH

with162 verses (13th century A.D.) which I translated as referred above. The
third Qaseedah was composed by famous Egyptian poet Amir ul Shu’araa
Ahmad Shauqi (1868-1932 A.D.). Having read my translation of Imam Bouseri
R.A.’s BURDATUL MADIH, Dr. Inam Sahib desired of me to translate the
remaining two Qaseedahs and I promised to do so. He added that the
translations should, sincere desire hence thee translations from Arabic into
three languages i.e. Urdu, Persian and English and that too in rhyme.

This book is a response to Dr. Inam Sahib’s earnest desire for which I am
grateful to him. May Allah SWT accept my work and give the two of us shared
reward for this ‘Labour of Love’. It contains three Qaseedahs in their original
Arabic text and their translations as follows:
i. BURDAH KA’B BIN ZOHAIR (60 Verses)
ii. BURDATUL MADIH by Imam Bouseri R.A. (162 Verses)
iii. NAHJUL BURDAH by Ahmad Shauqi (190 verses)

Following is the pattern of the translations:

i. Original Arabic text
ii. Urdu translation in rhyme
iii. Persian translation
iv. English translation in rhyme
v. Literal translation in English
vi. Explanatory Notes
 vii. Meaning and explanation of individual Arabic words in each verse
(vocabulary) placed before English translations

While I have translated the English and Urdu translation in verse for all three
Qaseedahs, the Persian translation of Qaseedah Ka’b bin Zohair and Nahajul
Burdah of Ahmad Shauqi has been done by Ahmad Hyderi and Muhammad
Dasti Nishapuri (Author of AASMAN E MADINAH) respectively.

Some distinctions of this work: i) In all probability, this work is the first-ever
attempt in Pakistan for a trilogy of including three Qaseedahs in one volume; ii)
and that too with trilingual translation of all three Qaseedahs in Urdu, English
and Persian; iii) another distinction is the rhyme in translations in Urdu and
English attempted by this translator; iv) each Qaseedah has been preceded by
a detailed introduction about the life of the respective poet and his works; v) All
three English translations in rhyme end in English letter ‘N’ in each of their (first
as well assecond) line . Yet another distinction is that vi) while the second line
of original Arabic Qaseedah Ka’b ends in Arabic letter ‘‫ ’ل‬in the case of
Qaseedah Ka’b, my Urdu translation of this Qaseedah also ends in rhyme with
the Arabic/Urdu letter ‫ل‬. This is called Qaseedah Lamiyyah in Arabic. vii) Other
two Qaseedahs (of Bouseri R.A. and Ahmad Shauqi) end their rhyme in second
line of each verse with Arabic letter ‫م‬. This is called Qaseedah Meemiyyah in
Arabic. My Urdu translations of these two Qaseedahs also end in the letter ‫م‬.
So these translations in Urdu can also be called Lamiyyah and Meemiyyah
respectively on the Arabic Qaseedah pattern.

The book starts with an article (immediately after this Preface), titled
Translator’s Note detailing the special virtues and distinctions, as mentioned in
Quran, about the ‘Seal of the Prophets’ Sayyadna Muhammad Mustafa SAW,
compared to other prophets. I have retained this Note from my previous edition
for the beauty of its contents.

Before conclusion, I may add that according to many scholars, out of all
the three Qasaa’id, the original Burdah Ka’b ‫ بُرده کعب بن زهير‬is regarded as the
most masterly stroke. I too found it difficult to locate its ancient vocabulary for
which, at times, I had to refer to 5-6 Arabic dictionaries for one word. There is
consensus that out of the remaining two Qaseedahs, Imam Bouseri R.A.’s
Burdah ‫الدريَّه في مدح خير البريَّه‬
ّ ِ ‫ الکواکب‬far exceeds in its beauty, content, meter and
has been globally acknowledged as a distinguished and celebrated piece of
Arabic literature and as one of the most eminent praise ever said for the Prophet
SAW. Nahjul Burdah ‫ نهج البرده‬of Shauqi cannot be compared to Imam Bouseri
R.A.’s masterpiece.

Since I did not have much explanatory content for the Burdah Ka’b, I have
decorated each of its 60 verses with comparable verse from the ‘Master of
Ghazal’ Hafiz Shirazi in Persian supplemented by its English translation in
rhyme. The English translation of Hafiz has been produced from my own
translation of complete Diwan e Hafiz to be published very soon. The Sufi poetry
under each verse of Burdah Imam Bouseri R.A. is by various poets from the
entire Islamic world such as Ghalib, Iqbal, some Arabic, Persian and Turkish
poets. This is a universal heritage. I have added in some verses of this
Qaseedah, Hafiz Shirazi’s couplets alongwith versified English translation.
However, I must acknowledge that most of this classic poetry is reflected in The
Mantle Adorned by Abdal Hakim Murad (Quilliam Press Ltd. 2009). In Ahmad
Shauqi’s Nahjul Burdah, I have added only a few verses here and there since it
is the lengthiest and required lot of time, may be in next edition.

Dr. Imtiaz A. Kazi

Director General (Europe Division)
M/O Foreign Affairs, Islamabad
Friday 1 July 2016/25 Ramadhan 1437 A.H.
Email: imtiazkazi@yahoo.com
 Translator’s Note

All praise and glory is for the Lord- Almighty Allah and blessings and
peace of Allah be upon His most honoured and most beloved Prophet
Muhammad ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬. I feel greatly honoured to have been bestowed
this opportunity of translating Imam Bouseri ‫‘ رحمةهللا عليه‬s Qaseedah Burdah
which, before me, has been translated a number of times in numerous global
languages including regional languages of Pakistan. In fact, I have not added
anything to its beauty through English translation in rhyme. The plain fact is that
whenever I love some piece of poetry, I try to understand it more in depth and
give it a serious perusal and the best way for me has been to render it into a
wording that eases my own comrehension of the same. The same happened
when I translated Khayyam’s 250 quatrains in versified rhyme in English in the
year 2000 (Published by ECO Cultural Institute, Tehran in 2003). Having
listened to more popular verses of this Qaseedah on the Pakistan Television
channel (PTV) and in Mahaafil-e-Milaad (of late, I watched a beautiful recitation
by Mehmut Kurtis of Turkey on some music channel), I became keen to go
through Qaseedah in its entirety. Thus, during my trip to Pakistan from Doha
(Qatar) in January 2007 where I was serving as Counsellor/Deputy Head of
Pakistani Mission, I started work on its translation on 4 January 2007 and
Alhamd Lillah, the same has now been completed after eight months, the later
half of work done in Islamabad during May-August 2007 period.

I know that this Qaseedah is not available in the Gulf countries’ book
shops easily these days. I found three copies of the same (one contained in
Deewan Bouseri) in Qatar’s two libraries namely; Qatar National Library and
Sheikh Ali Bin Abdullah Al-Thani Library. While searching for the same, a
Sudanese Library staff once commented that this Qaseedah contained a few
references which were not appreciable by some scholars (due to excess in
praise of the Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬for which he used the Arabic word ‫غلو‬.
And he quoted Verse 156 which mentions about Prophet ‫’صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬s
knowledge being so vast that the sciences and knowledge inscribed on ‫لوح و قلم‬
(Pen and Plate) are only a part of it. In my humble opinion, Allah Almighty- the
Omni-Scientist bestowed upon His Chosen Prophet, a knowledge that is
immeasurable by us in our ordinary calculations. Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬
used to get information from divine sources in various ways; i) the channel of
‫ وحي‬or revelation of Holy Quran from time to time through the medium of
archangel Gabriel ‫ عليه السالم‬, ii) information or news of unseen ‫ غيب‬. While Quran
mentions about Allah;
ِ ‫َو ِعن َدهُ َم َفا ِت ُح ا ْلغَ ْي‬
‫ب الَ يَ ْعلَ ُمهَا إِالَّ ُه َو‬
(Surah Anám 6, Verse 59) Translation: With Him are the keys of the unseen,
the treasures that none knoweth but He. Quran also tells us in another verse:
‫سول‬ ُ ‫ضى ِمن َّر‬ َ َ‫ارت‬ْ ‫ إِ َّال َم ِن‬- ‫غ ْي ِب ِه أ َ َح ًد ا‬ َ ‫ب َف َال يُ ْظ ِه ُر‬
َ ‫علَى‬ ِ ‫عَا ِل ُم ا ْل َغ ْي‬
(Surah Jinn 72, Verse 26-27) Translation: He (alone) knows the Unseen, nor
does He make any one acquainted with His Mysteries, Except an apostle
whom He has chosen:

And one encounters innumerable examples in the blessed life of Prophet ‫صلى‬
‫ هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬such as his giving glad tidings to Suraqah bin Jasham who had
chased him during Hijrah that he will wear Persian king’s bangles, tidings of
victory of Rome and Persia, his confidence after Treaty of Hudaibiyyah that
victory was on its way, his preparations for the battle of Mutah for which, unlike
in previous battles, he appointed, in advance, three commanders in succession
namely; Zaid bin Harith, Jafar bin Abi Talib and Abdullah bin Rawaha as if he
knew beforehand the sequence of events and his companions’ martyrdom), and
iii) the exclusive and beyond-human-comprehension chain of events and
guided-tour of heavenly spots and a special session with the Lord on the Night
of Ascension or ISRA when Allah almighty revealed to him what Quran says;
‫ع ْب ِد ِه َما أَوحَى‬
َ ‫( فَأَوحَى إِلَى‬Surah Al-Najm 53, Verse 10) Translation: So did (Allah)
convey the inspiration to His Servant- (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey.
This is something which only Allah knows as to what He revealed to him or only
he knows to whom it was revealed. There is no third person or go-between to
give any clue as to what transpired during this exclusive meeting. Let me add
that while the word ‫ عبد‬means a servant who is required to worship, Allah has
always used this word in a very affectionate connotation for this particular
Prophet, not only here but even in another verse which pertains to invitation for
ISRA or Night Journey.
‫س ِجدِاأل َ ْقصَى‬
ْ ‫َرام ِإلَى ال َم‬
ِ ‫س ِجدِالح‬ ْ َ ‫َان الَّذِي أ‬
ْ ‫س َرى ِبعَ ْب ِد ِه لَيأل ً ِّمن َال َم‬ َ ‫س ْبح‬
ُ
(Surah Al-Isra 17, Verse 1) Translation: Glory to (Allah) Who did take His
Servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque.
So here is a special ‫( عبد‬Servant) who is being honoured in a sublime way by
the Creator of the worlds.

Under verse Nos. 37, 38, 39 and 40 which mention about superiority of Prophet
Muhammad ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬as ‫( أفضل الرسل‬the Most blessed or favoured
Prophet) over all other Prophets, the Arabic commentator in one of the above-
referred Qatar Library books commented that one should not differentiate
between prophets of Allah, as according to Holy Quran:
ُ ‫ين أَحَد ِّمن ُر‬
‫س ِل ِه‬ ُ ‫ال نُفَ ِ ّر‬
َ َ‫ق ب‬
(Surah Baqarah 2, Verse 285) Translation: We make no distinction between
one and another of His apostles. Well, in my opinion, we must never
differentiate and rightly so, in the established fact that all of messengers were
Allah’s chosen people bestowed with prophethood; that’s part of the belief. This
makes Muslims different from other ‘Peoples of the Book ‫ ’اهل الكتاب‬who used to
believe in some prophets but discarded others. But as regards the inter se
merits or divine favours on some of them, let us read another Quranic verse in
its proper context. Quran says:
‫ع َلى بَعض‬ َ ‫س ُل َفضَّلنَا َبعض ُهم‬ ُّ َ‫تِلك‬
ُ ‫الر‬
(Surah Baqarah 2, Verse 253) Translation: Those apostles We endowed with
favours, some above others. Or Surah Isra, Verse 55 says:
‫علَى بَ ْعض‬ َ ‫ض ال َّنبِ ِّي‬
َ ‫ين‬ َّ َ‫َولَقَ ْد ف‬
َ ‫ض ْلنَا بَ ْع‬
Translation: And indeed, We have preferred some of the prophets above
others. Another Quranic verse that bears ample testimony as to Prophet
Muhammad ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬being the supreme in the line of Prophets is
evident in the following:

ُ ‫ق ِلّ َما َم َع ُك ْم لَت ُ ْؤ ِمنُنَّ ِب ِه َو َلتَن‬

ُ‫ص ُرنَّه‬ ٌ ‫ص ِ ّد‬
َ ‫سو ٌل ُّم‬ ّ ‫َو ِإ ْذ أ َ َخ َذ‬
ُ ‫ّللاُ ِميثَاقَ النَّ ِب ِّيي َْن َل َما آت َ ْيتُكُم ِّمن ِكتَاب َو ِح ْك َمة ث ُ َّم جَاء ُك ْم َر‬
َ ْ َ
ْ ‫علَى ذَ ِل ُك ْم ِإص ِْري قَالُواْ أق َر ْرنَا َقا َل فَا‬
َ ‫ش َهدُواْ َوأ َنا ْ َمعَكُم ِّم َن الشَّا ِهد‬
‫ِين‬ َ ‫قَا َل أَأ َ ْق َر ْرت ُ ْم َوأ َخذت ُ ْم‬
ْ َ
(Surah Aal Imran 2, Verse 81)
Translation: Remember when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, saying:
"Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (Understanding of laws
of Allah) and afterwards, there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad ‫صلى‬
‫ )هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬confirming what is with you, you must, then, believe in him (his
Prophethood) and help him.” Allah said: “Do you agree to it and will you take up
my covenant?” They said: “ We agree.” He said: "Then bear witness, and I am
with you among the witnesses."

Here, let me take the liberty to reproduce and supplement therein what the
esteemed author of “Atlas on the Prophet ‫’ صلى هللا عليه و آله وس ّلم‬s Biography“”
Dr. Shawqi Abu Khalil has mentioned in the introductory chapter of his book
about this most-beloved and most-honoured Prophet of Allah. He writes:

i) Prophet Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬said:

‫ضى‬ ِ ّ ‫و ع َِجلتُ إِلَيكَ َر‬
َ ‫ب ِلتَر‬
(Surah Ahqaf 46, Verse 35) Translation: And I hastened to You, O my Lord,
that You might be pleased. For Prophet Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬, Quran
says:
‫ضى‬َ ‫عطيكَ َربُّكَ فَتَر‬
ِ ُ‫وف ي‬َ ‫س‬ َ َ‫َول‬
(Surah Dhuha 93, Verse 5) Translation: And verily, your Lord will give you
(all good) so that you shall be well pleased.

ii) Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬said;

‫الر ِحي ُم‬ ُ ُ‫سى فَا غ ِفر ِلى فَغَفَ َر لَهُ ِإنَّهُ ُه َوالغَف‬
َّ ‫ور‬ ِ ‫ب ِإ ِنّى َظلَمتُ نَف‬
ِ ّ ‫قا َل َر‬
(Surah Al-Qasas 28, Verse 16) Translation: He said; “My Lord, verily I have
wronged myself, so forgive me. Then, He forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-
Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Concerning Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬, Allah SWT says in Quran;
َ ُ‫إِنَّا فَتَحنَا َلكَ فَتْ ًحا ُّمبِي ًنا ِليَغ ِف َر َلكَ هللاُ َما تَقَ َّد َم ِم ْن َذ ْن ِبكَ َو َما تَأ َ َّخ َر َويُتِ َّم نِ ْع َمتَه‬
ْ ‫ع َليكَ َويَه ِد َيكَ ِص َرا ًطا ُّم‬
‫ست َ ِقي ًما‬
(Surah Al-Fat’h 48, Verses 1,2) Translation: We have indeed (O dear
Prophet Muhammed – peace and blessings of Allah SWT be upon him),
bestowed upon you a clear victory. So that Allah may forgive, for your sake, the
earlier and later sins of your community (of those who did good deeds, made
sacrifices and participated in Jihad) and complete His favours upon you, and to
show you the Straight Path.

iii) Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬begged:

‫صد ِْرى‬
َ ‫ب اش َْرح ِلى‬ ِ ّ ‫قَا َل َر‬
(Surah Ta-ha 20, Verse 25) Translation: (Musa ‫ ) عليه السالم‬said; O My Lord!
Open for me my chest (grant me self-confidence, contentment and boldness).
For the Chosen Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬, Quran says:
َ َ‫أَلَم نَش َْرح َلك‬
َ‫صد َْرك‬
(Surah Al-Inshirah 94, Verse 1) Translation: Have We not opened your breast
for you (O Muhammad ‫)صلى هللا عليه و آله وس ّلم‬.

iv) Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬asks ‫مرى‬ ِ َ ‫سر ِلى أ‬ ّ ِ ‫( َو َي‬Surah Ta-ha 20, Verse 26)
Translation: And ease my task for me. About the Ameen-Trustworthy Prophet
َ ُ‫س ُركَ ِل ْلي‬
‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬, it says; ‫سرى‬ ّ ِ َ‫( َونُي‬Surah Al-A’ala 87, Verse 8)
Translation: And We shall make easy for you (O Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله‬
‫ )وس ّلم‬the easy way.

v) Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬spoke to his Lord on earth;

‫وراألَي َم ِن َوقَ َّرب َناهُ نَ ِج َّيا‬
ِ ‫َوناديناهُ ِمن جَا ِنب ال ُّط‬
(Surah Maryam 19, Verse 52) Translation: And We called him from the right
side of the Mount and made him draw near to Us for a talk with him (Musa) or

َ ‫ب ُال َعالَ ِم‬

‫ين‬ ُ ‫سى ِإ ِّنى أَن‬
ّ ‫هللا َر‬ َ ‫ش َج َر ِة أَن يا ُمو‬ َ ‫الوادِاألَي َم ِن ِفى البُ ْق َع ِةال ُم َب‬
َّ ‫ار َك ِة ِم َن ال‬ َ ‫َاطى‬ِ ‫ِى ِمن ش‬َ ‫فَلَ َّما أَتأهأ نُود‬
(Surah Al-Qasas 28, Verse 30) Translation: So when he reached it (the fire),
he was called from the right side of the valley, in the blessed place from the
tree: O Musa! Verily, I am Allah, the Lord of the Aalamin (mankind, jinn and all
that exists). Allah spoke to His Chosen Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬in these
words;
– ‫ين أَو أ َ ْدنَى‬ ِ ‫س‬َ ‫اب قَو‬ َ ‫ق األ َ ْعلَى – ث ُ َّم َد َنا فَتَدلَّى – فَك‬
َ َ‫َان ق‬ ِ ُ‫شدِيدُالقُواَى – ذُو ِم َّرة فَاْست َ َواى – َو ُه َو بِاألُف‬ َ ُ‫علَّ َمه‬
َ
‫ب الفؤَا ُد َما َرآى‬ُ َ َ َ ‫فَأَوحَى إِلى‬
َ ‫ع ْب ِد ِه َما أوحَى – َما َكذ‬ َ
(Surah Al-Najm 53, Verses 5-11) Translation: He has been taught this Quran
by One Mighty in power. Then he rose and became stable And he was in the
highest part of the horizon then he approached and came closer and was at a
distance of two bows’ length or even nearer. So Allah revealed to His servant
(Muhammad ‫ )صلى هللا عليه و آله وس ّلم‬whatever He revealed. The Prophet ‫صلى هللا‬
‫’عليه و آله وس ّلم‬s heart lied not in what he saw.

vi) Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬was sent as a Prophet to the children of Israel, to his own
people only.
‫سرآئِي َل َوال تُعَ ِذّ ْب ُهم‬
ْ ِ‫سل َمعَنَا َبنِى إ‬ِ ‫فَأ َ ْر‬
(Surah Ta-ha 20, Verse 47) Translation: So let the children of Israel go with
us and torment them not. In another verse, Quran says:
ً‫سرآئِي َل أَآلَّ تَت َّ ِخذُو ِم ْن دُونِى َو ِكيال‬
ْ ‫تاب َو َجعَلنَا ُه ُهدًى ِلّبَنِى ِإ‬ َ ‫َوآتَينَا ُمو‬
َ ‫سى ال ِك‬
(Surah Al-Isra 17, Verse 2) Translation: And We gave Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬the
Scripture and made it a guidance for the children of Israel (saying): Take none
other than Me as your Wakil (Protector, Lord or Disposer of your affairs, etc)

But Muhammad ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬was sent as mercy to the worlds (entire
mankind):
ً ‫يرا َّونَذ‬
‫ِيرا‬ ً ‫ش‬ِ ‫اس َب‬ ِ َّ‫س ْلنَاكَ إِالّ كَآفَّ ًة ِلّلن‬َ ‫َو َما أ َ ْر‬
(Surah Saba 34: 28) Translation: And We have not sent you (O Muhammad
‫ ) صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind.
َ ‫سلناكَ ِإالّ َرحْ َمة ً ِلّل َعالَ ِم‬
‫ين‬ َ ‫َو َما أَر‬
(Surah Al-Anbiya 21, Verse 107) Translation: And We have sent you (O
Muhammad ‫ )صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬not but as a mercy for the Aalamin (Mankind,
jinn and all that exists)
‫ين – َولَتَعلَ ُمنَّ نَبَأ َ ُه بَ ْع َد ِحين‬ َ ‫إن ُه َو ِإالّ ِذك ٌْر لّل َعالَ ِم‬
(Surah Saad 38, Verse 87-88) Translation: It (this Quran) is only a reminder
for all the Aalamin (mankind and jinn). And you shall certainly know the truth of
it after a while.
‫هللا ِإ َلي ُك ْم ج َِميعًا‬
ِ ُ ‫سول‬ ُ ‫اس ِإنِّى َر‬ ُ ‫قُل يَا أَيُّهَاال َّن‬
(Surah Al-A’araaf 7, Verse 158) Translation: Say (O Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
ّ‫ )و آله وسلم‬: O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.

vii) Quran says concerning Musa ‫ عليه السالم‬as follows:

‫علَى عَي ِنى‬ َ ‫صنَ َع‬ ْ ُ ‫علَيكَ َم َحبَّةً ِّم ِنّى َو ِلت‬
َ ُ‫َو أَلقَيت‬
(Surah Ta-ha 20, Verse 39) Translation: And I endued you with love from Me,
in order that you may be brought up under My Eye. And for the Chosen Prophet
‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬, it says:
‫كم َر ِّبكَ فَ ِإ نَّكَ بِا َ ْعيُ ِننَا‬
ِ ‫صبِر ِل ُح‬ْ ‫َوا‬
(Surah Al-Tur 52, Verse 48) Translation: So wait patiently (O Muhammad ‫صلى‬
‫ )هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬for the decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes.
In terms of grammar, latter verse is indicative of complete and comprehensive
care.

viii) Allah has given two of His most beautiful names to His best loved
Messenger:
ٌ ‫ُف َّر ِحيم‬ ِ ‫علَيكُم بِال ُم‬
َ ِ‫ؤمن‬
ٌ ‫ين َرؤ‬ َ ‫علَي ِه َما‬
ٌ ‫عنِتُّم ح َِر‬
َ ‫يص‬ َ ‫يز‬ ِ ُ‫سو ٌل ّم ْن أ َ ْنف‬
ٌ ‫سكُم ع َِز‬ ُ ‫لَقَد جَآ َءكُم َر‬
(Surah Al-Tawbah 9, Verse 128) Translation: Verily, there has come unto you
a Messenger (Muhammad ‫ )صلى هللا عليه و آله وس ّلم‬from amongst yourselves. It
grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over
you; for the believers, he is most kind and most merciful.

ix) Allah swears by His beloved Prophet’s age, as is the Arab tradition and
an honour in such swearing in:
َ ‫لَ َع ْم ُركَ ِإنَّ ُه ْم لَ ِفي‬
َ ‫سك َْر ِت ِه ْم َي ْع َم ُه‬
‫ون‬
(Surah Hijr 15, Verse 72) Translation: Verily, by your life (O Muhammad ‫صلى‬
‫) هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬, in their wild intoxication, they were wandering blindly.
x) While Allah addresses other prophets by name O Adam, O Musa, O Nuh,
O Dawud, O Zakariyya, O Yahya, O Lot, O Isa , his most beloved Messenger
is called ‫( يأ أيُّهَاال ُم َز ِّمل‬the Enshrouded One!, Surah 73), ‫( يأ أيُّهَاالم َد ِث ّر‬the Encloaked
One!, Surah 74) ‫سول‬ ُ ‫أيهاالر‬
َّ ّ ‫( يا أيهاال َّن‬O Prophet!, O Messenger!)
‫ يا‬, ‫بى‬

xi) While the miracles of earlier Prophets were temporary and went off after
them, the exclusive miracle of Muhammad bin Abdullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬is
lasting and eternal, in the preservation and availability of Holy Quran which
keeps revealing its mysteries and testifying new discoveries with each passing
day. Allah has guaranteed its preservation:
َ ‫ظ‬
‫ون‬ ُ ِ‫إِنَّا نَحْ نُ نَ َّز ْل َنا ال ِذّك َْر َو ِإنَّا لَهُ لَحَاف‬
(Surah Hijr 15, Verse 9) Translation: Verily, We, it is We, Who have sent down
the Dhikr (i.e. the Quran) and surely, we will guard it (from corruption or
deliberate distortion).

xii) Allah praises the Prophet’s character:

‫َو ِإنَّكَ لَ َعلَى ُخلُق ع َِظيم‬
(Surah Al-Qalam 68, Verse 4) Translation: And Verily, you (Muhammad ‫صلى‬
‫ )هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬are on an exalted (standard of) character. It is this one and the
only one Prophet for whom Allah Almighty says:
َ‫َو َرفَعنَا َلكَ ِذك َْرك‬
(Surah 94, Verse 2). Translation: And have We not raised high your fame?
Allah testifies about the very gentle and kind conduct of His Chosen Prophet:
ْ ‫ع ْن ُهم َوا‬
‫ست َ ْغ ِفر لَ ُهم َوشَا ِو ْر ُهم‬ ُ ‫ب الَا ْن َفضُّو ِمن حَو ِلكَ فَاع‬
َ ‫ْف‬ ِ ‫غ ِلي َظ القَل‬ َ ‫هللا ِل ْنتَ لَ ُهم َولَو كُنتَ فَ ًّظ‬
ِ ‫فَ ِب َما َرحْ َمة ِّم َن‬
َ ‫ب ٌال ُمت َ َو ِ ّك ِل‬
‫ين‬ ِ ‫ع َلى‬
َ َّ‫هللا ِإن‬
ّ ‫هللا يُ ِح‬ َ ‫فِى اآلَ ْم ِرفَ ِإذَا ع ََزمتَ َفت َ َوكَّل‬
(Surah Aal Imran 3, Verse 159) Translation: And by the Mercy of Allah, you
dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would
have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults) and ask (Allah’s)
forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken
a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust
(in Him).

At another place, Quran says:

‫فَت َ َو َّل عَن ُهم فَ َما أنتَ بِ َملُوم‬
(Surah Al-Zariyat 51, Verse 54) Translation: So turn away (O Muhammad
‫ )صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬from (Quraish pagans), you are not blameworthy (as you
have conveyed Allah’s message). His mere presence was so blessed that it
warded off punishment from Quresh mischief makers who were planning to
assassinate him on the eve of Hijrah; ‫يه ْم‬ ِ ِ‫ّللاُ ِليُعَ ِ ّذبَ ُه ْم َوأَنتَ ف‬ّ ‫َان‬ َ ‫( َو َما ك‬Surah Anfaal 8,
Verse 33) Translation: But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst
thou wast amongst them. For his pleasure, Allah said
ْ ‫ش ْط َر ا ْل َم‬
‫س ِجدِا ْلح ََر ِام‬ َ ‫س َماء فَلَنُ َو ِلّ َينَّكَ قِ ْبلَةً ت َ ْر‬
َ َ‫ضا َها فَ َو ِّل َوجْ َهك‬ َ ‫قَ ْد نَ َرى تَقَ ُّل‬
َّ ‫ب َوجْ ِهكَ ِفي ال‬
(Surah Baqarah 2, Verse 144) Translation: Verily! We have seen the turning
of your (Muhammad ‫ ) صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬face towards the heaven. Surely, We
shall turn you to a Qiblah that shall please you so turn your face face in the
direction of Al-Masjidil Haram
 I do not wish to go further into details of the kind reflected in above verses,
so amply describing the due dignity, high honour and especial esteem of Allah’s
most-beloved Prophet. Holy Quran is full of such praise and none of us can ever
do full justice about the person of Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬in this domain.
Suffice to admit:
‫يا صاحب الجمال ويا سيدالبشر‬
‫نورالقمر‬
ّ ‫من وجهك المنير لقد‬
‫ال يمكن الثّنآء كما كان حقّه‬
‫بعد از خدا بزرگ توئى قصه مختصر‬
 I- BURDAH KA’AB
Biography of Ka’ab bin Zohair ‫( رحمةهللا عليه‬died 662 A.D.): Ka’ab bin Zohair
bin Abi Sulma ‫ رحمةهللا عليه‬was an eminent poet who witnessed the epoch of pre-
Islamic days and then also the advent of Islam. His mother was Kabsha bint
Ammar bin Adi bin sahim. Her dwellings were in Hajar in Najd. His father Zohair
was an eminent poet who ıs lısted among the authors of seven ‘hangıng odes’
‫ سبع معلقۃ‬which used to hang on the wallf of Ka’ba. His ode was titled ‫ا َ ِمن ا ُ ِ ّم اَو َفي‬
َ َ ‫ ِد َمنَ ُۃ لَم ت‬Hazrat Umar R.A was asked who was the poet of the poets? He had
‫کلَّم‬
named sayadun Nas Ibne Abbas. When Ibne Abbas was asked the same
question, he recited verses from Zohair bin Abi Salma. Zohair had initially
married with Umm Oufa but having fathered no child from her, he married to
Umm Kabsha. First wife got jealous; so he divorced her although he regretted
this decision later. Ka’ab’s father Zohair’s lineage goes to Zohair bin Rabi’ah
bin Rabah.

Zohair was counted among three prominent poets from the Days of
Ignorance ‫ ا ّيام الجاهلية‬, the other two being Imra’ul-Qais and Nabigha Al-Zubyani.
Zohair is still studied in schools and universities all over the Arab world as one
of the finest poets of the pre-Islamic era. He was a great concentrator and
civilized poet who was renowned for composing a Qaseedah in four months,
editing it in another four months, and then submitting it to friends for appraisal
for another four months. He lived for approximately 90 years and died before
the Commissioning of Prophethood by Muhammad ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬. He was
more influenced by the sayings of ‫( اهل الكتاب‬Christians and Jews) as indicates
his poetry. He had three sons namely; Salim, Ka’ab and Bujayr.

Ka’ab’s cousins, uncles and two aunts namely; Salma and Khansa were
all born-poets. He himself started saying verses in the early childhood. Born in
pre-Islamic days, he embraced Islam and lived until the times of Muawiyah bin
Abu Sufyan. His brother Bujayr embraced Islam earlier than Ka’ab. The story
goes that the two poet brothers were highly opposed to Islam and Prophet ‫صلى‬
‫هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬. Following the conquest of Makkah, both brothers quit Makkah.
One day, while Prophet SAW was preaching at Abraq‫ڏ‬ul‫ڏ‬Ghazaaf under a palm
tree, Bujayr asked Ka’ab to wait (keep grazing goats) while he would go and
listen to Prophet ‫’ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬s verses (scripture) so that they could
compose a rejoinder. In fact, Bujayr was captivated by the kind persona of the
Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬at the very first sight and instantly embraced Islam.
Having waited some time for the return of his brother, Ka’ab at last came to
know of his brother’s conversion. In fact, Bujayr asked his broteher to either
come to Madinah to seek amnesty or flee away as had done two other satirical
poets Ibn al-Zibara and Hubayra bin Abu Wahb. Kab replied by sending some
derogatory verses to his brother, the first verse is as follows:
Translation:
Give Bujayr a message from me:
Do you accept what I said, confound you?
Tell us plainly if you don’t accept what I say
For what reason other than that has he led you
To a religion I cannot find his father ever did
And you can not find that your father followed?
Iyou do not accept what I say I shall not grieve
Nor say if you stumble God help you!
Al-Ma’mun* has given you a full cup to drink
And added a second draught of the same.
(*Ka’b used this title as Quresh used to name the Apostle so).

Bujayr said to Ka’b:

Who will tell Ka’b that that for which you wrongly blame me
Is the better course?
To God alone not al-Uzza and al-Lat
You will escape and be safe while escape is possible,
On a day when none will escape
Except a Muslim pure of heart
Zohair’s religion is a thing of naught
Ad the religion of Abu Salma is forbidden to me.

Bujayr had showed Ka’b’s verses to the Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬who
permitted the beheading of Ka’ab. It so happened that after the conquest of
Makkah, one such anti-Islamic poet Nazar bin Harith was beheaded and others
were on the run like Ibnul Zubari and Habeerah bin Abi Wahab. During these
times, Ka’ab went in hiding. He sent a five-line poetic message to Bujayr
seeking his advice. In this short verse, he described Prophet as ‘trustworthy’.
Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬is reported to have said commenting about his own
description: “He has told the truth, although he is a confirmed liar. I am certainly
“trustworthy.” Prophet is reported to have added: “Certainly, the moral values of
Islam were not known to his parents.” It seems that Bujayr sent his advice,
mixed in prose and poetry, to his brother to submit himself before the Prophet
‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬who was a very kind-hearted person and would forgive him.
Bujayr wrote to his brother:

َ َ ‫بي صلي هللا عليه وس ّلم ا‬

َ ‫هو َر َد َّم‬
‫ک َو ما‬ َ ‫سالم علي َمن ا تّبَع الهدي ا ّما بَع ُد فَاَعلم يا اَخي هدا‬
ّ ‫ک هللاُ اَنَّ ال ّن‬ ّ ‫ال‬
‫ُمري اِذا‬ َ ُ
ِ ‫لق منه َم َّدة ع‬ ُ
ِ ‫سن الخ‬ َ َ
َ ‫وب َما َرايتُ اح‬
َ ُ‫ستر العُي‬ ُ َ‫نوب َو ي‬ ّ
َ ‫يغفرالذ‬
ُ ُ َ َ
‫فاجيَا فاس ِلم تس ِلم رسولنا حليم‬ ِ ‫ک‬ ِ ‫اَح‬
َ ُ‫سب‬
َ ‫ت َ َو َّجهتَ اِلي ِه َيعفُو ع‬
‫َنک‬

Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وس ّلم‬had never killed anyone who declared his
repentance of past hostility against Islam, no matter how grave his crime was.
The examples of Wahshi who had killed his dear most uncle Hamzah ‫عليه السالم‬
at the battle of Uhud and Hind, sister of Abu Sufyan who had disfigured and
desecreated the body of Hamzah ‫ عليه السالم‬but was pardoned by the Prophet,
came to Ka’ab’s mind. Thus, Ka’ab who had been deserted by friends, headed
for Madinah. Fearing Prophet’s earlier order ُ‫ َمن لَ َقي کعب فَليَقتُلُه‬he used to travel at
night hiding himself at day time. Once in Madinah, he got shelter at Abu Bakar
Siddique ‫( رضي هللا تعالى عنه‬some say, at a relative from Juhainah). Next morning,
he reached Prophet SAW’s mosque where Ali A.S. asked him who he was. He
replied that he was a traveler who had come to see the Prophet SAW. When
permitted entry inside, he raised the cries of ‫ االَمان االَمان‬One of the Ansar
recognized Ka’b and asked for Prophet SAW’s permission to kill him. At this,
Ka’b said that he had repented and embraced Islam. He asked for pardon.
Prophet SAW said: .ُ‫ ا ِالسالم يَم ُحو ما ققبلَه‬Thus, he joined prayers behind Prophet
‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬and embraced Islam. Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬asked
Abu Bakar to utter what Ka’ab had said in his derogatory verses. When Abu
Bakar reached at ‫ فانهلك المأمور وعلكا‬, Ka’ab said: “No more ‫ المآمور‬but I said
‫المأمون‬.” Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬said: “By God ‫المأمون‬.” He was greatly
pleased with Ka’ab who recited his elegy which later became known as
‫ قصيدةالبردة‬. When he reached the verse:
‫ان الرسول لنور يستضاء به – مهند من سيوف هللا مسلول‬

Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬was so pleased that he appointed him as a
distinguished poet on his side, appreciated him and granted him his Burdah
(striped robe). Of the four famous poets-laureate of the Prophet SAW namely:
Ka’b bin Zohair, Ka’b bin Malik, Hassan bin Thabit and Abdullah bin Rawaha,
Ka’b bin Zohair was certainly the most distinguished. Thus, Ka’ab’s elegy also
became famous as Burdah Ka’ab. Later, Muawiyah had wanted to buy this
blessed garment Burdah (robe) but Ka’ab refused to sell Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و‬
‫’ آله وسلّم‬s gift. When he died, Muawiyah turned to his descendants and bought
it at a price of 40,000 Dirhams. This robe was later inherited by subsequent
Caliphs who used to wear it on Eid festivals/prayers. Thus, it came down to
Ottoman Caliphs. Sultan Murad II preserved it in a box made of gold.
Reportedly, it still remains preserved there until now at Astana in Turkey (or
possibly at Top Kapi Museum in Istanbul).
Essence of Ka’ab’s Burdah in praise of Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وس ّلم‬: Ka’ab
uttered his Qaseedah (60 verses) in an unusual way, starting with ode-pattern
and expressing a desire for the beloved. Ka’ab speaks of his desire for a certain
character named Su’aad who is away from him. He is her captive and she is
either his mistress or likely his wife as report some tales. This part ends at verse
14. One must not forget the Arab cultural aspect here that the poet talks of his
romantic feelings in front of Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬immediately after a
morning prayer in the mosque and he is not stopped by the Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫و آله وسلّم‬. Instead, he is granted amnesty. Thus, the ode was not for selfish
expressions but what comes in later verses expresses poet’s immense love for
Allah’s religion and praise of Prophet Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬. He seeks
a union with Su’aad, expresses his pleasure on the blessing of pledging
allegiance to the Prophet of Islam and expresses his feelings of gladness or
‫ السعادة‬about entry into a new religion. An in-depth look at this Qaseedah makes
clear that it is the embracing of Islam that is Su’aad, other references being to
his brother’s letter of advice, amnesty and protection from the Prophet ‫صلى هللا‬
‫ عليه و آله وسلّم‬and his own warm feelings about entry into the new religion.

Part Two of Ka’ab’s Burdah is a praise of his camel or carrier (as was the
case about horses and camels during that period). Camel becomes a source of
transportation to reach Su’aad, hence a mention of camel’s training, upbringing,
feeding, virtues etc. Here the poet uses, unlike Roman or Persian phrases,
desert-Arabic words. These attributes stretch upto verse 39. Suddenly, he turns
to the praise of Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬and speaks of amnesty from the
Prophet of Islam ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬in the next four verses with full force. A
man with price on his head, a fugitive is suddenly given a new lease of life, this
induces the poet to utter words of wisdom as appears in his verses;

1st wisdom or fact: ‫( انه ال صديق االّ نفسه‬his verse ‫)كل صديق عنك مشغول‬
2nd wisdom or fact: ‫( ان هللا يفعل ما يشآء‬his verse ‫)و كل ما قدرالرحمان مفعول‬
3rd wisdom or fact: ‫( ان كل انسان مهما طالت به الحياة سينتهى الى التراب‬his verse ‫يوم على‬
‫)آلة حدبآء محمول‬

We must not forget him saying

‫نبئت ان رسول هللا أوعدني – والعفو عند رسول هللا مأمول‬

The word ‫ نبئت‬is a ray of light or the start of a new life. Continuing his
praise for the Prophet, he confesses his sins and pledges to give up old habits.
In it, he also associates other companions of the Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬.
He accepts Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬with his heart and soul, takes Quran as
the miracle descended from heavens, as he says;
‫مهال هداك الذى أعطاك نافلة – القرآن فيها مواعيظ و تفصيل‬

Just in one verse, he speaks about his life spared by Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
ّ‫ )مهال( و آله وسلم‬and also speaks of the Quran as God’s word and a miracle of the
Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬. His soul opens up to Islam in full, changing for him
a life of despair to one full of safety and security. Here, he sits in the assembly
of Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬who has a majesty and awe amongst his
companions. He ends up his elegy in praise of Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬in
the last 8 verses, touching on latter’s emigration to Madinah, his battles with
non-believers etc. The beginning of this part is so touching and befitting;
‫ان الرسول لنور يستضاء به – مهند من سيوف هللا مسلول‬

He describes Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وس ّلم‬as the light and a sword,
describing Muslim armies as brave and undeterred, ready to embrace death
voluntarily and showing no back. This Qaseedah is an example for the poets of
pre-Islamic and early Islamic epoch, composed on pre-Islamic pattern but
subject-wise, it’s a piece of Islamic poetry, from a poet who, on the one hand,
had witnessed the Days of Ignorance ‫ايّام الجاهليّه‬, then sided with unbelievers;
this being the poet’s first Qaseedah after his conversion to Islam. This brings
Ka’ab to the top list of post-Islamic poets except probably for Hassan Bin Thabit-
the official poet of the Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬

Interestingly, Ka’ab’s Qaseedah praises the Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬
and his companions; especially Muhajirun (who migrated from Makkah to
Madinah) but it does not include any praise of the Ansaars (Madinite helpers –
Ansaars who gave shelter to refugees- Muhajirun). Some say that Ka’ab recited
the Qaseedah some days after his arrival in Madinah and Ansaars were omitted
because one of them had suggested the Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬for killing
the Ka’ab. According to Adil Salahi, the author of ‘Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه و آله‬
‫ وسلّم‬Man and Prophet’, it is perhaps more accurate to say that in keeping with
traditions of the time, Ka’ab recited his poem on the very first morning of arrival
in Madinah. That Ansaars were omitted in it is due to the fact that Ka’ab did not
know much about them. He praised Muhajirun because they were his own
people who had supported the Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه و آله وسلّم‬ever since the early
days of Islam. Shortly afterwards, Ka’ab composed a fine poem praising
Ansaar, after having learnt fully the true nature of their role in serving the cause
of Islam.
 Ka’b ibn Zohair’s ‘SU’AAD HAS DEPARTED’
Part-I: (Nasīb) (Verses 1–14)

(1)
‫نت سعاد؛ فقلبی الیوم متبول‬َ‫با‬
‫د‬ ‫ّیم إثر‬
َ‫ لم یف‬، ‫َها‬ ‫مت‬
‫مکبول‬
‫ ہےملول‬،‫ آج ميرا دل بيمار محبت‬،‫سعاد چلی گئی‬ ُ
‫ پابند سالسل‬،‫ بنا رهائی‬،‫پرچهائياں ڈہونڈتا ہوا‬

.‫سعاد رفت و قلب من امروز اسير او شده و فديه ای برای آزادی او داده نشده است‬

Su’aad did depart and today my heart is in pain

Sick I’m seeking her traces; ransomed, in chain

Glossary:
‫ بانَت‬: (from ‫ بينونه‬،‫ )بين‬be separate, far distant, distinct, divorce, depart
‫ سعا ُد‬: Sweetheart; lady of the ode
‫ متبو ُل‬: (from‫ تبل‬to consume) destroy, annihilate, inflict a calamity (Itbal:
drive out of one’s senses/ confuse a man’s mind (woman)
‫ ُمتّي ٌم‬: (from ‫ تيم‬،‫ (تام‬enslave, degrade, inspire with love
‫ إثر‬: sign, trace left behind
‫ لم يُف َد‬: (from ‫فديه‬ransom) not ransomed
‫ مکبو ُل‬: (from‫ کبل‬to imprison) enchained, imprisoned (Kubal: to fetter a
prisoner)

(2)
‫ اذا‬،‫ غداة البین‬،‫و ما سعاد‬
‫رحلوا‬
ّ
‫ غضیض الطرف‬، ‫إل أغن‬
‫مکحول‬
‫روتے هرن مثل لگتی تہی سعاد جب چلے وه لوگ کل‬
‫ نگه نيچی گهايل‬،‫ سرمہ لگی آنکهيں‬،‫ُگنگناتی هوئی‬
 ‫ سعاد به مانند يک آهويی بود که چشمانش پر از‬،‫زمانی که قوم سعاد اين منطقه را ترک کردند‬
.‫سرمه بود و در صدايش غنه داشت‬

Like a whining antelope Su’aad parted that morn

Humming; collyrium in eyes, a dazed look down

Glossary:
‫غداة‬: morning
‫ رحل‬: to travel, to depart
ُّ‫ أغن‬: to hum, make soft melodies (also to make noise through nostrils)
‫غضيض‬ُ : (from ‫ ) غض‬to lower, diminish, withhold
‫ مکحو ُل‬: eyes darkened with collyrium (antimony)

(3)
‫َة‬
‫ِر‬‫َاء مدب‬ َِ‫هیفاء مقب‬
‫لۃ عجز‬
‫َل طَول‬ ّ ‫َکَي َقصر‬
‫ِنها و‬
‫م‬ ‫َشت‬
‫ل ی‬
‫ پلڻتے موڻے سرين‬،‫پتلی کمر سامنے سے جب آئے‬
‫گلہ بنتا نهيں کہ اسکا قد هے کوتاه ياہےطويل‬

‫ هيچ کس‬.‫طرف پشت سرين پُرگوشت است‬

ِ ‫طرف جلو خيلی باريک به نظر ميرسد؛ از‬
ِ ‫دور کمرش از‬
.‫نمی تواند که از قدش شکايت بکند که خيلی کوتاه يا خيلی طوالنی است‬

Her waist is slim from front; butts flesh-laden

Of her tall or short height, none can complain

Glossary:
‫ هيفا ُء‬: (woman) with a slim waist
‫ ُمق ِبلَ ًۃ‬:when she comes/appears from front
‫عجزا ُء‬ َ :buttock (fleshy one). Big butts with slim waist is sign of beauty in
Arabs
ً‫ ُمدبِ َرة‬:when she shows her back
‫ ال يَشتَکَي‬:There is no fault/nothing to complaint about
‫ قَصر‬: shortness (in height)
‫ َطو ُل‬: tall (in height)

(4)
‫ اذا ابتسمت‬، ‫تجلو عوارضَ ذی ظلم‬
‫ معـلول‬،ِ‫کـــأنه منهل بالراح‬
 ‫جب وه مسکرائے اسکے دانتوں کی سفيدی چمکے‬
‫جيسے لے مے کےگهونٹ ايک کے بعد ايک مسلسل‬

‫ گويی آب بر روی‬.‫ گويی آثار شراب بر روی دندان های براقش پيدا می شود‬،‫هنگامی که می خندد‬
.‫دندان هايش برای نخستين بار و چندمين بار با شراب سيراب شده است‬

As she smiled, glowing white teeth made exposition

Like sipping wine draughts in successive repetition

Glossary:
‫ تجلو‬: (from‫)جالء‬to illuminate, lighten
‫عوارض‬
َ : frontal teeth which expose during smile
‫ ذی َظلم‬: Zalam: whiteness (of teeth) . Not ‫ظلم‬ ُ Zulm which means
oppression
‫ منه ٌل‬:(pl. is ‫ )مناهل‬a watering place, place with a spring in desert ii) ‫ ين ِه ُل‬،‫ن ِهل‬
to take a first drink or draught/quench thirst
ِ‫ راح‬: liquid, drink, wine
‫( معـلو ُل‬from ‫ )عل‬to drink again for satiation. Camels have a habit to take a
sip then raise head (called ‫)نهل‬. Second time they take large sip called ‫عل‬

(5)
‫َّـــت بذی شبم من ماء‬
‫شج‬
‫محنیه‬
‫ أضحی و هو مشمول‬،َ
‫صاف بأبطح‬
‫ ڻهنڈا پانی کنکريوں پہ بہتا هوا‬،‫ندی کا موڑ‬
‫وادی کاصاف پانی جس پہ گذری هوباد شمال‬

‫شرابی که از آب خنکی آميخته شده و در پيچی رها شده و در دشت رها شده و باد شمال نيز بر آن‬
‫وزيده‬

At river’s bend, a cool water in unison with wine

Purified in wadi on which north-wind has blown

Glossary:
‫ش َّجـــت‬
ُ : to mix water in wine
‫ شبم‬: cold (‫ يوم ذو شب ِم‬means a cold day)
‫ محنيه‬: river’s angulation where water is pure and cold
‫ أبط َح‬: wide stream in hills with small pebbles in sediment. Its water is
clean
‫ أضحی‬: morning hours when sun is yet not in full heat
‫ مشمو ُل‬: hit by northern ‫( شمال‬cold) wind

(6)
َ
‫ و‬،‫تنفی الریاح القذی عنه‬
‫أفرطه‬
‫ بیض‬، ‫من صوب ساریة‬
‫یعالیل‬
‫هوائوں کے گذر سے اسکی دهول گئی هودُهل‬
‫ پها ڑوں کی خنکی شامل‬،‫رات کی زورداربارش‬

‫ خار و خاشاک را از آب دور می کنند و باران های ابر سفيد و پهناور شباهنگام آن را پر می‬،‫بادها‬
.‫کنند‬

Winds dispel dirt particles and also bring addition

By nightly cloud and waters from glacial mountain

Glossary:
‫ تَنفی‬: dispel, remove
‫ح‬
ُ ‫ ريا‬: (pl. of ‫ )ريح‬winds
‫ قذی‬: mote or small particle (in the eye) or the ones floating on running
waters
ُ‫ أفرطه‬: to fill, saturate
‫ صوب‬: heavy downpour
‫ سارية‬: clouds that pour at night ( morning clouds are called ‫)غاديه‬
‫( يعاليل‬plural of ‫ )يعلول‬: i) bubbles that make up on rain drops ii) white
mountains from which ice or rain water descends down into rivers

(7)
‫دَقت‬
َ‫َــ‬
‫نها ص‬ َّ‫ِها خ‬
ّ‫ لو أ‬،‫لة‬ ‫ِم ب‬‫َکر‬
‫ا‬
‫َ مقبول‬ ‫َّ النصح‬
‫َ أن‬ ‫ أو‬،‫َها‬
‫َلو‬ ‫موعود‬
‫بڑی اچہی دوست گر س ّچی رهتی وعدے کی‬
‫کم از کم دوست کا مشوره تووه کرليتی قبول‬
،‫اگر سعاد به عهد خود وفا می کرد و به گفته ی خود پايبند می بود و نصحيت ها را می پذيرفت‬
.‫دوست خوبی می بود‬

She was great mate; if true to her word she’d been

Committed in accepting advice she had been given

Glossary:
‫کرم بِها‬ِ َ ‫ا‬: What made Su’aad so honoured (exclamation)
ً‫ ُخلَّة‬: friend (its plural is ‫ )اخالء‬from ‫خليل‬
‫ موعو َد‬: promise
‫ نُص َح‬: advice, counsel

(8)
‫لة قـــد سیــطَ من دمــها‬َّ‫َّها خ‬
‫لکن‬
َ‫ و و‬،‫فجع‬
‫ و إخالف و‬،‫َلع‬
‫تبدیل‬
‫ايسی محبوبه جسکے خون ميں هے شامل‬
‫ قول کرنا تبديل‬،‫ وعده خالفی‬،‫ هتهيانا‬،‫تڑپانا‬

.‫اما سعاد خونش با مصيبت و دروغ و خلف وعده مخلوط شده است‬

A friend in whose blood one noticed was hidden

Disaster, falsehood, perfidy and promise broken

Glossary:
‫ سيــ َط‬: (from ‫ط‬ ُ ‫سو‬
ُ ‫ ي‬،‫ ) ساط‬to mix, mingle, link
‫ فج ٌع‬: calamity
‫( َول ٌع‬Wal’u) : Falsehood, lie, deprive one of his right (‫ ول ُع‬Wala’u= violent
love, passion)
‫خالف‬
ٌ َ ‫ ا‬: )pl. of Khulf‫)خلف‬
ُ breach of word or promise (Khalf /Akhlaf means
successor)
‫تبدي ُل‬: perfidy

(9)
‫فما تدوم علی حال تکون بها‬
‫َّن فی أثوابها الغــول‬
‫کما تلــو‬
‫نهيں رهتی ايک حال پر ڻک کر وه کبهی بہی‬
 ‫بدلے رنگ ايسےجيسے بدلے لباس کوئی چڑيل‬

‫ مانند غولی که دائما‬،‫سعاد پيوسته در حال تغيير خصوصيات خود است و به عهد خود وفا نمی کند‬
.‫در حال تغيير است و از شکلی به شکل ديگر در می آيد‬

She does not stay in one form or condition

But turns colours (as) clothes, like a demon

Glossary:
‫ تدو ُم‬:to stay, permanence, consistency
‫تلــون‬
َّ : to change colours (mood, temperament)
‫ أثواب‬: clothes (pl. of ‫) ثوب‬
‫ غــو ُل‬:demon, genii that takes varied forms/calamity, misfortune. In Arabia,
desert-dwellers find a genii who appears in different forms and colours to
frighten men. It takes the shape of a dog or cat, sometimes red, at others
black; sometimes two-legged, at others four-legged. In Persia, they call
it ‫غول بياباني‬

(10)
ْ
‫مت‬ ‫َع‬
َْ ‫ِ الذي ز‬
‫هد‬ ‫َسَّك بالع‬
َْ َ ‫ول‬
‫تم‬
‫َراب‬
‫ِیل‬ ‫ء الغ‬
َ‫ِك الما‬ ْ‫َما ی‬
‫مس‬ ‫إلَّ ك‬
‫عهد و پيمان پر نهيں رهتی وه کبہی بہی قائم‬
‫جيسے چهلنی کا پانی فورا باہر جاتا ہے نکل‬

، ‫ چون غربالی که آب هيچگاه بر روی آن باقی نمی ماند‬، ‫معشوق هيچگاه به وعده خود عمل نکرد‬
.‫يعنی به دنبال معشوقی هستم که به وعده اش عمل نمی کند‬

She sticks not to her word or expression

How can a sieve, for long, water contain?

Glossary:
َّ ‫ ت َ َم‬:to fulfill, grab, hold fast to
ُ‫سك‬
‫ َزعَم‬: say, assert, pretend, be of opinion
‫ الغَرابِي ُل‬: sieve
‫نہ صبر در د ِل عاشق نہ آب در غربال‬

(11)
ْ‫عدَت‬َ ‫فال يَغُ َّر ْنكَ ما َمنَّتْ وما َو‬
‫ضلي ُل‬ْ َ ‫ي واألحْ ال َم ت‬
َّ ِ‫إنَّ األمان‬
 ‫اسکی اميد دالنے کا يا وعده کا دهوکه نه کهانا‬
‫ خواب کرتے هيں خوار و ذليل‬،‫جهوڻی تمنّائيں‬

.‫ زيرا که آمال ها و بلندپروازی ها مايه گمراهی است‬،‫ تو را نفريبد‬،‫وعده هايی که می دهد‬

‫ فال يغُر ْنك‬: May not be deceived O you!

‫ت‬ ْ ‫ من‬:favours she gives hopes of
‫ أمانِي‬: aspirations, desires (pl. of ‫)امنِيه‬
‫ أحْ الم‬: dreams (pl. of ‫)حلم‬
‫ تضْلي ُل‬: to mislead someone, put one astray

Don’t be duped by her promises or expectation

One gets misled by dreams and false aspiration

Literal Translation:
Let not the wishes she inspired and the promise she made beguile
thee: lo, these
ishes and dreams are a delusion. how theyIn is blood (it weeps),
hatoo does

12
‫كانَتْ َمواعي ُد ع ُْرقوب لَها َمثَال‬
‫وما َموا ِعيدُها إال َّ األباطي ُل‬

‫اسکے وعدےــ وعده عُرقوب کی مثل‬

‫سارے واعدے هوتے تهے بالکل باطل‬

.‫پيمان های او به مانند داستان عرقوب است که تنها و تنها باطل و خيال است‬

‫ َمواعي ُد‬: (plural of ‫ )موعد‬rendez-vous, promised time, place

‫ ع ُْرقوب‬: A man from Umalqa tribe who is notorious for breach of promises.
One day, his brother asked him for some dates. He promised that when
they get green I will give you. When dates turned green, he refused
brother’s demand, saying when they turn red I will give you. When dates
turned red, he said I will give you when they become dry. Meanwhile, he
plucked all the dates overnight, leaving nothing for his brother.
‫ أباطي ُل‬: (plural of ‫ ) باطل‬false, illusionary

She acted like Urqoob in keeping her word or obligation

Promises she made were nothing but false; a deception

Literal Translation:
The promise of `Urqub were a parable of her, and his promise were
naught but vanity.
‫ديدي كه يار جز سر جور و ستم نداشت‬
‫بشكست عهد وز غم ما هيچ غم نداشت‬
As you saw, friend had only cruelty and oppression
Broke promise and of our grief, he held no concern

13
ُ َ ْ
‫أرجو وآ ُم ُل أن تدْنو َم َو َّدتها‬ ْ
ْ َ ْ َ
‫وما إِخا ُل ل َديْنا ِمن ِك تنوي ُل‬

‫مجہےاميد اسکی دوستی مالئيگی اورقريب‬

‫ليکن خيال نهيں مانتا تيرا مليگا بہی وصل‬

‫ ولی گمان نمی کنم که از تو ای سعاد‬،‫اميد دارم و آرزويم اين است که عشق وی شامل حال ما شود‬
.‫بهره ای نايل شوم‬

‫أرجو‬ ْ : I hope
‫ وآ ُم ُل‬: I have covet, I desire
‫ دْنو‬: to be closer
ُ‫ مودت‬: friendship, intimacy
‫ إِخا ُل‬: think, imagine
‫ ت ْنوي ُل‬: bestow, grant, large

I covet that her intimacy with me will strengthen

But getting from you my desire, I do not imagine

Literal Translation:
I hope and expect that women will ever be ready to keep their word
but never
me thinks are they ready.
‫سرشک در طلب درها فشانيد‬
‫ولی از وصف اوبی حاصلی بود‬
My tears shed pearls, union they did anticipate
But given his characteristic, I had no any profit

14
‫أرض اليُبَ ِلّغُها‬
ْ ِ‫سعا ُد ب‬ُ ْ‫ست‬ َ ‫أم‬ ْ
ِ ‫ق النَّجيباتُ ال َمرا‬
‫سي ُل‬ ُ ‫إال َّ ال ِعتا‬

‫سعاد شام کو پهنچی ايسی زمين جہاں‬

ُ
‫صرف پهنچا سکتی هيں اونڻنياں اصيل‬
‫سعاد در سرزمينی شب را به صبح می رساند که جز شترانی اصيل و تيزپا و تندرو نمی تواند به آن‬
.‫جا راه يابد‬

‫ت‬ ْ ‫ ْأمس‬from ‫مساء‬: had her night, evening hour

‫ يُب ِل ُغ‬: reaches
ُ ‫ال ِع‬plural of ‫ عتيق‬: she-camel
‫تاق‬
‫ النجيب‬: high-breed, noble
: plural ‫ مرسال‬Comfortable she-camel whose run is smooth for the rider
‫المرا ِسي ُل‬of

Su’aad reached at a place around evening time span

Where reach only she-camels of high breed-n-origin

Literal Translation:
In the evening Su'ad came to a land whither none is brought save by
camels that are excellent and noble and fleet.
_________________________________________________________
____________
‫يا راکبا تبری عن موثقی و هادی‬
‫ان تلق اهل نجد کلم بحسب حالی‬
O camel rider who has left my place of habitat
If ye meet Najd dwellers, tell them of my state

Part-II: Desert Journey (Rahil) (Verses 15–38)

15
ٌ‫غذا ِف َرة‬
ُ ّ ‫ولَ ْن يُ َب ِلّغَها إال‬
‫إرقا ٌل وتَبْغي ُل‬ ْ ‫علَى األي ِْن‬ َ ‫لها‬

‫وهاں پہنچا سکتی ہےصرف مضبوط اونڻنی‬

‫ کرے حکم کی تعميل‬،‫تهکےپهربهی دوڑے‬

‫به آن منطقه نمی رسد جز شتری بسيار نيرومند که با وجود خستگی هم چنان با نشاط و شاداب به‬
.‫راه خود ادامه دهد‬

‫غذافِرة‬ ُ : fleshy, strong, muscular she-camel

‫ األي ِْن‬: to get fatigue, get exhaustion
‫إرقال‬ ْ : run fast on foot
‫ تبْغي ُل‬: to obey, be docile
Never can reach a she-camel except sturdy one
Despite fatigue, obediently-n-fast she does run

Literal Translation:
To bring him there he wants a stout she -camel which, though
fatigued, loses not her wonted speed and pace;
_________________________________________________________
___________
‫شهسوار من كه مه آيينه دار روي اوست‬
‫تاج خورشيد بلندش خاك نعل مركب است‬
Our horse-rider whose face does reflect moon
Dust of his horse's heelpiece, high sun's crown

16
َْ‫ِم ْن ُك ِ ّل نَضَّا َخ ِة ال ِذّ ْف َرى إذا ع َِرقت‬
‫ْالم َمجْ هو ُل‬
ِ ‫س األع‬ ُ ‫طام‬ِ ‫ضتُها‬ َ ‫ع ُْر‬

‫ايسی اونڻنی جب پسينه آئے تو کان سے ڻپکے‬

‫قصد راستوں کا جن کے نشان لوگ گئےبهول‬

‫از آن شترانی که جوی عرق در زير گوششان شکل می گيرد و بيابان های بی نام و نشان را در می‬
.‫نوردند‬

‫ نضاخ ِة‬: sprinkler (watering. First stage is ‫ مسح‬, second stage is ‫ بل‬, third
stage is ‫ نضح‬, fourth stage is ‫ نضخ‬and fifth stage is ‫)غسل‬
‫ ال ِذ ْفرى‬: small bone behind the lobe of the ear
‫ ع ِرق‬: to sweat
‫ع ْرض‬ ُ : effort, resolve
‫س‬ ُ ‫طام‬
ِ :effaced, erased, collapsed ( ‫ طموس‬to be lost, be non-existent)
‫ْالم‬
ِ ‫ األع‬: (plural of ‫ ) علم‬signs, traces
‫ مجْ هو ُل‬: not known, having become extinct, traceless

She-camel when sweating, from ear-lobe its effusion

Aiming at paths which are traceless, having lost sign

Literal Translation:
One that largely bedews the bone behind her ear when she sweats,
one that sets
himself to cross a trackless unknown wilderness;
‫با هيچ كس نشاني زان دلستان نديدم‬
‫يا من خبر ندارم يا او نشان ندارد‬
No trace of the heart-teaser by any person I could find
Either he has left no trace or I remained all along blind
 ‫‪17‬‬
‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ‬
‫يوب بِعَ ْين ْي ُمف َرد ل ِهق‬ ‫ُ‬
‫ت َ ْر ِمي الغ َ‬
‫والمي ُل‬
‫از ِ‬ ‫إذا ت َ َوقَّ َد ِ‬
‫ت ال َح َّز ُ‬

‫دور نگاه کو دوڑائےجيسے اکيال سفيد جنگلی بيل‬

‫زيرسورج مشتعل‬‫جب ڻيلے اور سخت زمين تپيں‪ِ ،‬‬

‫ناکجاها را با چشمانی سفيد شبيه به گاو نر وحشی می پيمايد آن گاه که سرزمين های سخت وخاک‬
‫های متراکم از شدت گرما شعله ور می شود‪.‬‬

‫‪: things far off, at a distance‬غيب ‪plural of‬الغُيوب‬

‫‪ُ : antelope‬م ْفرد‬
‫‪ : white‬ل ِهق‬
‫ت‬ ‫‪ : fuel, combustion stuff‬وقود ‪ from‬توقد ِ‬
‫از‬ ‫‪ : rugged terrain, hill-tacks‬الحز ُ‬
‫المي ُل‬
‫‪ : sand dunes‬ميالء ‪ِ plural of‬‬

‫‪She casts looks far wide, like a white antelope lone‬‬

‫‪When sand dunes-n-rugged terrain burn under sun‬‬

‫‪Literal Translation:‬‬
‫‪Scanning the high grounds with eyes keen as those of a solitary‬‬
‫)‪white oryx when stony levels and sand - hills are kindled (by the sun‬‬
‫;‬
‫عكس خوي بر عارضش بين كفتاب گرم رو‬
‫در هواي آن عرق تا هست هر روزش تب است‬
‫‪Sweat shines on his cheek, even oven-hot sun‬‬
‫‪Seeks his sweat, is in constant febrile condition‬‬

‫‪18‬‬
‫ض َْخ ٌم ُمقَلَّدُها فَ ْعم ُمقَيَّدُها‬
‫ت الفَحْ ِل ت َ ْفضي ُل‬ ‫في َخ ْل ِقها ع َْن بَنا ِ‬

‫موڻی گردن والی اونڻنياں‪ ،‬پاؤں پُرگوشت‬

‫تخليق ميں نر اونٹ کي بيڻياں ـ اعلی نسل‬

‫دارای گردی زخيم‪ ،‬و پيشانی وسيع و فراخ‪ ،‬و از ديگر اشتران هم نوع خود‪ ،‬برتر و نيکو تر است‪.‬‬

‫‪: Thick, swollen, inflated‬ض ْخم‬

‫‪ُ : neck‬مقل ُد‬
‫ ف ْعم‬Meat-bearing, fleshy
‫افعم‬filled the vessel, ‫ افعم االعضا ُء‬: with a muscular body and sturdy organs
‫االنا ُء‬
‫ ُمقي ُد‬: part of the foot where rope is knotted to halt/station the animal
‫الفحْ ِل‬high-breed male-camels ( ‫ت الفَحْ ِل‬ِ ‫ بَنا‬: daughters of best male-camels)
ْ
‫ تفضي ُل‬: better than those (camels)

Fleshy necked, rope-tie part of feet healthy-n-swollen

Daughters of best camels, none matching in creation

Literal Translation:
Big in the neck, fleshy in the hock surpassing in her make the other
daughters of the sire;
_________________________________________________________
___________
‫دختری شبگرد و تلخ و تيز و گلرنگ است و مست‬
‫ به سوی خانہ حافظ بريد‬،‫گر بيابيدش‬
Daughter night-wanderer, sharp, intoxicated
If ye find her, bring her back to Hafiz’s abode

19
ٌ‫ع ْلكوم ُم َذك َّْرة‬ َ
َ ‫غ ْلبا ُء َوجْ نا ُء‬
ٌ
‫س َعة قُدَّا َمها ِمي ُل‬َ ‫في د َْفها‬

‫مضبوط قوی کی اونڻنی‬،‫ بڑےرخسار‬،‫موڻی گردن‬

‫ گردن اڻهی مناره کے مثل‬،‫پهلوؤں ميں کشادگی‬

،‫و شبيه به شتر نر است‬،‫ و جثه ای بزرگ دارد‬،‫و گونه ای بسيار وسيع‬،‫دارای گردنی بزرگ است‬
.‫پهلوی آن فراخ و گردنی بسيار دراز دارد‬

‫ غ ْلبا ُء‬: with fleshy, muscular neck

‫ وجْ نا ُء‬: cheeks well padded
‫ ع ْلكوم‬: sturdy, stout she-camel
‫ ُمذك ْرة‬: she-camel that matches in strength, running power and load-
carrying to its male
‫ف‬ ْ ‫ د‬: loin, sides
‫ سعة‬: ample space, breadth
‫ قُدام‬: front side (as opposed to backside)
‫ ِمي ُل‬: measure of distance, ii) also milestone, minaret to show mile-post

She-camel padded at neck, cheeks; in shape masculine

Broader in the beam with wide loins, neck is long drawn
Literal Translation:
Thick-necked full cheeked robust male like her flanks wide her front
(tall) as a
milestone;
‫گناه چشم سياه تو بود و گردن دلخواه‬
‫كه من چو آهوي وحشي ز آدمي برميدم‬
It was your dark eyes, a neck that did entice
Like a deer I started fearing the human race

20
ُ‫سه‬ ُ ْ
ُ ِّ‫وجلدُها ِمن أطوم ال يُ َؤي‬ْ ِ
َ ْ
‫بضاحيَ ِة ال َمتني ِْن َمهْزو ُل‬
ِ ‫َط ْل ٌح‬

‫نهيں اثرچيچڑوں کااسکی کچہوے جيسی کهال پر‬

‫ مضحمل‬،‫ بهلے دِکهےالغر‬،‫پشت يا سامنے سے‬

‫ کنه حتی به هنگام تابش‬،‫و پوست آن شتر به مانند الک پشت است که با وجود الغری اندام و کمر‬
.‫خورشيد ( يعنی زمان اوج قدرت کنه) نمی تواند در وی تاثيری داشته باشد‬

‫أُطوم‬: tortoise-skin, slippery glossy skin

‫س‬ ُ ِ‫ يُؤي‬: to prick, tease, irritate
‫ ط ْلح‬: mites, ticks
‫ضاحي ِة‬
ِ : part of an animal exposed to sun
‫( متْني ِْن‬from ‫ (متن‬: two sides of the back, right and left of the spine
‫ م ْهزو ُل‬: weak and lean

Prevented from attack by ticks due to its tortoise-skin

They can’t affect its front or belly though it looks lean

Literal Translation:
Whose tortoise -shell skin is not pierced at last even by a lean
(hungry) tick on the outside of her back;
‫در ضعيفی و نزاری تن بيچاره من‬
‫چو هاللی است کہ انگشت نما می گردد‬
In weakness, my feeble body turned slimmer
Like a crescent, so weak and thin as a finger

21
‫ف أخوها أبوها ِمن ُم َه َّجنَة‬ ٌ ‫َح ْر‬
َ
‫ع ُّمها خالُها ق ْودا ُء ش ِْملي ُل‬
َ ‫و‬

‫ جسکا خاندان ہےاصيل‬،‫قوي الجثّہ اونڻنی‬

 ‫گردن اسکی طويل‬،‫چچا ماموں تک؛ تيزرو‬

‫ و عمو و دايی وی دراز‬،‫ برادر و پدرش از اشترانی نيکو و با اصل و نسب هستند‬،‫الغر اندام است‬
.‫گردن و تندرو هستند‬

‫ ح ْرف‬: slim-waist, heavy-built she-camel

‫ ُمهجنة‬:white she-camel of Arab-breed
‫ ق ْودا ُء‬: she-camel whose back and neck is long
‫ ْش ِملي ُل‬: fast-paced, speedy in run

Sturdy with unadulterated blood; of high-breed-n-origin

Pure maternal-n-paternal roots; long-necked, fast in run

Literal Translation:
A hardy beast whose brother is her sire by a noble dam, and her
sire's brother is her dam's brother; a long - necked one and nimble.
‫حافظ ز جان محب رسول است و آل او‬
‫حقا!بر اين گواست خداوند داورم‬
Hafiz whole-heartedly in love of progeny of Prophet
I swear, God- my justice is witness to this Statement

22
ُ
ُ‫يَ ْمشي القُرا ُد عَليْها ث َّم يُ ْز ِلقُه‬
‫راب َزها ِلي ُل‬
ٌ ‫وأق‬ْ ٌ‫ِم ْنها ِلبان‬

‫چيچڑی اگر اس ناقہ پرچلے توپهسالديں‬

‫اسکا سينه اورکوکهيں جو هيں بَهری فُل‬

‫ لغزنده است و کنه بعد از راه رفتن بر پوستش می لغزد و به پايين‬،‫سينه و لگن خاصره های اين شتر‬
.‫می افتد‬

‫ القُرا ُد‬plural of ‫قِردان‬: tick, mites

‫ ي ُْز ِل ُق‬from ‫ اِزالق‬: to make one slip, to fall
‫ ِلبان‬: chest (of an animal)
‫ أ ْقراب‬: loins/sides of an animal
‫ زها ِلي ُل‬plural of ‫ زهلو ُل‬: smooth, levelled

Slips down when a tick moves on her skin

Both her chest and sides make it fall soon

Literal Translation:
The qurad (A large species of tick) crawls over her then her smooth
breast and flanks cause it to slip off.
 ‫عشق دوست ہر ساعت دروں نار می رقصم‬
ِ ‫کہ‬
‫ گاہے بر خار می رقصم‬, ‫گاہےبر خاک می غلتم‬

In love of sweetheart, in fire every minute, I dance

At times on thorns, at time slip in the dust, I dance
(Shahbaz Qalandar Uthman Marvandi R.A.)

23
‫ض ع َْن ع ُُرض‬ َ ُ ٌ
ِ ْ‫عيْرانَة ق ِذفتْ بالنَّح‬ َ
ْ
‫ور َمفتو ُل‬ ُّ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫الز‬ َ
ِ ‫ِم ْرفقُها ع َْن بَنا‬

‫تيز رفتار اونڻنی مثل گورخراور اطراف پُرگوشت‬

‫اسکی بَڻی کُهنياں سينہ سے ُجڑی مضبوط متصل‬

‫ و محل‬،‫ضخامت و قدرت وی به مانند اسب وحشی است که در پهلوهايش گوشت انبوه وجود دارد‬
.‫ بسيار نيرومند است‬،‫پيوند بازو به جسم و سينه‬

‫ عيْرانة‬: she-camel that matches a wild ass in speed

‫ قُذِفت‬: to hit by throwing small pebbles or pieces of any other thing
‫حْض‬ِ ‫ ن‬: big chunks of flesh/meat
‫ع ُرض‬ ُ : side
‫ ِم ْرف ُق‬: elbows (here frontal feet and knees of she-camel)
‫ور‬ ُّ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫الز‬ ِ ‫ بنا‬: upper ribs of chest joined at ends
‫(بنات الزور‬means cheating, fraud)
‫ م ْفتو ُل‬from ‫ فتل‬To twist, twine: twined, twisted.
Thus, wick of the lamp is also called ‫فتيله‬

Like speedy wild-ass, her sides bear ample venison

Her knees are spaced, separate from the breastbone

Literal Translation:
Onager -like is she her side slabbed with firm flesh her elbow joint
(i.e. the middle
joint of the foreleg) far removed from the ribs;
‫پی پاره ای نمی کنم از هيچ استخوان‬
‫تا صد هزار زخم بہ دندان نمی رسد‬

I cannot even detach meat-piece from a bone

Until a thousand wound to teeth, I do not earn

24
‫ع ْينَيْهاو َم ْذ َب َحها‬َ َ‫كأنَّ ما فات‬
‫ومن الَّلحْ َيي ِْن ِب ْرطي ُل‬ِ ‫ِم ْن َخ ْط ِمها‬
 ‫ جبڑوں سے ليکر‬،‫نکيل سے ليکر آنکهوں تک‬
‫ اسکا چهره قوی جيسے پتهرمستطيل‬،‫گلے تک‬

.‫ سنگی دراز و بزرگ است‬،‫گويا که در پيشگاه چشمان و گلو و ابتدای بينی و گونه اش‬

‫فات‬: Asma’ee says, any part of face is called ُ‫فائِت‬

‫ م ْذبح‬: place of slaughter i.e. throat
‫ط ِم‬ْ ‫ خ‬: nose and face from front- visage
‫ لحْ يي ِْن‬two ‫ لحيه‬: two jaws
‫ البرطيل‬:oblong stone or iron piece (for cutting stones)

The area from nose to the eyes- that facial portion

Or from throat to the twin jaws is like oblong stone

Literal Translation:
Her muzzle juts out from her eyes and throat as though it were a pick-
axe.
‫حافظ غم مخور که شاهد بخت‬
‫عاقبت بر کشد ز چهره نقاب‬
Hafiz! worry not, luck’ll oneday turn, so happen
Off the countenance, he’ll at last lift the curtain

25
َ ‫ب النَّ ْخ ِل ذا ُخ‬
‫صل‬ ْ
ِ ‫ت ُ ِم ُّر ِمث َل عَسي‬
‫غارز لَ ْم ت ُ َخ ّ ِو ْنهُ األحالي ُل‬
ِ ‫في‬

‫هالئے دُم کومثل شاخِ ُخرما اپنےپستانوں َپر‬

‫غير زائيده ہے اسکی قوت نهيں هوئی قليل‬

‫دم خود را به مانند شاخه های نخل خرما دراز می کند و هرگز بچه به دنيا نياورده که قدرتش اندک‬
.‫شود‬

‫ ت ُ ِم ُّر‬: from‫( اِمرار‬lit. pass) To return, to shake (frequently its tail)

‫ب‬
ِ ‫ عسي‬: branch of dates on which leaves are yet to grow
‫ ُخصل‬: tuft, lock, tress of hair
‫غارز‬ ِ she-camel with low milk (full word is ‫غارز‬ ِ ِ‫ ضرع‬: nipple, breast
ُ‫ تُخ ِو ْنه‬: to reduce, to diminish
‫ األحالي ُل‬plural of ‫ اِح ِليل‬: urethra or breast hole
‫ ل ْم تُخ ِو ْنهُ األحالي ُل‬: her nipples not diminished/sagging
(as she has not, so far, given birth)

Like palm-branch wags tail which is in tuft formation

Not given birth so far, her vitality intact does remain

Literal Translation:
She lets a tail like a leafless palm -branch with small tufts of hair
hang down over a sharb - edged (unrounded) udder from which its
tears do not take away (milk) little by little (i.e. she is a camel for
riding not for milking).
‫حافظ چه طرفه شاخ نباتيست كلك تو‬
‫كش ميوه دلپذيرتر از شهد و شكر است‬
Hafiz! Of what sugar-cane branch is your pen
It's fruit, more delicious than honey or bonbon

26
‫صير بِها‬ِ َ‫قَ ْنوا ُء في ُح َّريَتها ِللب‬
ْ
‫سهي ُل‬ْ َ ‫ق ُمبينٌ وفي ال َخ َّدي ِْن ت‬
ٌ َ ‫عت‬
َ

‫ دونوں کانوں سے نماياں ہے‬، ‫بلند ناک والی‬

‫ دونوں رخسارنرم مثل مخمل‬،‫ اصيل پن‬،‫شرافت‬

‫ و شخص بينا با نگاه در گوش هايش اصالتی آشکار می يابد و در گونه هايش‬،‫دارای بينی مايل‬
.‫روانی و سادگی وجود دارد‬

‫ ق ْنوا ُء‬: (from‫ االقنی‬Masculine) narrow nostrils with high nose

‫ ُحريتها‬: (lit. free) here two ears
‫صير‬
ِ ‫ ب‬: Seer, expert of camels
‫ عتق‬: nobility, grace, roots
‫ الخدي ِْن‬: cheeks
‫ تسْهي ُل‬: smoothness, no rough or course stuff

High-nosed; from her ears expert can discern

Breed-n-nobility, her cheeks smooth and even

Literal Translation:
Her nose aquiline; in her generous ears are signs of breeding plain
for the expert to see, and in her cheeks smoothness.
‫جمال شخص نه چشم است و زلف و عارض و خال‬
‫هزارنكته در اين كاروبار دلداريست‬
Eyes, locks, cheeks or mole not sole attribute
In this task of amour, many a thousand aspect

27
ٌ‫الحقَة‬
ِ ‫سرات وهي‬ َ َ‫علَى ي‬ َ ‫ت َ ْخدِي‬
‫األرض تَحْ لي ُل‬
َ َّ ‫َذوا ِبل َم‬
َّ‫س ُهن‬
 ‫ جا ملے پيشروؤں سے‬،‫دوڑےهلکی ڻانگوں سے‬
ّ َ‫اسکے الغرپا ُچهوئيں زمين بس ق‬
‫سم کرنے حالل‬

‫ حال آن که بسيار الغر است و از شدت سرعت بسيار کم پاهايش‬،‫با گام هايی روان به پيش می تازد‬
.‫با زمين تماس پيدا می کند‬

‫ ت ْخدِي‬: to run fast

‫ يسرات‬: light legs
‫الحقة‬
ِ : join, to approximate,
‫ ذوابِل‬plural of ‫ ذابله‬: dry, thin (also to become weak, lean)
‫عين ذابله‬ُ half-open eye, ‫الرما ُح الذوابِل‬
ِ slim lances
‫ مس‬: to touch
‫ تحْ لي ُل‬: to legitimize, to fulfill one’s oath

She runs on her nimble legs and overtakes everyone

Her dry legs touch ground only for a second’s friction

Literal Translation:
Though she be not trying, she races along on light slender feet that
skim the ground as they fall
‫فلک چو جلوه کنان بنگرد سمندر تو را‬
‫کمينہ پايگهش اوج کهکشان گيرد‬
Even sky looks at your gracious steed, splendid one
The summit of the milky way is steed’s base of origin

28
َ ‫ت يَتْ ُركْنَ ال َح‬
ً ‫صى ِزيما‬ ِ ‫س ْم ُر العَجايا‬ ُ
ُ
‫ؤوس األ ْك ِم ت َ ْنعي ُل‬
َ ‫لم يَ ِق ِهنَّ ُر‬

‫ پراگنده کريں‬،‫گندمی پا دوڑتے کنکرياں اڑائيں‬

‫ ڻيلوں کی اڑائيں دُهول‬،‫نهيں بچاؤ نعلبندی کا‬

‫ سنگ های بيابان را‬،‫به مانند ملخ های خاکستری است در سرعت و بخاطر قدرت و شدت اين شتر‬
.‫تکه تکه می کند بدون اين که به سم نياز داشته باشد‬

‫س ْم ُر‬ ُ : Wheat-complexion, brown colour

‫ت‬ِ ‫ العجايا‬plural of ‫ عجايه‬: organs joined through ligament
‫ يتْ ُر ْكن‬: leave, quit
‫ الحصى‬: pebbles, stones
‫ ِزيما‬: scattered, dispersed
‫ق‬
ِ ‫ ي‬: from ‫ يقي‬،‫ قي‬To protect, give refuge
‫األ ُ ْك ِم‬plural of ‫ اکمه‬:dunes, mounds (of stones)
‫ ت ْنعي ُل‬:to wear or put on horse-shoe/camel-shoe

Brown, solid soles leave behind stones in dispersion

Crushing peaks of dune, needing no shoe-protection

Literal Translation:
With tawny hock tendons feet that leave the gravel scattered and are
not shod so that they should be kept safe from the blackness of the
heaped stone________________
_________________________________________________
‫هالل تا کہ مگر نعل مرکبش گردد‬
‫ز روی صدق صدش بوسہ بر تراب زده‬
New moon wants to become a shoe of his steed
Sincerely umpteen kisses at his dust it does send

29
ْ‫عيْها إذا ع َِرقَت‬
َ ‫ب ذِرا‬ َ
َ ‫كأنَّ أ ْو‬
ِ ُ‫وقد تَلَفَّ َع بالق‬
‫ور العَساقي ُل‬

‫ وه پسينه ميں غرق‬،‫اسکے اگلے پاؤں کی تيز حرکت‬

‫ الل‬،‫ سورج هوگرم‬،‫چهوڻی پهاڑياں دِکهيں مث ِل سراب‬

‫ در زمانی که سراب کوه‬،‫ و آن هنگام که عرق می کند‬،‫گويا بازگشت دو بازويش به هنگام دويدن‬
.‫های بلند را در هم می پيچد‬

‫ أ ْوب‬: return, movement

‫ ذِراع‬: arms
‫ تلفح‬: face burnt by hot smoke
‫ لفح‬relates to a hot wind and cold wind is ‫نفح‬
‫قور‬
ِ (plural of ‫ )القارة‬: small hillock separated from mountains
‫ عساقي ُل‬: mirage, earth glistening at the heat of the sun

Her arms in recurrent motion as she exudes perspiration

When small hills glisten like mirage under scorching sun

Literal Translation:
The swift movement of her forelegs when she sweats and the
mirage enfolds the hills.
_________________________________________________________
__________
‫خوی کرده می خرامد و بر عارض سمن‬
‫از شرم روی او عرق از ژاله می رود‬
Beloved in stroll, his face soaked in perspiration
Shyness; on his face sweat from dew does shine

30
ً ‫صط ِخدا‬َ َ
ِ ‫يَ ْوما ً يَظ ُّل به‬
ْ ‫الح ْربا ُء ُم‬
‫ضاحيَهُ بالش َّْم ِس َم ْملو ُل‬
ِ َّ‫كأن‬

‫ت حرارت سے گرگٹ بهی جل اڻها‬ ِ ‫وه دن جب ش ّد‬

‫تپش آفتاب سے جسم انگاروں پہ پکی روڻی مثل‬ِ

.‫ گويا که جسمش را در خاکستر داغ قرار داده اند‬،‫در روزی که آفتاب پرست ازشدت گرما می سوزد‬

‫يظ ُّل‬to spend day (‫ بات‬: to spend night)

‫الح ْربا ُء‬
ِ : chameleon
‫صط ِخدا‬ ْ ‫ ُم‬: burning under the intense heat of sun
ُ‫ضاحيه‬ِ : projecting or exposed to the sun
‫ م ْملو ُل‬from‫ مل‬:to bake bread or roast meat on ashes or coals

A day when burns under intense sun even a chameleon

As if his body baked on ashes under the scorching sun

Literal Translation:
On a day when the chameleon basks in some high spot until its
exposed part is baked as in fire
_________________________________________________________
____________
‫شہ سپہر چون زرين سپر کشد بردوش‬
‫بہ تيغ صبح و عمود افق جهان گيرد‬
When king of sky- sun wears golden shield on its shoulder
With sword of morn-n-rays of horizon, world it does capture

31
ْ‫ِيه ْم وق ْد َجعَلَت‬
ِ ‫قو ِم حاد‬ ْ
ْ ‫وقا َل ِلل‬
ُ
‫صى قِيلوا‬ َ‫ْن‬
َ ‫ب يَ ْر ُكض ال َح‬ ِ ‫ق ال َجنا ِد‬ َ ‫ُو ْر‬
‫ت گرمی سے ساربان پکاراڻها قوم قيلولہ کرو‬ ِ ‫ش ّد‬
‫خاکستری مکڑپتہروں پر پاؤں مارے ہيں مسلسل‬

‫ در اين شرايط که‬،‫ساربان که در اصل وظيفه تحريک و به حرکت در آوردن قوم را بر عهده دارد‬
‫ به قوم خويش دستور خواب چاشتگاهی می‬،‫ملخ ها پاهايشان را از شدت گرما بر سنگ می کوبند‬
.‫دهد‬

‫ حادِي‬: cameleer who sings sweet tunes to run camels at faster pace
‫ ُو ْرق‬paper, green-black like dove which is called ‫ُورقا ُء‬
‫ب‬
ِ ‫ الجنا ِد‬: locusts
 : to dispel something with foot, to hasten a horse’ speed by hitting it with
‫ي ْر ُكضْن‬heel
‫ الحصى‬: stones, pebbles
‫ (قيلوله )قِيلُوا‬: afternoon nap, siesta

The cameleer asked his nation to take intermission

On seeing grey locusts killed by heat, kicking stone

Literal Translation:
And the grey cicalas having begun to hop on the gravel the camel
driver bids his
companions take the siesta-
‫احاديا بجمال الحبيب قف و انزل‬
‫كه نيست صبر جميلم ز اشتياق جمال‬
Friend’s cameleer, halt! from the ride come down
I’m sans patience in longing, to see him I’m keen

32
َ َ
‫ع ْيطل ن ِصف‬ َ ‫هار ذِراعا‬ َّ
ِ ‫ش َّد الن‬
َ
‫جاوبَها نُ ْك ٌد َمثا ِكي ُل‬َ
َ ‫قا َمتْ ف‬

‫ مانند ادهيڑ عمرعورت‬،‫دن چڑهے وه ناقه بازو اڻهائے‬

‫ ساتهه ديں محروم اسکے مثل‬،‫بين کرے مرے بچے کا‬

‫ شدت برگشت و باال آمدن بازوان شتر به هنگام دويدن مانند‬،‫به هنگام ارتفاع خورشيد و شدت گرما‬
‫ارتفاع دست زنی است که فرزند از دست داده است و زنان ديگر نيز همپای او به عزاداری پرداخته‬
.‫اند‬

‫هار‬
ِ ‫ شد الن‬: the hottest hour of the day i.e. noon till afternoon
‫ عيْطل‬: pretty, long-necked lady
‫صف‬ ِ ‫ ن‬: middle aged woman; also called‫کهل و کهوله‬
‫ جاوب‬: to make conversation, talk to one another, to respond to
‫ نُ ْكد‬: cry out or croak with all might ii) be hard and difficult to bear
‫ مثا ِكي ُل‬: bereft of children ‫ ُمثکالت‬: elegy on the death of children

At heat-hour, hands raised by a tall, middle-aged woman

Others come to join, like wail of woman bereft of children

Literal Translation:
Resembles the beating of hand on hand by a bereaved grey haired
woman who rises to lament and is answered by those who have lost
many a child.
‫همچو حافظ همه شب ناله و زاري كرديم‬
 ‫كاي دريغا به وداعش نرسيديم و برفت‬
Like Hafiz, all night in wailing and weeping we spent
Alas! We couldn’t even say him good-bye and he left

33
‫ْس لَها‬
َ ‫ض ْبعَي ِْن لَي‬ ُ ْ ٌ
َّ ‫نَ َّوا َحة ِرخ َوة ال‬
‫لَ َّما نَعَى بِ ْك َرها النَّاعونَ َم ْعقو ُل‬

‫حواس باخته هوئی‬،‫ بازوهيں شل‬،‫نوحہ خوان‬

‫ت اجل‬
ِ ‫جب منادی بتائےاکلوتہ بچہ لے گيا دس‬

‫زن از فرزنده داده با سرعت باال دستانش را به حرکت در می آورد و به هنگام شنيدن خبر مرگ‬
.‫فرزندش ديگر عقل و هوش خود را از دست داده است‬

‫ نواحة‬: to wail, lament on the death of someone dear

ُ ‫ ِر ْخوة‬slackening of upper arms, numbing of arms (‫ ِرخوة‬:soft, relaxed, thin)
‫الضبْعي ِْن‬
‫ ضبْع‬: portion of arm that is between shoulder and elbow.
‫ نعى‬announce someone’s death (‫ ناعي‬: announcer of someone’s death)
‫ ِب ْكر‬: first child, the only child without sibling
‫ الناعون‬: announcers of someone’s death
‫ م ْعقو ُل‬: reasonable, in senses, sensible

Mourner sans energy in arms, bereft of all reason

When death of only child brought to her attention

Literal Translation:
One wailing shrilly, her arms weak who had no understanding when
news was
brought of the death of her firstborn son
‫گل در حجاب بود که مر غ سحر گهی‬
‫آمد به باغ حافظ و فر ياد خواند ورفت‬
Flower still in bud; early morn nightingale did enter
Into Hafiz’s garden, it made a cry and did disappear

34
‫ت َ ْف ِري الُّلبانَ ِب َكفَّيْها و َمد َْرعُها‬
‫ق ع َْن تَراقيها َرعابي ُل‬ ٌ َّ‫شق‬
َ ‫ُم‬

‫ت غم سينه پيڻتی هے دو ہاتهوں سے‬ِ ‫از ش ّد‬

‫قميص هوئی پاره پاره گردن سےنيچے تحليل‬
‫آن زن ( فرزنده از دست داده) پيراهن را با دستانش از سينه خود را می شکافد که از سمت باال و‬
.‫کتف پاره پاره می شود‬

‫ ت ْف ِري‬from ‫ فری‬: to cut, tear

‫ الُّلبان‬: chest, breast
ُ‫ ِمدْرع‬: coarse vest or shirt
‫ ُمشقق‬from ‫ شق‬: torn, ripped apart
‫ترائق‬Plural is ُ‫ ترقُوه‬: collar-bone
‫رعابي ُل‬from ‫ رعبل‬: wearing tattered clothes; stupid woman (torn)

She tears her shirt with hands from the collar-bone

From the upper chest ripped badly, in tatters torn

Literal Translation:
She tears her breast with her hands while her tunic is rent in pieces
from her collar
bones.____________________________________________________
____________
‫از دامن تو دست ندارند عاشقان‬
‫پيراهن صبوري ايشان دريد هاي‬
Lovers will never let go of your skirt garment
How you’ve torn up their garment of restraint

35
‫الوشاةُ َجنابَيْها وقَ ْولُ ُه ُم‬
ُ ‫س َعى‬ ْ َ‫ت‬
‫س ْل َمى لَ َم ْقتو ُل‬
ُ ‫إنَّك يا ا ْبنَ أبي‬

‫اس ناقه کے اطراف کہتے پهر رهےهيں چغلخور‬

‫سلمی کے بيڻے اب تو جلد ہی تو هوجائيگا مقتول‬

‫سخن چينان اطراف شترم سخن چينی کردند و گفتند ای ابی سلمی تو را می کشند( به خاطر هجو‬
.)‫پيامبر و اسالم ياران او تو را می کشند‬

‫ تسْعى‬: endeavouring, running

ُ ‫الوشاة‬ ُ plural of ‫ واشي‬: slanderers, back-biters
‫ جنابي‬: two sides
‫س ْلمى لم ْقتو ُل‬
ُ ‫ إنك يا ابْن أبي‬: It is proverbial. Abu Salma was grandfather of poet
Ka’ab bin Zohair. Grandfather’s reference as ‘father’ is common among
Arabs. Prophet SAW said:
‫انا النّبِي ال کذب انا اِبن عبد المطلّب‬

Many a slanderer run around my camel and threaten

Don’t go there O son of Salma! You’ll get killed soon
Literal Translation:
The fools walk on both sides of my camel saying `verily O grandson
of Abu Sulma
thou art as good as slain (Referring to his journey to the prophet who
had already given the order for his death).
_________________________________________________________
____________
‫گفتم كه نوش لعلت ما را به آرزو كشت‬
‫گفتا تو بندگي كن كو بنده پرور آيد‬
I said: in desire of your sweet lips I am killed
Replied: stay submissive, he’ll sure befriend

Note: Now poet starts admitting how Prophet SAW had ordered for his
elimination on the eve of Muslim conquest of Makkah because of his
vitriolic poetry against the Prophet SAW. While the poet intends to reach
Madinah to seek amnesty, ill-wishers threaten him about getting killed.
َ ‫رقيب از کوئے اُو شد‬
‫س ّد راهم که در را ِه حرم باشد حرامی‬

36
ُ‫وقا َل ُك ُّل َخليل ُك ْنتُ آ ُملُه‬
‫ع ْنكَ َمشْغو ُل‬ َ ‫ال أ ُ ْل ِهيَنَّكَ إنِّي‬

‫هردوست جس ميں مدد کی کوئی اميدرکهی‬

‫ کيا وقت نکالوں ميں خود هوں مشغول‬:‫کها‬

‫هر دوستی که من اميد کمک و ياری از او را داشتم به من گفت که ما به تو نزديک نمی شويم و ما‬
.‫از تو رو گردانيم‬

ُ‫ آ ُملُه‬: in him I put my hopes

‫أ ُ ْل ِهينك‬from ‫ الهاء‬: to divert, to distract
‫ ع ْنك م ْشغو ُل‬: I am too busy to be at your disposal (for any assistance)

Every friend in whom I had some hope or expectation

Said: I’m busy to be spared, to attend to your concern

Literal Translation:
And every friend of whom I was hopeful said `I will not help thee out
I am too busy to mind thee.
_________________________________________________________
_____________
‫حافظ ابناي زمان را غم مسكينان نيست‬
‫زين ميان گر بتوان به كه كناري گيرند‬
Hafiz! worldly masters indifferent to a suppliant
Better if you keep aloof from such a lot arrogant

37
َ
‫سبي ِلي ال َ أبال ُك ُم‬َ ‫فَقُ ْلتُ َخلوا‬
ُّ
‫الرحْ منُ َم ْفعو ُل‬ َّ ‫فَ ُك ُّل ما قَد ََّر‬

‫ارے ناالئقو‬،‫ چهوڑدو ميرا راستہ‬:‫ميں نےکها‬

‫هو کےرهيگا جو رحمان نے لکها درلوحِ ازل‬

‫ ای بی پدران هر آنچه خدا قسمت کند همان انجام‬- ‫ از سر راه من کنار برويد‬- ‫به آنها گفتم برويد‬
.‫می شود و اتفاق می افتد‬

‫ خلُّوا‬: quit, give up

‫ سبي ِلي‬: my way, my path
: lit. meaning: you are fatherless/bastards (to condemn or even praise
‫ال أبال ُك ُم‬someone)
‫ قدر‬: measured, destined, decreed
‫ م ْفعو ُل‬: is bound to happen, will come into effect

I told them: get out of my path ungrateful companion!

Whatever the Merciful Lord destined, will sure happen

Literal Translation:
I said `Let me go my way, may ye have no father! for whatever the
Merciful hath decreed shall be done.
‫رو مشرق و رو مغرب و رو رو هر چه نصيب است ازان کم نشود جو‬
_________________________________________________________
___________
‫گر تيغ بارد در كوي آن ماه‬
‫گردن نهاديم الحكم هلل‬
Even if sword is to fall in moon-faced’s street
By decree of God, I’ve placed my neck for it
38
ُ‫سال َمتُه‬ َ ْ َ ْ ُ
َ ْ‫ُك ُّل اب ِْن أنثى وإن طالت‬
‫يَ ْوما ً على آلَة َحدْبا َء َمحْ مو ُل‬

‫هرماں َجايا خواه کتنی ہی درازهو اسکی عمر‬

‫هوگاغسل وقل‬،‫ايکدن اڻهاياجائيگا تابوت اسکا‬

‫هر بچه انسانی هر چقدر هم که عمرش طوالنی باشد روزی بر تخته تابوت سوار می شود ( خواهد‬
.)‫مرد‬
‫ اب ِْن أ ُ ْنثى‬: child born to aa female, every living person
‫ طال‬: lengthen, prolong
‫ آلة‬: instrument, platform (here a cot or a bier)
‫حدْباء‬from ‫ احدب‬: convex, raised
‫ آلة حدْباء‬: coffin raised on bier
‫ محْ مو ُل‬: borne, carried (from ‫(حمل‬

Every mother’s offspring however long his life span

One day sure to be carried on bier everyone’s coffin

Literal Translation:
Every son of woman, long though his safety be one day is borne
upon a gibbous bier'
‫پايان کار‬
ِ ‫سر انجام مرگ است‬
ِ ‫اگر صد بمانی و گر صد هزار‬

Part-III: Praise (Madīh) (Verses 39–60)

39
‫عدَني‬ َ
َ ‫هللا أ ْو‬
ِ ‫سو َل‬ ُ ‫أ ُ ْنبِئْتُ أنَّ َر‬
‫هللا َمأ ْ ُمو ُل‬
ِ ‫سو ِل‬ َ ‫والعَ ْف ُو‬
ُ ‫ع ْن َد َر‬

‫حکم قتل‬
ِ ‫مجہےاطالع ملی رسول هللا نے ديا‬
‫ليکن هللا کے رسول سےهے اميدعفووفضل‬

‫با خبر شدم که پيامبر مرا تهديد کرده است در حاليکه همه مردم انتظار عفو و بخشايش از رسول‬
.‫خدا را دارند‬

ُ‫أ ُ ْنبِئْت‬from ‫ انبآء‬: I was told, I was given news

‫ أ ْوعد‬: warn, threaten, sentencing (of punishment, retribution)
‫ ايعاد‬means‫ تهديد‬،‫( وعيد‬threat, warning)
‫مأ ْ ُمو ُل‬from‫ أمل‬: hope (of forgiveness)

I’m told Allah’s Apostle had given me intimidation

But from God’s Messenger, I hope for big pardon

Literal Translation:
I was told that the Messenger of Allah threatened me (with death) but
with the
Messenger of Allah I have hope of finding pardon.

‫ت بيکراں است‬
ِ ‫ترا دريائے رحم‬ ‫جرم من کو ِه گراں است‬
ِ ‫اگرچه‬
‫_________________________________________________________‬
‫_____________‬
‫طالع اگر مدد دهد دامنش آورم به كف‬
‫گر بكشم زهي طرب ور بكشد زهي شرف‬
‫‪If luck favours, his skirt I’ll attain in my finger‬‬
‫!‪I get it, my pleasure! If I get killed my honour‬‬

‫‪40‬‬
‫هللا ُم ْعتَذِرا ً‬
‫سو َل ِ‬ ‫َ‬
‫وقَ ْد أتَيْتُ َر ُ‬
‫هللا َم ْقبو ُل‬
‫سو ِل ِ‬ ‫والعُ ْذ ُر ِع ْن َد َر ُ‬

‫آيا رسول هللا کے پاس اپنا عُذر پيش کرنے‬

‫هللا کے رسول کےہاں عذرهوجاتا هے مقبول‬

‫از برای عذرخواهی نزد پيامبر حاضر شده ام و بی گمان پيامبر عذرخواهی مرا خواهد پذيرفت‪.‬‬

‫‪I’ve come to Allah’s Messenger for my pardon‬‬

‫‪Plea receives Allah’s Messenger’s approbation‬‬

‫‪Literal Translation:‬‬
‫‪I came to Allah’s Apostle with a plea for forgiveness; Allah’s‬‬
‫‪Messenger always accepts excuse and faults‬‬
‫اس مقبول ‪Some sources say that the second lines reads as :‬‬ ‫َرام النّ ِ‬
‫ذر ِعن َد ک ِ‬
‫َوالعُ ُ‬
‫هر کس کہ بدرگاه توآيد بہ نياز محروم زدرگا ِه تو کے گردَد باز‬
‫‪Hafiz Shirazi says:‬‬
‫يا رب سببي ساز كه يارم به سالمت‬
‫بازآيد و برهاندم از بند مالمت‬
‫‪God! Be some pretext, friend to come‬‬
‫‪And free me from the clutch of blame‬‬

‫‪41‬‬
‫َم ْهالً هَداكَ الذي أَعْطاكَ نافِلَةَ‬
‫ظ وتَفُصي ُل‬‫آن فيها َمواعي ٌ‬‫ا ْلقُ ْر ِ‬

‫ذرا دهيرے! آپکوهادي بناکےاس نےعطاکيا‬

‫قرآن پاک جس مينهيں نصيحتيں بمع تفصيل‬

‫آهسته تر( آهسته تر و کمتر مرا تهديد کن) ای کسی که خدا به تو نعمت قر آن را داده است که در‬
‫آن موعظه ها و فضل و بخشايش است ‪.-‬خدا تو را هدايت کند‪.‬‬

‫‪ : hold on, go slow, give respite‬م ْهال‬

‫‪ : voluntary good work, alms, prayer, booty, grandchild‬نا ِفلة‬
‫‪ : admonitions, sermons, preaching‬مواعيظ‬
‫ تفُصي ُل‬: details (on code of conduct, about lawful, unlawful)

Easy please! God made you guide, gave you Quran

Which includes necessary sermons and admonition

Literal Translation:
Gently ! mayst thou be guided by Him who gave thee the gift of the
Koran wherein
are warnings and a plain setting out ( of the matter)

Go easy, and let Him be your guide who gave to you

The gift of the Qurān in which are warnings and discernment!
‫حافظ! از دل ز مصحف رخ دوست‬
‫خواند الحمد و سوره اخالص‬
Hafiz saw the scripture on the face of the beloved
From the depth of heart recited Ikhlas and Alhamd

42
َ‫الوشاة ول ْم‬ ْ َ ّ َ
ُ ‫ال تَأ ُخذنِي بِأقوا ِل‬ ْ
َّ ِ‫أ ُ ْذنِ ْب وقَ ْد َكث ُ َرتْ ف‬
‫ي األقاوي ُل‬

‫چغلخوروں کی بات په ميرامؤاخذه نہ کيجئے‬

‫ فعل‬،‫ نهيں کيا گناه‬،‫تهمتيں لگائيں گئيں بهت‬

‫مرا به خاطر حرف های سخن چينان مورد مواخذه قرار نده حال آن که گناهی نکرده ام هر چند سخنان‬
.‫در مورد بسيار است‬

‫ أْ ُخذ‬: to grip, arrest, get hold

ُ ‫الوشاة‬ ُ plural of ‫واشي‬: slanderers, back-biters
ْ
ْ‫ ذنِب‬: sin, fault
plural of ‫ قول‬: sayings, utterances (backbiting, slanderous remarks)
‫األقاوي ُل‬

Hold not against me slanderers’ accusation

They said a lot, but I never committed a sin

Literal Translation:
Do not punish me when I have not sinned on account of what is said
by the informers even should the (false) saying about me be many
_________________________________________________________
____________
‫قدت گفتم كه شمشاد است بس خجلت به بار آورد‬
‫كه اين نسبت چرا كرديم و اين بهتان چرا گفتيم‬
To box-tree I compared your height, I feel ashamed
Why I attributed it this way, it was a slander I made
43
ْ
‫لَقَ ْد أقو ُم َمقاما ً لو يَقو ُم بِه‬
‫س َمعِ الفي ُل‬ ْ َ ‫أرى وأ‬
ْ َ‫س َم ُع ما لم ي‬ َ

‫سن رها هوں‬ُ ،‫بخدا ايسی جگه پہ جو ديکهہ‬

‫ميری جگہ کوئی هاتهی ديکهے منظر جليل‬

‫من در جايگاه و مقامی ايستاده ام که می بينم و می شنوم آن چيزهايی را که اگر فيل بجای من بشنود‬
.)‫و ببيند ( ادامه ترجمه در بيت بعد‬

‫ أ ْقو ُم‬: I stand

‫ الفي ُل‬: elephant

(I swear) I stand at a point, what I see and listen

If an elephant was in my place, can you imagine
(continues in next verse)

Literal Translation:
Ay I stand in such a place that if an elephant stood there seeing (what
I see) and
hearing what I hear, (continues in next verse)
‫در خرابات مغان نور خدا مي بينم‬
‫اين عجب بين كه چه نوري ز كجا مي بينم‬
In the Magian’s tavern, I am seeing God’s light
Isn’t strange! what a light it is and where I see it

44
َ‫أن يكونَ لَهُ ِمن‬ ُ ‫لَ َظ َّل ِي ْر‬
ْ َّ ‫ع ُد إال‬
‫هللا ت َ ْنوي ُل‬ ْ
ِ ‫سو ِل ِب ِإذ ِن‬ ُ ‫الَّر‬

‫کانپنے لگے خوف سے جب تک نه ديں امان‬

‫هللا کے حکم سے اسکو هللا کے پيارے رسول‬

‫ مگر اينکه از جانب رسول خدا _ با خواست واراده الهی‬، ‫از اين ديده ها و شنيده ها فيل می لرزد‬
.‫_ بخشايش و عفو و امانی بيايد‬

‫ رع ُد‬: to shiver, tremble (in fear)

‫ إِ ْذ ِن‬: order, permission
‫ ت ْنوي ُل‬bounty, grace, bestowing (‫ نؤل‬: gift, present, plural is‫)انول‬

(Even an elephant) will shiver in fear and apprehension

Unless Messenger bestows bounty by God’s permission

Literal Translation:
The sides of his neck would be shaken with terror if there be no
forgiveness from the Messenger of Allah.
_________________________________________________________
____________
‫آيا عظيم وقاری کہ هر کہ بنده توست‬
‫ز رفع قدر کمر بند تو امان گيرد‬
What majesty you earn, anyone under your protection
Safety he gains, from the high girdle of your exaltation

45
‫َما ِزلتُ اَق َطتِع البَيدَا ُء ُمد َِّرعَا‬
‫وب اللَّي ِل َمسبُو ُل‬ ُ َ ‫الم َو ث‬
ِ ‫ظ‬ ّ ‫ُجن َح ال‬

‫رات کی اندهيرے ميں پر خطربيابان عبور کيا‬

‫ تاريکی کے پردے گهرے طويل‬،‫گهپ اندهيرا‬

‫ تاريکی بيش از حد عميق بود و شب اليه ها و پردهہا‬،‫من بيابان خطرناک در شب تارعبورکردم‬

.‫تاريک معلق کرده بود‬

‫ اقط ِتع‬: I used to cross, cut, cover (distance)

‫ البيدا ُء‬: dangerous desert
‫ ُمد ِرعا‬from‫ تد ُّرع‬: be clad in armour or a cuirass, take courage
‫الم‬
ِ ‫ ُجنح الظ‬: in pitch darkness
‫ مسبُو ُل‬from ‫ اِسبال‬: to trail the garment, lower the veil/curtain

In pitch dark I used to cross the desert barren

When the night had lowered down its curtains

Literal Translation:
I did not cease to cross the desert plunging betimes into the
darkness when the mantle of Night is fallen.
_________________________________________________________
____________
‫شب ظلمت و بيابان به كجا توان رسيدن‬
‫مگر آن كه شمع رويت به رهم چراغ دارد‬
Dark night, desert barren, how I find destination
Unless your candle-like face lends us its lantern

46
ُ‫عه‬
ُ ‫ناز‬ُ َ ‫َحتَّى َو‬
ِ ‫ضعْتُ يَميني ال أ‬
 ‫َف ذِي نَقمات قِيلُهُ ال ِقي ُل‬
ِ ّ ‫في ك‬

‫اپنا داياں ہاتهہ رکهہ ديا بغيرنزع اسکے ہاتهہ پہ‬

‫صادق ہے اپنے قول‬
ِ ،‫جو کفار سے ليتا ہے بدله‬

‫تا اينکه دستم را بدون نزاع و در گيری در دست صاحب قدرتی نهادم که حرف او حرف است (به‬
)‫و مرا می کشد‬.‫وعده اش وفا می کند‬
‫ وض ْع‬: to put
‫ يمين‬: right hand
ُ‫نازع‬ِ ُ ‫ أ‬: from‫ منازعۃ‬quarrel, last gaps, agony
‫ ذِي نقمات‬: to avenge (from ‫)نقمه‬
‫ قِي ُل‬: true word, final or ultimate reply
‫ قِيلُهُ ال ِقي ُل‬: His word is the absolute word and ultimate truth.

Then I placed my right hand without any contention

In the palm of avenger whose word is sans question

Literal Translation:
Till I laid my right hand not to withdraw it in the hand of the avenger
whose word is
the word of truth.
‫حافظ!چو تو پا در حرم عشق نهادی‬
‫در دامن او دست زن واز همہ بگسيل‬
Hafiz! since you stepped foot in love’s enclosure
Grab his skirt, let everything go, all ye surrender!

This reminds one of a couple of other couplets from Hafiz Shirazi which
mention a bit shortness of hand in acceding to the beloved:
‫تو از کجا و اميد وصال اوز کجا‬
‫ حافظ‬،‫بہ دامنش نرسد دست هر گدا‬
See your position, yet hope of his union ye bea
Hafiz! Not very beggar can reach him quiet near

At another place Hafiz Shirazi says:

‫پائ ما لنگ است و منزل چون بهشت‬
‫دست ما کوتاه و خرما بر نخيل‬
Our leg is lame, destination is paradise, very far
So high on dates-tree is date, our hand is shorter

47
ْ ‫ب ِع ْندي‬
ُ‫إذ أ ُ َك ِلّ ُمه‬ ُ ‫لَذاكَ أ َ ْه َي‬
‫سئ ُو ُل‬ ْ ‫سوب و َم‬ ٌ ‫وقي َل إنَّكَ َم ْن‬
 ‫جب آپ صلعم سے بات کی ميں هيبت زده تها‬
‫ ميں مسئول‬،‫کا لوگوں نے ميرا هے قصور‬

)‫اين جايگاهی که من ايستاده ام ترسناکتر است زمانی که در باره آن صحبت می کنم ( اعتراف ميکنم‬
.‫و به من گفته می شود که تو درباره کارهای خود مسئول هستی و کارها به تو نسبت داده می شود‬

‫ ذاك‬: demonstrative for distant person (a reference to the Prophet SAW

‫ب‬ ُ ‫( أ ْهي‬from ‫ )هيبت‬: awesome, to be dreaded of
‫ م ْنسوب‬: matter is to be referred/attributed (to the poet)
‫ م ْسئُو ُل‬: be responsible.
Poet was told that Prophet SAW had attributed crimes of the poet and
he was to be held responsible for those.

When I talk to him I am struck in awe and veneration

I’m told: Ye are held responsible as ye are guilt-ridden

Literal Translation:
For indeed he is more feared by me when I speak to him and they
told me I should be asked of my lineage
‫سرشكم آمد و عيبم بگفت روي به روي‬
‫شكايت از كه كنم خانگيست غمازم‬
My tears fell and brought to the fore my fault
Talebearer is in my home, how do I complaint

Note: Prophet SAW had such awe and grace that not everyone could
face them in routine. Ali A.S. said: ُ‫ َمن رااهُ بَديهةً َهابَهُ َو َمن عَا ا َ َحبَّه‬He who saw
them suddenly was struck in awe. He who interacted with him would
love him. Amr bin Aas said that he could never look into Prophet SAW’s
countenance eye to eye and cannot describe the facial description of the
Prophet SAW.

Something similar was narrated by Urwa bin Masood-the Chief Quraish

negotiator at Hudebiyyah. When he went back to Quraish he reported that
he was awe struck by the majesty of this person which was not found even
in the courts of Caesar and Khosroes. When he speaks, all keep silence
and give all ears; when he is silent, they bow down faces and remain mum;
No one looks at him by raising eyebrow; when he makes ablution they
rush to collect his waste water, when he spits out, they collect it as rose
water and apply to their eyes and face.

48
ُ‫س َكنُه‬ ْ ُ ‫ث األ‬
ْ ‫س ِد َم‬ ِ ‫ِم ْن خادِر ِم ْن لُيو‬
َ ‫ِم ْن َب ْط ِن‬
‫عث َّ َر ِغي ٌل دونَهُ غي ُل‬
 ‫اس شير سے زياده هيبت والے آپ جسکا مسکن‬
‫ اطراف جسکے جنگل هی جنگل‬،‫عثّر جنگل بيچ‬

‫اين جايگاه و وضعيت برای من ترسانک تر است از سرزمين شيران در ( بطن عثر) که پر از نی‬
. ‫است‬

‫ خادِر‬: a lion who dwells in jungle

‫ث‬ ِ ‫ لُيو‬plural of ‫ ليث‬: a giant lion
‫ عثر‬: a famous place in Arabia- the habitat of multitude of lions
‫ غي ُل‬: thicket, morass, reedy bank ii) grow dense in foliage

He commanded more awe than the mighty lion

Who lived in dense thicket; in Ath’thar his den

Literal Translation:
Than a lion of the jungle one whose lair is amidst dense thickets in
the lowland of
`Aththar;
‫عجايب ره عشق ای رفيق بسيار است‬
‫زپيش آهوی اين دشت شير نر بدويد‬
Friend! on love-path many things worth amaze
Doe of this desert is after a robust lion in chase

Note: Some versions read first line of this verse as follows:

ِ ‫ِمن ضَيغَم بِض ََر‬
ِ َ ‫آءاال‬
‫رض ُمخدَرة‬
‫ ضيغم‬: jungle lion, ‫رض‬ِ ‫آءاال‬
ِ ‫ ضر‬: land with foliage, ‫ ُمخدر‬: jungle with lions
(‫ الخادر‬: lion inside his den where it is strong and fierce)

49
‫ش ُهما‬ُ ‫ع ْي‬ َ
َ ‫يَ ْغدو فيُ ْل ِح ُم ِض ْرغا َمي ِْن‬
‫فور َخرادي ُل‬ ٌ ‫لَحْ ٌم َمنَ القَ ْو ِم َم ْع‬

‫آپ زياده بارعب اس شير سے جو دو بچوں کو‬

‫صبح انسانی گوشت کی خوراک دے برائ تناول‬

‫شيری که بامداد خارج می شود و به دو بچه شير خود گوشت تکه تکه شده و افتاده مردمان را برای‬
.‫تغذيه فراهم می کند‬

‫(ي ْغدو‬from ‫غدوة‬ ُ ) : early morning chores (coming, going, eating drinking etc)
‫ ْل ِح ُم‬meat (‫ اِلحام‬: to feed meet)
‫ض ْرغام‬ ِ : lion’s cub, lion’s whelp
‫ْش‬ ُ ‫ عي‬: living, bread and butter
‫ م ْعفور‬from ‫ عفر‬: roll in the dust, throw in the ground
‫ خرادي ُل‬plural of ‫ خردل‬: hash-meat, eat the best of a dish

In the morning hour lion feeds meat to its children

Meat from human flesh in pieces at them is thrown

Literal Translation:
He goes in the morning to feed two cubs whose victual is human
flesh rolled in the
dust and torn to pieces.
‫حافظ بکنج ميکده دارد قرارگاه‬
‫کالطير فی الحديقه والليث فی االجم‬
The corner of tavern, serves Hafiz as his rest home
As lives bird in the garden and lion in den’s sanctum

50
َُ‫إِذا يُسا ِو ُر قِ ْرنا ً ال يَ ِح ُّل له‬
‫أن يَتْ ُركَ ال ِق ْرنَ إال َّ و َه َو َم ْغلُو ُل‬
ْ

‫ جائز نهيں‬،‫جب برابر کے مقابل سے جنگ کرے‬

‫ بنا گرائے اپنا مقابل‬،‫اسکوچهوڑے بغيرچت کيے‬

. ‫ او را جز به صورت شاخ شکسته و يا زمين خورده رها می کند‬، ‫وقتی با رقيبش به پيکار بپردازد‬
.‫يعنی هيچ کسی يارای مقابله و مبارزه با پيامبر نيست‬

‫يُسا ِو ُر‬from ‫ ُمساورة‬: stir up enmity, attack

‫ قِ ْرن‬: be of same age, be one’s match, equal to
‫ ِح ُّل‬from ‫ حالل‬: permissible
‫م ْغلُو ُل‬from ‫ ِغل‬:(iron chain for the neck) be defeated

When it engages with rival, it has no permission

To leave adversary before it is subdued, in chain

Literal Translation:
When he springs on his adversary tis against his law that he should
leave the adversary ere he is broken
‫ز روي دوست دل دشمنان چه دريابد‬
‫چراغ مرده كجا شمع آفتاب كجا‬
Of friend's face, enemy’s heart cannot get solace ever
No match between fused lamp and sun-like chandelier

51
ً‫ضام َزة‬
ِ ‫ع ال َج ّ ِو‬
ُ ‫سبا‬ َ َ ‫ِم ْنهُ ت‬
َ ‫ظ ُّل‬
 ‫األراجي ُل‬
ِ ‫وال ت َ َمشَّى بَوادِي ِه‬

‫اسکے خوف سےجنگل کے تمام درندےالغر‬

‫پياده پا مسافروں کا اس جنگل ميں چلنا محال‬

‫ و در اين وادی‬،‫ ساکن وبی حرکت هستند‬،‫ درندگان موجود در اين وادی وسيع‬،‫از بخاطر وجود وی‬
.‫هيچ پياده ای حرکت نمی کند‬

ُ‫سباع‬Plural of ‫ سبع‬: seven, voracious animal, lion

‫ الج ِو‬: Vast jungle, desert spread between earth and sky
‫ضامزة‬ِ : malnutrition-related weakness, being lean
‫األراجي ُل‬
ِ Plural of ‫راجل‬
ِ : who walks on foot, pedestrian, walker

His fear keeps even wild animals of the desert lean

In whose valley can’t walk even on foot walking men

Literal Translation:
From him the asses of the broad dale flee in affright and men do not
walk in his wadi.
‫در ضعيفی و نزاری تن بيچاره من‬
‫چو هاللی است کہ انگشت نما می گردد‬
In weakness, my feeble body turned slimmer
Like a crescent, so weak and thin as a finger

52
‫وال يَزا ُل بِوادي ِه أ ُخو ثِقَة‬
ْ
‫سان َمأكو ُل‬ِ ‫ُم َط َّر َح البَ ِ ّز والد َّْر‬

‫اس وادی ميں کئی ماهر معتب بنے غذا‬

‫اسباب بيکار باطل‬،‫ هتهيار‬، ‫انکے کپڑے‬

‫ شخص شجاع و مورد اعتمادی وجود دارد که لباس و گوشت وی خورده‬،‫و هم چنان در اين وادی‬
.‫شده است‬

‫ أ ُخو ثِقة‬:a man who is trustworthy, reliable and valiant

‫ ُمطرح‬from‫ طرح‬:throw, thrown away
‫ الب ِز‬: garb, fine linen, silk, clothing, arms, armour
‫سان‬
ِ ‫والد ْر‬rags, worn out clothes (plural of ‫) دِرس‬
‫ مأْكو ُل‬: eaten, consumed

Many a valiant person in that valley were seen

Lying eaten; their armour and clothes thrown
Literal Translation:
Albeit ever in his wadi is a trusty fere his armour and hardworn
raiment smeared with blood ready to be devoured.
‫دور دار از خاك و خون دامن چو بر ما بگذري‬
‫كاندر اين ره كشته بسيارند قربان شما‬
Pass by my body; guard skirt from dust and stain!
Many lovers lie in path, died for you here umpteen

53
‫ستضا ُء بِ ِه‬َ ْ ُ‫نور ي‬َ
ٌ ‫سو َل ل‬ َّ َّ‫إن‬
ُ ‫الر‬
‫سلُو ُل‬
ْ ‫هللا َم‬
ِ ‫يوف‬ِ ‫س‬ ُ ‫ُم َهنَّ ٌد ِم ْن‬

‫رسول نورجن سے ليتےهيں اورسب روشنی‬

‫ آماده قتل‬،‫دشمن کے ليے هللا کی تلوارهندی‬

‫پيامير شمشيری است نورانی و درخشان از شمشيرهای هندی و از شمشيرها ی از نيام بيرون آمده‬
.)‫الهی( قاطع آماده مبارزه با کفار است‬

‫ *لنور‬: light
‫ يُسْتضا ُء بِ ِه‬: light is borrowed from him
: sharp sword made in India (ref. to the then India which included
‫ ُمهند‬Pakistan & BD)
ِ‫يوف للا‬ ِ ‫س‬ُ ** One of God’s swords
ُ
‫ م ْسلو ُل‬from ‫ سل‬: draw out slowly, draw the sword

Verily, Messenger is a light others from it did lighten

Of Allah’s swords- Indian one, ever exposed-n-drawn

Literal Translation:
Truly the Messenger is a light whence illumination is sought a drawn
Indian sword
one of the swords of Allah.

‫ز شمشير سرافشانش ظفر آن روز بدرخشيد‬

‫كه چون خورشيد انجم سوز تنها بر هزاران زد‬
His head-cleaving sword gleamed in victory; he alone
Attacked thousands’ legion; like stars dim before sun
_________________________________________________________
_______
Note: *Issue of ‫ نور و بشر‬has been contentiously debated since long. I
reproduce from Faqeer Abdullah alias Shah Agha Sirhandi’s stance
published in his Sindhi language commentary of this Qaseedah which was
published in 1388 A.H. (1968) by Standard Press Sukkur Sindh.
‫ نور‬refers to Prophet SAW’s body, made up of elements and it is ‘light and
beauty’. All other ‘lights’ branched from it ‫ فروع‬Prophet SAW being ‫اصل‬
‫االصل‬. Maulana Jami says:
‫زعشق اُو شيدا‬
ِ ‫حب او ساکن فلک ا‬ ِ ‫و صلّی هللا علی‬
ّ ‫نور کزو شد نورها پيدا زمين از‬
---
‫شمس الضّحی بدرالدّجی نور الهدی صلّو علی محمد صلعم‬

Prophet SAW was ‫ نور‬indeed ‫ نور علی نور‬without any doubt. Quran bears
testimony to this:
ٌ ُ‫ قَ ْد َجا َءكُم ِ ّمنَ اللَّـ ِه ن‬indeed towards you has come a light* from
ٌ َ ‫ور َو ِكت‬
ٌ‫اب ُّمبِين‬
Allah, and a clear Book. (* The Holy Prophet is a light from Allah).
Surah al-Maidah-5, Verse- 15.

‫يرا‬ ِ ‫ َودَا ِعيًا ِإ َلى اللَّـ ِه ِب ِإ ْذنِ ِه َو‬And as a caller towards Allah, by His
ً ِ‫س َرا ًجا ُّمن‬
command, and as a sun that enlightens. (The Holy Prophet is a light
from Allah.) Surah Al-Ahzaab-33, Verse 46.

Among Allah’s attributed names is, inter alia, included ‫ نور‬but Prophet
SAW’s NOOR is neither ‘exact ‫ ’عين‬nor ‘part ‫ جزو‬of Allah SWT’s ‫ نور‬All
attributes of Allah SWT are ancient ‫قديمي‬, eternal ‫ازلي‬, everlasting ‫ابدي‬, not-
recent ‫غير حادث‬, immortal ‫غير فاني‬, infinite ‫غير محدود‬. Rest of the creation
whether angels or human beings as well as their attributes are recent ‫حادث‬,
mortal ‫ فاني‬and finite ‫ محدود‬and brought into being from nothing. None of the
attributes of Allah SWT resemble or in anyway are shared by any human
being. Sharing is only linguistic ‫ لفظي‬and not substantive ‫ معنوي‬. As a man
can be called ‫ بصير‬،‫ سميع‬or ‫ رحيم‬،‫ رؤف‬or even as ‫ کريم‬،‫ حکيم‬،‫ب قدرت‬ ِ ‫ صاح‬but
not in that sense and substance which is the attribute of Allah SWT. No
creation/creature is ‘part ‫ ’جزو‬of the Creator, nor like of it. He is ‫سبحانهُ و تعالی‬
ُ
well beyond that ‫ ثُم الوری‬،‫ ثُم الوری‬، ‫ ثُم الوری‬Maktoobat-e-Mujaddidi says:
‫ليس شيء ک َِمث ِل ِه اَبَ ًدا‬
َ ‫از همه در صفات و ذات جدا‬

On the other hand, deeming or calling Prophet SAW only an ordinary ‫بشر‬
is also a trait of those with ill-manners and derogatory. According to the
Quran, unbelievers, not acknowledging the true station of the Prophets of
Allah SWT, said: ‫بشر مثلُنَا‬
ُ ‫( قالو َما اَنتم ا ِّال‬Surah Yaseen-36, Verse 15) The
(people) said: "Ye are only men like ourselves. The term ‫ بشر‬is an ordinary
word that can be used for any high or low person. A dignified and worthy
man deserves a respectful word. When ordinary scholars or Pirs do not
like being called without titles like Maulavi Sahib, Shah Sahib, Hazrat
Sahib, how come a Muslim would want to use such an ordinary word for
the Prophet SAW whose right on the believers is more than his own soul
or that of his parents and children. Of course, Prophet SAW was from
human race and fulfilled all human needs in living such a life. But knowing
it and then uttering it in that manner is quiet different. Saying mere ‫بشر‬
without full understanding is unfair and uncalled for even though literally it
may be so. If someone says a precious diamond just a stone, he is wrong,
a non-connoisseur. But if he says that this is a matchless, priceless pearl,
its essence being of stone, it is correct. In short, ‫ نورانيت‬is not contradictory
to ‫بشريت‬. Both attributes are provided in the Quran and both should be
believed in; none should be singly denied. Imam Bouseri R.A. in his
famous Qaseedah Burdat ul Madeeh has summed up this point as
follows (verse 51):
‫هللا ُك ِلّ ِه ِم‬
ِ ‫لق‬ َ ‫َواَنَّهُ َخ‬
ِ ‫ير َخ‬ ‫فَ َم ْبلَ ُغ ال ِع ِلم فِي ِه أَنَّهُ بَش ٌَر‬
To the best of our knowledge, he is human
Yet he is the best of all in Lord’s creation
‫آفاقها گرديده ام مهر بتان ورزيده ام‬
‫بسيار خوبان ديده ام ليكن تو چيزے ديگرى‬
‫اگر هر موي من گردد زباني شود هر يک ورا اوصاف خواني‬
‫هنوز از بي زباني خفته باشم ز صد وصفش يکي نا گفته باشم‬

**It is said that the poet Ka’ab bin Zohair had initially used the words ‫سيوف‬
‫ الهند‬in his composition. When Prophet SAW heard this verse, he asked
Ka’b to change it to ِ‫يوف للا‬
ِ ‫س‬ ُ which bears more veneration. The context was
already clear in the first word of this line, no repetition required. Thus,
amending/improving a poet’s work is also masnoon (or Prophet’s custom)
as reflected in the conduct of Prophet SAW.

54
‫في فِتْيَة ِم ْن قُريْش قا َل قائِلُ ُه ْم‬
ْ ‫ِببَ ْط ِن َمكَّةَ لَ َّما أ‬
‫سلَ ُموا ُزولُوا‬

‫قريش کی ايک جماعت ميں کسی نے کہا‬

‫ کرو مکان نقل‬،‫بطن مکّه ميں الئے ايمان‬
ِ

‫پيامبر از خانواده ای از قبيله قريش است که گوينده آنها در سرزمين مکه ( پيامبر ) به هنگام مسلمان‬
.‫شدن آنها گفت برويد_ اشاره به مهاجرت مسلمانان از مکه به مدينه‬

‫ ِفتْ َية‬: (from ‫ ) فتي‬group, band (some use ‫عصبۃ‬

ُ : group or band of 10-40)
‫ ُزولُوا‬: (from ‫ ) زال‬to transfer, migrate

From one of the Quraishite group, said someone

As they accepted Islam in Makkah, do emigration!

Literal Translation:
‫‪Amongst a band of Kuraish whose spokesman said when they‬‬
‫!‪professed Islam in the valley of Mecca,`Depart ye‬‬
‫مباش در پي آزار و هر چه خواهي كن‬
‫كه در شريعت ما غير از اين گناهي نيست‬
‫‪You do whatever you like but annoy not anyone ever‬‬
‫‪In our faith canon except this, there’s no any blunder‬‬

‫‪55‬‬
‫كاس وال ُكش ٌ‬
‫ُف‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ‬
‫زالُوا ف َما زا َل أن ٌ‬
‫ِع ْن َد ا ِلّ ِ‬
‫لقاء وال ِمي ٌل َمعازي ُل‬

‫مدينه روانه هوئےسوائے کمزورو بے سالح لوگ‬

‫جنکے پاس جنگ واسطے نہ تهی ترشول يا کدال‬

‫آنها از مکه رفتند اما نه مانند مردان ضعيف و نه مانند رفتن مردان ترسو به وقت جنگ‪ ،‬ونه مثل‬
‫مردان بی سالح و بدون شمشير ( مقتدرانه و مسلحانه رفتند)‪.‬‬

‫‪ : they parted, migrated‬زالُو‬

‫‪ : weak, powerless; broken in the notch‬نِکس ‪ plural of‬أ ْنكاس‬
‫شف‬ ‫‪ : open, uncovered, (in fighting) without shield or helmet‬اکشف ‪ُ pl. of‬ك ُ‬
‫‪ : man without arms, sword‬اميل ‪ِ plural of‬ميل‬
‫‪ِ : one who is without a lance, unarmed‬معزال ‪ plural of‬معازي ُل‬

‫‪They moved but not weak ones or those bare, open‬‬

‫‪In the combat i.e. sans armour, equipment or javelin‬‬

‫‪Literal Translation:‬‬
‫‪They departed but no weaklings were they or shieldless in battle or‬‬
‫‪without weapons and courage.‬‬
‫جز نقد جان به دست ندارم شراب كو‬
‫كان نيز بر كرشمه ساقي كنم نثار‬
‫‪Save soul’s cash I’m empty, where wine-stand‬‬
‫‪On Saki’s amorous glance, soul I want to award‬‬

‫‪56‬‬
‫ين أبْطا ٌل لُبو ُ‬
‫س ُه ْم‬ ‫ش ُّم العَرانِ ِ‬
‫ُ‬
‫سرابي ُل‬
‫َأو َد في ال َه ْي َجا َ‬
‫سجِ د ُ‬‫ِم ْن نَ ْ‬

‫صحابہ کرام بڑی ناک والےبهادر اور هيرو هيں‬

‫پهنيں داؤد کی زره جب برسرپيکار جنگ و جدل‬

‫آنها بينی بلند( کنايه از سرافراز ) و پهلوانانه رفتند ‪ ،‬زره و لباسهای آنها و شلوار هايشان در‬
‫های داوودی بود(نسج داوودی از بهترين نوع بافته ها بوده است)‪.‬ميدان جنگ از بافته‬
 ُ : peak, high (from ‫ شمآ‬Having a straight nose)
‫ش ُّم‬
‫ين‬ ِ ِ‫العران‬: )‫ ِعرنين‬Pl.) first, the best of a thing, base of the nose (cartilage)
‫ أبْطال‬heroes, champions (plural of ‫) بطل‬
ِ‫نسْج‬: Woven
‫الهيْجا‬:combat, strife, close fight, battle (from ‫ هيج‬agitated, rush and attack)
‫سرابي ُل‬:pl. of ‫ ِسربال‬Iron-coat

High-pitch nose, wearing iron-coats these champion

As woven by Da’ud; readying for battle with passion

Literal Translation:
Warriors with noses high and straight clad for the fray in mail-coats
of David’s
weaving (David is described in the Quran (xii.80) as a maker of coats
of mail).
_________________________________________________________
___________‫خنگ چوگاني چرخت رام شد در زير زين‬
‫شهسوارا چون به ميدان آمدي گويي بزن‬
Under your saddle is chaugan steed of the sphere
You have entered arena, hit the ball our royal rider!
57
ٌ َ‫شكَّتْ لَ َها َحل‬
‫ق‬ ُ ‫س َوا ِب ُغ قد‬
َ ‫يض‬ٌ ‫ِب‬
ِ ‫ق القَ ْف‬
‫عاء َمجْ دو ُل‬ ُ َ‫كأنَّها َحل‬

ّ ‫انکی زرهيں‬
‫ حلقے باهم جڑے‬،‫ لمبی‬،‫ مصقل‬،‫مجال‬
‫جيسےقفعا درخت کے حلقے ايکدوسرے سےمتصل‬

‫زره های آنها سفيد و بلند بود که حلقه های آن در هم فرو رفته بود مثل گياه قفغعاء حلقه های آن در‬
.‫هم تنيده است‬

‫ بِيض‬: white, shining

‫ سوابِ ُغ‬plural of ‫ سبغ‬: plenty, abundant, clad in a long coat of mail
‫شك‬ ُ : to be tied to one another
‫ حلق‬: ring
ِ ‫ لق ْف‬: a plant whose leaves and branches are ring-shaped, in circles
‫عاء‬
‫ مجْ دو ُل‬from ‫ جدل‬: twisting, plaiting(to strengthen a chord)

Arm-coats shining, broad, their rings intertwine

Like Qaf’aa plant’s rings twisted in tight unison

Literal Translation:
Bright ample with pierced rings strung together like the rings of the
qaf’a (Name of a plant)
‫منش با خرقه پشمين كجا اندر كمند آرم‬
‫زره مويي كه مژگانش ره خنجرگزاران زد‬
I’ve a woolen robe only, how can I seize his reign
Armoured one, his eyelashes waylay swordsmen

58
ْ ُّ
‫الجما ِل الزه ِر يَ ْع ِص ُم ُه ْم‬ِ ‫ي‬ َ ‫ش‬ ْ ‫َم‬ َ‫شون‬ ‫يَ ْم‬
َّ
‫سو ُد التنابِي ُل‬
ُّ ‫ب إذا ع ََّر َد ال‬ٌ ‫ض َْر‬

‫ بچائيں‬،‫سفيداونڻوں کی چال سے بڑہيں ميدان‬

‫ کوتاه قد کوجوم ِد مقابل‬،‫ضربيں ديکر سياه فام‬

‫آنها يعنی مهاجران مانند شتران سفيد در جنگ راه می روند که متأخران را در برابر شمشيرهای‬
.‫سياهان کوتاه قد حفاظت می کنند که سريع به اين طرف و آن طرف می روند‬

‫ي ْمشون‬:they walk
‫الجما ِل‬ ِ : camels
ُّ plural of ‫ ازهر‬: white
‫الز ْه ِر‬
‫ص ُم‬ ِ ‫ ي ْع‬: protect, keep watch, check
‫ ض ْرب‬: to kill, to strike, give blows
‫ عرد‬from ‫ تعريد‬: to flee, lose the way, be put to flight
‫ التنابِي ُل‬plural of ‫ تِنبال‬: short-height, low-statured

They walk like white camels, secure self-protection

By blows while short-statured blacks are on the run

Literal Translation:
They march like splendid camels and defend themselves with blows
when the short
black men take to flight ( Probably a hit at the people of Medina some
of whom had
urged Muhammad to show the poet no mercy.)

‫رنگ تزوير پيش ما نبود‬

‫شير سرخيم و افعي سيهيم‬
Pretence or fraud we never contemplate
We are either tawny lion or black serpent

Note: Many assume the poet here meant white ones as the emigrants
from Makkah (Muhajiroon) whereas the short-statured black ones was
reference to helpers (Ansaars of Madinah). Emigrants were disappointed
at hearing degradation of Helpers in this manner. Later, the poet wrote
many odes in praise of Madinite Helpers (Ansaars). A piece of such poetry
is given below:

Translation of such a piece is as follows:

He who loves a glorious life

Let him ever be with the horsemen of the righteous Ansaar,
Who transmit glorious deeds from father to son,
The best men are they, sons of the best men
Who launch with their arms spears
Like long Indian swords,
Who peer forward unwearidly
With eyes red as burning coals
Who devote their lives to their Prophet SAW
On the day of hand-to-hand fighting and cavalry attacks
They purify themselves with the blood of infidels:
They consider that an act of piety
Their habit is that of thick-necked lions
Accustomed to hunting a volleyed thicket.
If you come to them for protection
You are as it were in the inaccessible haunts of mountain goats.
They smote Ali such a blow on the day of Badr
As brought the downfall of all Nizaar.
If people knew all that I know about them
Those that dispute with me would recognize the truth of what I say.
They are a people who richly feed the night-travellers
Who arrive in a time of dearth.

Yet many others are of the opinion that short-statured, blacks (second line
of the verse) is a reference to unbelievers and hypocrites.

59
‫ال يَ ْف َرحونَ إذا نَالتْ ِرما ُح ُه ُم‬
ِ ‫قَ ْوما ً ولَيْسوا َم‬
‫جازيعا ً إذا نِيلُوا‬

‫وه خوش نهيں هوتےجب نيزه ماريں دشمن کو‬

‫نا کفار کی چوٹ پہ هوں بےصبر يا پهر مشتعل‬

‫آنها سپاهی بودند که هنگامی که تيرشان دشمن را مورد اصابت قرار می داد شاد نمی شدند( فريفته‬
.‫و مغرور نمی شدند) و وقتی که دشمن بر آنها غلبه کند نيز شکوه و ناله نمی کنند‬

‫ ْفرح‬: to be happy, jubilant

‫ ِرما ُح‬spear, lance (pl. of ‫) ُرمح‬
: ‫ جزع‬grow impatient under suffering, be sad, grieved, seized by fear
‫جازيعا‬
ِ ‫م‬from
ُ
‫نِيلوا‬: from ‫ نيل‬reach, obtain, get

They are never overjoyed at hitting enemy with javelin

Nor they turn grieved, seized by fear at being stricken

Literal Translation:
They are not exultant if their spears overtake an enemy or apt to
despair if they be
themselves overtaken.
‫من از بازوي خود دارم بسي شكر‬
‫كه زور مردم آزاري ندارم‬
For my arm, my thanks are umpteen
I lack power to hit injury against men

60
َّ َ
ِ ُ‫ال يَق ُع الط ْعنُ إال َّ في ن‬
‫حور ِه ُم‬
‫ت تَهْلي ُل‬ ِ ‫وما لَ ُه ْم ع َْن ِح‬
ِ ‫ياض المو‬

‫ گلےکو کريں گهائل‬،‫دشمن کےنيزے انکےسينے‬

‫موت کے کنوؤں سے نہ هوئے وه خائف يا بزدل‬

‫ به خاطر همين نيزه فقط‬، ‫آنها در جنگ در صف مقدم هستند و هميشه به طرف دشمن پيش می روند‬
‫در گلوی آنها فرو می رود نه در پشت آنها ( زيرا نيزه در پشت کسی فرو می رود که در حال عقب‬
.‫نشينی و فرار از دشمن است) و آنها از رفتن در ميادين جنگ ترس و هراسی ندارند‬

‫يق ُع‬: fall, strike, blow, push (from ‫) وقع‬

‫ الط ْع ُن‬: thirst or pierce with a lance, penetrate
‫حور‬ِ ُ‫ن‬: from ‫ نحر‬Slaughtering, collar-bone, throat, neck
: from ‫ حوض الموت‬reservoir/cistern of death, place of danger/deathly trap
‫ت‬ ِ ‫ياض المو‬ ِ ‫ِح‬
‫ ت ْهلي ُل‬: to flee, to delay, be intimidated
‫ هلل الر ُج ُل عن قِرنِ ِه‬He fled away in fright of his rival

Spear pierces them (not at back), frontal penetration

They never feel any intimidation from death’s cistern

Literal Translation:
The spear thrust falls not but on their throats for them there is no
shrinking from the ponds of death (i.e. places where draughts of
death are drunk).
‫مگر به تيغ اجل خيمه بركنم ور ني‬
‫رميدن از در دولت نه رسم و راه من است‬
Only death could uproot my tent from here
Quitting this august door is not my manner

Note: Another poet refers to the valour of his tribe as follows:

ُ ‫َامنَا تَق‬
‫ط ُرال َّد َما‬ ِ ‫علَي اَقد‬
َ ‫َوال ِکن‬ ‫دمي ُکلُو ُم َنا‬
ِ َ‫ب ت‬ َ ‫فَلَسنَا‬
ِ ‫علَي االَع َقا‬
On heels you will never see our wounds’ blood
Blood flows from front, at our feet it does exude
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