In this text we will bring to the readers one of the most famous
marsiyas of Meer Anees. Not only is it one of the most beautiful works of Meer
Anees, it is full of metaphors, similes, allegories and many other poetical
figures of speech. Some of the best lines have been composed in this long
marsiya.
In fact, commentators have argued about it being a collection of
three separate marsiyas. This opinion is based on the fact that there are three
MATL�As in the marsiya.
MATL�A is the first stanza
with which a marsiya begins.
The basic constituent
parts of a marsiya are as follows:
MATL�A � the opening stanza
Chehra � lit. face, it is the
introduction
Saraapa � the hero�s personage and its description, could be
brief, could also be very detailed including his horse, his dress, his armour
and his weapons
Rukhsat � the hero departs
under the weeping and wailing of his family members
Aamad - the arrival of the hero in the
battlefield
Rajaz - the hero introduces himself and
recites war-poetry. It was an old custom in Arabia that when a soldier would
come to the battlefield he would recite his own poetry, mostly composed on the
spot. It was a part of the psychological warfare in trying to subdue the
opponent at the very start
JANG - the battle-scene, exchange of blows, attacks,
defense etc.
SHAHADAT � martyrdom, the basic
ingredient of the marsiya is that the hero is all good, however in this
confrontation of good and evil, the hero fights bravely, but is slain in the
most cowardly manner by his opponents because of being outnumbered, thirsty and
overwhelmed with grief. This is the high point of the marsiya.
BAYN � the weeping and
wailing and the lamentation of the survivors in the family and friends.
The MATL�A is very significant in that it sets the tone
of the marsiya and the poet actually gives the whole mood and the subject of
the marsiya in that stanza.
Every stanza of the marsiya consists of six lines, the first
four rhyming on one pattern, and the last two on a different pattern. The last
two lines are called the BAYT, the whole stanza is called a BAND
(pronounced as FUND).
Meer Anees in unique in composing the BAYT in each stanza in
that it usually follows from the fourth line and it becomes a continuous story.
Sometimes, in fact, most of the time, there is great art of word-play displayed
in that connection of the BAYT to the first four lines.
Now, because this marsiya begins with a MATL�A in which Meer Anees actually prays to God
for his success in his venture of writing poetry, many commentators have argued
that it is his very first marsiya. On the other hand, the poetry is so perfect
and so expertly composed that others have argued that the marsiya must be dated
to a time when Meer Anees�s art must have
matured fully.
It is indeed a beautiful piece of poetry. However, there is one
commentator named Aasi Rampuri who has found many faults in it, both of
language and grammar as well as of psychological situations. I will quote from
Aasi Rampuri as I go along writing the commentary with the translation.
The translation that you will see in this text was done by Syed
Ghulam Abbas of Jmi�a Millia, Karachi ,
Pakistan . The commentary is mine in addition to other commentator�s views as I will quote.
Syed Ghulam Abbas has done a wonderful job in translating the
marsiya. It was hard work. The rhyming pattern of a marsiya is aaaacc. Syed
Ghulam Abbas has changed the pattern to aabbcc. In many
places, he has sacrificed accuracy over fulfilling the needs of rhyming. I have
inserted notes in all those places to make things clear.
The Marsiya begins with a prayer to God, it then leads
into supplications to the Prophet of Islam and to Imam Ali. The poet then
complains about the lack of support from the community, there is no
appreciation for his work. He then resigns himself to something else. And that
something else is a very significant element in Meer Anees�s poetry. Meer Anees makes that point in
stanza number 12.
The marsiya then proceeds to describe the scene of the birth of
Imam Husayn. The poet then describes the meanings of the name of HUSAYN. That
also is a very interesting part and is unique. We will bring that in part II of
this commentary. And further parts will follow in later texts.
The attachment to this post contains the selected stanzas
in NATA�ALEEQ.
I have yet to find a way to insert the nasta�aleeq text (built on INPAGE) into an e-mail so
that it can be transmitted through the INTERNET. So far all my efforts have
failed and all I get after sending the mail is a blank block.
OK., so the marsiya begins:
Ya rab
caman-e-nazm ko gulzaare-eram kar
Ay abr-e-karam xushk
zera�at pa karam kar
Tu fayz ka mabda hai
tawajjuh koi dam kar
Gumnaam ko �ejaaz bayaboN maiN raqam kar
Jab tak yeh camak mehr
ke partaw se na jaa�e
Iqleem-e-suxan meri
qalam raw se na jaa�e (1)
O God! Make my bouquet
of poetry bloom into a heavenly bower,
Thou art all rain, and
I am a parched crop, soak me with water,
Thou art all Grace,
shower me with Thy grace for a while
O God! I am all mute,
give me a tongue, fluent and agile,
So long as the sun
retains its luminous luster,
My pen be blessed with
a serene and sublime grandeur.
NOTE: The word �caman� should be translated as a bower not a bouquet.
The true translation of the last line will be � don�t let the kingdom of diction go out of my
control. There is great word-play between the words IQLEEM-E-SUXAN (THE KINGDOM
OF DICTION) and QALAM-RAW. Qalam means �a pen� in Arabic, it is the instrument of writing.
It is that instrument which produces the actual writing. QALAM-RAW literally
means �THE LINE OF THE PEN,� metaphorically it means �the domain of a king.�
T `areef main cashme
ko samandar se mila duN
Qatre ko jo duN aab to
gawhar se milaa duN
Zarre ki camak
mehr-e-munawwar se milaa duN
xaaroN ko nazaakat
maiN gul-e-tar se miaa duN
guldasta-e-m `ana ko
na-e Dhang se baandhuN
ek phool ka mazmuN ho
to saw rang se
baandhuN (4)
I have the power to
paint a rivulet, bigger than a sea profound,
And roll a drop of
water, into a pearl renowned,
And lend such grace to
a particle of dust, so as to vie with sun,
And the thorns look as
comely as a rose, their ruggedness shun,
I give new shape and
colour to the realm of thought,
And that too, with
manifold notions fraught.
NOTE: The more accurate translation will be: � May I have the power to �..�
This stanza is a typical example of Meer Anees�s mastery in composing the BAYT.
There is word-play in �aab.� It literally means �water� but here it is used for the meaning of
glitter or shine. Of course, each �qatra� (a drop) is made out of water. There is a
natural connection between the words �gul-e-tar� (fresh flowers), the ending words in line
number 4, and �guldasta� (a bouquet), the very first word in line
number 5. This is a beautiful stanza and one of the most famous ones in Meer
Anees collection. The admirers of Meer Anees usually know this by heart. The
term �realm of thought� does not fully convey the meaning here. What
the poet is saying is that he would like to express old ideas into a totally
new a fresh garb. And all indications are that Meer Anees�s prayers were fully granted.
Aa-uN taraf-e-razm
abhi choR ke gar bazm,
Xaybar ki xabar laa-e
meri tab`e ulul-`azm,
Qat`e sar-e-`ada ka
iraada ho jo bil-jazm,
Dikhlaa-e yaheeN sab
ko zabaN m`arka-e razm,
Jal jaa-en `adu aag
bhaRakti nazar aa-e
Talwaar pa talwaar
camakti nazar
aa-e (6)
After the pageantry of
peace, if battle I survey,
Khaybar alone, my set
disposition convey,
The enemies are slain,
in quick succession,
And in the
battle-field, they are on the run,
In the heat of battle,
all foes are burnt,
With the slash of
swords, a new experience they have learnt.
NOTE: There is a phonetic effect between the words RAZM (battle)
and BAZM (an assembly of poets) and a message in the meanings. Both actions
(writing poetry and soldiers fighting in formation) require discipline,
organization and a concerted effort for success. The last line is not an
accurate translation. The English version was composed to fulfill the need of
the rhyming pattern.
Taa-eed ka hangaam
hai, ya Haidar-e-Safdar,
Imdaad tera kaam hai
ya Haider-e-Safdar,
Tu saahab-e-ikraam hai
ya Haidar-e-Safdar
Teraa hi karam `aam
hai ya Haidar-e-Safdar
Tanha tere iqbaal se
shamsheer bakaf huN
Sab aik taraf jam`a
haiN mayn aik taraf huN (7)
Your help is most
genuinely sought, O Haidar the Valiant!
Relief to men you have
always wrought, O Haidar the Valiant!
You are highly
gracious and compassionate, O Haidar the Valiant!
Your benediction is
pure and chaste, O Haidar the Valiant!
With faith in you, I
charge the world with a sword,
I am all alone, and
against me a horde.
NOTE: As a matter of faith, the followers of Imam Ali
traditionally call for help from him with a cry of �YA LAI MADAD.� This stanza is based on that basic
faith and tradition. What is interesting here is the fact that the poet invokes
the name of Imam Ali before he calls on the Prophet of Islam for blessings.
That is against the protocol. The Prophet�s name should have come first. The only reason
I can cite here is this. The poet moved from the description of BAZM to RAZM.
That naturally brought him to the mention of Khyber in the previous stanza.
That was a famous battle in early Islamic history in which Imam Ali went and
fought single-handedly and he was victorious. In that expedition, Imam Ali was
not accompanied in the Muslim party. The Prophet called him specially after
failure after failure for twenty days. So that episode is associated with �the Prophet Calling Ali for Help..� This in Arabic is known as NAAD-E ALI�.
The BAYT has not been translated fully. SHAMSHEER BAKAF HONA
actually means �to be set in an
struggle.� It does not
necessarily mean to fight in the battlefield with sword in hand. Meer Anees is
actually describing his own situation in the field of poetry. He was born and
raised in Fayzabad. He grew up in that city and his marsiya poetry was
introduced in that city. While in Lucknow Meer Zameer had already set the
standards of Urdu Marsiya. His able disciple, Mirza Dabeer, was already well
recognized in marsiya poetry in Lucknow . There was a sizable following of
Mirza Dabeer in Lucknow by the time Anees showed up in Lucknow . Dabeer also
had the ear of the king. In that situation Meer Anees had to establish himself.
He had to create a following for himself, he had to find friends who would
recognize and appreciate his poetry as compared to the established reputation
of Mirza Dabeer. It is that early struggle in establishing himself
among the elite of the society that Meer Anees is describing here.
I have written this passage after having read Professor Nayyar
Masood�s work titled: M�arka-e Anees-o-Dabeer, Karachi , 2000. If this
information is factual then I would say that this marsiya belongs to the time
when Meer Anees came to Lucknow from Fayzabad, and that must be around the time
that he was in his 30�s(circa 1840�s).
XwahaN
nahiN yaqoot-e-suxan ka koi go aaj,
Hai aap ki sarkaar to
ya saahab-e-m`eraaj,
Ay
baa`is-e-eejaad-e-jahaaN, xalq ke sartaaj
Ho jaa-egaa dam bhar
main Ghani banda-e muhtaaj
Ummeed isi ghar ki,
waseela isi ghar ka,
Dawlat yahee meri,
yahee tawsha hai safar
ka. (12)
If lovers of letters
don�t exist, no matter,
To me your matter
most, you Holy Prophet, you�re all and ever,
The Almighty God
created the universe but for you,
And none can fill my
coffers, better except you,
You and the people of
your house, are the source of exultation,
In your adoration lies
the path of my salvation.
NOTE: This is the most profound thought that Meer Anees
expresses here. IN the first line he complains of people not being able to
appreciate his poetry. He then turns to the Prophet of Islam in prayer.
Actually Anees traces the history of Arabic poetic tradition here and gives an
alternative reason for writing poetry. In Arabia , poets used to compose
QASEEDA in praise of a tribe, a tribal leader or a prince. For that they would
be awarded handsomely. Many poets were known to have become fairly rich in the
sixth and seventh century Arabia due to their power of poetry. That
tradition continued in Iran . Firdausi composed his famous Shahnameh in
praise of kings with a promise from Mahmood Ghaznawi (981-1030, King
of Ghazni from 1002 to his death) that he would be rewarded with one
gold coin for each line of poetry that he composed. He returned with a long
poem consisting of 120,000 lines. Ghaznawi was a greedy person and it was hard
for him to part with that much money. He rewarded Firdausi with only 120,000
silver coins. Firadausi was outraged and composed a very disparaging limerick
for Mahmood Ghaznawi in which he labeled him as being of low birth.
Meer Anees has all that history before him. He says that his
poetry is not for worldly fame and wealth, it is all in the service of Muhammad
and Aal-e-Muhammad, because that is what will guarantee his salvation in the
other world. That is the firm belief Meer Anees has under which he has produced
his work. We will see as we go along that Meer Anees would bring out other
elements of his faith, in his poetry, from time to time.
The third line of the stanza alludes to a hadeeth. It is
actually a Hadeeth-e-Qudsis ( a revelation brought by the Archangel Gabriel
that is not a part of the Qur�an): LAW LAKA LAMA KHLATU (A)L-AFLAAK --- If
you (the Prophet of Islam) were not there, I (Allah) would not have created the
Heavens.
MayN kiya
huN, m�ri tab`a hai
kiya, ay shah-e-zi-shaN
Hassaano-Farazdaq haiN
yaN `aajiz-o-hairaN
Sharmindah zamaane se
gaye waa-el-O-SahbaN
Kiya madh kaf-e-xaak
se ho noor-e-xuda ki
Luknat yaheeN karti
haiN zabaaneN fusaha
ki (13)
O king of kings! I
am nothing, my mind is like a fen,
Bewildered are, not
only Hassaan and Farazdaq, but all such men,
Even Waa-el and
Sahbaan went all ashamed,
You�re incomprehensible, learned feel but mentally
maimed,
You are the Celestial
Light, and I mere dust, I can�t adore,
The best tongues are
laden with crust, I can�t adore.
NOTE: This is a continuation of the thought process that began
in the previous stanza. After having expressed his excellent abilities in
composing poetry in the form of a prayer
In the first six stanzas of the marsiya, suddenly Meer Anees
turns to being modest. That praise which the poet lists for himself is called
TA`ALLEE, and this is INKISAAR.
He compares himself with the four most well-known poets of 6th-7th century
Arabia and says that if they could not fulfill the due praise to you (The
Prophet) then what more can he (Anees) do.
ShabaN ki hai
taareex-e-som roz-e-wiladat
Awr hai
dahum-e-maah-e-`aza yawm-e-shahaadat,
donoN maiN bahar haal
hai tahseel-e-s`aadat,
wo bhi `amal-e-xayr
hai, ye bhi hai `ibaadat,
maddah huN kiya
kuch nahiN is ghar se milaa hai
kawsar hai sila iska,
bihisht uska sila
hai. (18)
The third Sh`abaan is
the propitious birthday,
And tenth Muharram is
the martyrdom day,
Both the events are
great, and both celebrity,
One is worship the
other an act of piety,
I�m the adorer,
because this house has made me richer and richer,
For one the reward is
Kawsar, and Paradise for the other.
NOTE: With this stanza the poet begins with the life story of
Imam Husayn, who is the hero of his poetry. All Urdu marsiya revolves round the
story of the Tragedy of Karbala. Husayn, the beloved grandson of the Prophet
was forced by Yazeed, the ruler of the time, to acknowledge him as the
Khaleefa. Husayn refused, and in three days of hunger and thirst he and his 72
companions were surrounded by a huge Damascene army at the plane of Karbala .
Husayn and his companions gave fierce resistance, but greatly outnumbered they
were all butchered on the 10th of Muharram in the 61st year
of Hijra (October 680 AD) in a day-long battle. His women and children were
taken prisoners and presented to Yazeed in Damascus. I have written a 24
part series about the story of Karbala that can be viewed at the following URL.
I also have published
a book titled: THE TRAGEDY OF KARBALA, 1992, Princeton.
Haan ay falak-e-peer
na-e sar se jawaN ho,
Ay maah-e-shab-e-caar
dahum noor fishaN ho,
Ay zulmat-e-gham deeda-e `aalam
se nihaN ho,
Ay roshni-ye
subh-e-shab-e-`Eed `ayaN ho
Shaadi hai wilaadat ki
yadullaah ke ghar main
Xursheed utarta hai
shahenshaah ke ghar
main (19)
O antiquated
canopy! Wear a new garment,
O full and mature
moon! Shed a lusture resplendent,
O gloom of corrosive
suffering! Be banished for good,
O lovely light of
morn! Lift merrily thy hood,
The joyous birth
occurs, in the abode of Ali,
The sun itself
descends to the palace kingly.
NOTE: This stanza can
be taken as a new MATL�A for the marsiya.
Ay shams-o-Qamar, awr
qamar hota hai payda,
Naxl-e-caman-e-diN ka
samar hota hai payda,
Maxduma-e-`aalam
ka pisar hota hai payda,
Jo `arsh ki zaw hai,
wo guhar hota hai payda,
Har jism main jaN aati
hai mazkoor se jis ke,
Naw noor-e-xuda
hoN ge `ayaN noor se jis
ke. (20)
O Sun, O Moon! A
new moon is born,
The rewarding fruit of
faith is born,
The son of the Lady of
Universe is born,
The most lustrous
light of empyrean is born,
Each soul thus feels
invigorating delight,
Nine luminaries, shall
indeed follow this light.
NOTE:The term �Ahlul-Bayt� consists of fourteen persons, the
Prophet of Islam, his daughter Fatima Zahra and twelve Imams, who are Imam Ali,
his eldest son Hasan and his second son Husayn, and nine others in the line of
Husayn. The last line refers to that fact.
Ay
Yathrib-O-Batha! t�re waali ki hai aamad,
Lai rutba-e-`aala
shah-e�`aali ki hai aamad,
`Aalam ki taGheeri pa
bahaali ki hai aamad,
Kahtai haiN
caman maah-e-jalaali ki hai aamad,
Ye xaana-e-k`aba ke
mubaahaat ke din haiN
Y`aqoob ki Yusuf se
mulaaqaak ke din
haiN. (22)
O Yathrib and
Batha! Thy liege and lord is coming,
Be complacent, thy
protector and guard is coming,
With this advent, the
world is sure to change for better,
Of a new tone and
tenor, he is said to be the setter,
Verily are these days
of K`aba�s rejoicing,
And with unhappy
Jacob, lovely Joseph�s meeting.
NOTE: There is definitely a problem in the grammar in the first
line. Aasi Rampuri has taken serious exception to this egregious slip on Meer
Anees�s part. Yathrib-o-Bat-ha means Madinah and Makkah. That makes
two. The pronoun �tere� is singular. I agree with
Aasi�s objection here. However, I don�t think this is a slip up on Meer Anees�s
part. It looks like a blooper during the transcribing. If we read the line as
follows, the defect will disappear:
Ay waadiy-e Batha tere
waali ki hai aamad
This is very likely because Madinah has been mentioned
separately in the following stanza.
Aasi also has objected on the use of the word �TAGHEERI.� This
appears to be an Arabic word. The root is GH-Y-R, which means �to
change.� But actually no Arabic word exists with that spelling.
There is a word TAGHAYYUR and another word TAGHYIIR. Meer Anees has formed an
abstract noun by adding a �y� to the wecond word, very much like we have SABZI
from SABZ; he has used it in the meaning of change. He has effectively coined
an Urdu word from an Arabic root. I tend to disagree with Aaasi on
this point. A master poet does have the right to create new words. After all,
the word �ACCOMODATION� was unknown in the English language before Shakespeare.
The metaphor of Yusuf meeting with Y`aqoob after the long
separation, would be employed by Meer Anees frequently as a symbol of a joyous
incident. The story is found both in the Old Testament (Genesis 47: 13 and
48) as well as in the Qur�an (Sura Yusuf, Chapter 12).
Ay arz-e-Madinah tujhe
fawq ab hai falak par,
Rawnaq jo sama par hai
wo ab hogi samak par,
Xursheed mila taira
sitara hai camak par,
Sadqe gul-e-jannat
tere phoolo.N ki mahak
par,
Par jis pa farishto.N
ke biche.N farsh wahi hai,
Jis xaak pa ho
noor-e-xuda `arsh wahi
hai. (23)
O land of Madinah ,
thou art nobler, and higher than heaven,
The earth shall now
share the splendour of Heaven,
More than the sun, thy
star is refulgent,
More than a rose of
Heaven, thy flower is fragrant,
The pavement is that,
where angels their wings spread,
And that is the
empyrean, wherefrom the Divine Light is shed.
Note: The metaphor of
SAMA-O-SAMAK (the sky and the fish) is derived from older mythology in India
and in Iran . In India , the ancient belief was that the world was resting on
the horn of a cow. (Meer Anees would use the expression of GAW-E-ZAMIN also).
In another belief it was said that the earth is resting on the back of a fish.
That is the very bottom of the universe and the top is the sky.
Ya xatm-e-rusul,
gawhar-e-maqsood mubaarak,
Ya noor-e-xuda , rahmat-e-m`abood
mubaarak,
Ya shah-e-Najaf,
shaadiy-e-mawlood mubaarak,
Ya khayr-e-nisa
Akhtar-e-mas`ood mubaarak,
Rawnaq ho sada, noor
dubaala rahai ghar mai.N
Is maah-e-dohafta ka
ujaala rahai ghar
mai.N (24)
O Last of the
prophets ! Felicitations for the coveted gem,
O Light of God
! felicitations for the divine emblem,
O King of Najaf, for
the happy birth, congratulations,
O Blessed lady, this
son of yours, is a propitious omen,
May this house be
blessed, with an eternal light,
May this eternal
light, be blessed with perennial delight.
Qurbaan-e-shab-e-juma-e-Sh`abaan-e-xush
anjaam,
Payda huwa jis shab ko
Muhammad ka gul-andaam,
Qaa-em huwa di.N awr
baRhee rawnaq-e-Islam,
Ham
palla-e-subh-e-shab-e-m`eraaj thi wo shaam,
Xursheed ka
ijlaal-o-sharaf badr se poocho,
Kiya qadr thi us shab
ki shab-eqadr se pooch. (26)
How soul-stirring was
that Friday night,
When Muhammad�s
grandson was born, to all men�s delight,
Religion thrived, the
glory of Islam became more splendent,
That evening rivaled
with the Night of Ascent,
How radiant was the
sun, speak O full moon-light,
How graceful was the
night, speak O Great Night.
NOTE: Aasi has taken exception to the spelling of the word JUMA
(Friday ) in this line. In the original Arabic the MEEM has a PESH
on it, so the correct transliteration will be JUMU�A. I disagree with this
objection. In Urdu, JUM�A is in extensive use and except for those who read the
Qur�an regularly, the Urdu speakers hardly know the original spelling of the
word. Aasi also objects to the expression �MUHAMMAD KA GUL-ANDAAM.� He says: If
the child is gul-andaam, then he is as such (meaning delicate), the genitive
MUHAMMAD KA GUL-ANDAAM does not carry any meaning. I think this is a frivolous
objection.
The stanza ends with a
beautiful BAYT. The repetition of the words QADR and SHAB have really added to
the beauty of the expression.
Rawshan tha Madeene ka
hare k kooca-o-bazaar,
Jo raah thi xushbu, jo
muhalla that wo gulzaar,
Khole-hu-e tha
aahu-e-shab naafa-e-taataar,
M�aloom yeh hota that
ki phooloN ka hai ambaar,
garduN ko bhi ek rashk
tha zeenat pa zamiN ki
har ghar main hawa
aati thi firdaws-e-bariN
ki (28)
Flooded with light was
Madina�s each corner and nook,
Fragrant was each way,
and every borough gave a new look,
Odorous was that
night, like a Tatarian deer, full of musk,
Or that, it looked
like a heap of fragrant damask,
Never was the earth so
majestic, nor was the sky so envy laden,
Blessed was each hearth
and home, with an azure from Heaven.
NOTE: The third line is a typical Aneesian metaphor. The English
translation has failed to render the beauty of the Urdu expression.
TheeN Fatima bechayn
udhar dad-e-shikam se,
MuNh faq that awr
aaNsu thai rawaN deeda-e-nam se,
Wabasta thi raahat jo
usi bibi ke dam se,
Muztar thai Ali
bint-e-payambar ke alam se,
Aaraam tha ek dam na
shah-e-qila shikan ko,
Phirte thai lagaa-e
huwe chati se Hasan
ko (29)
The agony made Fatima
restless with pain,
Her face paled, and
gushed out tears in train,
As the lady was, the
house-comforter,
Her sufferings made
Ali all the sadder,
Distressed he felt,
each moment his heart smirched,
He sauntered to and
from, with Hasan into his lap perched.
NOTE: This is a very significant stanza in that Meer Anees
brings his readers back to the real world. The Prophet, his daughter Fatima
Zahra and all the Imams are the manifestation of the Divine Light on this
earth. However, they are, for all practical purposes, biological human beings,
they suffer from pain, their birth is natural and they feel happiness and
pleasure. There is no miracle here and no supernatural happenings.
This is the genius of Meer Anees. Good poetry is supposed to
take its readers into a surreal world, a world of imagination, a world of
superhuman and super-beings. Here the poetry actually brings its readers back
to earth --- this is the realism in Islamic philosophy and theology that Meer
Anees has expressed very successfully.
Karte thai du�a baadsha-e
Yathrab-o-Bat-ha,
Raahim hai teri
zaat-e-muqaddas, mere Mawla,
Zahra hai Kaneez awr
mera bcca tera banda,
Aasaan kar ay
baar-e-Khuda, mushkil-e-Zahra,
Nadaar hai awr faqa
kash-o-zaar-o-haziN hai,
Maadar bhi tahsaffi ke
liye paas nahiN
hai (30)
The King of Yathrib,
thus prayed God Almighty,
Most Merciful, Most
sanctified are Thou, O Deity,
Zahra is Thy maid, and
my son a slave,
Soothe her sufferings,
in her difficult way ease pave,
She is in fact poor,
sorrow-stricken and starving,
To comfort her sad
heart, her mother isn�t surviving.
NOTE: That thought process from the previous stanza continues in
this one. The Prophet prays to Allah that may He make this birth easy for the
mother. In that moment of pain of her daughter, very psychologically, the
Prophet is seen remembering his late beloved wife Kahdeeja, the mother of that
daughter for whom he is praying.
Naagaah dar-e-Hujra
huwa matla�e anwaar,
Dikhlaane lagai
noor-e-tajalli dar-o-deewar,
Asma ne Ali sai kaha
yeh dawR k ek baar,
Farzand mubaarak
tumheN, Ya haydar-e-karraar,
Ispand karo Fatima ke
maah-e-jabiN par
Farzand nahiN caand
yeh utra hai zamiN
par (31)
Then suddenly, the
chamber was flooded with light,
Brightened was each
object, very like a sprite,
Rushed Asma to Ali,
with tidings of joy,
I greet you Sir, O
Haydar ! For a lovely boy,
For the well-being of
Fatima �s child, make the best of offering,
Verily the moon has
descended, not a child so darling.
NOTE: Asma
bint-e-Umays is the wife of Ali�s brother J�afar. Her father Umays was an old
companion of the Prophet. His two daughters, Asma and her sister, were very
friendly with the women of the household of the Prophet, particularly with
Fatima Zahra, and Asma would help out Fatima Zahra in domestic chores.
Dekha nahiN is tarha
ka cehra kabhi pyara,
Naqsha hai Muhammad se
shahinshaah ka saara,
Maathai pa camakta hai
jalaalat ka sitaara,
Allah ne is ghar
mai.N `ajab caand utaara,
Tasweer-e-Rasool-e-`Arabi
dekh rahai hai.N,
AaNkho.N ki hai
gardish ke Nabi dekh rahai
hai.N (32)
Never have I seen a
fairer face,
He is in the image of
the Prophet, and all his grace,
His forehead is lit,
with a majestic light,
God has sent moon, in
the form of a child all bright,
Is this the personage
of the Prophet, that we are beholding,
Is it an illusion or
the visage of the Prophet, that we are beholding.
Muzdah yeh sunaa
Ahmad-e-Muxtaar ne jis dam,
Bas shukr ke sajdai ko
jhukai qibla-e-aalam,
Aa-e
taraf-e-khaana-e-Zahra xush-o-xurram,
Farmaya mubaarak
pisar, ay saaniy-e-Maryam,
Cehra mujhe dikhlaado
mere noor-e-nazar ka
TukRA hai yeh farzand,
Muhammad ke jigar
ka (33)
To Ahmad, as soon as
the happy news was communicated,
In gratitude to God,
he at once prostrated,
He hastened to the
abode of Zahra, jubilantly happy,
And spake to her,
�Heartiest greetings for the son, O Mary!�
I want to see my
darling, the golden beam of my own light,
He is my son, my
being�s part, and my heart�s delight.
NOTE: There are many names by which Fatima Zahra has been
addressed in the hadeeth literature. One of them is Saaniy-e-Maryam, or the
second Mary. In one hadeeth the Prophet has said, the most glorious women in human
history are four: Maryam mother of Jesus, Aasiya the woman of the
Pharaoh (who brought up Moses as a child), Khdeeja bint Khuwaylad
and Fatima Zahra.
Ki `Arz yeh Asma ne ke
ay xaasa-e daawar,
Nahlaa lu.N to lai
aa�u.N usai hujrai se baahar,
Irshaad kiya
Ahmad-e-Muxtaar ne haNs kar,
Lai aa ke nawaasa hai
mera Tahir-o-At-har,
Is caand ko
taaj-e-sar-e-aflaak kiya hai,
Yeh wo hai Xuda ne
jise xud paak kiya
hai (34)
Thus entreated Asma,
�O God�s Messenger!�
May I wash the babe,
before taking him out of the chamber,
The Prophet laughed
and uttered in haste,
Fetch the child for he
is pure and chaste,
This moon of mine
shall illumine the highest of heaven,
God himself has
sanctified him, so as to enliven.
Note: this is a reference to the story of Kisa as associated
with the revelation of the Qur�anic verse 33:33 in which Allah says: O
Ahlul-Bayt, Allah intends to cleans you thoroughly and keep you away from all
RIJS. The book of hadeeth named JAMI OF TIRMIZI has preserved the
story among many other collections.
May.N is se hu.N awr
mujh se hai yeh tu nai.N maahir,
Yeh noor-e-ilaahi hai
yeh hai tayyab-o-taahir,
Asraar jo maxfi hai.N
wo ab ho.N-ai.Nge zaahir,
Ye aayat-e-iima.N hai
ye hai hujjat-e-baahir,
baRh kar
madad-e-sayyad-e-lawlaak karega,
kuffaar ke qisse ko
yhai paak
karega (35)
I am unto him, he is
unto me, it is an established fact
He is verily the Light
of God, he is sacred and sacrosanct,
The hidden secrets of
Nature, shall now find a trace,
He is the sign of
Faith, he is the Divine Grace,
This child will help
me in my tasks,
And undo for good the
infidel�s mask.
NOTE: The first line is a rendition of a hadeeth: HUSAYNO MINNI
WA NA MIN AL-HUSAYN. (Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn). The meaning
relates to the story of Karbala in which Husayn lays his life for
the preservation of Islam, which was the life-mission of the Prophet. The last
line alludes to the same event.
Jis dam ye xabar
muxbir-e-saadiq ne sunaa�ii,
Asma use ek paarca-e
narm pa laa�ii
Bu us gul-e-taazah ki
Muhammad ne jo paa�ii
HaNsne lage
surxi rux-e-pur noor pa aa�ii
MuNh caand sa dekhaa
jo Rasool-e-`Arabi ne
Liptaa liya chaati se
nwaase ko nabi ne (36)
The Prophet broke the
tidings, at that moment,
Asma brought the
child, on a piece of soft parchment,
The sweet odour of the
newly-blossomed flower,
Made the Messenger of
God more joyful and happier,
Then the Prophet
glanced at the babe�s lovely face,
And to his bosom, lay
his grandson, for an embrace.
Jaan aaga�ii Y`aqoob
ne Yusuf ko jo paaya,
Qur�aa.N ki tarah
rehl-e-dozaanu pa biThaaya
MuNh malnai lage muNh
se bahut pyar jo aaya
Bosai liye awr haaNthoN
ko aaNkhoN se lagaaya
Dil hil gaya, ki jab
ke nazar seena-o-sar par,
Cooma jo gala cal
ga�.i talwar jigar
par. (37)
After retrieving
Joseph, Jacob�s heart had surged with glee,
The Prophet, like the
Qur�an on a stand, put the child on his knee,
Then sucking the
infant�s lips, the Messenger caressed his palms,
He fondled the babe
long, indeed imprinting kisses on his arms,
When the babe�s chest
was sighted, the Prophet felt his body minced,
A kiss on the throat
of the child, made Muhammad�s heart winced.
Note: Once again the metaphor of Yusuf meeting with Y`aqoob has
been employed. The last line alludes to the story of Karbala of which,
knowledge had come to the Prophet on Allah�s command. We will hear more details
of this in later stanzas.
Josh aaya tha ronai ka
magar thaam ke riqqat,
Is kaan mai.N
farmaa�ii aza.N, us mai.N iqaamat,
Haydar se ye farmaaya
ke ay shah-e-wilaayat,
Kyo.N tum neb hi dekhi
m�re farzand ki soorat?
Pur noor hai ghar tum
ko milaa hai qamar aysa,
Dunya mai.N kisi ne
nahi.N paaya pisar
aysa. (38)
He did overcome his
grief, although a little he wept,
Then made a prayer
call in the right ear, and then in the left,
Thus speaking to
Haydar, the Holy Prophet did a question set,
O saint of
saints! Haven�t you sighted my son as yet?
With this fount of
light, your house is indeed luster-packed,
Verily, in the whole
world, your son is peerless and unmatched.
NOTE: This is an established tradition among Muslims that when a
new child is born, one of the elders of the family says Azan in the right ear
and Iqamat in the left ear of the infant.
Kyo.N kar na ho, tum
sa padar awr Fatima si maa.N,
Do shams-o-qamar ka
hai ye ek nayyar-e-taaba.N,
Ki `arz ye Haydar ne
ke ay qibla-e iima.N,
Haq is pa rakhe
saaya-e-payghambar-e zisha.N,
`Aala hai wo sab se jo
muqaam-e-shah-e-di.N hai
Banda hu.N mai.N awr
ye bhi ghulaam-e-shah-e-di.N
hai (39)
You being the father,
and Fatima the mother of this merited boon,
Therefore, he is all
resplendent, a blend of the sun and the moon,
�O Fountain of
faith! O Lustrous Light!� This Ali replied,
May the babe bloom
under your grace, may your life abide,
Exalted is your
office, and your rank most important,
Like me, your abject
salve, this child is your servant.
NOTE: Here Meer Anees explains his own faith in the words of
Imam Ali.
The Prophet is considered to be the Perfect Man. Next to him is
Imam Ali and then other Imams, in that succession, in glory. There are many
hadeeth reports to support this view.
In one hadeeth, the Prophet says: �Hasan and Husayn are the
leaders of the Youth of Paradise, and their father is even more glorious.�
In one of the statements recorded in Nahjul-Balagha, Imam Ali
says: �I am one of the many slaves of the Prophet of Islam.�
