Search Words, Couplet, Verse, Shair In Iqbal Poetry

(Zarb-e-Kaleem-179) Sham-o-Falesteen

Sham-o-Falasteen
Syria And Palestine

Rindan-e-Faransis Ka Maikhana Salamat
Pur Hai Mai-e-Gulrang Se Har Sheesha Halab Ka

Heaven’s blessing on those brazen Frenchmen shine!
Aleppo’s rare glass brims with their red wine.

Hai Khak-e-Falasteen Pe Yahoodi Ka Agar Haq
Haspania Pe Haq Nahin Kyun Ahl-e-Arab Ka

—If the Jew claims the soil of Palestine,
Why not the Arab Spain?

Maqsad Hai Mulookiat-e-Englees Ka Kuch Aur
Qissa Nahin Naranj Ka Ya Shehad-o-Rutab Ka

Some new design must have inflamed our English potentates;
This is no story of oranges, honey or dates.

5 comments:

  1. Mysterious comment on Western strategies to rule World by Iqbal. Sometimes it's colonialism, for today it's the "New World Order". I just require an explanation for very last misrah: "Qissa nahi naranj ka ya shehad o ratab ka"... Have a vague idea about it, but still need to get things clear.

    ReplyDelete
  2. the brits said they had come looking for these in palestine
    iqbal implied their designs are more sinister

    ReplyDelete
  3. Iqbal means the British purpose of dividing countries on nationalism is not as pure as they claim.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Give credit where due: The English version is by V,G Kiernan, Poems from Iqbal, Wisdom of the East Series, Publisher John Murray, Abermarle Street. London W, 1955

    ReplyDelete