Shikwa. Jawaab-e-shikwa.

Anyone who has even a little interest in Urdu poetry must read some great poets of our times. Allama Iqbal is one I would highly recommend. From whatever little I have read of him, I guess Iqbal has gone through two contrast phases in his life; one of a rationalist philosopher and another of a hard core muslim. And the following nazm reflects both these phases to a T. The nazm has two parts, one in which he complains and argues with God - Shikwa, and the second where he writes the reply God gives to his complaints - Jawab-e-shikwa. Unfortunately the nazm refers to several events of islamic history, that may make it difficult for people to understand the context of each stanza if they are not aware of these events. Nevertheless the nazm will still leave you mesmerized. Many great singers like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the Sabri brothers, etc, have sung this nazm as qawwalis. My personal favourite is this version by the ghazal singer Tina Sani -

Many notable writers have translated this nazm but I believe a translation can only give you the gist of a poem, and you only get the interpretation of the translator and not of the poet. I, therefore, prefer to just find the meanings of the vocabulary used in a poem and not lose on the fun of trying to figure what the poet is trying to put across.

Kyun ziyaan-kaar (loser) banun?

Sood-faramosh (oblivious to profit) rahun?

Fikr-e-farda (worry about future) na karun, 

mehw-e-gham-e-dosh (engulf in the worries of the past) rahun?

Naale (wailing) bulbul (nightingale) ke sunun, 

aur hamatan-gosh (all ears) rahun?

Humnawa (O accordant), main bhi koi

gul (flower) hoon ke khamosh rahoon?

Jurrat-aamoz (giving courage) meri 

taab-e-sukhan (power of speech) hai mujhko!
Shikwa (complaint) Allah se, 

khaakam-ba-dahan (dust be in my mouth)!, hai mujhko!

Hai baja (correct), shewa-e-tasleem (image of salutation) mein mashhoor (famous) hain hum;
Qissa-e-dard (tale of pain) sunaate hain ke majboor hain hum.

Saaz-e-khaamosh (silent lyre) hain, fariyaad (complaint) se maamoor (full) hain hum.
Naala (lament) aata hai agar lab (lips) pe toh maazoor (paralysed) hain hum.


Ay Khuda, shikwa-e-arbaab-e-wafa (complaint of faithfuls) bhi sun le.
Khugar-e-hamd (habitual of praising) se thoda sa gila (complaint) bhi sun le.

Thi farishton ko bhi hairat; ki ye aawaaz hai kya?
Arsh waalon pe bhi khulta nahin; yeh raaz hai kya?

Taa-sar-e-arsh (towards the sky) bhi insaan ki tagh-o-taaz (self esteem) hai kya?
Aa gayi khaak ki chutki (pinch of dust) ko bhi parwaaz (flight) hai kya?

Ghaafil (ignorant) aadaab (etiquettes) se yeh sukkaan-e-zamin (denizens of the earth) kaise hain?
Shokh-o-gustaakh (bold and insolent) yeh pasti ke makeen (residents of the nadir/low) kaise hain?

Iss qadar shokh, ke Allah se bhi barham (angry) hai?
Tha jo masjood-e-malayek (worshipped by angels) yeh wahi aadam (man) hai?

Alam-e-kaif (condition of intoxication) hai, daana-e-ramooz-e-kam (wisdom of secrets is less) hai;
haan, magar ijz (modesty) ke asraar (secrets) se na-mehram (unaware) hai.

Naaz hai taaqat-e-guftaar (power of speech) pe insaanon ko,
Baat karne ka saleeqa (manners) nahi nadanon ko!

Safah-e-deher (page of world) se baatil (wrong) ko mitaaya hum ne.
Nau-e-insaan (human race) ko ghulaami se chhuraaya hum ne.

Tere Kaabe ko jabeenon (foreheads) se basaaya hum ne.
Tere Quraan ko seenon se lagaaya hum ne.

Phir bhi hum se ye gila hai ke wafadaar nahi;
Hum wafadaar nahi, Tu bhi to dildaar nahi. 

Ummatein (communities) aur bhi hain, un mein gunahgaar bhi hain;
Ijz waalay bhi hain, mast-e-mai-e-pindaar (intoxicated by wine of conceit) bhi hain. 

Un mein kaahil (lazy) bhi hain, ghaafil (ignorant) bhi hain, hushiyaar (clever) bhi hain;
Saikadon (hundreds) hain ke tere naam se bezaar (bored/disgusted) bhi hain.

Rehmatein (grants/graces) hain tere aghyaar (others) ke kaashaanon (abodes) par!
Barq (lightning) girti hai to bechaare musalmaanon par!

Aayi aawaz ghum-angez (affecting) hai afsaana (tale) tera
ashq-e-betaab (restless tears) se labrez (overfull) hai paimaana (goblet) tera.

Asmaangeer (reached the sky) hua naara-e-mastaana (impassioned cry) tera.
Kis qadar shokh zuban hai dil-e-diwaana (crazy heart) tera?

Shukr, shikwe ko kiya husn-e-ada (beautiful style) se tu ne,
hum-sukhan (conversant) kar diya bandon ko khuda se tu ne.

Safah-e-dehr se baatil ko mitaaya kis ne?
Nau-e-insan ko ghulami se chhuraaya kis ne?

Mere Kaabe ko jabeenon se basaaya kis ne?
Mere Quraan ko seenon se lagaaya kis ne?

The to aaba (progenitors) woh tumhare hi, magar tum kya ho?
Haath par haath dhare muntazir-e-farda (awaiter of tomorrow) ho!

Kyun musalmaanon mein hai daulat-e-duniya (bounties of the world) naayaab (rare)?
Teri qudrat (omnipotence) to hai woh jis ki na had (limit) hai na hisaab (account).

Tu jo chaahe to uthe seena-e-sehra (desert's bosom) se hubaab (bubbles)
Rahrawe-dasht (desert's rambler) ho saili-zada-e-mauj-e-saraab (flooded by the waves of mirages).

Taan-e-aghiyaar (others' sarcasm/taunts) hai, ruswaai (disgrace) hai, nadaari (poverty) hai,
Kya tere naam pe marne ka ewaz khwaari (misfortune/poverty) hai?

Ye shikayat nahi, hain unke khazane mamoor (full),
nahin mehfil mein jinhen baat bhi karne ka shaoor (etiquettes).

Qahar (calamity) to ye hai ke kaafir (infidel) ko milin hoor-o-qusoor (virgins and fairies),
aur bechare musalmaan ko faqat waada-e-hoor (promise of virgins).

Ab wo altaf (favours) nahin, humpe inayaat (kindness) nahin,
Baat ye kya hai ke pahli si madaraat (politeness/courtesy) nahin.

Waaiz-e-qaum (preacher of the community) ki wo pukhta-khayaali (mature thinking) na rahi,

barq-e-taba'ii (lightening/zest in the nature/behavior) na rahi shola-maqaali (sparky/flammable/igniting speech) na rahi.

Rah gayi rasm-e-azaan (custom of Azan), rooh-e-Bilaali (soul of Bilal-Prophet's friend, first Azan singer) na rahi.

Falsafa (philosophy) rah gaya talqeen-e-ghazaali (inspiration of Ghazali-a prominent muslim leader) na rahi 

Masjiden marsiya-khwan (lamenting/dirge singers) hain ke namaazi na rahe.

Yaani (means) wo sahib-e-ausaf-e-hijaazi (holders/bearers of the virtues of the Prophet) na rahe.

Kya kaha? Bahr-e-musalmaan (for muslims) hai faqat (just) wada-e-hoor (promise for virgins)?

Shikwa be-ja (without reason/unfair) bhi kare koi to laazim (required) hai sha-oor (consciousness/conscience).

Adl (justice) hai faatir-e-hasti (creator of the world) ka azal (eternity) se dastoor (custom),

Muslim aa-iin (law) hua kaafir (infidel) to milein hoor-o-qusoor.

Tum mein hooron ka koi chaahne waala hi nahin.

Jalwa-e-toor (splendor of Toor-the mountain where God spoke to Moses ) to maujood (present) hai, Moosa hi nahin.

Jinko aata nahi duniya mein koi fann (talent), tum ho!
Nahin jis qaum ko parwa-e-nasheman (concern of home), tum ho!

Bijliyaan jis mein hon aasuda (absorbed), wo khirman (harvest), tum ho!
Bech khaate hain jo aslaaf (ancestors) ke madfan (graves), tum ho!

Ho niko (famous) naam jo qabron ki tijaarat karke;
Kya na bechoge, jo miljaayen, sanam (idols) patthar ke?

Manfahat (benefit) ek hai is qaum ki, nuqsaan bhi ek.
Ek hi sab ka nabi (prophet), deen (faith) bhi, imaan (belief/faith) bhi ek.

Haram-e-paak (the holy mosque) bhi, Allah bhi, Qur'aan bhi ek.
Kuchh badi baat thi, hote jo musalmaan bhi ek!

Firqa-bandi (communal clanning) hai kahin, aur kahin zaaten (castes) hain.
Kya zamaane mein panapne (develop/bloom) ki yehi baatein hain?
Buth (idols) sanam-khaanon (temples) mein kahte hain, "Musalmaan gaye".
Hai khushi un ko ke, Kaabe ke nigahbaan (guards) gaye.

Manzil-e-dahar (destination of the world) se oonton (camels) ke hudi-khwan (praise reciters) gaye.
Apni baghlon me dabaaye huwe Quraan gaye.

Khanda-zan (one who laughs) kufr (disbelief/atheism) hai, ehasaas tujhe hai ke nahin?
Apni tauheed (Unitarianism) ka kuch paas (regards) tujhe hai ke nahin?

Shor hai ho gaye duniya se musalmaan naabood (extinct),
Hum yeh kahte hain ke the bhi kahin Muslim maujood (present)?

Waz'aa (condition) mein tum ho nasaara (christian), to tamuddan (civilization) mein Hanood (Hindu),
Yeh musalmaan hain? Jinhen dekh ke sharmayen Yahud (Jews)!

Yun to sayyad (Muslim upper caste) bhi ho, mirza bhi ho, afghaan bhi ho
Tum sabhi kuch ho, batao to musalmaan bhi ho?

Har musalmaan rag-e-baatil (vein of falsehood) ke liye nashtar (lancet) tha.
Is ke aaina-e-hasti (mirror of life) me amal (act) jauhar (skill) tha.

Jo bharosa tha use quwwat-e-baazu (strength of arms) par tha.
Hai tumhen maut ka dar, usko Khuda ka dar tha.

Baap ka ilm (knowledge) na bete ko agar azbar (by heart) ho,
Phir pisar (son) qabil-e-miraas-e-pidar (worthy of father's inheritance) kyonkar (how) ho?

Har koi mast-e-mai-e-zauq-e-tan-aasaani (intoxicated by wine of ) hai,
Tum musalmaan ho? Yeh andaaz-e-musalmaani (style of Islam) hai?

Haidari faqr (Ali's bowl) hai, nai (nor) daulat-e-Usmaani (treasure of Usman) hai.
Tum ko aslaaf (ancestors) se kya nisbat-e-ruhaani (connection with austerity) hai?

wo zamaane mein mu'azzaz (respectable) the musalmaan ho kar.
Aur tum khwar (disgraced) huye taarik-e-Quraan (renouncer of the Holy Quraan) ho kar.

Khud-kushi (suicide) sheva (habit) tumhara wo ghuyur-o-khuddaar (self-respecting).
Tum uquwat (brotherhood) se gurezan (hesitant), wo uquwat pe nisaar (sacrificing).

Tum ho guftaar (speech) saraapa (head to toe), wo saraapa kirdaar (character).
Tum taraste ho kali ko wo gulistaan (garden) bakinaar (on shore).

Ab talak yaad hai qaumon (communities) ko hikaayat (story) unki
Naqsh (marked) hai safha-e-hasti (page of life) pe sadaaqat (sincerity) unki.

Baada-kash (drinker) ghair (others/strangers) hain gulshan me lab-e-juu (bank of river) baithe;
Sunte hain jaam-ba-kaf (with wine in hands), naghma-e-kuku (song of koel) baithe;

duur hangaama-e-gulzaar (hubbub of the garden) se yaksu (focussed) baithe;
tere deewane bhi hain, muntazar-e-hu (awaiter of invocation) baithe.

Apne parwaanon (lover moths) ko phir zauq-e-khud-afrozi (taste of self glorification) de.
Barq-e-derina (ancient lightening) ko farmaan-e-jigar (command of heart burning) sozi de.

Dekh kar range-e-chaman (color of garden) ho na pareshan maali,
Kaukab-e-ghuncha (stars of buds) se shaakhen hain chamakne waali,

Khas-o-khashaak (hay and grass) se hota hai gulistan khaali;
Gul-bar-andaaz (style of flower) hai khoon-e-shuhda (blood of the martyrs) ki laali.

Rang gardoon (heaven) ka zara dekh to unnabi (purple) hai,
Yeh nikalte huye suraj ki ufaq-taabi (endurance of the horizon) hai.

Misl-e-bu (like fragrance) qaid hai ghunche mein parishan (disperse) ho ja!
Rakht-bar-dosh (ready for journey) hawa-e-chamanistaan (wind of the garden) ho ja

Hai tunk (little) maya (wealth) tu zarre (particle) se bayabaan (wilderness) ho ja!
Naghma-e-Mauj (song of wave) se hangaama-e-tufaan (chaos of storm) ho ja!

Quwwat-e-ishq (strength of love) se har past (low) ko baala (high) kar de!
Dahar (world) mein ism-e-Muhammad (name of Muhammad) se ujaala kar de!

Aql hai teri sipar (shield) ishq hai shamsheer (sword) teri!
Mere darvesh (sufi saint) khilaafat (caliphate) hai jahangeer teri!

Ma-siwa (except) Allah ke liye aag hai takbeer (the call-'Allaho akbar!') teri!
Tu musalmaan hai to taqdeer (destiny) hai tadbeer (planning) teri!

Ki Mohammed se wafa tu ne to hum tere hain,
Yeh jahan cheez hai kya, lauh-o-qalam (page and pen) tere hain.