In a recent trip to our family home, my mom rediscovered an old postcard addressed to my great-grandfather, Mohammad Ali Mirza. The letter was sent to him on October 17, 1947 in the aftermath of the partition of British India by his Hindu friend Diwan C. Khanna, who had to flee from Lahore to Delhi. It is a really interesting primary source that gives insight into the pain and grief that those who had to leave their lives and homes behind felt at the time. I’ve written a longer article analyzing the letter and what I think it means for Indians and Pakistanis today, which can be read both in the Indian publication The Quintand in the Pakistani publication The Express Tribune.
Below is the full text of the letter, along with scans of the front and back of the original document:
Mirza Mohd. Ali Sb.
[address removed]
Lahore
[address removed]
New Delhi
17-10-47
My dear Mirzasahib
I arrived here safely this morning. I can’t thank you sufficiently for all you so willingly & gladly did for me. The part which Begum Sahiba played was noble. You have proved what friendship is. I shall ever remain grateful. Please convey my thanks to Begum Sahiba. I am unhappy to be separated from you & other friends. I would like to die in Pakistan than to live in India shall it be possible. My wife & children have been happy to receive me. They were worrying a lot. I had a troublesome journey & that too by stages. Anyhow I reached here with some luggage, arms and one bedding. The rest of the things are at Amritsar which I shall manage to get soon.
With sincere thanks yours sly [sincerely]
Diwan C. Khanna
In no particular order, here is my list of the top five versions of the qawwali “Tajdar-e-Haram”. You can find my full translation of the poetry here. The original by the Sabri Brothers is obviously very hard to match, but I think others have also done justice to it. Post any more versions of “Tajdar-e-Haram” that you enjoy in the comments!
1. The Timeless Original by the Sabri Brothers
Highlights: The original is always the original, and here the Sabri Brothers are at their best. The two brothers’ voices are very distinct and complementary. They show their musical mastery in this qawwali by repeatedly varying the pace and volume, taking listeners on a journey.
2. The Second Generation by Amjad Sabri & Shahi Hasan
Highlights: Amjad Sabri ventures out of traditional qawwali in this soulful collaboration with Shahi Hasan. It’s an amazing composition in its own right, with lots of overlapping vocal tracks, and the female background vocals at the beginning are really mesmerizing.
3. The Coke Studio Rendition by Atif Aslam (2015)
Highlights: Atif’s Coke Studio version is also not traditional qawwali, but it includes a wider array of instruments that enhance the song. At times, the emotion in his unique voice really comes through.
4. The Indian Masters’ Version by Sonu Nigam & Sukhwinder Singh (1992)
Highlights: This is a really cool (and rare) rendition by two of Bollywood’s most famous singers, Sonu Nigam and Sukhwinder Singh. While not focusing on the raw and spontaneous nature of traditional qawwali, this version lets their amazing, highly-trained voices shine.
5. The Thunderous Tribute by Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad (2016)
Highlights: Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad paid tribute to the Sabri Brothers and Amjad Sabri through a more traditional performance. This version is loud and powerful, with excellent percussion (check out the vocals at 0:49 and the change in beat at 17:58).
“Tajdar-e-Haram” is a popular qawwali most famously performed by the late Sabri Brothers, Ghulam Farid Sabri (1930-1994) and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (1945-2011), from Pakistan. The titular Urdu poem is attributed to Hakim Mirza Madani and Habib Madani (or H.B. Madani), both of whom are difficult to identify. Given the takhallus in the last line, it is clear that someone named Habib wrote the verses. It is important to note that the long version by the Sabri Brothers that is translated here includes verses in multiple languages from several authors.
This qawwali would fall under the category of naat (praise of the prophet Muhammad), since it serves as a plea to Muhammad to bestow his mercy on the needy. Excerpts from quite a few naats are recited by the Sabri Brothers. The primary one that they repeatedly return to, of course, is the Urdu poem “Tajdar-e-Haram”. Another Urdu naat is by the famous Pakistani poet, Muzaffar Warsi (1933-2011), who also wrote the hamd (praise of God) titled “Wohi Khuda Hai”. Plus, a Persian line from the poem “Marhaba Sayyidi Makki Madani” by Muhammad Jaan Qudsi Mashhadi (-1646), the poet laureate of the Mughal Empire under Shah Jahan, is also recited.
Continuing with naats, the opening and another section are by Maulana Jami (1414-1492), a Sufi theologian and poet from modern-day Afghanistan. There are also a few lines in Arabic from a poem written by Zain al-Abideen (659-713), a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth Shia imam. Following the same theme as “Tajdar-e-Haram”, these two excerpts involve a hapless person asking the morning breeze (“Saba”) to carry his message seeking forgiveness to Muhammad’s tomb in Madinah.
The Sabri Brothers also recite a few excerpts from “Zihaal-e-Miskeen”, a celebrated poem by Ameer Khusrau (1253-1325), who was a Sufi disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya and the father of qawwali. Interestingly, “Zihaal-e-Miskeen” alternates languages, with one line in Persian followed by one line in Braj Bhasha (a dialect of Hindi-Urdu). Furthermore, another part of this qawwali is possibly from a Purbi poem by Bhai Mardana (1459–1534), a companion of the Sikh leader Guru Nanak. Both of these excerpts follow the Sufi theme of a person lamenting their separation from their beloved, who in the context of this qawwali is Muhammad.
Since this qawwali is so complex, I have done my best to indicate the language and author of each section wherever I could. I’d like to thank Ammar Kalimullah for helping with some of the more difficult parts of the translation.
Correction: This post previously incorrectly attributed “Tajdar-e-Haram” to Purnam Allahabadi. Purnam wrote a different poem titled “Sultan-e-Haram”. Please forgive the error.
A few notes that might help in understanding this qawwali:
* Taajdaar-e-Haram, Mustafa, Mujtaba, Sayyid, Tayyib, Saaqi-e-Kausar, Aaqa, and Arab ke Kunwar are all different names and titles used to address Muhammad.
* In Sufi poetry, concepts related to wine are often used metaphorically. In “Tajdar-e-Haram”, the wine drinkers being called to Madinah are those who are intoxicated by a divine love for the prophet Muhammad and for God. The prophet acts as a wine-pourer, i.e. as the guide facilitating a close relationship with the divine. Specifically, he is mentioned as the wine-pourer of Kausar (or Kawthar). Kausar is a body of water (sometimes called a “lake-fount”) in heaven that was promised to Muhammad in a Qur’anic revelation. In this poem, when he fills the cups of his followers with drink, he is replenishing their spirituality.
* The daaman that is filled refers to a concept similar to that of the jholi in “Bhar Do Jholi”. Literally, a daaman would be the hem of a long South Asian garment. Folding up and holding one’s daaman to form a sort of pouch is a way of begging for money. Since Muhammad is believed to have been generous to the poor, this qawwali mentions how he fills up the daaman of all those who come to his door. At the same time, the other meaning is that everyone is metaphorically a beggar asking for and receiving the prophet’s alms, i.e. his forgiveness.
Persian (Jami)
صبا تحیتِ شوقم بہ آن جناب رسان
saba tahiyat-e-shauqam ba aan janaab rasaan
O morning breeze! Carry my passionate greetings to His Holiness [Muhammad]!
حدیثِ ذرۂ مسکین بہ آفتاب
hadees-e-zarra-e-miskeen ba aaftaab rasaan
Carry the word of a wretched atom to the glorious sun!
ترا مقام کہ آرام گاہِ اقدسِ اوست
tura maqaam ke aaraam-gaah-e-aqdas-e-oost
Since your destination is his holiest of all resting places,
زمین ببوس و سلامِ منِ خراب رسان
zameen bi-bos o salaam-e-man-e-kharaab rasaan
Kiss the ground and convey the greetings of this sinner there!
Urdu
قسمت میں مری چین سے جینا لکھ دے
qismat mein meri chain se jeena likh de
Ordain for me a fate of living in peace!
ڈوبے نہ کبھی میرا سفینہ لکھ دے
ḍoobe na kabhi mera safeena likh de
May my ship never sink – write it!
جنت بھی گوارہ ہے مگر میرے لیے
jannat bhi gawaara hai magar mere liye
Paradise, too, is desirable, but for me,
اے کاتبِ تقدیر مدینہ لکھ دے
ae kaatib-e-taqdeer madeena likh de
O Writer of Destiny [God], inscribe Madinah!
تاجدارِ حرم ہو نگاہِ کرم
taajdaar-e-haram ho nigaah-e-karam
O King of the Holy Sanctuary [Muhammad], spare a glance of mercy!
ہم غریبوں کے دن بھی سنور جائیں گے
ham ghareebon ke din bhi sanwar jaaen ge
Even we, the downtrodden, will see our days turn for the better!
Persian (Qudsi Mashhadi)
چشمِ رحمت بکشا سوئے من انداز نظر
chashm-e-rehmat bi-kusha soo-e-man andaaz nazar
Open the eye of mercy, and cast a glance towards me,
اے قریشی لقبی ہاشمی و مطلبی
ae Qureshi Laqabi Hashimi o Muttalibi
O Qurayshi, you who are titled Hashemite and Muttalibite!
Urdu
تاجدارِ حرم ہو نگاہِ کرم
taajdaar-e-haram ho nigaah-e-karam
O King of the Holy Sanctuary, spare a glance of mercy!
Persian
یا رسول اللہ به احوالِ خرابِ ما ببین
ya Rasoolullah ba-ahwaal-e-kharaab-e-maa bi-been
O Prophet of God, look at our devastated conditions!
رو بہ خاک افتاده ام از شرمِ عصیان بر زمین
roo ba-khaak uftaada-am az sharm-e-isiyan bar zameen
I have fallen, with my face in the ground, from the shame of sin.
مذنبِ چون من نباشد در تمامِ امتت
muznib-e-choon man nabaashad dar tamaam-e-ummatat
There is no sinner like me in your entire community –
رحم کن بر حالِ ما یَا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِین
reham kun bar haal-e-ma ya rehmatal-lil-aalameen
Bestow mercy on my condition, O mercy for the worlds!
Urdu
تاجدارِ حرم ہو نگاہِ کرم
taajdaar-e-haram ho nigaah-e-karam
O King of the Holy Sanctuary, spare a glance of mercy!
Purbi (Mardana)
توری پریت میں سدھ بدھ سب بسری
tori preet mein sudh budh sab bisri
In your love, I have lost all sense of consciousness;
کب تک یہ رہے گی بےخبری
kab tak ye rahe gi be-khabri
How long will state of unknowing last?
Persian & Braj Bhasha (Khusrau)
ز حالِ مسکین مکن تغافل
zihaal-e-miskeen makun taghaaful
Do not neglect the condition of this wretched one,
دورائے نیناں بنائے بتیاں
doraaye nainaan banaaye batiyaan
By averting your eyes and making up stories!
کہ تا بِ ہجران ندارم اے جان
ke taab-e-hijraan nadaaram ae jaan
For I cannot tolerate separation, my dear.
نہ لیہو کاہے لگائے چھتیاں
na leho kaahe lagaaye chhatiyaan
Why do you not embrace me?
چون شمعِ سوزان چون ذره حيران
choon sham-e-sozaan choon zarra hairaan
Like a burning candle, like a bewildered atom,
ہميشہ گريان با عشقِ آن مہ
hamesha giryaan ba ishq-e-aan meh
I always weep out of love for that moon [i.e. the beloved].
نہ نیند نیناں نہ انگ چیناں
na neend nainaan na ang chainaan
Neither sleep for my eyes nor rest for my body,
نہ آپ آویں نہ بھیجیں پتیاں
na aap aaven na bhejen patiyaan
And you neither come to me nor send letters!
Purbi (Mardana)
توری پریت میں سدھ بدھ سب بسری
tori preet mein sudh budh sab bisri
In your love, I have lost all sense of consciousness;
کب تک یہ رہے گی بےخبری
kab tak ye rahe gi be-khabri
How long will state of unknowing last?
Urdu
جو جانے والے مدینے کے ہیں سنیں وہ ذرا
jo jaane waale madeene ke hain sunein woh zara
Listen, all those who are on their way to Madinah!
شہِ مدینہ سے اتنا ضرور کہہ دینا
shah-e-madeena se itna zaroor keh dena
Make sure to tell the King of Madinah
کہ ایک زخمی ءِ تیرِ نگاہ نظر جو پڑا
ke ek zakhmi-e-teer-e-nigeh nazar jo para
That when one wounded by the arrow of your glance saw you,
تڑپ تڑپ کے وہ کہتا تھا یا رسول اللہ
tarap tarap ke woh kehta tha ya rasool Allah
He would restlessly would call out, “O Messenger of God!”
Purbi (Mardana)
توری پریت میں سدھ بدھ سب بسری
tori preet mein sudh budh sab bisri
In your love, I have lost all sense of consciousness;
کب تک یہ رہے گی بےخبری
kab tak ye rahe gi be-khabri
How long will state of unknowing last?
گاہے بفگن دزدیدہ نظر
gaahe bifigan duzdeeda nazar
Cast a stolen glance towards me sometime!
کبھی سن بھی تو لو ہمری بتیاں
kabhi sun bhi to lo hamri batiyaan
Listen to what I too have to say sometime!
Urdu
تاجدارِ حرم ہو نگاہِ کرم
taajdaar-e-haram ho nigaah-e-karam
O King of the Holy Sanctuary, spare a glance of mercy!
Urdu
کہنا صبا حضور سے کہتا ہے ایک غلام
kehna saba huzoor se kehta hai ek ghulaam
O morning breeze, tell the Prophet that a servant of his pleads,
بس ایک نظر ہو ایک نطر کا سوال ہے
bas ek nazar ho ek nazar ka sawaal hai
“Spare a glance, tis a matter of just one glance!”
Arabic
یَا مُصْطَفیٰ یَا مُجْتَبیٰ إِرْحَمْ لَنَا إِرْحَمْ لَنَا
ya Mustafa ya Mujtaba irham lana irham lana
O Mustafa, O Mujtaba, have mercy on us, have mercy on us!
یَا مُصْطَفیٰ یَا سَیِّد
ya Mustafa ya sayyid
O Mustafa, O master,
مُطَهَّر مُنَوَّر في الْبَیْتِ وَالْحَرَم
mutahhar munawwar fil baiti wal haram
Purified and enlightened in the House and Sanctuary [of God, i.e. the Kaaba]!
یَا طَیِّب، اللہ
ya tayyib – Allah
O pure one – Allah!
یَا مُصْطَفیٰ یَا سَیِّد
ya Mustafa ya sayyid
O Mustafa, O master,
یَا مُصْطَفیٰ، صَلِّ عَلٰی
ya Mustafa – salli ala
O Mustafa – upon [him] be blessings!
یَا رَسُولُ اللہ یَا حَبِیبُ اللہ
ya Rasoolullah ya Habibullah
O Prophet of God, O Beloved of God!
Urdu (Warsi)
پھر گدڑیوں کو لال دے، جان پتھرون میں ڈال دے
phir gudriyon ko laal de, jaan patharon mein daal de
Give rubies to the rags once again, and give life to stones.
حاوی ہو مستقبل پہ ہم، ماضی سا ہم کو حال دے
haavi ho mustaqbil pe ham, maazi sa ham ko haal de
You comprehend our future, give us a condition like the past!
دعوٰی ہے تیری چاہ کا
daava hai teri chaah ka
This is a call for your favor!
اِس اُمتِ گمراہ کا تیرے سوا کوئی نہیں
is ummat-e-gumraah ka tere siwa koi naheen
For your this astray community of yours, there is no one but you,
یَا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِین
ya rehmatal-lil-aalameen
O mercy for the worlds!
Arabic
یَا مُصْطَفیٰ، صَلِّ عَلٰی
ya Mustafa – salli ala
O Mustafa – upon [him] be blessings!
Arabic & Persian (Jami)
یَا مُصْطَفیٰ یَا مُجْتَبیٰ إِرْحَمْ لَنَا إِرْحَمْ لَنَا
ya Mustafa ya Mujtaba irham lana irham lana
O Mustafa, O Mujtaba, have mercy on us, have mercy on us!
دستِ ہمہ بیچارہ را دامان توئی دامان توئی
dast-e-hama bechaara raa daamaan tu-yii daamaan tu-yii
For the hands of all helpless ones, you are the hem [to grasp]!
من عاصیم من عاجزم من بےکسم
man aasiyam man aajizam man be-kasam
I am a sinner, feeble and alone.
حالِ مرا یا شافعِ روزِ جزا پرسان توئی پرسان توئی
haal-e-maraa ya shaafi-e-rooz-e-jaza pursaan tu-yii pursaan tu-yii
O intercessor on Judgment Day, only you ask about my condition!
Persian
اے مشک بید عنبر فشان
ae mushk-bed ambar fishaan
O musk-willow, spraying fragrance!
پیکِ نسیمِ صبحدم
paik-e-naseem-e-subah-dam
O courier of the sweet morning breeze!
اے چارہ گر عیسٰی نفس
ae chaara-gar Eesaa nafas
O healer with the breath of Jesus!
اے مونسِ بیمارِ غم
ae moonis-e-beemaar-e-gham
O consoler of the grief-stricken!
اے قاسدِ فرخندہ پا
ae qaasid-e-farkhunda pa
O messenger with auspicious feet!
Urdu
تجھ کو اُسی گل کی قسم
tujh ko usi gul ki qasam
I swear to you by that same fragrance!
Arabic (Zain al-Abideen)
إنْ نَلٗتِ يَا رِيح الٗصَّبَا
in nalti ya reeh as-saba
O morning breeze, if you go
يَوْمًا إِلٰى أَرْضِ الْحَرَم
yauman ila ard il-haram
To the sacred land someday,
بَلِّغْ سَلَامِي رَوْضَةً
balligh salaami rauzatan
Carry my greetings to the grave
فِيهَا الْنَّبِيُّ الْمُحْتَرَم
feehan-nabiy-yul-muhtaram
In which rests the revered Prophet.
Urdu
تاجدارِ حرم ہو نگاہِ کرم
taajdaar-e-haram ho nigaah-e-karam
O King of the Holy Sanctuary, spare a glance of mercy!
ہم غریبوں کے دن بھی سنور جائیں گے
ham ghareebon ke din bhi sanwar jaaen ge
Even we, the downtrodden, will see our days turn for the better!
حامیِ بےکساں کیا کہے گا جہاں
haami-e-be-kasaan kya kahe ga jahaan
O Protector of the Helpless, what will the world say
آپ کے در سے خالی اگر جائیں گے
aap ke dar se khaali agar jaaen ge
If we leave empty-handed from your door?
کوئی اپنا نہیں غم کے مارے ہیں ہم
koi apna naheen gham ke maare hain ham
We have nobody to call our own and are afflicted with grief –
آپ کے در پہ فریاد لائے ہیں ہم
aap ke dar pe fariyaad laaye hain ham
To your door we have come with our plea!
ہو نگاہِ کرم ورنہ چوکھٹ پہ ہم
ho nigaah-e-karam warna chaukhat pe ham
Spare us a merciful glance, else at your doorstop,
آپ کا نام لے لے کے مر جائیں گے
aap ka naam le le ke mar jaaen ge
We will perish crying your name!
Urdu
مے کشوں آؤ آؤ مدینے چلیں
mai-kashon aao aao madeene chalen
Come, wine drinkers, let’s go to Madinah!
آؤ مدینے چلیں
aao madeene chalen
Come, let’s go to Madinah!
اِسی مہینے چلیں
isi maheene chalen
Let’s go this very month!
آؤ مدینے چلیں
aao madeene chalen
Come, let’s go to Madinah!
جب سال کے قریب مہینے پہنچ گئے
jab saal ke qareeb maheene pahunch gaye
When the number of months spent [in travel] reached nearly a year,
جدے میں عاشقوں کے سفینے پہنچ گئے
jadde mein aashiqon ke safeene pahunch gaye
In Jeddah the ships of those lovers [of Muhammad] arrived.
جن کو طلب کیا ہے
jin ko talab kiya hai
Those whom he summons…
جسے چاہا در پہ بلا لیا
jise chaaha dar pe bula liya
Whomever he wills he calls to his door.
جسے چاہا اپنا بنا لیا
jise chaaha apna bana liya
Whomever he wills he makes his own.
یہ بڑے کرم کے ہیں فیصلے
ye bare karam ke hain faisle
These are decisions of great mercy,
یہ بڑے نصیب کی بات ہے
ye bare naseeb ki baat hai
And this is a matter of great fortune!
جن کو طلب کیا ہے مدینے پہنچ گئے
jin ko talab kiya hai Madeene pahunch gaye
Those whom he summoned reached Madinah.
پیاسے تھے سال کے پینے پہنچ گئے
pyaase the saal ke peene pahunch gaye
Thirsty for a year, they arrived to take a drink!
پڑھتے ہوئے درود مدینے پہنچ گئے
parhte hue durood Madeene pahunch gaye
Whilst reciting prayers for the Prophet, they reached Madinah!
تجلیوں کی عجب ہے فضا مدینے میں
tajalliyon ki ajab hai fiza madeene mein
The wonder of divine manifestations is in the air of Madinah!
نگاہِ شوق کی ہے انتہا مدینے میں
nigaah-e-shauq ki hai intiha madeene mein
The zealous and ever-seeking gaze finds fulfilment in Madinah!
غمِ حیات نہ خوفِ قضا مدینے میں
gham-e-hayaat na khauf-e-qaza madeene mein
Neither sorrows of life nor fear of death exist in Madinah!
نمازِ عشق کریں گے ادا مدینے میں
namaaz-e-ishq karen ge ada madeene men
We will offer our prayer of love in Madinah!
اِدھر اُدھر نہ بھٹکتے پھرو خدا کے لیے
idhar udhar na bhatakte phiro Khuda ke liye
Don’t wander to and fro, for God’s sake,
براہِ راست ہے راہِ خدا مدینے میں
ba-raah-e-raast hai raah-e-Khuda madeene mein
As the path to God is clear and direct in Madinah!
مے کشوں آؤ آؤ مدینے چلیں
mai-kashon aao aao madeene chalen
Come, wine drinkers, let’s go to Madinah!
دستِ ساقی ءِ کوثر سے پینے چلیں
dast-e-saaqi-e-Kausar se peene chalen
Let’s go drink from the hand of the Wine-Pourer of Kausar!
Urdu
یاد رکھو اگر اُٹھ گئی ایک نظر
yaad rakho agar uth gayi ek nazar
Keep in mind that if he looks up just once
جتنے خالی ہیں سب جام بھر جائیں گے
jitne khaali hain sab jaam bhar jaaen ge
All the empty wine cups will suddenly be filled!
خوفِ طوفان ہے بجلیوں کا ہے ڈر
khauf-e-toofaan hai bijliyon ka hai dar
We have a storm to fear and lightning to dread
سخت مشکل ہے آقا کدھر جائیں ہم
sakht mushkil hai aaqa kidhar jaaen ham
Our misery is severe, Master, where should we turn?
آپ ہی گر نہ لیں گے ہماری خبر
aap hi gar na lein ge hamaari khabar
If even you will not take notice of our condition,
ہم مصیبت کے مارے کدھر جائیں گے
ham museebat ke maare kidhar jaaen ge
Where will we, suffering from calamities, go?
آپ کے در سے کوئی نہ خالی گیا
aap ke dar se koi na khaali gaya
No one has ever left your door empty-handed;
اپنے دامن کو بھر کے سوالی گیا
apne daaman ko bhar ke sawaali gaya
Each seeker returned with his daaman filled.
ہو حبیبِ حزین پر بھی آقا نظر
ho habeeb-e-hazeen par bhi aaqa nazar
Also look upon this sorrowful lover, master,
ورنہ اوراقِ ہستی بکھر جائیں گے
warna auraaq-e-hasti bikhar jaaen ge
Else the pages of my existence will scatter away!
Urdu
بندہ پرور نگاہِ کرم کیجیے
banda-parwar nigaah-e-karam kijiye
O sustainer of mankind, look upon me mercifully!
اب نہ کچھ امتحانِ وفا لیجیے
ab na kuch imtihaan-e-wafa lijiye
Do not take any more tests of my loyalty!
مجھ کو اقرار ہے میں گناہگار ہوں
mujh ko iqraar hai main gunaahgaar hoon
I have given my confession that I am a sinner.
مجھ کو کملی میں اپنی چھپا لیجیے
mujh ko kamli mein apni chhupa lijiye
Hide me within your cloak!
Urdu
آپ کے در سے کوئی نہ خالی گیا
aap ke dar se koi na khaali gaya
No one has ever left your door empty-handed;
اپنے دامن کو بھر کے سوالی گیا
apne daaman ko bhar ke sawaali gaya
Each seeker returned with his daaman filled.
ہو حبیبِ حزین پر بھی آقا نظر
ho habeeb-e-hazeen par bhi aaqa nazar
Also look upon this sorrowful lover, master,
ورنہ اوراقِ ہستی بکھر جائیں گے
warna auraaq-e-hasti bikhar jaaen ge
Or else the pages of my existence will scatter away!
تاجدارِ حرم
taajdaar-e-haram
O King of the Holy Sanctuary!
While not in this version, I have heard the following lines in other performances of this qawwali, so I have translated them as well:
Purbi (Mardana)
کا تم سے کہوں اے عرب کے کنور
ka tum se kahoon ae arab ke kunwar
What is there to tell you, O Prince of Arabia,
تم جانت ہو من کی بتیاں
tum jaanat ho man ki batiyaan
You know what is in my heart!
دارِ فرقتِ تو اے اُمی لقب
daar-e-furqat-e-tu ae ummi-laqab
O you known as the Unlettered One, while in separation from you,
کاٹے نہ کٹت ہیں اب رتیاں
kaaṭe na katat hain ab ratiyaan
My nights do not pass now!
Urdu
دکھ رنج و الم سب چھٹتے ہیں
dukh ranj o alam sab chhat’te hain
Sadness, agony, and suffering are all escaped
حسنین کے صدقے بٹتے ہیں
Hasnain ke sadqe bat’te hain
As the charity of Hassan and Hussein is distributed!
Urdu is an Indo-European language from the central zone of the Indo-Aryan branch, with over one hundred million speakers worldwide. Once associated with the Mughal Empire, it is most prominent in Pakistan, northern India, and South Asian diaspora communities.
Urdu is the official language in Pakistan and some states of India (marked in dark orange; marked in yellow is Hindi).
Due to its mutual intelligibility with Hindi, Urdu and Hindi are often referred to jointly by the term Hindustani (literally: “from the land of the Indus”). Considering Hindustani as a single unit, it is the third or fourth most spoken language in the world, depending on which source you look at.
People often ask what the differences between Hindi and Urdu are, and I would say that there are essentially two. First, the writing system: Hindi employs the Devanagari script, which is a descendant of older Indian scripts, whereas Urdu uses a version of the Perso-Arabic script, which came into use for several South Asian languages after Muslims entered the subcontinent. Second, while the grammar and syntax for both is alike, higher-level vocabulary in Hindi is derived from Sanskrit while in Urdu it is often derived from Persian and Arabic. In regular conversation, though, Hindi and Urdu speakers can communicate with each other perfectly well. Due to the partition of the subcontinent in 1947, the differences between the two have been artificially magnified in Pakistan, where Urdu has national status, and India, where Hindi has national status, in quite a politicized manner.
Anyways, Urdu is known for its great canon of literature and poetry; figures such as Meer, Ghalib, and Iqbal have truly inspired millions. It makes sense that Urdu is a poetic language when one looks at the rich sources it draws from – it is built on a foundation of Sanskrit and Hindi, and ornamented with vocabulary from Persian, Arabic, and even Turkish.
Interestingly enough, the word Urdu is even synonymous with poetry in some cases. For example, take a look at the super-hit Bollywood song “Chaiyya Chaiyya” from the 1999 movie Dil Se. Skip to 1:28 and you’ll hear the line “Woh yaar hai jo khushboo ki tarah, jiski zubaan Urdu ki tarah”. This would translate to “My beloved is like a sweet aroma, whose words sound like Urdu”.
In this post I will highlight some of the interesting features of Urdu. (Of course, many of these apply to Hindi as well)
1) In Urdu, a noticeable number of words rhyme with their antonyms. Here are a few examples:
There are also many pairs of rhyming words that are connected by a similar theme, and while they aren’t necessarily exact opposites, they are distinct.
2) This is probably my favorite characteristic of the Urdu language. Many verbs are part of families (usually 3-4 verbs) that use a root verb to derive causative versions of it. Take a look at the examples below to see what I mean. The infinitive form of every Urdu verb end with the suffix “-na” (نا-), just as every English infinitive begins with “to”.
Banna (to become) بننا – Banaana (to make) بنانا – Banvaana (to have someone make, as in, to cause to be made) بنوانا
Seekhna (to learn) سیکھنا – Sikhaana (to teach) سکھانا – Sikhvaana (to cause to be taught) سکھوانا
Karna (to do) کرنا – Karaana (to have done) کرانا – Karvaana (to cause to have done) کروانا
Milna (to meet) ملنا – Milaana (to introduce/connect) ملانا – Milvaana (to cause to introduce) ملوانا
Khulna (to become open) کھلنا – Kholna (to open) کھولنا – Khulvaana (to cause to open) کھلوانا
It is a little confusing if you’re not used to it, so here is an example of how these multiple forms could be used:
.یہ دروازہ خود کھلتا ہے
Yeh darwaaza khud khulta hai (This door opens by itself).
.تم نے اس دروازے کو کھولنا ہے
Tum ne is darwaaze ko kholna hai (You need to open this door).
.اس دروازے کو کسی سے کھلوانا ہے
Is darwaaze ko kisi se khulvaana hai (Someone must be brought to make this door open).
3) Urdu also has the interesting feature of having rhyming series of certain pronouns and adverbs.
Is ka (his/hers, owner present) اس کا – Us ka (his/hers, owner absent) اس کا – Jis ka (whosever) جس کا – Kis ka (whose?) کس کا
Ab (now) اب – Tab (then) تب – Jab (whenever) جب – Kab (when?) کب
As you can see, there is a pattern, such that the first one always has to do with something removed from the present situation, the second has to do with something related to the present situation, the third is used for general statements applicable to any situation, and the fourth is an interrogative word for an uncertain situation.
4) Like many languages, Urdu has a rich vocabulary, but there is a focus on poetic and romantic words. There exist multiple words for things that have only one word in other languages like English. The reason for this is that some words have South Asian etymologies, while others have Central or Western Asian origins.
Haseen حسین – Khoobsoorat خوبصورت – Sundar سندر (beautiful)
I hope that those who are interested in the study of languages enjoyed this post. Please feel free to comment below to ask any questions you may have about Urdu.
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