My body reverberates with patriotism when I
listen " Sare Jahan se Accha''
sung by Lata Mangeshkar, India’s noted playback singer. Though I know that it was written by Muhammad
Iqbal, beyond that I know nothing.
The other day when I was reading the poetry of Ghalib, a friend of mine told
that there was another marvelous urdu/persian poet whose poetry I should not
miss to read. Then my attention has gone to find about Iqbal and luckily
in our office library I got a book "Iqbal - His poetry and Message
written by Sheikh Akbar Ali.
The cover flap gave a brief bio of Iqbal. He was born at Sialkot (Pakistan) on
22nd Feb., 1873. He graduated in philosophy and was awarded two gold medals and
a scholarship for his proficiency in English and Arabic. His profession was
teaching history and philosophy. After a fruitful life, he died at the age of
60 due to prolonged illness.
On the death of Iqbal, Rabindranath Tagore said that India, whose place in
the world is too narrow, can ill-afford to miss a poet whose poetry had such
universal value. Another giant Sarojini Naidu said that ' though the
earth may enshrine the precious dust of Sir Mohammad Iqbal's body, his
imperishable genius will shine through the ages in undimmed splendor.
Though we all know him as a lyricist of great patriotic song 'Sare
Jahan se accha', he did not get his due recognition in India for his poetic
works. And it is time for all of us to savour the following translated lines of
his poetry :
"Among the sweet-tongued poets I
have been endowed with a power of expression, That I sing in tune with the
birds that soar to the high Arsh.
Don't ignore my song of love, you shall find in it, The way to saintliness,
and the glory of Kings'.
God unfolded to me the secrets of state and religion, And took a way all
other images from the retina of my eyes.
Life is occupied with conquest along, And the one charm for conquest is
desire. Life is the hunter and desire the snare, Desire is love's message to
beauty.
No particular tune is prescribed for lamentation, And the cry is not bound
the flute.
O reader !, do not find fault with the wine cup, But consider attentively
the taste of the wine'
I prefer this earth to the celestial paradise, As it is the place of love
and enthusiasm and is the repository of burning pangs.
What is Quran ? - a message of death for the capitalist, It befriends the
laborers of no means. Seek not any good from the hoarder of wealth, You cannot
attain to virtue unless you spend out of that, which you hold dearest.
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