Excerpts from Jawabe’ Shikwah

‘'T is said: ‘The Muslim quit this world,

Their days are on the wane’,

The Muslims died out long ago;

Such a lament is in vain.

You are known as Syed, and Mughal,

You call yourself Pathan;

But can you truly claim as well

The name of Mussalman?

When sons, lacking their fathers worth,

Are neither skilled, nor sage,

With what deserving can they claim?

Their fathers’ heritage!

They were honored of their times, they lived,

For theirs was true Iman,

You lived disgraced, as having left,

The path of Al-Qur’an!

They reigned upon the Chinese throne,

They wore the Persian Crown:

Where is that honor that they knew?

Words are your whole renown!

Complain ye not of heart unkind!

Nor speak of tyranny!

When love no bondage knows, then why

Should beauty not be free?

……………………..

Thy shield be wisdom, be thy sword,

The flaming love divine,

My fond dervish dost thou not know,

That all the world is thine.

The Poet

Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal was a famous Urdu & Persian poet and a great philosopher. He has been called the Poet of the East, and the Philosopher of Islam. At his time the Muslims were passing through a very difficult time. The Ottoman Empire was breathing its last and the entire Muslim world was feeling its pain. Dr. Iqbal raised their spirit through his powerful poetry. He was a firm believer in Islam, and he told his fellow Muslims that their condition could only be improved by following the teachings of Islam.

All else but God is at thy feet,

If sound thy takbeer great,

If thou a Muslim truly art,

Thy effort is thy fate!

To my Mohammad, be but true,

And thou hast conquered me,

This world is not, thou shalt command,

My pen of destiny!

-Translated by Altaf Hussain