Allama Iqbal's famous verse: Us rizq se maut achchhi, jis rizq se aati ho parvaz mein kotahi...

Renowned Urdu poet, philosopher and thinker Sir Muhammad Iqbal was born in Sialkot in Punjab in undivided India [now Pakistan] in 1877.

One of the greatest Urdu poets ever, his name is taken alongside the great Mir Taqi Mir and Ghalib. Allama Iqbal is known for his Nazms and particularly the famous 'Shikwa & Jawab-e-Shikwa'. He passed away in 1938.

जब इश्क सिखाता है आदाब-ए-ख़ुद-आगाही* 
खुलते हैं ग़ुलामों पर असरार-ए-शहंशाही 

अत्तार** हो, 'रूमी' हो, राज़ी हो, 'ग़ज़ाली'  हो 
कुछ हाथ नहीं आता, बे-आह-सहरगाही 

ऐ ताएर-ए-लाहूती***, उस रिज़्क से मौत अच्छी 
जिस रिज़्क से आती हो परवाज़ में कोताही* 

दारा-ओ-सिकंदर से वोह मर्द-ए-फकीर-ऊला**
हो जिसकी फकीरी में बू-ए-असद-अल्लाही 

आईन-जवाँ-मर्दां, हक़-गोई-ओ-बेबाकी
अल्लाह के शेरों को आती नही रूबाही

इकबाल 



Now read the Roman transliteration:


jab ishq sikhaata hai aadaab-e-Khud-aagaahii
khulte haiN GhulaamoN par, asraar-e-shahanshaahi

'Attaar' ho, 'Rumi' ho, 'Raazi' ho, 'Ghazaali' ho
kuchh haathh nahiiN aataa, be-aah-sahargaahii

aye taaer-e-laahuutii, us rizq se maut achchhii
jis rizq se aatii ho, parvaaz meN kotaahii

'Daara'-o-'Sikandar' se voh mard-e-faqiir aulaa
ho jiskii faqiirii meN buu-e-Asadullaahii*

aaiin-e-javaaN-mardaaN, haq-goii o bebaakii
Allah ke sheroN ko aatii nahii ruubaahii

Allama Iqbal

Mini-dictionary

Meaning of tough words

1. Aadabe-e-khud-aagaahi: etiquette of introspection or self-discovery
2. Attar, Rumi, Al-Ghazali were all great poets, philosophers or mystics
3. Taaer=bird, Lahuti=world beyond our time, mystic stage, Parvaaz=flight, Rizq=daily bread, food, Kotahi=improvidence, carelessness that makes you fail, laziness, slavery (in this context)
4. Oola=preference, better
5. Asadullahii=reference to Hazrat Ali, to whom all Sufi paths tread their origin
6. Roobaahi=Hypocrisy, Cunning ways
7. Be-aah-sahargaahi=Without wails in morning [before Almighty]
8. Asraar=Secrets