For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

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Recitation

ہر  ذرّہ  طور  تھا ۔ شوکت  علی  خاں  فانیؔ  بدایونی

۱

دنیائے  حسن  و  عشق  میں  کس  کا  ظہور  تھا

ہر  آنکھ  برق  پاش  تھی  ہر  ذرّہ  طُور  تھا

۲

میری  نظر  کی  آڑ  میں  اُن  کا  ظہور  تھا

اللہ  اُن  کے  نُور  کا  پردہ  بھی  نُور  تھا

۳

تھی  ہر  تڑپ  سُکُون  کی  دنیا  لیے  ہوئے

پہلو  میں  آپ  تھے  کہ  دلِ  ناصُبُور  تھا

۴

ہم  کشتگانِ  غم  پہ  یہ  اِلزامِ  زندگی

بے  مہر  کچھ  تو  پاسِ  حقیقت  ضرُور  تھا

۵

بالیں  پہ  تم  جب  آئے  تو  آئی  وہ  موت  بھی

جس  موت  کے  لیے  مجھے  جینا  ضرور  تھا

۶

تھی  اُن  کے  روبرو  بھی  وہی  شانِ  اضطراب

دل  کو  بھی  اپنی  وضع  پہ  کتنا  غُرُور  تھا

۷

لطفِ  حیات  بے  خلشِ  مدّعا  کہاں

یعنی  بقدرِ  تلخئ  صہبا  سُرُور  تھا

۸

اُٹھ  کر  چلے  تو  حشر  بھی  اُٹھنا  تھا  کیا  ضرور

اُن  کی  گلی  سے  مدفن  فانیؔ  تو  دُور  تھا

हर ज़र्रा तूर था – शौकत अली ख़ां फ़ानी बदायूनी

१

दुनिया-ए हुस्न-ओ-इश्क़ में किस का ज़ुहूर था

हर आ>ख बर्क़-पाश थी हर ज़र्रा तूर था

२

मेरी नज़र की आढ में उन का ज़ुहूर था

अल्लाह उन के नूर का पर्दा भी नूर था

३

थी हर तढप सुकून की दुनिया लिये हुए

पहलू में आप थे के दिल-ए ना-सुबूर था

४

हम कुश्तगान-ए ग़म पे ये इल्ज़ाम-ए ज़िंदगी

बे-मेहर कुछ तो पास-ए हक़ीक़त ज़रूर था

५

बालीं पे तुम जब आए तो आई वो मौत भी

जिस मौत के लिये मुझे जीना ज़रूर था

६

थी उन के रू-ब-रू भी वही शान-ए इज़्तेराब

दिल को भी अपनी वज़’अ पे कितना ग़ुरूर था

७

लुत्फ़-ए हयात बे-ख़लिश-ए मुद्द’आ कहां

यानी ब-क़द्र-ए तल्ख़ी-ए सहबा सुरूर था

८

उठ कर चले तो हश्र भी उठना था क्या ज़रूर

उन की गली से मदफ़न-ए फ़ानी तो दूर था

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed shaukat ali KhaaN faani badayuni (1879-1941), BA 1901, law 1908. Stumbling law practice. Invited to hyderabad by maharaja kishan parshaad in 1932, working as the principal of a reputed school. Alcohol proved to be a big problem. He died forlorn and destitute. Much of his work was lost. This is a Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib, ‘kitna Ghuruur tha’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, on the Theme page.

It is said that moosa/Moses went up on mount tuur asking to see god. After warnings and much insistence, he saw a flash of lightning and fainted. This is often used as symbolic of divine glory/manifestation. The poet draws a parallel between divine glory on mount tuur and the beloved’s appearance in the world of beauty and love. Every eye was dazzled with her brilliance as if every grain of sand was like divine lightning flash.

mohammed shaukat ali KhaaN faani badayuni (1879-1941), BA 1901, law 1908.  Stumbling law practice.  Invited to hyderabad by maharaja kishan parshaad in 1932, working as the principal of a reputed school.  Alcohol proved to be a big problem.  He died forlorn and destitute.  Much of his work was lost.  This is a Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib, ‘kitna Ghuruur tha’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, on the Theme page.

1.beauty, beloved 2.love, lover/poet 3.manifestation, appearance, presence 4.destroyed by lightning, dazed 5.particle, grain of sand 6.mount tuur

It is said that moosa/Moses went up on mount tuur asking to see god.  After warnings and much insistence, he saw a flash of lightning and fainted.  This is often used as symbolic of divine glory/manifestation.  The poet draws a parallel between divine glory on mount tuur and the beloved’s appearance in the world of beauty and love.  Every eye was dazzled with her brilliance as if every grain of sand was like divine lightning flash.

1.glance, line of sight 2.blocking 3.manifestation 4.light, glory 5.veil

The lover directed his gaze at the beloved, but he was so dazzled that he could not see, as if her manifestation/apprearance was blocking his sight. By god, her brilliance itself acted like a veil.  Of course, this could easily apply to the divine.

1.throb, palpitation, writing in pain 2.tranquility, peace 3.side, bosom 4.impatient, restless

This she’r is a play on the two meanings of ‘pahlu’ which means side and is used to mean both at the side of the poet/lover and, at the side of the bosom i.e., the heart.  In the second meaning it speaks of the co-existence of pain and calm.  Thus, pain/agony/restlessness carries with it a world of peace and tranquility just like even as the beloved is at the side of the poet/lover, the heart in his bosom remains agitated/restless.

1.slain by, victims of 2.blame, accusation 3.merciless 4.respect, regard 5.truth 6.necessary

The poet/lover claims that he belongs to a class of lovers who are victims and metaphorically slain by the sorrow of unrequited love.  The irony that life blames these people as responsible for their own condition.  It is necessary that these merciless judges have some regard for truth.

1.head of the bed 2.death 3.remain alive 3.necessary

It is customary for the beloved to visit the dying lover in the final minutes of his life.  ‘baaliiN’ usually implies the head of the death bed.  The poet says that it was necessary for him to remain alive until the moment of the beloved’s visit to his death bed.  Thus, the particular death for which he was waiting came at the same time as the beloved came to the head of his bed.

1.face to face, in front of 2.pride, self-respect 3.restlessness 4.style, way 5.pride

The heart was very proud of its style of restlessness.  When it came face to face with the beloved, it is supposed to calm down, but it was so proud that it maintained the same restlessness in front of her.

1.pleasure 2.life 3.without the burning pain 4.desire 5.meaning, it means that 6.in proportion to 7.bitterness 8.wine 9.exhilaration, intoxication

The exhilaration/intoxication one gets from wine is in proportion to its bitterness.  In much the same way, the pleasure of life is in proportion to the pain of unfulfilled desires.

1.tumult like doomsday 2.was it necessary 3.grave 4.pen-name

The beloved rose to leave from the funeral of the poet/lover faani.  This caused a doomsday like tumult among those also present.  Was such a tumult necessary, asks the dead poet.  It is implied that the tumult is symbolic of the jealousy of other admirers/lovers who were also at the funeral and could not bear to see the beloved mourn for the dead lover.  Why was this tumult necessary, the grave of faani was far from her street (and she is not likely to take the trouble of coming back).

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