1/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

sar-e-mehshar

gunahgaron ki saff mein

amaa’n dekho toh

kitna maulavi hai

on judgment day

in the line of sinners

you can see

how many priests there are

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

2/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

tera imam be-huzoor

teri namaz be-suroor

aisi namaz se guzar

aise imam se guzar

your priest is absent

and your prayer joyless

find your way out of

that priest and that prayer

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

3/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

tu dard bhi dua bhi tu

zakhm bhi davaa bhi

shikwe bhi hain tujhi se

aur pyaar bhi tujhi se

you are the pain, the blessing too

the wound and the cure too

complaint is against you too

and my love is for you too

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

4/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

ye kaisi wabastagi hai meri

tujhse ya rab?

tujhi se shikaayat?

tujhi se nadaamat?

what is this devotion of mine

for you, oh god?

for you, my complaints?

and for you, my repentance?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

5/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

koi to shehar-e-tazabzub ke

saakinon se kahe

na ho yaqeen to phir

mojza na maange koi

go tell the dwellers of

this city of skepticism

those who don't believe

shouldn't expect miracles either

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

6/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

andhe kuen mein baandh ke

rakkha yaqeen hai

haan tera yaqeen, tera yaqeen,

tera yaqeen hai

your faith has confined you

to a deep, dark well

yes, your faith, your faith it is

indeed your faith

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

7/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

aqaa’ed vahm hai mazhab

khayaal-e-khaam hai saaqi

azal se zehn-e-insaan

basta-e-auhaam hai saaqi

religion but a fanciful belief

a string of delusions

forever the human mind has been

hostage to a bundle of superstitions

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

8/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

kiska kaaba? kaisa qibla?

kaun haram hai? kya ehraam?

kooche ke us ke baashindon ne

sab ko yahin se salaam kiya

which sanctum? what holy direction?

who is divine? which holy robes?

from the lane of the beloved

we bid farewell to all

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

9/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

fasl-e-bahaar aai

peeyo sufiyo sharaab

bas ho chuki namaaz

musalla uthaaiye

springtime has arrived

mystics…drink some wine

the time for worship has ended

roll up the prayer-carpet

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

10/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

hone do charaagaan mahlon mein

kya ham ko agar diwali hai

mazdoor hain hum mazdoor hain hum

mazdoor ki duniya kaali hai

let the palaces be lit up with lamps

how does it matter to us it is diwali

we are laborers, laborers we are

our world filled with darkness

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

11/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

nigaah-e-mehr ki garmi hai

raushni dil ki

hai bazm-e-shauq meri

kaamgaar eid ke din

warmth of a compassionate gaze

is the light of the heart

my assembly of enthusiasm

is fortunate on this day of eid

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

12/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

humko maloom hai

jannat ki haqeeqat lekin

dil ko khush rakhne ko 'ghalib'

yeh khayaal achchha hai

i do understand

the truth about heaven, but

to keep my heart happy, ghalib

it is a comforting thought

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

13/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

tayyaar the namaaz pe hum

sun ke zikr-e-hoor

jalwa buton ka dekh ke

niyyat badal gayi

i was ready for prayers, hearing

the mention of heavenly beauties

but upon seeing the bright idols

my intentions changed

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

14/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

masjid mein bulaate hain

hamein zaahid-e-na-fahm

hota kuch agar hosh to

maikhaane na jaate

the foolish preacher

invites me into the mosque

if i have any sense, won’t i

find my way to the taverns?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

15/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

jo main sar-ba-sajda hua kabhi

to zamin se aane lagi sadaa

tera dil to hai sanam-ashna

tujhe kya milega namaaz mein

when i was prostrate in prayer

i heard a voice from the ground

when your heart itself is the beloved

what will you get from this prayer?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

16/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

tu bhi mohtaaj hai

khushaamad ka

aye khuda, varna

bandagi kya hai

even you need and crave

adulation and flattery

or else, dear god,

what is prayer for?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

17/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

hai dussehra mein bhi

yuun gar farhat-o-zeenat 'nazir'

par diwali bhi ajab

pakeeza-tar tyohaar hai

in dussehra too

there is joy and beauty, nazir

but diwali is

uniquely and purely joyous

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

18/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

mumkin hai tu dozakh mein

jannat mein magar bibi

us ko bhi bahattar kyun

ghilman na diya hota

it is possible you are in hell

and your wife is in heaven

why doesn’t she also get

72 handsome young men?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

19/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

jahaan par sarhaden

dair-o-haram ki khatm hoti hain

wahin par noor-e-imaan hai

wahin raah-e-yaqeen nikli

where the borders of

temples and mosques end

radiance of belief shines forth

the road to conviction begins

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

20/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

go haram ke raaste se

woh pahunch gaye khuda tak

teri raahguzar se jaate to

kuchh aur baat hoti

though he found god

through the holy places

had he taken your path, it would've

turned out a different story

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

21/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

'zauq' jo madaraase ke

bigDe hue hain mullah

un ko mai-khaaane mein le aao

sanwar jaayenge

zauq, those priests

ruined by the religious schools

bring them to the tavern

so they can be reformed

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

22/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

be-dam huye beemar

dawa kyun nahi dete

tum acche maseeha ho

shifa kyun nahi dete

the restless have fallen sick

why don’t you offer a medicine

you are such a good healer

why don’t you cure their illness

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

23/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

kaamil tera hi haq

tu magan is khushi mein hai

haa’el yaqeen ilm mein ho

mujh ko Dar ye hai

you revel in the thought

that only your faith is perfect

but my fear is that this stands

in the way of your learning

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

24/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

ham ko bharam ne

bahr-e-tavahhum bana diya

dariya samajh ke kuud paDe

hum saraab mein

doubt has turned me into

an ocean of superstition

thinking it is a river,

i jumped headlong into a mirage

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

25/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

kahan maikhaana ka darwaaza, ghalib

aur kahaan waiz

par itna jaante hain

kal wo jaata tha ke hum nikle

where’s the tavern’s entrance, ghalib,

and where is the preacher

i know only this…yesterday,

when i was coming out, he was going in

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

26/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

na shab-o-roz hi badle hain

na haal achchha hai

kis barhaman ne kaha tha

ki ye saal achchha hai

days and nights have not changed

nor is the condition any good

which brahmin foretold

this is a good year

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

27/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

zulm aur jahl pe

israar karoge kab tak

aql or fahm se

paekaar karoge kab tak

how long will you persist with

this injustice and ignorance

how long will you procrastinate…

relying on reason and understanding

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

28/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

har ek daur ka mazhab

naya khuda laaya

karen to hum bhi magar

kis khuda ki baat karen

each era brought in

a new religion, a new god

if we were to chat

about which god shall we talk?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

29/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

begaangi-e-khalq se

bedil na ho, ghalib

koyi nahi tera, to meri jaan,

khuda hai

with people’s indifference

don’t be dismayed, ghalib

if in the world you have none,

so be it, there is god for you

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

30/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

mehangi sharaab ho gayi

kaifi ne chhoD dii

kaafir ko muflisi ne

musalmaan banaa diya

wine has become so expensive

that kaifi has quit drinking

poverty has turned

an infidel into a believer

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

31/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

bachche jhagad rahe they

mohalle mein, na jaane kis baat par

sukoon is baat ka tha

na mandir ka zikr tha, na masjid ka

the kids were fighting

in the neighborhood, not sure about what

it was such a relief that there was

neither the mention of temple nor mosque

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

32/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

band ahkaam-e-aql

mein rahnaa

ye bhi ik nau' ki

himaaqat hai

to be a hostage to

reason's dictates

is also a kind of

foolishness

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

33/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

tod diya tasbeeh ko

is khayaal se ‘faraz’

kya gin gin ke nam lena uska

jo behisaab deta hai

i broke the prayer rosary

with this thought, ‘faraz’

why count and pray to one

who gives without keeping an account

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

34/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

zaahid, sharaab peene de

masjid mein baith kar

ya wo jagah bata de

jahaan par khuda na ho

oh priest, allow me to drink

sitting here in the mosque

or, show me a place

where there is no god

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

35/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

kab talak azmat-e-aflaak ke

gun gaaoge

azmat-e-khaak se inkaar

karoge kab tak

for how long will you keep singing

praises for heavenly gods

for how long will you keep denying

human greatness

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

36/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

jo bhi de de vo karam se

vahi le le 'naadir'

munh se maango to

khuda aur khafa hota hai

whatever is given to you in kindness

you accept jus that ‘naadir’

if you were to ask for more

god will get even more angry

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

37/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

aaj hi lakshmi pujaa ki

hai taqreeb-e-sa'iid

jis ke jalve se

tajallii pe tajallii hai maziid

today is the joyful

celebration of lakshmi puja

whose radiance brings

waves and waves of illumination

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

38/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

sheikh saahab sey

rasm-o-raah na kee

shukr hai zindagi

tabaah na kee

i didn’t have the priest

perform rituals and customs

happy that i didn’t

waste my life thus

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

39/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

ghar se masjid hai bahut duur

chalo yuun kar lein

kisi rote hue bachche ko

hansaaya jaaye

the mosque is too far from home

maybe we should try this...

why not make

a few crying children smile?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

40/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

khauf-e-dozakh se kabhi

khwaahish-e-jannat se kabhi

mujh ko is tarz-e-ibaadat pe

hansi aati hai

sometimes fearing hell

sometimes desiring heaven

this manner of worship

makes me laugh

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

41/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

tha intezaar

maanaenge mil ke diwali

na tum hi laut ke aaye

na waqt-e-shaam hua

was waiting

to celebrate diwali together

neither did you return

nor is it time yet for the celebration

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

42/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

tum naahaq sheeshe chun chun kar

daaman mein chupaaye baithe ho

sheeshe ka maseeha koyi nahin

kya aas lagaaye baithe ho?

picking some scraps of glass

and hiding them in your clothes

there is no savior in these trinkets

what hope are you holding on to?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

43/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

mashrab nahin ye mera ki

poojoon buuton ko main

shauq-e-talab ne dil ko

sanam-khaana kar diya

my religion is not

one of worshiping idols

my passion for seeking has

turned my heart into a temple

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

44/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

mil ke hoti thi

kabhi eid bhi diwali bhi

ab ye haalat hai ki

dar dar ke gale milte hain

we celebrated together

sometimes eid, sometimes diwali

now it is such that

we embrace with trepidation

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

45/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

aashiqi se

milegaa, aye zaahid

bandagi se

khuda nahin milta

through love,

you will find, o priest

through worship,

you won't find god

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

46/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

maqbool ho na ho

yeh muqaddar ki baat hai

sajde kisi ke dar pe

kiye ja raha huun main

whether accepted or not

it is a matter of fate

but at someone’s doorstep

i am prostrate in prayer

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

47/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

raahon mein jaan

ghar mein chaaraghon se shaan hai

deepavali se aaj

zameen aasmaan hai

streets are alive with joy

houses shining with lamps

deepavali has transformed

the earth into heaven

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

48/48: Religion, Reason & Tradition

mazhabi behas main ne

ki hi naheen

faaltu aql mujh mein

thi hi naheen

in religious debates

i did not participate

useless smarts

i did not have in me

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)