جنھيں ميں ڈھونڈتا تھا آسمانوں ميں زمينوں ميں
English title: THE ONE I WAS SEARCHING FOR ON THE EARTH AND IN HEAVEN
The one I was searching for on the earth and in heaven appeared residing in the recesses of my own heart.
When the reality of the self became evident to my eyes; the house appeared among residents of my own heart.
If it were somewhat familiar with taste of rubbing foreheads, the stone of Ka‘bah’s threshold would have joined the foreheads.
O Majnun! Have you ever glanced at yourself that like Lailah* you are also sitting in the litter.
The months of the union continue flying like moments, but the moments of separation linger for months!
O seaman, how will you protect me from being drowned as those destined to drowning get drowned in the boats also.
The one who concealed His Beauty from Kalim Allah, the same Beloved is manifest among beloveds.
The breath of Lovers can light up the extinguished candle; O God! What is kept concealed in the breast of the Lovers?
Serve the faqirs if you have the longing for Love; this pearl is not available in the treasures of kings.
Do not ask of these Devotees, if you have faith, you should look at them; they have the illuminated palm up their sleeves.
The unsightful eye for whose spectacle is tantalized; that elegance of congregation is in these very recluses.
Burn the produce of your heart with some such spark that the Last Day’s sun may also be among your gleaners.
For Love search for some heart which would become mortified; this is the wine which is not kept in delicate wine glasses.
The Beauty itself becomes the Lover of whose Beauty O Heart! Does someone among the beautiful has that beauty?
Someone became highly excited at your grace of ‘Ma ‘arafna’; your rank remained among the most elegant of all the Lovers.*
Manifest Thyself and show them Thy Beauty some time; talks have continued among the sagacious since long time.
Silent, O Heart! Crying in the full assembly is not good; decorum is the most important etiquette among the ways of Love.
It is not possible for me to deem my critics bad, because Iqbal, I am myself among my critics.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — جنھيں ميں ڈھونڈتا تھا آسمانوں ميں زمينوں ميں — Digital transcription file at commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; the source dataset does not identify the underlying print edition.Verified against this pinned digital transcription file; not checked against a print edition.Source
- Iqbal Demystified source list: Bang-e-Dara — Pinned digital dataset commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; the underlying print edition is not identified by the dataset.Community dataset list; not reconciled against a print edition.Source
- Bang-e-Dara English translation at allama-iqbal.com — — Public digital poem page, retrieved 2026-10-05; pinned to allama-iqbal.com commit 82547635bb6b758c45082084b2f152fc453a8056.Translation by Dr M.A.K. Khalil; English Translation by: Dr M.A.K. KhalilSource