خضرراہ
English title: THE TRAVELERS’ GUIDE
Poet: One night at the river-bank I was absorbed in contemplation with a world of restlessness concealed in the heart’s recesses.
The night was tranquil, air calm, river gently flowing was; my eye was amazed whether the river or a picture of water it was!
As the suckling baby falls asleep in the cradle; the restless wave had fallen asleep somewhere else!
With the spell of night the birds were confined in nests. The twinkling stars were caught in the moon’s spell!
Suddenly I saw that the globe-trotting Khizar, whose old age contained youth’s colour like dawn.
Was saying to me: ‘O seeker of the eternal secrets, if the inner eye be open world’s destiny would be unveiled’!
On hearing this; an uproaring tumult rose in my heart, being devoted to seeking the Truth I started talking thus:
‘O you whose world-encompassing eye sees those storms, whose tumults are still sleeping quietly in the river.
The ‘indigent’s boat’* the chaste soul*, the ‘orphan’s wall’,* even the knowledge of Mosa (A.S.) before you is in amazement.
Leaving habitations you remain wandering in wilderness; no day and night, no yesterday and tomorrow is in your life.
What is the secret of life? What is imperialism? And what is this struggle between labour and capital?
The ancient patched garment of Asia is being torn! The youth of parvenu nations are adorned with ornaments!
Though Alexander remained deprived of eternity’s water; the nature of Alexander is busy still in merry-making!
The Holy Prophet’s progeny is selling his din’s honour and the struggling Turk is smeared in dust and blood *!
There is fire, there is Ibrahim’s progeny; there is Namrud! Does someone desire someone’s test again.*
جواب خضر
صحرا نوردي
The response of Khizar (wandering in deserts): Why are you amazed at my wandering in the deserts? This incessant toil is demonstration of life.
O the one confined to home, you have not seen that sight when the call for battle march resounds in the desert air!
That care-free stroll of the deer on the mound of sand That home without chattel, that journey without distance and destination!
That appearance of the fast-moving star at the dawn; or the forehead of Jibrail manifest from the sky!
That setting of the sun in the silence of the desert air by which increased the insight of Khalil’s universe-envisaging eye!
And that halting of the caravan at the stream bank; as the believers’ gathering round the Salsabil!
The ardent Love is in search of an ever new wild land and in city your effort is in farming and horticulture.
The cup of life becomes more mature by revolving; O negligent one, this alone is the secret of life’s permanence!
زندگي
Life: Much above the fear of profit and loss is life! Now the soul now the surrender of soul is life!
Do not measure it on the scale of today and tomorrow! Eternal, incessantly struggling, ever young is life!
Create your own world if you claim to be among the living; the secret of Adam and the object of ‘Kun fikoon’* is life.
Ask the mountain digger for the reality of life; the canal of milk, the axe, the heavy rock is life.*
In slavery it is choked to a mere trickling brook and in freedom like the boundless ocean is life.
It is manifested by its power of subduing; though concealed in a body of dust is life.
You have emerged from the existence’ ocean like a bubble; in this losing battle your examination is life.
While you are immature only a heap of dust you are; on attaining maturity a merciless sword you are!
The heart which is restless for death in defense of Truth should first life in his own body must create.
Should burn down this borrowed universe and from the ashes his own universe should create.
Should demonstrate the potential power of life; so that this spark may the eternal light create.
Should shine like the sun over the lands of the East; so that Badakhshan the same invaluable rubies may again create!
Should send heaven-ward the emissary of nightly wailing and in the night’s stars its confidantes should create.
This is the hour of Judgment you in the Judgment’s field are O negligent one, present actions if some in your treasure are!
سلطنت
Come, I shall tell you the secret of the verse ‘Inn al-mulook’;* imperialism is an enchantment of the victorious nations.
If the ruled from his stupor slightly wakes up; the ruler’s spell lulls him back to sleep again.
From the effect of the spell of Mahmood the eye of Ayaz, sees the accouterments of loveliness round his neck.
At last the blood of Israel boils up with anger; the spell of Samiri is smashed up by some Musa.
Sovereignty befits only that Peerless Essence; only He is the sovereign, the rest are Azar’s idols.
Do not disgrace your independent disposition with slavery; so that you do not mold yourself into the master who would be a worse infidel than the Brahman.
تو اپنی آزاد فطرت کو غلامی میں پھنسا کر ذلیل نہ کر ؛ اگر تو کسی کو آقا بنائے گا اور یہ بت تراشے گا تو تو سمجھ لے کہ تو برہمن سے بھی بڑا کافر ہے۔
The Western democratic system is the same old orchestra in whose frets is nothing different from the Qaisar’s tune.
The monster of despotism is treading in democracy’s robe; you consider it as the beautiful ferry of independence!
The legislative assembly, the reforms, the rights and concessions: In Western medicine the tastes are sweet, the effect is soporific!
May God protect us from the fervor of speeches of members of assemblies; this also is the capitalists’ sham quarreling to deceive the poor!
You have taken this apparent beauty’s mirage as a garden! Ah! O ignorant one! You have taken the cage to be the nest!
سرمايہ ومحنت
Go and deliver my message to the labouring person: ‘Not only Khizar’s message, this is the universal message!
O whom the fraudulent capitalist has destroyed! Your destiny has remained a fugitive for centuries.
The wealth-creating hand had been paid wages as the rich pay charity to the poor!
The magician of Alamut gave you the hashish leaves and you, O negligent one, took it as a tuft of candy!
Race, nation, church, empire, civilization, colour: This assortment of intoxicants is made by ‘imperialism’.
The ignorant one gave up his life for mythical gods; you destroyed your life’s capital under intoxicants’ love.
The capitalist has won with deceitful stratagems due to extreme naivete the laborer is checkmated.
Rise, as the world’s assembly has adopted different ways; in the East and the West is the beginning of your age.
Those with elegant courage do not accept even the ocean O negligent one, how long would you hold dew in your skirt like the flower bud?
Music of masses’ renaissance is a means of pleasure; the soporific tale of Alexander and Jam how long?
A new sun has arisen from the bowels of the earth O Sky! Mourning of stars which have set how long?
Human nature has broken down all the chains! Man’s eye would weep for the lost Paradise how long?
The spring says this to the helping gardener: You would apply ointment to the rose’ wounded heart how long?
O simple fire-fly, be free of revolving round the candle and be living in the illuminated place of your own nature!
دنيائے اسلام
Why are you relating to me the story of Turks and Arabs! Nothing of the grief and joys of Muslims is hidden from me.*
The sons of the Cross have taken away the heritage of Khalil; the soil of Hijaz has become the brick of the church’s foundation!
The red cap* has become disgraced in the world! Those who were formerly proud are in need of others!
From the wine sellers of Europe Iran is purchasing that strong wine by whose heat the decanter is melted.*
The politics of the West has reduced the nation such as gold is rendered to pieces by scissors.*
The blood of the Muslim has become cheap like water; you are restless as your heart is unaware of their fate.
Rumi said that every old building that is to be rebuilt! Do you not know that the building is first demolished?
رومی نے کہا کہ ہر پرانی عمارت کو دوبارہ بنانے سے پہلے؛ کیا تو نہیں جانتا ، پہلے اس کو گرانا پڑتا ہے۔
‘The homeland has been lost; the nation has been jolted O negligent one, look deep as God has granted you insight!
اللہ نے تجھے آنکھیں عطا کی ہیں، غافل (آنکھیں کھول) اور دیکھ۔
Defeat is better than helplessly begging for momiyai O helpless ant! Do not take your requests to a Sulaiman.
The salvation of the East is in organization of the Muslim nations; the people of Asia are still unaware of this mystery.
Relinquishing ‘politics’ enter the fort of din again; country and wealth is only a reward for Haram’s defense.
The Muslims should unite into one body for Haram’s defense from the banks of the Nile to the City of Kashghar!
Whoever would discriminate for colour and race would perish; whether he be the tent-dwelling Turk or the high ranking Arab!
If race would become more important than din to the Muslim; he would be blown away from the world like the dust of the road!
To establish the Khilafah’s foundations in the world again; the need is to bring from somewhere the ancestors’ mettle.
O You who do not distinguish between the tangible and the intangible, beware; O the captive of Abu Bakr and Ali, beware.
ہوشیار ، اے وہ جو پوشیدہ اور ظاہر میں فرق نہیں پہچانتا! ہوشیار اے ابو بکر اور علی کی بڑائیاں بیان کرنے والے
شاعر
Complaint was incumbent on Love and it has been lodged with a cool heart now watch the effect of the complaint!
You have witnessed the zenith of the majesty of the river’s flow; now watch how the restless wave becomes a chain in which it gets entangled.
The dream of universal freedom which was seen by Islam O Muslim, you should watch the interpretation of that dream today!
Its own ashes are a means of existence to salamander; you should watch the resurrection of this world after death!
With open eyes in the mirror or my discourses; you should watch a faint image of the coming age.
The sky has one more tested trick preserved in its store; watch the disgrace of planning in face of destiny’s strength.
You are a Muslim keep your breast happy with Longing; every moment keep your eye on ‘La yukhlif-ul-Mi’ad’.*
مسلمان ہونے کی حیثیت سے (اللہ کی رحمت سے مایوس نہ ہو اور) امید سے اپنا دل آباد رکھ؛ ہر وقت مد نظر رہے کہ اللہ تعالے اپنے وعدہ کے خلاف نہیں کرتا۔
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — خضرراہ — 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
- Reviewed exact Persian line-language classifications for the digital Urdu collectionsSource
- Bang-e-Dara English translation at allama-iqbal.com — The Traveler’s Guide — 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
- Bang-e-Dara English translation at International Iqbal Society — The Travelers' Guide — Public English translation article, cached 2026-10-05; source HTML and extracted article text are pinned by SHA-256.Translation by Not identified; Article does not identify the translator. Nearby allama text credits Dr M.A.K. Khalil for the poem but these exact missing fields are blank there. Keep the IIS publisher credit rather than infer an individual attribution.Source
- Bang-e-Dara: published Urdu field at allama-iqbal.com — Public poem data pinned to allama-iqbal.com repository commit 82547635bb6b758c45082084b2f152fc453a8056; source path allama-iqbal-com-content/bang-e-dara/3a/69.json.Translation by Not separately identified; The published Urdu field does not separately identify its translator. No English translator credit is reused.Source
