طلوع اسلام
Tulu-e-Islam
English title: THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM
The fading glitter of stars is the signal of a bright morning. The sun has arisen from the horizon, gone is the period of deep torpor.
Life blood has started flowing in the veins of the corpse of the East. Sina and Farabi cannot understand this secret.
The storm of the West has made Muslim into the Muslim. Only the ocean storms complete the pearl’s beauty.
From the Court of God is again to be bestowed on the Believer: the Turkoman’s dignity, the Indian’s intelligence, the Arab’s eloquence.
If there is some lurking slumber in the flower buds, “Strike the beat harder if the taste for music is lacking.”
اگر نغمے کی لذت سرد پڑتی نظر آئے تو ساز کو زور زور سے بجا
Jump restlessly in the garden, in the nest, in the bowers. Mercury cannot be deprived of its restlessness.
Why should the eye accustomed to seeing chaste things see the beauty of delicate leaves, when it can see the power of the holy warrior’s soul?
Light the candle of Love in the tulip’s heart. Make every dust grain of the garden a martyr in search of the Truth.
The tear of the Muslim’s eye has acquired the effect of spring showers. Pearls will be produced again in the sea of God’s Friend, Abraham.
The book of the Bright Nation is being bound again. This Hashemite branch is to blossom again.
The beloved from Shiraz has carried the heart of Tabriz and Kabul. The zephyr finds its fellow traveler in the rose’s fragrance.
اس شیرازی محبوب نے تبریز اور کابل کا دل اڑا لیا ہے ۔
The avalanche of calamity over the Ottomans is not to be bereaved. Because the destruction of a hundred thousand stars gives birth to the dawn.
Insight in world’s affairs is more difficult than world’s administration. Insight is created only when the soul melts into blood.
For thousands of years the narcissus bemoans its colourlessness. The person with insight is very hard to find in the garden.
Sing, O Nightingale, so that thy modulations may produce the heart of the falcon in the pigeon’s frail body.
The secret of life is concealed in thy heart; speak it out. Relate to the Muslim the traditions of the pathos of life.
Thou art the powerful hand and the Word of the Eternal God. O imprudent person, develop Faith because thou hast been overpowered by doubt.
The Muslim’s destination is beyond the blue sky. Stars are the dust of the caravan that thou art.
Both the house and dweller are transitory, but thine are the Beginning and the End. Thou art the Word of God; thou art Eternal.
Thy life-blood adorns with hinnah the bride that is the tulip. Thy origin is from Abraham; thou art the architect of the world.
Thy nature is the custodian of all that is possible in life. In other words, thou art the touchstone for the hidden jewels of the world.
Thou art the gift which the Holy Apostle took from the material to the Eternal World.
The history of the Muslim nation reveals the secret: that thou art the guardian of the Asian nations.
Learn again the lesson of Truth, Justice, Bravery. Thou shalt be entrusted with the leadership of mankind.
This is the purpose of creation; this is the secret of Islam: universality of Brotherhood, abundance of Love.
Breaking the idols of race and colour, merge into the millat. There should be no Toorani, no Irani, no Afghani.
How long will continue the companionship of the garden’s bird in the garden’s confines? Thy wings are endowed with the flight of Quhistan’s falcon.
In the world of life full of doubts, the Muslim’s Faith is the guiding light in the dark night of the wilderness.
What was it which demolished the grandeur of Qaiser and Kisra? Nothing else but the Prowess of Haider, the Contentment of Bu Zar, the Truthfulness of Salman.
With what dignity have the free men of the millat marched out? The centuries-old prisoners are watching the spectacle through the door’s fissure.
The stability of life is from firm Faith. The Tooranis have lasted even longer than Germans.
When Faith is created in this earthly ember, it acquires the wings and feathers of the Holy Spirit.
Neither swords nor plans are of any avail in slavery. Chains are cast away when the joy of Faith is created.
Who can assess the power of his arm? Destinies are altered by a mere glance of the Believer.
Sainthood, sovereignty, the universality of knowledge: what are all these? Merely explanations of the secret of Faith.
It is, however, difficult to develop Abraham’s vision. Greed stealthily makes images in the sub-conscience.
The distinction of the ruled and the ruler is the perversion of humanity. Beware, O oppressors: the punishments of God are severe.
The essence of everything is the same, be it made of dust or light. The sun’s blood will ooze out by cutting the core of the grain of dust.
Firm Faith, constant effort, Love, conquest of the universe: these are the swords of brave Men in the struggle of life.
What is expected of a (brave) Man? A high disposition, a sincere creed. A warm heart, an immaculate vision and a restless soul.
ایک مرد کامل کو کیا چاہیے، بلند فطرتی، خالص دین یعنی محبوب حقیقی کی محبت، جذبوں سے پرجوش و گرم دل، دنیوی حرص و ہوس سے پاک نگاہ اور جذبہ عشق کے سبب بے چین روح ۔
Those who had leapt like an eagle turned out to be wingless. Stars came out drenched in the blood of the dusk.
Those who used to dive under the sea were buried under the sea. Those who bore the dashes of the ocean waves emerged as pearls.
Those who were proud of alchemy are now the road’s dust. Those who put their foreheads to the ground emerged as makers of elixir.
Our slow-moving messenger has brought the message full of life. Those who were getting messages from lightning turned out to be ignorant.
The sacred sanctuary was disgraced by the short-sightedness of the priest. What a deep insight the Tatar youth had.
The angels with celestial flight were saying to the earth: these earthly men proved to be more alive, longer lasting, and more splendid than them.
The Believers live in this world like the sun: setting hither, rising thither, setting thither, rising hither.
The individuals’ Faith is the capital for the millat’s reconstruction. This is the force which shapes the millat’s destiny.
Thou art the secret of “Be and it is”; be known to thyself. Know the secret of self-cognizance; be God’s interpreter.
Avarice has torn mankind into pieces. Become the declaration of Brotherhood; become the language of Love.
This is Indian, that is Khorasani, this is Afghani, that is Toorani. O thou, the one disgraced on the shore, jump out and become universal.
Thy wings and feathers are polluted with the dust of colour and race. O bird of the sacred sanctuary, flutter thy wings before attempting to fly.
Dive in self-cognizance, O imprudent one; this is the secret of life. Forsake the narrow confines of morning and evening and become eternal.
In the struggle of life acquire the nature of steel. In the Love’s bed chamber become soft like silk.
Transcend mountains and deserts like a furious flood. If there be a garden in thy path, become a melodious brook.
There is no limit to thy Knowledge and Love. There is no melody sweeter than thou in the divine orchestra.
Man is still the helpless prey to imperialism. What a calamity that man is the hunter of the human race.
The glitter of modern civilization dazzles the eye. This is but the effect of unreal jewels.
The science which was the pride of the sages of the West is the battle-sword in the blood-stained hands of avarice.
The magic of prudence cannot stabilize the civilization based on capitalism.
Deeds build up life; heaven as well as hell. This earthly creature is neither made of light, like angels, nor of fire, like jinn.
Partake the nightingale’s clamour, open the flower bud. Because thou art the spring breeze for this garden.
The spark of Love has again risen from Asia’s heart. The earth is the parading ground of the satin-clad Tatars.
Come, a purchaser has appeared for the frail soul. After a long time a caravan has arrived at our place.
آ کہ کمزور جان کا خریدار پیدا ہو گیا ہے ۔ ایک مدت کے بعد ایک قافلہ ہماری طرف سے گزر رہا ہے ۔
Come, O beloved, the pasture’s music has come from the garden. Spring has come; the sweetheart has come; as the sweetheart has come, so has tranquillity.
اے ساقی آ جا کہ شاخوں پر سے پریشان حال پرندے کی چہکار سنائی دی ہے ۔ یعنی بہار آ گئی ہے ، محبوب آ گیا اور جب محبوب آ گیا تو دل کا قرار آ گیا ۔
The spring cloud has established its camp up hill and down dale. The sound of waterfalls has come from the mountain tops.
موسمِ بہار کے بادل نے وادی اور صحرا میں خیمے لگا دیے ہیں اور پہاڑ پر سے آبشاروں کے گرنے کی آواز آنے لگی ہے ۔
I have won you over, O Loved one; thou shouldst also sing melodies of the days gone by. Because flocks of songster birds have come in rows after rows.
اے ساقی تیرے قربان جاؤں تو بھی ذرا پہلے والا ساز چھیڑ دے کہ گیت گانے، چہچہانے والے قطار در قطار آ گئے ہیں ۔
Withdraw from the (ritualistic) pious people and fearlessly draw the wine cup. After a long time the nightingale’s song has come from this old branch.
زاہدوں ، پرہیزگاروں سے کنارہ کشی کر لے جو شراب ناب کے مخالف ہیں اور بے خوف ہو کر پینا پلانا شروع کر دے کیونکہ ایک مدت کے بعد اس پرانی ٹہنی یعنی ملت اسلامیہ سے بلبل کی آواز سنائی دی ہے ۔
Narrate to the anxious ones the traditions of the Master of Badr and Honain. Their hidden meanings have opened up before my eyes.
اے ساقیا آ! اور بد رو حنین کے آقا آنحضرت ﷺ کا ذکرِ خیر ان کے عشاق کو سنا ۔ آنحضرت نے جو راز ہائے دروں محفوظ رکھے تھے وہ اب مجھ پر ظاہر ہو گئے ہیں ۔
The other branch of Khalil is greening up with our blood. In the Love’s market place our currency has attained full value.
اب پھر شاخِ خلیل حضرت ابراہیم یعنی ملت اسلام ہمارے خون سے تروتازہ و سرسبز ہو رہی ہے یعنی محبت کی منڈی میں ہماری نقدی خالص اور کھری قرار پائی ہے ۔
I am sprinkling tulip petals at the martyr’s grave because his blood has nourished the young plant of our millat.
میں اس شہید کی قبر پر لالہ کی پتیاں بکھیرتا ہوں جس کا خون ہماری ملت کے پودے کے لیے مفید ثابت ہوا ۔
Come, so that we may sprinkle flowers and pour wine in the cup. Rend asunder the sky’s roof and lay a new foundation.
آ کہ ہم پھول بکھیریں اور شراب جام میں انڈیلیں ، اس طرح آسمان کی چھت پھاڑ ڈالیں اور ایک نئی زندگی کی بنیاد رکھیں ۔
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — طلوع اسلام — 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
- The Rise of Islam — Iqbal Review, October 1987Translation by M. A. K. Khalil; Published English translation of Tulu-e-Islam; the source numbers verses 1–72.Source
- Iqbal Review: discussion of Tulu-e-Islam — Iqbal Review, October 2004Primary source used to document this poem’s language or title.Source
- آپ کا فیصلہ — آپ کا فیصلہ, July 2015; published article snapshot tarjuman-urfi-web.txt.Translation by Not separately named in the published article; The article quotes this Urdu rendering; its author is محمد یوسف اصلاحی, and no separate translator is named.Source
- Tulu-e-Islam: published Urdu rendering at Iqbal Rahber — Published Iqbal Rahber Tulu-e-Islam page; pinned text snapshot (evidence/published-sources/rahber/tulu-e-islam-combined.txt).Translation by Not separately identified; Published Urdu explanations on Iqbal Rahber; no translator is separately identified.Source
