Couplets › Unity
From Bang-e-Dara, 1924 — 'Naya Shawala' · originally composed in Urdu
Suni padi hui hai se ki
Aa ik is mein den
Aa ik is mein den
“The dwelling of the heart has lain desolate for ages — come, let us build a new temple in this land.”
Romanहिन्दी
सूनी पड़ी हुई है से की
आ इक इस में बना दें
आ इक इस में बना दें
The couplet in Devanagari — it carries the authenticity of the original, and every Hindi reader can read it.
♪ Hear the coupletA recitation in a synthesized voice.
The Interpretation
The title couplet of 'Naya Shiwala'. Iqbal, the Muslim poet, calls for a new temple — a shared sacred space of love rising above sectarian division. The heart's true habitation has stood empty too long; he wants to rebuild it across the boundaries of creed.
For You, Today
Iqbal's image of renewal is radically generous: a Muslim proposing to build a temple of shared devotion. When old structures have left the heart desolate, the answer is to build something new that includes rather than divides.
In the same spirit
Sitaron se aage jahan aur bhi hain
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
Beyond the stars there are worlds yet — there are still more trials of love to come.
Aspiration · Love · Restlessness
Lab pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri
Zindagi shama ki surat ho khudaya meri
Zindagi shama ki surat ho khudaya meri
My longing rises to my lips as a prayer: O God, may my life be like a candle's flame.
Hope · Aspiration
Door duniya ka mere dam se andhera ho jaye
Har jagah mere chamakne se ujala ho jaye
Har jagah mere chamakne se ujala ho jaye
May the world's darkness be dispelled by my being; may every place be lit by my shining.
Aspiration · Hope · Youth