Couplets › Action
From Bang-e-Dara, 1924 · originally composed in Urdu
Aql ko tanqeed se fursat nahin
Ishq par aamaal ki buniyaad rakh
Ishq par aamaal ki buniyaad rakh
“Reason never finds a free moment away from criticism — so build your deeds on the foundation of love.”
Romanहिन्दी
अक़्ल को तंक़ीद से फ़ुर्सत नहीं
इश्क़ पर आमाल की बुनियाद रख
इश्क़ पर आमाल की बुनियाद रख
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
Iqbal draws his familiar contrast between cold reason and warm love. Reason is forever busy critiquing, analysing, finding fault — it never quite gets to building. So he gives a direct instruction: lay the foundation of what you do on love, not on endless objection.
For You, Today
Pure analysis can become a way of never having to act — there is always one more flaw to point out. Iqbal's instruction is to ground your real work in love, the force that actually builds rather than only critiques.
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
Mazhab nahin sikhata aapas mein bair rakhna
Hindi hain hum, watan hai Hindostan hamara
Hindi hain hum, watan hai Hindostan hamara
Religion does not teach us to hold enmity among ourselves. We are of Hind, and Hindustan is our homeland.
Unity · Love
Amal se zindagi banti hai jannat bhi jahannum bhi
Ye khaki apni fitrat mein na noori hai na naari hai
Ye khaki apni fitrat mein na noori hai na naari hai
By our deeds we make life a heaven or a hell. This creature of dust is, by nature, neither angel of light nor demon of fire.
Action · Courage