Couplets › Love
From Bal-e-Jibril (1935) · originally composed in Urdu
Ishq ki tegh-e-jigar-dar uda li kis ne
Ilm ke haath mein khali hai niyam ai saqi
Ilm ke haath mein khali hai niyam ai saqi
“Who has carried off love's brave, heart-piercing sword? Knowledge holds only an empty scabbard now.”
Romanहिन्दी
इश्क़ की तेग़-ए-जिगर-दार उड़ा ली किस ने
इल्म के हाथ में ख़ाली है नियाम ऐ साक़ी
इल्म के हाथ में ख़ाली है नियाम ऐ साक़ी
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
One of Iqbal's clearest statements of his core contrast. Ilm, cold knowledge and intellect, is the scabbard; ishq, passionate love and conviction, is the blade. Knowledge without the courage and fire of love is a sheath with nothing inside it: it looks like a weapon but cannot cut. Real force in life comes from heart, not analysis alone.
For You, Today
Information and analysis are only the casing. Without passion and conviction to drive them, they cannot move anything. Make sure your knowledge still carries a blade.
In the same spirit
Khudi ko kar buland itna ki har taqdeer se pehle
Khuda bande se khud pooche, bata teri raza kya hai
Khuda bande se khud pooche, bata teri raza kya hai
Raise your selfhood so high that, before issuing every decree of destiny, God Himself asks you: tell me, what is your wish?
Selfhood · Courage
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
Nahin tera nasheman qasr-e-sultani ke gumbad par
Tu shaheen hai, basera kar paharon ki chattanon mein
Tu shaheen hai, basera kar paharon ki chattanon mein
Your nest is not on the dome of a royal palace. You are a falcon — make your dwelling on the rocks of the mountains.
The Falcon · Freedom · Courage