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

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

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.

Themes:LoveActionCourage
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