Persian · noun · Spirit & the Divine
Raaz-e-Hayaat
राज़-ए-हयात
also written: Raz-e-Hayat
Meaning
The secret of life; the hidden meaning behind existence.
How Iqbal uses it
Iqbal locates the raaz-e-hayaat in ceaseless striving and the assertion of selfhood.
See it in the verse
Raaz-e-Hayaat in Iqbal’s couplets
Bhari bazm mein raaz ki baat keh di
Bada be-adab hun saza chahta hun
Bada be-adab hun saza chahta hun
In the crowded gathering I blurted out the secret — I am terribly insolent; I ask for my punishment.
Courage · Love
Har ik muqam se aage muqam hai tera
Hayat zauq-e-safar ke siwa kuchh aur nahin
Hayat zauq-e-safar ke siwa kuchh aur nahin
Beyond every destination lies another that is yours; life is nothing but the love of the journey.
Restlessness · Aspiration · The Falcon
Ragon mein gardish-e-khoon hai agar to kya hasil
Hayat soz-e-jigar ke siwa kuchh aur nahin
Hayat soz-e-jigar ke siwa kuchh aur nahin
If blood merely circulates in your veins, what have you gained? Life is nothing but the burning of the heart.
Restlessness · Love · Awakening
Is raaz ko ik mard-e-firangi ne kiya faash
Harchand ki dana ise khola nahin karte
Harchand ki dana ise khola nahin karte
A man of the West let this secret out — though the wise usually do not disclose it.
Justice · Awakening
Mard-e-Khuda ka amal ishq se sahib-e-firogh
Ishq hai asl-e-hayat maut hai is par haraam
Ishq hai asl-e-hayat maut hai is par haraam
The deeds of the man of God shine with love; love is the essence of life, and death is forbidden to touch it.
Love · Aspiration · Action
Khudi kya hai raaz-e-daroon-e-hayat
Khudi kya hai baidari-e-kainat
Khudi kya hai baidari-e-kainat
What is the self? The secret hidden within life. What is the self? The awakening of the universe.
Selfhood · Self-Knowledge · Awakening