Meaning
The basic necessities of life.
Literally: bread, cloth, and a house
See it in the verse
Roti kapda aur makaan in Iqbal’s couplets
Hazaron saal nargis apni be-noori pe roti hai
Badi mushkil se hota hai chaman mein deedavar paida
Badi mushkil se hota hai chaman mein deedavar paida
For thousands of years the narcissus weeps over its own sightlessness — only with great difficulty is a truly seeing one born in the garden.
Self-Knowledge · Aspiration
Isi roz-o-shab mein ulajh kar na rah ja
Ki tere zaman-o-makan aur bhi hain
Ki tere zaman-o-makan aur bhi hain
Do not stay tangled in only these days and nights — there are other times and other places that are yours.
Aspiration · Hope · Restlessness