Persian · noun · Faith & Sacred History
Shola-e-Toor
शोला-ए-तूर
said sho-la-e-toor
also written: Shola-e-Tur, Sho'la-e-Tur, shola-e-tur, flame of Sinai
Meaning
The flame of Sinai; the divine fire shown to Moses on the mount.
Literally: the flame of Mount Tur (Sinai)
How Iqbal uses it
Iqbal makes the shola-e-Toor a sign of the theophany the seeker's heart still craves.
See it in the verse
Shola-e-Toor in Iqbal’s couplets
Khudi ko na de seem-o-zar ke ewaz
Nahin shola dete sharar ke ewaz
Nahin shola dete sharar ke ewaz
Do not trade away your selfhood for silver and gold — no one hands over a blazing flame in exchange for a mere spark.
Selfhood · Freedom · Courage
Ye aql o dil hain sharar shola-e-mohabbat ke
Wo khar-o-khas ke liye hai ye nistan ke liye
Wo khar-o-khas ke liye hai ye nistan ke liye
Both intellect and heart are sparks of the flame of love — one is meant for thorns and straw, the other for a whole reed-bed.
Love · Self-Knowledge · Action
Related words
ARABIC
Tur
Mount Sinai, where Moses beheld the divine self-disclosure.
ARABIC
Tajalli
Divine self-manifestation; a radiant disclosure or theophany.
PERSIAN
Sholah
A flame or blaze; figuratively burning intensity.
ARABIC
Barq
Lightning, the sudden flash that splits the storm-cloud.
PERSIAN
Atish
Fire; one of the four classical elements and a symbol of ardour.