By Abbas Qamar
khauf-e-dozakh ne hi ijad kiya hai sajda
dar ne insan ko diwana bana rakkha hai
dar ne insan ko diwana bana rakkha hai
“It is the fear of hell that invented prostration — fear has made a madman of the human being.”
Romanहिन्दीAbbas Qamar
ख़ौफ़-ए-दोज़ख़ ने ही ईजाद किया है सज्दा
डर ने इंसान को दीवाना बना रक्खा है
डर ने इंसान को दीवाना बना रक्खा है
The verse 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
With cool irony the poet traces the act of prostration back not to love or awe but to fear of hell, making worship a symptom of terror rather than devotion. The second line widens the indictment: fear has driven the human being mad, and what we call piety may be that madness wearing a calm face.
For You, Today
Ask whether your obedience comes from love or only from dread — faith built on fear is not faith but a flinch.
A provocative line in the rationalist-skeptic vein, questioning whether reverence and fright can be told apart.
Themes:Faith & DoubtDefiance
More from Abbas Qamar
The heart of this site stays with Iqbal: explore his couplets → Or browse the whole Other Voices shelf →