Muslim-e-Awwal Shahe Mardan Ali: Dr Iqbal On Hazrat Ali

13TH of Rajab is the birth anniversary of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the first Imam and fourth Caliph of Muslims. Thinker of The East, Allama Muhammad Iqbal who spear-headed the Muslim Renaissance in British India had a profound love for the progeny of Prophet (Pbuh). In one of his books, Asrar-e-Khudi, Iqbal had expressed his respectful love and admiration for Imam Hazrat Ali. Some of its extracts are reproduced below:

Muslim e awwal shahe mardan Ali

Ishq ra sarmaya e iman Ali

Ali is the first Muslim and the king of men, In Love’s eyes, Ali is the

Treasure of the faith

Az wilae dood manish zinda um

Dar jahan misle guhar tabinda um

Devotion to his family inspires me with life, so I am shining like a pearl

Az rukhe uo faal Paighambar grift

Millat e Haq az shikohish far grift

From Ali’s face, the Prophet drew many a fair omen, by his majesty the true religion is glorified

Quwwat e deen e mubeen farmudaish

Kainaat aaen pizeer az doodaish

His commandments are the strength of Islam, all things pay allegiance to his House

Mursal e Haq kard namish Bu Turab

Haq Yad Allah khawnad dar Ummul Kitab

The Apostle of God gave him the name Bu Turab (Father of soil), God in the Quran called him

The Hand of Allah”

Sher e Haq ien khaak ra taskheer kard

Ien gile tareek ra akseer kard

Ali, The Lion of God subdued the body’s clay and transmuted this dark Earth to gold

Murtaza kaz taigh e uo Haq raushan ast

Bu Turab az fathe aqleem e tan ast

Murtaza(a), by whose sword the splendor of truth was revealed, is named

Bu Turab from his conquest of the empire of body (clay)

Hark e dar afaaq gardad Bu Turab

Baaz gardanad za maghrib aftaab

Whosoever in the world if become a Bu Turab, turns back the Sun from West

Zaire paaish ienja shikohe Khyber ast

Dast e uo Unja khaseem e Kauser ast

Here the Might of Khyber is under his feet and in Hereafter his hand will distribute the water of Kauser.

Az khud aagahi Yadullahi kunad

Az Yadullahi shahinshahi kunad

Through self-knowledge, he acts as God’s Hand and by virtue of being God’s Hand/ he reigns over everything

Zaat e uo darwaza e shahre uloom

Zair e farmanish Hijaz o Cheen o Room

He is the Gateway of the City of Knowledge; Arabia, China, and Greece are under his governance