“Har Shay Musafir Har Cheez Rahi” is a masterpiece by Allama Muhammad Iqbal. In this Ghazal, Iqbal reflects on the transient nature of the universe where everything is in constant motion—from the stars to the deep-sea fish—and reminds man of his high station (Khudi) which he often forgets in worldly slavery.
ہر شے مسافر ہر چیز راہی
کیا چاند تارے کیا مرغ و ماہی
Har Shay Musafir Har Cheez Rahi
Kya Chand Tare Kya Murg-o-Maahi
Every object is a traveler, every thing is on a journey;
Whether it be the moon and stars, or the birds and the fish.
تو مردِ میداں تو میرِ لشکر
نوری حضوری تیرے سپاہی
Tu Mard-e-Maidan Tu Mir-e-Lashkar
Noori Huzoori Tere Sipahi
You are the man of the battlefield, the commander of the army;
The celestial beings and the angels are but your soldiers.
کچھ قدر اپنی تو نے نہ جانی
یہ بے سوادی یہ کم نگاہی
Kuch Qadr Apni Tu Ne Na Jaani
Yeh Be-Sawadi Yeh Kam-Nigahi
You have not realized your own worth and value;
What a lack of taste this is, what a narrowness of vision!
دنیائے دوں کی کب تک غلامی
یا راہبی کر یا پادشاہی
Dunya-e-Doon Ki Kab Tak Ghulami
Ya Rahibi Kar Ya Padshahi
How long will you remain a slave to this wretched world?
Either choose the path of a dervish (Rahibi) or the path of a King (Padshahi).
پیرِ حرم کو دیکھا ہے میں نے
کردار بے سوز گفتار واہی
Peer-e-Haram Ko Dekha Hai Main Ne
Kirdar Be-Soz Guftar Waahi
I have observed the custodian of the sanctuary (the religious elite);
His character lacks passion, and his talk is nothing but nonsense.
Word Meaning: Har Shay Musafir Har Cheez Rahi
- Har Shay: Every object / Every thing.
- Rahi: Traveler / Wayfarer.
- Murg-o-Maahi: Birds (Murg) and Fish (Maahi) – implying the entire animal kingdom.
- Mir-e-Lashkar: Commander of the army.
- Noori Huzoori: Angels and celestial beings.
- Be-Sawadi: Tastelessness / Lack of appreciation.
- Dunya-e-Doon: This lowly or wretched world.
- Rahibi: Monasticism / The life of a hermit.
- Be-Soz: Without warmth / Without passion.
- Guftar-e-Waahi: Meaningless or useless talk.