Qalandaran Ke Ba Taskheer e Aab o Gill Koshand – Allama Iqbal

“Qalandaran Ke Ba Taskheer e Aab o Gill Koshand” is a powerful Persian Ghazal by Allama Muhammad Iqbal from his collection Zaboor-e-Ajam. In this poem, Iqbal describes the Qalandar—a spiritual rebel who, despite wearing tattered clothes, wields authority over the elements and remains emotionally detached from the material world.

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قلندراں کہ بہ تسخیرِ آب و گِل کوشند
ز شاہ باج ستانند و خرقہ می پوشند

Qalandaran Ke Ba Taskheer-e-Aab-o-Gill Koshand
Ze Shah Baj Sitanand-o-Khirqa Me Poshand

The Qalandars, who strive to conquer the world of water and clay,
Extract tribute from Kings while they themselves wear patched cloaks.

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بجلوت اند و کمندے بہ مہر و ماہ پیچند
بخلوت اند و زمان و مکاں در آغوشند

Ba-Jalwat And-o-Kamande Ba Mehr-o-Maah Pechand
Ba-Khalwat And-o-Zaman-o-Makan Dar Aaghoshand

In public, they cast their lasso around the sun and the moon;
In solitude, they hold Time and Space within their embrace.

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بروزِ بزم سراپا چو پرنیان و حریر
بروزِ رزم خود آگاہ و تن فراموشند

Ba-Roz-e-Bazm Sarapa Cho Parniyan-o-Hareer
Ba-Roz-e-Razm Khud-Aagah-o-Tan Faramoshand

On the day of the assembly, they are soft as silk and velvet;
On the day of battle, they are self-aware but forgetful of their bodies.

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نظامِ تازہ بہ چرخِ دو رنگ می بخشند
ستارہ ہائے کہن را جنازہ بر دوشند

Nizam-e-Taza Ba Charkh-e-Du Rang Me Bakhshand
Sitara-haye Kohan Ra Janaza Bar Doshand

They grant a new order to the two-colored sky;
They carry the funeral of the ancient stars upon their shoulders.

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زمانہ از رخِ فردا کشود بندِ نقاب
معاشراں ہمہ سرمستِ بادۂ دوشند

Zamana Az Rukh-e-Farda Kushood Band-e-Niqab
Muashiran Hama Sarmast-e-Bada-e-Doshand

Time has unveiled the face of Tomorrow;
Yet my companions are still intoxicated with the wine of Yesterday.

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بلب رسید مرا آں سخن کہ نتواں گفت
بحیرتم کہ فقیہانِ شہر خاموشند

Ba-Lab Raseed Mara Aan Sukhan Ke Natwan Guft
Ba-Hairatam Ke Faqeehan-e-Shehar Khamoshand

The word which cannot be spoken has reached my lips;
I am amazed that the jurists of the city remain silent.

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