63 Urdu ash'ar / shaayari (shers, couplets) on the theme:
Religion, Reason & Tradition
umr fariyaad mein barbaad gayi
kuch na hua
naala mashhoor ghalat hai ke
asar karta hai
life was wasted in pleas and prayers
and nothing came of it
the popular belief that
laments work...is a lie
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27
qaid-e-mazhab se tere
paaband-e-ulfat hain bari
kya gharaz kyun jaayen
suu-e-kaaba-o-butkhaana hum
your love is shackled
by the prison of religion
why bother, why should we go
to the mosque or the temple
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7
yaad-e-butaan naheen ke
khayaal-e-khuda naheen
sab kuchh bashar ki dil mein hai
aye shaikh, kya nahin?
no memory of idols
nor any thought of god
all is within the human heart
what is not there, o preacher?
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17
koi ye shaikh se poochhe
ki band kar aankhen
muraaqabe mein
bata subh-o-shaam kya dekha
someone ask the holy man
as to what he saw
when he closed his eyes
in meditation from dawn to dusk
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1
21
na kaafir se khalwat
na zaahid se ulfat
hum ik bazm mein thay
ye sab se judaa the
neither intimacy with the infidel
nor affection for the pious
present in the same gathering
but i remained apart from them all
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13
faayda kya hai naseehat se
phire ho, naaseh
hum samajhne ke naheen
laakh tu samjhaaye hamein
of what use are your sermons,
oh priest and preacher
i am not one to understand
even if explained a million times
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22
ham ishq ke bande hain
mazhab se naheen waaqif
gar kaaba hua to kya
butkhaana hua to kya
we are devotees of love
not of religions, nor of dogmas
whether it is a mosque or a temple
what difference does it make?
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11
jaise dozakh ki hava kha ke
abhi aaya ho
kis qadar vaaiz-e-makkaar
Daraata hai mujhe
as if he has just come
breathing the air of hell
how deceitful is this cunning preacher
trying to frighten me
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18
sab tere siva kaafir
aakhir is ka matlab kya
sar phira de insaan ka
aisa khabt-e-mazhab kya
all but you are infidels?
what does that even mean?
what kind of religious madness
turns a human into a lunatic?
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3
kahte hain teri zulf koon
dekh ahl-e-shariat
qurbaan hai is kufr par
imaan hamara
when the guardians of religion
call your hair heresy
we are ready to sacrifice our faith
at the altar of that blasphemy
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9
zaahid ho aur taqwa
aabid ho aur musalla
maala ho aur barhaman
sahbaa ho aur ham ho
the ascetic and abstinence
the devout and prayer mat
the rosary and the brahmin
the wine and me
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38
hai zeest ka maqsad kya
allah hi jaane hai
maqsad tu khud apna
bana leta to kya hota
what is the purpose of life
god only knows
but what if you figured out
your own purpose
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33
shab ko mai khoob se pee
subah ko tauba kar lee
rind ke rind rahe
haath se jannat na gayi
indulged in wine by night
sought forgiveness by dawn
i remained a wine-lover
and did not lose paradise
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10
ghalib, bura na maan
jo waiz bura kahe
aisa bhi koi hai ki
sab achchha kahein jise
ghalib, don't mind if
the cleric finds you sinful
is there anyone at all
the whole world deems virtuous?
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47
go haram ke raaste se
woh pahunch gaye khuda tak
teri raahguzar se jaate to
kuchh aur baat hoti
though he found god
through the holy places
had he taken your path, it would've
turned out a different story
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47
koi to shehar-e-tazabzub ke
saakinon se kahe
na ho yaqeen to phir
mojza na maange koi
go tell the dwellers of
this city of skepticism
those who don't believe
shouldn't expect miracles either
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46
jahaan par sarhaden
dair-o-haram ki khatm hoti hain
wahin par noor-e-imaan hai
wahin raah-e-yaqeen nikli
where the borders of
temples and mosques end
radiance of belief shines forth
the road to conviction begins
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33
khauf-e-dozakh se kabhi
khwaahish-e-jannat se kabhi
mujh ko is tarz-e-ibaadat pe
hansi aati hai
sometimes fearing hell
sometimes desiring heaven
this manner of worship
makes me laugh
Anonymous
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58
tu bhi mohtaaj hai
khushaamad ka
aye khuda, varna
bandagi kya hai
even you need and crave
adulation and flattery
or else, dear god,
what is prayer for?
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19
kiska kaaba? kaisa qibla?
kaun haram hai? kya ehraam?
kooche ke us ke baashindon ne
sab ko yahin se salaam kiya
which sanctum? what holy direction?
who is divine? which holy robes?
from the lane of the beloved
we bid farewell to all
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71
aaj hi lakshmi pujaa ki
hai taqreeb-e-sa'iid
jis ke jalve se
tajallii pe tajallii hai maziid
today is the joyful
celebration of lakshmi puja
whose radiance brings
waves and waves of illumination
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3.3K
mehangi sharaab ho gayi
kaifi ne chhoD dii
kaafir ko muflisi ne
musalmaan banaa diya
wine has become so expensive
that kaifi has quit drinking
poverty has turned
an infidel into a believer
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2.7K
ghar se masjid hai bahut duur
chalo yuun kar lein
kisi rote hue bachche ko
hansaaya jaaye
the mosque is too far from home
maybe we should try this...
why not make
a few crying children smile?
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1.6K
sar-e-mehshar
gunahgaaron ki saff mein
amaa’n dekho toh
kitne maulavi hai
on judgment day
in the line of sinners
you can see
how many priests there are
front, top, head
assembly on judgment day
sinners
line
priests
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4.2K
jo main sar-ba-sajda hua kabhi
to zamin se aane lagi sadaa
tera dil to hai sanam-ashna
tujhe kya milega namaaz mein
when i was prostrate in prayer
i heard a voice from the ground
when your heart itself is the beloved
what will you get from this prayer?
prostrate in prayer
ground
call, voice / forever
(muslim) prayers, worship
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2.1K
ye kaisi wabastagi hai meri
tujhse ya rab?
tujhi se shikaayat?
tujhi se nadaamat?
what is this devotion of mine
for you, oh god?
for you, my complaints?
and for you, my repentance?
Anonymous
attachment, affinity
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3.7K
fasl-e-bahaar aai
peeyo sufiyo sharaab
bas ho chuki namaaz
musalla uThaayiye
springtime has arrived
mystics…drink some wine
the time for worship has ended
roll up the prayer-carpet
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3.9K
mashrab nahin ye mera ki
poojoon buuton ko main
shauq-e-talab ne dil ko
sanam-khaana kar diya
my religion is not
one of worshiping idols
my passion for seeking has
turned my heart into a temple
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1.8K
band ahkaam-e-aql
mein rahnaa
ye bhi ik nau' ki
himaaqat hai
to be a hostage to
reason's dictates
is also a kind of
foolishness
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2.1K
begaangi-e-khalq se
bedil na ho, ghalib
koyi nahi tera, to meri jaan,
khuda hai
with people’s indifference
don’t be dismayed, ghalib
if in the world you have none,
so be it, there is god for you
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2.4K
maqbool ho na ho
yeh muqaddar ki baat hai
sajde kisi ke dar pe
kiye ja raha huun main
whether accepted or not
it is a matter of fate
but at someone’s doorstep
i am prostrate in prayer
1971: Padma Shri
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1.8K
tum naahaq sheeshe chun chun kar
daaman mein chupaaye baithe ho
sheeshe ka maseeha koyi nahin
kya aas lagaaye baithe ho?
picking some scraps of glass
and hiding them in your clothes
there is no savior in these trinkets
what hope are you holding on to?
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1.6K
mazhabi behas main ne
ki hi naheen
faaltu aql mujh mein
thi hi naheen
in religious debates
i did not participate
useless smarts
i did not have in me
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5.0K
kab talak azmat-e-aflaak ke
gun gaaoge
azmat-e-khaak se inkaar
karoge kab tak
for how long will you keep singing
praises for heavenly gods
for how long will you keep denying
human greatness
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3.6K
zulm aur jahl pe
israar karoge kab tak
aql or fahm se
paekaar karoge kab tak
how long will you persist with
this injustice and ignorance
how long will you procrastinate…
relying on reason and understanding
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2.7K
jo bhi de de vo karam se
vahi le le 'naadir'
munh se maango to
khuda aur khafa hota hai
whatever is given to you in kindness
you accept jus that ‘naadir’
if you were to ask for more
god will get even more angry
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2.3K
bedam huye beemar
dawa kyun nahi dete
tum acche maseeha ho
shifa kyun nahi dete
the restless have fallen sick
why don’t you offer a medicine
you are such a good healer
why don’t you cure their illness
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4.7K
tu dard bhi dua bhi tu
zakhm bhi davaa bhi
shikwe bhi hain tujhi se
aur pyaar bhi tujhi se
you are the pain, the blessing too
the wound and the cure too
complaint is against you too
and my love is for you too
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3.3K
kahan maikhaana ka darwaaza, ghalib
aur kahaan waiz
par itna jaante hain
kal wo jaata tha ke hum nikle
where’s the tavern’s entrance, ghalib,
and where is the preacher
i know only this…yesterday,
when i was coming out, he was going in
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4.0K
masjid mein bulaate hain
hamein zaahid-e-na-fahm
hota kuch agar hosh to
maikhaane na jaate
the foolish preacher
invites me into the mosque
if i have any sense, won’t i
find my way to the taverns?
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4.6K
tera imam be-huzoor
teri namaz be-suroor
aisi namaz se guzar
aise imam se guzar
your priest is absent
and your prayer joyless
find your way out of
that priest and that prayer
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3.8K
humko maloom hai
jannat ki haqeeqat lekin
dil ko khush rakhne ko 'ghalib'
yeh khayaal achchha hai
i do understand
the truth about heaven, but
to keep my heart happy, ghalib
it is a comforting thought
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3.2K
bachche jhagad rahe they
mohalle mein, na jaane kis baat par
sukoon is baat ka tha
na mandir ka zikr tha, na masjid ka
the kids were fighting
in the neighborhood, not sure about what
it was such a relief that there was
neither the mention of temple nor mosque
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4.2K
ham ko bharam ne
bahr-e-tavahhum bana diya
dariya samajh ke kuud paDe
hum saraab mein
doubt has turned me into
an ocean of superstition
thinking it is a river,
i jumped headlong into a mirage
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3.8K
aashiqi se
milegaa, aye zaahid
bandagi se
khuda nahin milta
through love,
you will find, o priest
through worship,
you won't find god
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2.5K
sheikh saahab sey
rasm-o-raah na kee
shukr hai zindagi
tabaah na kee
i didn’t have the priest
perform rituals and customs
happy that i didn’t
waste my life thus
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2.1K
zaahid, sharaab peene de
masjid mein baith kar
ya wo jagah bata de
jahaan par khuda na ho
oh priest, allow me to drink
sitting here in the mosque
or, show me a place
where there is no god
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5.0K
tod diya tasbeeh ko
is khayaal se ‘faraz’
kya gin gin ke nam lena uska
jo behisaab deta hai
i broke the prayer rosary
with this thought, ‘faraz’
why count and pray to one
who gives without keeping an account
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4.3K
aqaa’ed vahm hai mazhab
khayaal-e-khaam hai saaqi
azal se zehn-e-insaan
basta-e-auhaam hai saaqi
religion but a fanciful belief
a string of delusions
forever the human mind has been
hostage to a bundle of superstitions
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2.2K
raahon mein jaan
ghar mein chaaraghon se shaan hai
deepavali se aaj
zameen aasmaan hai
streets are alive with joy
houses shining with lamps
deepavali has transformed
the earth into heaven
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4.1K
hai dussehra mein bhi
yuun gar farhat-o-zeenat 'nazir'
par diwali bhi ajab
pakeeza-tar tyohaar hai
in dussehra too
there is joy and beauty, nazir
but diwali is
uniquely and purely joyous
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5.0K
mil ke hoti thi
kabhi eid bhi diwali bhi
ab ye haalat hai ki
dar dar ke gale milte hain
we celebrated together
sometimes eid, sometimes diwali
now it is such that
we embrace with trepidation
Anonymous
condition, situation
to embrace
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4.2K
tha intezaar
maanaenge mil ke diwali
na tum hi laut ke aaye
na waqt-e-shaam hua
was waiting
to celebrate diwali together
neither did you return
nor is it time yet for the celebration
waiting
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2.1K
hone do charaagaan mahlon mein
kya ham ko agar diwali hai
mazdoor hain hum mazdoor hain hum
mazdoor ki duniya kaali hai
let the palaces be lit up with lamps
how does it matter to us it is diwali
we are laborers, laborers we are
our world filled with darkness
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3.7K
tayyaar the namaaz pe hum
sun ke zikr-e-hoor
jalwa buton ka dekh ke
niyyat badal gayi
i was ready for prayers, hearing
the mention of heavenly beauties
but upon seeing the bright idols
my intentions changed
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1
4.2K
na shab-o-roz hi badle hain
na haal achchha hai
kis barhaman ne kaha tha
ki ye saal achchha hai
days and nights have not changed
nor is the condition any good
which brahmin foretold
this is a good year
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2.5K
har ek daur ka mazhab
naya khuda laaya
karen to hum bhi magar
kis khuda ki baat karen
each era brought in
a new religion, a new god
if we were to chat
about which god shall we talk?
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4.5K
'zauq' jo madaraase ke
bigDe hue hain mullah
un ko mai-khaaane mein le aao
sanwar jaayenge
zauq, those priests
ruined by the religious schools
bring them to the tavern
so they can be reformed
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1.8K
mumkin hai tu dozakh mein
jannat mein magar bibi
us ko bhi bahattar kyun
ghilman na diya hota
it is possible you are in hell
and your wife is in heaven
why doesn’t she also get
72 handsome young men?
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2.0K
nigaah-e-mehr ki garmi hai
raushni dil ki
hai bazm-e-shauq meri
kaamgaar eid ke din
warmth of a compassionate gaze
is the light of the heart
my assembly of enthusiasm
is fortunate on this day of eid
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1
4.3K
andhe kuen mein baandh ke
rakkha yaqeen hai
haan tera yaqeen, tera yaqeen,
tera yaqeen hai
your faith has confined you
to a deep, dark well
yes, your faith, your faith it is
indeed your faith
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1
3.7K
kaamil tera hi haq
tu magan is khushi mein hai
haa’el yaqeen ilm mein ho
mujh ko Dar ye hai
you revel in the thought
that only your faith is perfect
but my fear is that this stands
in the way of your learning
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2
3.4K
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