Iqbal’s “Mard-e-Musalman”: a portrait of the true believer

Allama Muhammad Iqbal · Zarb-e-Kalim

Background

In this poem, from the section “Islam aur Musalman” (Islam and the Muslim) of Zarb-e-Kalim (April 1936), Iqbal draws a portrait of his “Mard-e-Momin” (the true believer)¹²³. He is a man who is dew in gentleness and a storm in severity. His intentions are a scale for weighing right and wrong in the world. In the last couplet the poet tells the reader that stars are formed in the workshop of his thought, and asks him to recognise the star of his own destiny among them.

The poem

Every moment the believer has a new glory, a new grace. In his speech and in his conduct he is a proof of God!

Power, forgiveness, holiness and majestyWhen these four elements are present, a Muslim is made

A creature of dust, yet neighbour to Gabriel, the trusted angelHis home is neither Bukhara nor Badakhshan

No one knows this secret: the believer appears to be a reciter, but in truth he is the Quran!

His intentions are the touchstone of Nature’s purposesA scale in this world, a scale on the Day of Judgement

He is the dew that cools the heart of the tulipHe is the storm that makes the hearts of rivers tremble

His days and nights are Nature’s eternal songIn rhythm, unique, like Surah Ar-Rahman

Stars are formed in the workshop of my thoughtTake them, and recognise the star of your own destiny

Difficult words

• Lahza: a moment
• Aan: glory, grace
• Guftar: speech
• Kirdar: deeds, character
• Burhan: proof, evidence
• Qahhari: dominance and severity
• Ghaffari: the quality of forgiving
• Quddusi: purity
• Jabrut: majesty and power
• Anasir: basic elements
• Jibril-e-Amin: the Angel Gabriel
• Banda-e-khaki: man made of dust
• Bukhara, Badakhshan: two well-known cities/regions of Central Asia
• Iyar: touchstone, test
• Mizan: scale
• Jigar-e-lala: the heart of the tulip
• Sarod-e-azali: the song of eternity
• Ahang: rhythm, tune
• Surah Ar-Rahman: a chapter of the Holy Quran in which the same refrain recurs in its verses
• Kargah-e-fikr: the workshop of thought
• Anjum: stars