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Shakwa and Jawab
Shakwa and Jawab
Iqbal wrote the two poems, “Shakwa” and “Jawab-i Shakwa” (Complaint to God and its Response), in
early twentieth century. It was the prime time of his poetic revelation, which is called his third period that
began in 1908 and ended at his death in 1938. During that time Muslims in India had almost lost their
entity as a nation. They had become the most oppressed community in British ruled India. A little before
Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1877-1898) had realised that the major cause of Indian Muslims’
misfortune was their illiteracy and the lack of knowledge. After a long struggle and much hardship he
succeeded in establishing an Anglo Oriental College at Aligarh which later on became a university.
Presently this university is a big place of learning and research in India. This university became a source
of self-awareness among a negligible portion of Muslim minority in India. However, the masses of the
community remained deprived of education and ultimately remained suffering in all parts of life. Due to
poverty and lack of resources they were unable to educate their children. Among those who were lucky
and got education remained unable to get a job. They remained jobless as all the fields of life and key
posts were occupied and dominated by non-Muslims and the British. Such a situation gave birth to the
persons like Altaf Husain Hali, Shibli Nomani, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, Ali Brethren, and others who
worked in their respective fields to fight for the rights of Muslims. All of them were contemporaries of
Iqbal and were among the front-line fighters for freedom. However Iqbal stood alone with his powerful
poetic way to waken self confidence in the people of his community. He and his contemporaries (named
above) were able to move the masses and carried them forward on the road to get rid of the British rule.
Iqbal nurtured the minds of the people and changed the direction of the society through his melodious
voice reciting his own songs in a touching way reminding them of their past glory. He was the person
who discovered a leader like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and convinced him to lead the nation under whose
banner Muslims of India were united and marched towards independence till the world saw a new country
“Pakistan” emerged on the world map with the rising sum of the morning of August 14, 1947.
Iqbal’s poem “Shakwa” was one of his most thrilling poems, which he recited personally in the month of
April 1911 at the annual session of Anjuman Himayat-i Islam held in the compound of Islamia College,
Lahore. It was largely applauded and subsequently published in the magazines and journals of the
country. This poem consists of 31 stanzas having six verses each. In the poem Iqbal has highlighted
Islam’s living traditions in such a way that it strikes the very heart of a person. The carefully selected and
well-knit words of the poem were immensely effective. They filled the hearts of a deprived nation with
new life, courage and enthusiasm. The poem “Shakwa” is a unique example of a complaint to God. We
have used English translation from Dr. M.A.K. Khalil’s Call of the Marching Bell, which is English
rendering of Iqbal’s Bang-i Dara.
In the first stage of this poem Iqbal counts the chivalrous deeds of the Muslims reminding them of their
past glory when they happened to be the leaders and teachers of mankind. They implemented the rule of
God on the earth and brought revolutionary reforms in the states under their control where justice
prevailed. Hereunder I quote three stanzas from this part of “Shakwa”:
The second part shows the state of decline of Muslim nation. But Iqbal has projected this aspect so
beautifully that instead of creating a sense of despair and destitute in the mind it inspires a new vigour and
courage to stand up and deal with rival forces. Quoted hereunder are three stanzas of this part:
The third part of Shakwa is a direct complaint to God. Three beautiful stanzas of this part are quoted as
under:
The fourth part of Shakwa is the ending of this poem. Here we find Iqbal singing as a nightingale in a
garden praying and expressing his sentiments in the most beautiful and touching manner. Out of these we
quote below four stanzas;
After one year of reciting Shakwa Iqbal presented Jawab-i Shakwa in a huge gathering in 1913 at a
famous public place Outside Mochi Gate of Lahore City. Jawab-I Shakwa contains 36 stanzas of six lines
or verses each. This thrilling poem in a way was a call from God rather than a reply to Iqbal’s complaint.
It added fire to the already boiling blood of the nation after Iqbal’s Shakwa, as a result of the Indian
Muslims arose with a new life filled with enthusiasm, courage and a determination to change their fate.
Inspired by Iqbal’s songs they were united, fought the war of independence and achieved victory. Once
again the Muslims of India were a free nation and masters of their own destiny living in an independent
country called Pakistan, the new Muslim State appeared on the world map on the 14th of. August 1947.
The revelation of Jawab-I Shakwa and its compilation took a long time of over one year. In this poem a
comprehensive reply to Iqbal’s complaint to Allah is given This poem contains 36 stanzas out of which I
have selected nine stanzas which are quoted hereunder together with their English translation;
At the outset Allah says,
(There was a time when this alone was the source of beauty
The wild tulip was the pride of the season of spring
Whichever Muslim there was, the Lover of Got he was
A while ago your beloved this very Unfaithful was
Make the covenant of fealty now with some local one
Make the Ummah of the Holy Prophet a local one.)
(What did you say? For the Muslims is only the promise of Houri
Even if the Remonstrance be unreasonable decorum is necessary
Justice is the Creator of Existence’ custom since eternity
When the infidel adopts Muslim ways he receives Houris and palaces
Not a single one of you is longing for Houris
The effulgence of Tur exists but there is no Musa.[9])
At the end of Jawab-i Shakwa the Response offers a new hope for Ummah and also provides the remedy
of all diseases of the Muslims. The following 30 verses (five stanzas) are the essence of this poem:
(Some nations in the existence’s garden benefited from their labour are
And some deprived from fruits and even destroyed by autumn are
Hundreds of trees deteriorated and hundreds flourishing are
Hundreds still even concealed in the bosom of the garden are
The tree of Islam a model of flourishing is
This the fruit of cons of gardening efforts is)
(Like fragrance you are contained in the flower bud, become scattered
Become the chattel travelling on the wings of the breeze of the rose garden
If you are poor, changed from speck to the wilderness be
From the melody of wave changed to tumult of the storm be
With the Love’s power elevate every low to elegance
With Muhammad’s name illuminate the whole world.)
G. Sabir
Copenhagen
11.07.2007
[2] Hudi are songs which the camel drivers sing when the caravan is marching.
[3]Din is religion of Islam and Faran is the mountain on which the cave of Hira is located Here the
prophet of Islam received the first revelation from God.
[6]The poppy flower has a black stain at the bottom of its corolla. The poet is referring this as a mark of
Love of God.
[7] The use of two words “We” and “Us” instead of “I” and “Me” denote Grandeur and Glory of God.
These are also used in Qur’an by God Himself.
[8]This is the generic name of one of the ancient pre-Islamic dynasties of pre-Christian Iran (Persia).
Persia was a world power for several pre.Christian centuries. This dynasty is used as a metaphor for
grandeur and power.
[9] Tur is name of mountain where Musa faced the Truth (Eternal Light).
[10]Here Iqbal is referring to the story of Prophet Yusuf in Qur’an’s Sura 12. In this verse he says the the
place of Yusuf’s residence was Kan’an but the Islam and Muslims are not restricted to boundaries.
Wherever they are it is their homeland.
[11] LAUH-O-QALAM is combination of “Lauh” (denotes Lauh-i Mahfuz and means preserved tablet)
and Qalam means pen. Lauh-o-Qalam exists in the metaphysical world and they are the implements with
which the decrees of God are recorded and in which they are preserved.