POEM · PERMANENT EDITION
Mirza Ghalib اے جہاں آفریں خداے کریم Ae jahan aafreen khuda-e-kareem ●sher 1 of 3

اے جہاں آفریں خداے کریم

Ae jahan aafreen khuda-e-kareem

صانع ہفت چرخ و ہفت اقلیم

Saan-e-haft charkh o haft aqleem

O Creator of the world, Gracious God,
Maker of seven heavens and seven realms,

نام مکلوڈ جن کا ہے مشہور

Naam Macleod jin ka hai mashhoor

یہ ہمیشہ بہ صد نشاط و سرور

Yeh hamesha ba sad nishaat o suroor

Whose name McLeod is famous,
May he always, with a hundred joys and delights,

عمر و دولت سے شادمان رہیں

Umar o daulat se shadmaan rahain

اور غالبؔ پہ مہربان رہیں

Aur Ghalib pe mehrbaan rahain

Remain happy with life and wealth,
And remain kind to Ghalib.

Context

This Urdu poem is a 'dua' or supplication, invoking God as the ultimate creator of the universe. It transitions into a prayer for an individual named Macleod, wishing them long life, happiness, and prosperity. The poet, Ghalib, includes a plea for Macleod to remain benevolent towards him, a common practice among poets seeking patronage during the Mughal and British Raj eras, reflecting the symbiotic relationship between poets and their benefactors.

faith & the divine · love & longing (ishq, judāī)

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