POEM · PERMANENT EDITION

Muhammad Iqbal ترا تن رُوح سے ناآشنا ہے Tirā tan rūh se nā-āshnā hai ●sher 1 of 2

ترا تن رُوح سے ناآشنا ہے

Tirā tan rūh se nā-āshnā hai

عجب کیا! آہ تیری نارسا ہے

Ajab kyā! Āh terī nā-rasā hai

Your body is unaware of the soul.
No wonder! Your cry does not reach.

تنِ بے رُوح سے بیزار ہے حق

Tan-e be-rūh se bezār hai ḥaq

خدائے زندہ، زندوں کا خدا ہے

Khudā-e zindah, zindōñ kā ḵẖudā hai

God is displeased with a soulless body.
The Living God is the God of the living.

Context

This Urdu poem delves into themes common in mystical and Sufi traditions, emphasizing the critical importance of spiritual awareness over mere physical existence. It critiques a state where the body is estranged from the soul, suggesting that such spiritual disconnect renders one's supplications ineffective before God. The poem asserts that the 'Living God' engages with those who possess inner vitality and spiritual life, rather than being merely physically alive, urging a deeper, soulful connection to the divine.