POEM · PERMANENT EDITION

Muhammad Iqbal یقیں، مثلِ خلیل آتش نشینی Yaqeen, misl-e-Khaleel aatish nasheeni ●sher 1 of 2

یقیں، مثلِ خلیل آتش نشینی

Yaqeen, misl-e-Khaleel aatish nasheeni

یقیں، اللہ مستی، خود گُزینی

Yaqeen, Allah masti, khud guzeeni

Faith, like Abraham, dwelling in fire.
Faith, divine rapture, self-sacrifice.

سُن، اے تہذیبِ حاضر کے گرفتار

Sun, aye tehzeeb-e-haazir ke giraftaar

غلامی سے بَتر ہے بے یقینی

Ghulami se batar hai be-yaqeeni

Listen, O captive of modern civilization,
Uncertainty is worse than slavery.

Context

This Urdu quatrain emphasizes 'yaqeen' (faith or certainty) as a foundational strength, drawing on the Islamic narrative of Prophet Abraham (Khalil) surviving fire as a testament to divine trust. It contrasts this with 'be-yaqeeni' (disbelief or uncertainty), which is powerfully declared worse than slavery, particularly for those ensnared by modern civilization. The lines reflect a profound call to spiritual resolve and self-reliance, echoing themes common in philosophical Urdu poetry that critique materialism and advocate for faith as an antidote to societal weakness and subjugation.