Naat Shareef Lyrics and Translations
The following Naat is the most well-known of Hazrat Pir Syed Mehr Ali Shah Sahib of Golra Sharif writings in verse. It has a grandeur equalled by few other Naats in any language. It’s concluding verse in particular is unmatched in it’s beauty and emotional appeal.
English Lyrics and translation
aj sik mitraaN dee vadheeRi ay
kyon dilree udaas ganeree ay
looN looN vich shawq changeri ay
aj nainaaN laiyaaN kyon jhaRiyaaN!
Today the yearning for the loved one is great indeed!
Why is my heart saddened, like a reed?
The desire is aflame, running through my veins!
Why are my adoring eyes today dazzled by the beloved?
Mukh chan badr shah shaani ay
Matthay chamkay laaT noorani ay
Kaali zulf tay akh mastaani ay
Mahmoor akheeN hain madh bhaRiyaaN
His face is like the full moon, worthy of his regal stature!
A radiant light shines on his brow
His tresses are black, his eyes are intoxicating!
Those dreamy eyes are full of the wine of love!
Is surat nooN mein jaan aakhaaN
Jaanaan ke jaan-e-jahaan aakhaaN?
Sach aakhaaN tay Rabb dee shaan aakhaaN
Jis shaan tooN shaanaaN sab baniyaaN
Shall I call this countenance my soul?
Or my soul’s soul? Or the soul of the worlds?
If I speak truthfully, I shall call it the glory of my Lord
The glory from which all others were created!
Subhan Allah! Maa ajmalaka
Maa ahsanaka, maa akmalaka
Glory be to Allah! There is no one more beautiful than thee!
No one more excellent than thee, no one more perfect!
Kithay Mihr Ali kithay teri sanaa
Gustaakh akheeN kithay jaa aRiyaan!
What is the status of Mihr Ali that he dares to praise thee?
Where have these insolent eyes dared to gaze?
Lyrics in Urdu
English Translation
Why is it that the yearning for the Loved One (i.e., the Holy Prophet) is especially strong today?
Why is my heart sadder today than even before?
Why does longing penetrate every tissue of mine?
And why are the eyes shedding tears like a shower of rain?
His shining face appeared to me in a vision,
And fragrance emanated in profusion from His tresses;
I fainted from the sight of these visions;
The hordes of his eyes overpowered me.
His face shines like the full moon;
A brilliant light radiates from his brow;
His hair is black, and his eyes are bewitching and intoxicated.
His two eye-brows are like cross-bows,
Hurling darts of pointed eye-lashes (in all directions);
His lips are red like rubies of Yemen;
His white teeth like a string of pearls.
I am not sure whether I should call his face the essence of life;
Or life of the entire universe;
The truth is that it is (like) the glory of God,
From which all other (worldly) glories originated,
[ Note: This refers to the Holy Prophet’s well-known hadith:
“Allah created (everything from my light, and I am from the Light of Allah”]
This face (of the Prophet) emerged from the Faceless One (i.e., Allah);
The Faceless One manifests Himself through this face.
The Colourless (Reality) has been revealing itself through this image,
Ever since Unity exploded into Diversity.
It is this face (of the Holy Prophet) that guides (mankind) to the path of Faceless One (i.e., Allah);
Nay (not the path only but) to the Ultimate Reality Itself.
However, understanding this (secret) is beyond the capacity of the simpletion;
Only the select few succeed in discovering and capturing the Pearl (of Truth).
May this Face (of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H)) remain before my eyes,
In my last moments (of life) and on the Resurrection Day!
Then (also) in my grave, and at the time of crossing the (razor-sharp) Bridge (on the Judgment Day as a test to separate the virtuous ones from the sinners);
Only then shall the fake ones become pure (in the sight of Allah).
Thou (O Holy Prophet) hast been blessed (by Allah) with the promise to grant thy desire (in full);
And we (thy humble followers) have full faith in Allah’s assurance that thou shalt be happy with the Bounty of Allah.
[Note: Reference here is to verse 5 of Surah XCIII of the Holy Quran:
“And presently (i.e., in the Hereafter, as also in this world) thy Lord shall grant unto thee (O Prophet ! rich and abundant reward) so that thou shalt be well-pleased].
The Gracious One (we hope) shall declare us successful (in the test of earthly life);
Because we have correctly understood the Divine words: “Intercede and thy intercession shall be accepted”.
[Note: Here the reference is to the Prophet’s divinely inspired hadith (hadith-e-Qudsi), in which Allah reassures the Prophet (P.B.U.H) with the words i.e., his intercession for the forgiveness of sinning believers shall be accepted by Allah on the Judgment Day].
Be gracious enough to remove from thy face the sheet of Yemen (O Prophet !),
And grant us a glimpse of thy endearing face.
Repeat once again those sweet words,
Which thou hadst uttered in the valley of Hamra.
Come (once again) from thy cell to Mosque,
For everyone longs for a glimpse of thy image full of light;
(And) denizens of both the worlds (i.e., this world and the Hereafter) are laying their eyes in thy path –
Human beings, angels, the houris and the fairies.
For the ones yearning and pining (for a glimpse of thine);
Who are ready to sacrifice (their lives) for thy sake;
For these slaves ready to sell themselves out without any price (in thy path);
May those moments of bliss come back once again!
Glory to Allah, who created thee (O Holy Prophet!) in the most beautiful, the best, and the most perfect mould.
Who is (the humble) Meher Ali to chant thy praises;
How (presumptuous and) impudent his eyes are to aspire to the heights of thy love!