These three poets r legendary in Urdu literature .
Ghalib(1797 -1869)
Iqbal(1877-1938)
and Faraz(1931-2008)
Their views on the universality of God in these famous couplets . It was not a feud. At best, you can call it a poetic difference of opinion among witty intellectuals spread across centuries.
Ghalib started it in the 19th century .
“Zahid, sharaab peene de masjid mein baith kar
Ya wo jagah bataa, jahaan Khuda nahin”
Translation:
Let me drink in a mosque; or tell me the place where there is no God.'
Allama Iqbal was not convinced. He decided to reply about half a century later, his poetic reply to Ghalib.
“Masjid Khuda ka ghar hai, peene ki jagah nahin
Kaafir ke dil mein jaa, wahaan khuda nahin”
Translation:
Mosque is the abode of God, not a place to drink. Go to the heart of a non-believer because there God is not.
Faraz had the last word. (Later half of 19th century) .
“Kaafir ke dil se aaya hun, main ye dekh kar Faraz,
Khuda maujood hai wahaan, par usey pata nahin”
Translation:
I have returned from the heart of the disbeliever and I have observed that God is present in his heart too, but he just doesn't know it.
The elegance of urdu at its best!
Iqbal(1877-1938)
and Faraz(1931-2008)
Their views on the universality of God in these famous couplets . It was not a feud. At best, you can call it a poetic difference of opinion among witty intellectuals spread across centuries.
“Zahid, sharaab peene de masjid mein baith kar
Ya wo jagah bataa, jahaan Khuda nahin”
Let me drink in a mosque; or tell me the place where there is no God.'
“Masjid Khuda ka ghar hai, peene ki jagah nahin
Kaafir ke dil mein jaa, wahaan khuda nahin”
Mosque is the abode of God, not a place to drink. Go to the heart of a non-believer because there God is not.
“Kaafir ke dil se aaya hun, main ye dekh kar Faraz,
Khuda maujood hai wahaan, par usey pata nahin”
I have returned from the heart of the disbeliever and I have observed that God is present in his heart too, but he just doesn't know it.
The elegance of urdu at its best!
