Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal was a poet, philosopher and politician born in Sialkot, British India (now in Pakistan), whose poetry in Urdu and Persian is considered to be among the greatest of the modern era and whose vision of an independent state for the Muslims of British India was to inspire the creation of Pakistan. He is commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal‎, Allama meaning "Scholar". Iqbal was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilization across the world, but specifically in India; a series of famous lectures he delivered to this effect were published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. One of the most prominent leaders of the All India Muslim League, Iqbal encouraged the creation of a "state in northwestern India for Indian Muslims" in his 1930 presidential address. Iqbal encouraged and worked closely with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and he is known as Muffakir-e-Pakistan ("The Thinker of Pakistan"), Shair-e-Mashriq ("The Poet of the East"), and Hakeem-ul-Ummat ("The Sage of Ummah"). He is officially recognized as the "national poet" in Pakistan. https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 Int. Iqbal Society noreply@iqbal.com.pk 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1332-stanza-iqbal-recited-once-in-a-garden-in-spring Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>Iqbal recited once in a garden in spring<br /> A couplet cheerful and bright in tone and spirit:<br /> Unlike the rose, I need no breeze to blossom.,<br /> My soul doth blossom with my ecstasy.</p>

<p>Iqbal recited once in a garden in spring<br /> A couplet cheerful and bright in tone and spirit:<br /> Unlike the rose, I need no breeze to blossom.,<br /> My soul doth blossom with my ecstasy.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1331-thy-body-knows-not-the-secrets-of-thy-heart Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>Thy body knows not the secrets of thy heart,<br /> And so thy sighs reach not the heights of heaven;<br /> God is disgusted with bodies without souls;<br /> The living God is the God of living souls.</p>

<p>Thy body knows not the secrets of thy heart,<br /> And so thy sighs reach not the heights of heaven;<br /> God is disgusted with bodies without souls;<br /> The living God is the God of living souls.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1330-selfhoods-apostate-is-the-life-of-reason Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>Selfhood's apostate is the life of reason;<br /> Its secret lies in communion with God;<br /> If thou couldst guard it in thy poverty,<br /> Thou art indeed a fakir greater than kings.</p>

<p>Selfhood's apostate is the life of reason;<br /> Its secret lies in communion with God;<br /> If thou couldst guard it in thy poverty,<br /> Thou art indeed a fakir greater than kings.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1329-the-movement-of-days-and-nights-is-eternal-fast Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>The movement of days and nights is eternal, fast;<br /> No one has seen the future or the past;<br /> Thou art the only fact, the rest is fiction;<br /> The present is the only time thou hast.</p>

<p>The movement of days and nights is eternal, fast;<br /> No one has seen the future or the past;<br /> Thou art the only fact, the rest is fiction;<br /> The present is the only time thou hast.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1328-that-blood-of-pristine-vigour-is-no-more Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>That blood of pristine vigour is no more;<br /> That yearning heart's power is no more;<br /> Prayer, fasting, haj, sacrifice survive,<br /> But in thee nature's old dower is no more.</p>

<p>That blood of pristine vigour is no more;<br /> That yearning heart's power is no more;<br /> Prayer, fasting, haj, sacrifice survive,<br /> But in thee nature's old dower is no more.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1327-the-mystics-soul-is-like-the-morning-breeze Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>The mystic's soul is like the morning breeze;<br /> It freshens and renews life's inner meaning<br /> An illumined soul can be a shepherd's, who<br /> Could hear the Voice of God at God's command.</p>

<p>The mystic's soul is like the morning breeze;<br /> It freshens and renews life's inner meaning<br /> An illumined soul can be a shepherd's, who<br /> Could hear the Voice of God at God's command.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1326-so-man-is-the-powerful-lord-of-land-and-seas Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>So man is the powerful lord of land and seas!<br /> A lord of the world with an eye that hardly sees!<br /> He knows neither himself, nor God, nor the world;<br /> Is this, O Lord, Thy greatest masterpiece?</p>

<p>So man is the powerful lord of land and seas!<br /> A lord of the world with an eye that hardly sees!<br /> He knows neither himself, nor God, nor the world;<br /> Is this, O Lord, Thy greatest masterpiece?</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1325-to-be-god-is-to-do-a-million-tasks Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>To be God is to do a million tasks;<br /> To be God, no doubt, is a wearisome headache;<br /> But-pardon me, O Lord-to be a man,<br /> Is not a headache, but a heartache.</p>

<p>To be God is to do a million tasks;<br /> To be God, no doubt, is a wearisome headache;<br /> But-pardon me, O Lord-to be a man,<br /> Is not a headache, but a heartache.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1324-this-reason-of-mine-knows-not-good-from-evil Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>This reason of mine knows not good from evil;<br /> And tries to exceed the bounds that nature fixed;<br /> I know not what has happened to me of late,<br /> My reason and my heart are ever at war.</p>

<p>This reason of mine knows not good from evil;<br /> And tries to exceed the bounds that nature fixed;<br /> I know not what has happened to me of late,<br /> My reason and my heart are ever at war.</p> 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 2021-02-19T16:43:42+00:00 https://www.iqbal.com.pk/poetical-works/english-translations/938-gabriels-wing-quatrains/1323-it-was-abul-hassan-who-stressed-the-truth Talha Ahad talha_ahad@yahoo.com

<p>It was Abul Hassan who stressed the truth,<br /> That the soul does not expire with the body's death;<br /> How could the sun have any light at all,<br /> If it spurns and loses its own beams?</p>

<p>It was Abul Hassan who stressed the truth,<br /> That the soul does not expire with the body's death;<br /> How could the sun have any light at all,<br /> If it spurns and loses its own beams?</p>