Loh Bhi Tu, Qalam Bhi Tu – Allama Iqbals Hand Written Poem

For any reader and admirer of Shayar-E-Mashriq,  Dr. Allama Iqbal, the Poet of the East, Iqbal Academy at Lahore is a fantastic place to visit. One key attraction is the hand written manuscripts by Allama Iqbal, which will be an excellent topic for research for any graphologist (study of hand writings). As a philosopher-cum-poet, Allama was indeed the master of his craft,  but he also natural talent to put to verses any thoughts without much corrections. And it reflects in his handwritten manuscripts as he converts ideas into verses so effortlessly.

My book companion at Umra: Armaghan-e-Hijaz by Dr. Allama Iqbal

Baal e Jibreel is the book where we find a different Iqbal, which is manifested in the last verse of the first poem of Bal-e-Jibreel:

Tu ne Ghazab kya! Mujh ko bhi fash kar dya

Main hee aik raaz tha seena-e-kainat mai

Translation:

[O’ What have You done, you have unraveled Me too!

I was the only secret that was hidden in the heart of Universe.]

Bal-e-Jibreel is a huge leap from Baang e Dira [in which he wrote poems for children, poems of woes like Shikwa, some philosophical poems and ghazals]. In Baal e Jibreel, Iqbal evolves into the “Messenger of Khudi” finds the wings of Jibreel to take the leap of faith into realms of self discovery. He exposes the secrets of the Self, is much vocal about his laments to God [e.g. second poem of the book], converses with his mentor Rumi, and experiments beautiful Rubaiyat [spiritual couplets].

Below is an extract from his poem Zauq-o-Shauq [Engrossment & Enthusiasm ] from the book. Also download the same poem sung by Humera Arshad at Loh Bhi Tu, Qalam Bhi Tu.

Iqbal Hand Written Manuscripts