Marsiya Imam Hussain by Faiz

Here is a marsiya composed by Faiz Ahmed Faiz that describes the scene on Shab-e-Ashur (night before the 10th Muharram) and the day of Ashura (10th Muharram) ending with Imam Hussain's sermon and martyrdom. (The name Shabbir in the marsiya refers to the Imam). English translation by S. G. Abbas.

MARSIYA
Faiz Ahmed Faiz

raat aa'ee hai Shabbir peh yalghaare bala hai
saathi na ko'ee yaar na gham khwaar raha hai
monis hai tow ek dard kee ghaNgoor ghaTa hai
mushfiq hai tow ek dil kay dhaRakne kii sada hai
tanha'ee kii, ghurbat kee, pareshaani kee shab hai
yeh khanae Shabbir kii virani kii shab hai

Night has set in, manifold miseries have Shabbir chained,
No friend, no companion and no well-wisher has remained,
The dark clouds of pain and suffering, are but his soother,
And the throb of his wounded heart, is the only comforter,
It’s the night of a lonely being, stranger, stranded and molested,
It’s the night of Shabbir’s house, which is desolate and devastated.

dushman kii sepah khwaab maiN madhoosh paRi thi
pal bhar kow kisi kii na idhar aaNkh lagi thi
har aik ghaRi aaj qayamat kee ghaRee thi
yah raat bohat aale Mohammad peh kaRi thi
rah rah ke buka ahle haram kartay thay aisay
tham tham ke diya aakhire shab jalta hay jisay

Fast Asleep, the enemy soldiers were senselessly lying,
But this side, non could even wink in a situation trying,
This day, each and every moment was mortifying,
To the progeny of the Holy Prophet, this night was most terrifying,
The house-folks bewailed so, at times but helplessly,
As if the snuffed-out candle, flickers at the night-end slowly.

ek goshay maiN en sokhta samaanoN ke salaar
en khaak basar, KhaanmaaN viraanooN ke sardaar
teshna lab o darmaandah o majboor o dil afgaar
es shaan se beThay thay shahe lashkare ahraar
musand thi, na khil'at thi, nah khuddaam khaRay thay
haaN tan pah jidhar dekhiyah so zakham sajay thay

In a nook there was, the Commander of the deprived creatures [people],
The Chief of those uprooted and molested creatures [people],
Broken-hearted, exhausted, helpless and thirsty,
The Leader was sitting but with great dignity,
Neither was royal cushion, nor robe, nor were the attendants standing,
Multiple wounds were on his body, blood from each was oozing.

kuch khauf tha chahray peh na tashwish zara thi
har aik ada mazhare tasleem o raza thi
har aik nigeh shaahide iqrare wafa thi
har juNbishe lub munkire dastoore jafa thi
pehlay tow bohat piyaar say har fard kow dekha
phir naam Khuda ka liya aur yooN hoay goya

Fear or worry, his face indeed didn't mirror,
To him mattered utmost, Providence's pleasure,
Assured accord each look, his faith in the Master,
Each utterance, a denial of oppressor,
First of all he looked each one, with affection,
Adored God profusely, then made an assertion,

Alhamd qareeb aaya hham-e-ishq ka sahil
Alhamd ke ab subhe shahadat hoee naazil
baazi hai bohat sakht mayaane haq o batil
woh zulm maiN kamil haiN tow hum sabr maiN kamil
baazi hoee anjaam, mubarak ho azizo
batil howa nakaam, mubarak ho azizo

Thanks God, reached have we, our pledged destination,
Thanks God, martyrdom's dawn came with fascination,
Difficult indeed, the course of examination,
Torture their mode, patience our station,
Contest completed, congratulation O friends!,
The evil depleted, congratulation O friends!,

phir subh kee lo aa'ee rukhe paak peh chamki
aur aik kiran maQtale khoNnak peh chamki
naize kii anni thi khas o khashaak pah chamki
shamsheer barhena thi ke aflaak peh chamki
dum bhar ke liyay aa'ena roo ho gaya sahra
khorsheed jo 'ubhra tow laho ho gaya sahra

On his revered face, glow of morn sparkled,
In blood-drenched battle-field, a ray suddenly twinkled,
Lance's point it was, to all sweepings entangled,
Naked was sword, with high heaven it rankled,
For a while, mirror-like became the desert,
With sunrise, into blood's hue did it convert.

par baaNdhay howe hamlay kau aa'ee safe 'aadaa
tha saamNay ek bandae haq yekkah o tanha
har chand ke har ek tha udhar khoon ka pyasa
yeh raub kaa aalam ke ko'ee pehal na karta
kii aanay maiN taaKheer jo laylaae qaza ne
khutba kiya irshaad Imame shudaa nay

For assault came enemy soldiers, as it's known,
Facing them a saintly being, standing all alone,
That side, each beastly being was much blood prone,
None dared attack, so fearful they had grown,
In embracing the leader, as death had delayed,
By addressing them, Imam his message conveyed.

farmaya ke kyooN darpa'e aazaar ho logo
haq walooN se kyooN barsare pekaar ho logo
Wallah ke mujrim ho, gunehgaar ho logo
ma'loom hai kuch, kis kay tarafdaar ho logo
kyooN aap ke aaqaoN maiN aur hum maiN Thani hai
ma'loom hai kis waastay es jaaN peh bani hai

He said, what for you pain-inflictors, O people!?
To righteous, why aggressors, O people!?,
Offenders you are, even transgressors, O people!?,
Do you know? Of whom you supporters, O people!?,
Why is dispute between me and your lord [leader]?,
Have you thought, why the struggle so hard?,

satoot na hukoomat na hasham chahiyah hum kow
aurang na afsar, nh 'alam chahiyah hum kow
zar chahiyah, na maal o diram chahiyah hum kow
jo cheez bhi faani hai woh kum chaahiyah hum kow
sardari kii khaahish hai na shahi kii hawis hai
ek harfe yaqeeN, dolate emaaN hamaiN bas hai

We wish neither power, nor pomp, splendour,
Post of authority, we don't hanker after,
Riches we wish not, if be it gold or silver,
Each mortal thing for us, indeed of no glamour,
Lordship we wish not, nor do mundane sovereignty,
True faith, nothing else, but our sole property.

talib haiN agar hum tow faqat haq ke talab gaar
batil ke muqabil maiN sadaqat ke parastaar
insaaf ke, naiki ke, murawwat ke tarafdaar
zaalim ke mukhalif haiN tow baikas ke madadgaar
jo zulm peh la'nat na karay, aap la'eiN hai
jo jabar ka munkir nahi woh munkire deeN hai

Of righteousness in fact, we the upholders,
No concern with falsehood, of truth we defenders,
Of justice, goodness, love, always we promoters,
Oppressors we oppose, of helpless we supporters,
Cursed is he who imprecates not the oppression,
By not negating suppression, he negates the religion.

ta hashar zamana tumhaiN makkar kahe ga
tum ehad shikan how, tumhaiN ghaddar kahe ga
jo sahibe dil hai, hamaiN abrar kahe ga
jo bandae Hur hai, hamiN ahraar kahe ga
naam ooncha zamanay maiN har andaaz rahe ga
nezay peh bhi sar apna sar afraaz rahe ga

Till Dooms Day, vile plotters you would be called,
Oath-breakers you are, traitors you would called,
Conscientious, faith's defenders we would be called,
By each free soul, freedom-lovers we would be called,
Throughout ages, our place none would deny,
Even on lances, our heads to be high.

kar khatm sukhan, mehve dua ho ga'ay Shabbir
phir narae zanaaN, mehve vigha ho ga'ay Shabbir
qurban rahe sidq o safa ho ga'ay Shabbir
khaimooN maiN tha khoh'raam, juda ho ga'ay Shabbir
markab peh tane paak tha aur khaak peh sar tha
es khaak talay jannate firdos ka dar tha

After his address, for followers Shabbir prayed,
With a war-cry, thick fight Shabbir assayed,
At truth's altar immolated, Shabbir undismayed,
Within tents lamentation was, Shabbir was slayed,
On horse back sacred body, forehead upon dust,
Heaven's door beyond doubt, lay beneath that dust.

- Faiz Ahmed Faiz, 1964
From: Shaam-e-Shahr-e-YaraaN in the collection Nuskhae Haai Wafa.

English Translations of the marsiya is by S.G. Abbas, Department of English, Jamia-e-Millia College, Malir, Karachi (Pakistan). Adopted from the book "The Immortal Poetry & Mir Anis by S. G. Abbas, Majlis-e-Milli, 1983, and "The Tragic Verses," Vol II published in 2003. S. G. Abbas passed away a couple of years ago. May God bless his soul.