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Tulip in the Desert: A Selection of Iqbal's Poetry
An exploration and selection of the poetry of one of Persia's most influential poets.From The Houri and the Poet
From the spark I seek star, from the star a sun:
For if I stop, I die
When I get up, having quaffed
A cup of wine brewed by one spring breeze,
Longing for yet another spring. I seek the end of that which hs no end --
With a restless eye, with a hopeful heart.
The lover's heart dies in an eternal heaven --
I it no cry of a soul in affliction
no sorrow, and no one to drive away sorrow
From the spark I seek star, from the star a sun:
For if I stop, I die
When I get up, having quaffed
A cup of wine brewed by one spring breeze,
Longing for yet another spring. I seek the end of that which hs no end --
With a restless eye, with a hopeful heart.
The lover's heart dies in an eternal heaven --
I it no cry of a soul in affliction
no sorrow, and no one to drive away sorrow
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
9 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Muhammad Iqbal
278Ìýbooks1,032ÌýfollowersSir Allama Mohammad Iqbal also known as Allama Iqbal was born in 1877 in Sialkot, Punjab, in British Ruled India, now Pakistan, and was educated in the local school and college in Sialkot, before going on the university in Lahore. There he studied Arabic and philosophy as an undergraduate, then in 1899 did an M.A. in philosophy (being ranked first in the Punjab, and awarded a Gold Medal). He was appointed to a Readership in Arabic at the Oriental College in Lahore, and over the next few years became well known as a poet, as well as writing his first book (in Urdu), The Knowledge of Economics (1903).
In 1905 he travelled to Europe to continue his philosophical studies, first at Cambridge, then at Munich, where he obtained his doctorate with a thesis entitled The Development of Metaphysics in Persia. From 1907 to 1908 he was Professor of Arabic at the University of London; during this period he studied for the bar, becoming a barrister in 1908, when he returned to Lahore to practise law. While practising as an advocate at the Lahore High Court he continued to a part-time academic career as professor of philosophy and English Literature, being appointed Professor of Philosophy at the Government College, Lahore in 1911. He was knighted in 1923.
Despite his law practice, his philosophical work, and his gradual entry into politics, first as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council and later as president of the All India Muslim League, Iqbal was probably best known and respected as a poet. Nevertheless, his other activities brought him some measure of fame, especially six lectures that he gave at Madras, Osmania University at Hyderabad, and Aligarh, which were later published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930). During the early thirties he travelled extensively in the Middle East and Europe, participating in international political conferences, meeting philosophers and politicians, and writing.
His political view was that in theory a Muslim state wasn't desirable, as he held to the ideal of a world-wide Muslim community; nevertheless, he held that, at least in the short and medium terms, the only way for Indian Muslims to be able to live according to the tenets of Islam was in such a state, and he campaigned accordingly. He died in Lahore in 1938, some nine years before the creation of Pakistan, where his birthday is celebrated as national holiday.
Iqbal's philosophical work involved bringing various philosophical influences, including Leibniz, Hegel, and Nietzsche, to his Islamic scholarship, thus holding out the promise of a revival of genuine Islamic philosophical thought � a return of Islam to its place in the philosophical world. That promise has yet to be truly fulfilled, though it remains in place.
"To exist in pure duration is to be a self, and to be a self is to be able to say 'I am'." (The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam p.56)
In 1905 he travelled to Europe to continue his philosophical studies, first at Cambridge, then at Munich, where he obtained his doctorate with a thesis entitled The Development of Metaphysics in Persia. From 1907 to 1908 he was Professor of Arabic at the University of London; during this period he studied for the bar, becoming a barrister in 1908, when he returned to Lahore to practise law. While practising as an advocate at the Lahore High Court he continued to a part-time academic career as professor of philosophy and English Literature, being appointed Professor of Philosophy at the Government College, Lahore in 1911. He was knighted in 1923.
Despite his law practice, his philosophical work, and his gradual entry into politics, first as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council and later as president of the All India Muslim League, Iqbal was probably best known and respected as a poet. Nevertheless, his other activities brought him some measure of fame, especially six lectures that he gave at Madras, Osmania University at Hyderabad, and Aligarh, which were later published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930). During the early thirties he travelled extensively in the Middle East and Europe, participating in international political conferences, meeting philosophers and politicians, and writing.
His political view was that in theory a Muslim state wasn't desirable, as he held to the ideal of a world-wide Muslim community; nevertheless, he held that, at least in the short and medium terms, the only way for Indian Muslims to be able to live according to the tenets of Islam was in such a state, and he campaigned accordingly. He died in Lahore in 1938, some nine years before the creation of Pakistan, where his birthday is celebrated as national holiday.
Iqbal's philosophical work involved bringing various philosophical influences, including Leibniz, Hegel, and Nietzsche, to his Islamic scholarship, thus holding out the promise of a revival of genuine Islamic philosophical thought � a return of Islam to its place in the philosophical world. That promise has yet to be truly fulfilled, though it remains in place.
"To exist in pure duration is to be a self, and to be a self is to be able to say 'I am'." (The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam p.56)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 25, 2009
The Poet
You charm travellers' hearts with pointed talk,
Except that, in the pleasure it gives,
One cannot compare it with the sharp thorn.
What can I do, for by nature I am not someone
Who can live for long in one place!
My heart is restless,
Like the west wind in a field of tulips.
The moment my eyes light upon a pretty face,
My heart begins to long for one prettier still.
In the spark I seek a star, in the star a sun:
I have no wish for a destination
For if I stop I die.
When I get up, having drunk
A cup of wine matured by one spring,
I begin to sing another verse,
And long for yet another spring,
I seek the end of what has no end-
With a restless eye, and hope in my heart.
The lover's heart dies in an eternal heaven-
In it no afflicted soul cries,
There is no sorrow, and no one to drive sorrow away.- Iqbal
You charm travellers' hearts with pointed talk,
Except that, in the pleasure it gives,
One cannot compare it with the sharp thorn.
What can I do, for by nature I am not someone
Who can live for long in one place!
My heart is restless,
Like the west wind in a field of tulips.
The moment my eyes light upon a pretty face,
My heart begins to long for one prettier still.
In the spark I seek a star, in the star a sun:
I have no wish for a destination
For if I stop I die.
When I get up, having drunk
A cup of wine matured by one spring,
I begin to sing another verse,
And long for yet another spring,
I seek the end of what has no end-
With a restless eye, and hope in my heart.
The lover's heart dies in an eternal heaven-
In it no afflicted soul cries,
There is no sorrow, and no one to drive sorrow away.- Iqbal
December 14, 2014
Iqbal is not a poet of the east as people call him, he is a planetary poet who expressed human freedom for all.
June 24, 2019
"...one of Persia's most influential poets" - whilst a large part of his writings are in Farsi (Persian) he was not Persian but actually from the Indian subcontinent.
This anthology is limited in what it includes of his works but is the best English translation I have come across.
This anthology is limited in what it includes of his works but is the best English translation I have come across.
January 19, 2015
Great introduction to Iqbal's poetry. The translation is okay but not the best. Reading a poetry book is not like reading other kinds of books. You read a poem a few times and if it's a good poem you come back to it over and over throughout your life. A good book of poetry is like visiting a friend.
October 3, 2007
nice too read.memberi semangat sebagai manusia ciptaan Tuhan yang diciptakan sebagai khalifat di muka bumi.bahasanya yang indah dan meresapi apa yang ada di kehidupan ini.Terima kasih atas karya yang cemerlang dari salah satu sufi dari abad 21.
June 9, 2009
Spell binding!
April 24, 2013
One of those writings that touches your soul (if you have one or believe in one) and makes your gut float.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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