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Date: 31-Dec-99
Poet: Josh Malihabadi

We end the year with a nazm by Josh Malihabadi. It is
titled "Ibaadat". 

ibaadat karate hai.n jo log jannat kii tamannaa me.n
ibaadat to nahii.n hai ik tarah kii vo tijaarat hai

[ibaadat = prayer; jannat = heaven; tijaarat = trade]

jo Dar ke naar-e-dozaKh se Khudaa kaa naam lete hai.n
ibaadat kyaa vo Khaalii buzadilaanaa ek Khidamat hai

[naar-e-dozaKh = fires of hell; buzadilaanaa = cowardly; Khidamat = service]

magar jab shukr-e-ne'mat me.n jabii.n jhukatii hai bande kii
vo sachchii bandagii hai ik shariifaanaa ita'at hai

[shukr-e-ne'mat = thanks for blessings; jabii.n = forehead; ita'at = submission]

kuchal de hasarato.n ko beniyaaz-e-mudd'a ho jaa
Khudii ko jhaa.D de daaman se mard-e-baaKhudaa ho jaa

[beniyaaz-e-mudd'a = oblivious of one's goals; Khudii = self/ego]
[mard-e-baaaKhuda = man/servant of God]

uThaa letii hai.n lahare.n tahanashii.n hotaa hai jab ko_ii
ubharanaa hai to Garq-e-bahr-e-fanaa ho jaa

[tahanashii.n = submerged; Garq-e-bahr-e-fanaa = drowned in the waves of the sea of mortality]