Didaar Poems

Didaar Poems

We are rejoicing at the news of our beloved Imam's visit to Houston. To express the joy we feel, I decided to present a collection of poems on my website. Mubarak!
Ismaili Flag on the Governor's guesthouse - Ottawa, Canada

Message of Prince Sadruddin

"The future of Ismailism depends on those of your ages and mine. Are we to follow the example of those who, in the olden days, in Egypt, in Iran, and in Sind, on different occasions, by faith and devotion, raised the banner of Hazar Imam till the whole world saw its light?

I say yes. For we young men must not fail, where our fathers succeeded so gloriously."

- July 30, 1950

We'll start with the Ismaili Anthem

The Secret of God
by Rumi
Everywhere the secret of God is coming, see how the people are coming uncontrollably;
From him for whom all souls are a-thirst, to the thirsty the cry of the water carrier is coming.
They are milk drinkers of divine generosity, and are on the watch to see from whence the mother is coming.
They are in seperation, and all are waiting to see whence union and encounter are coming.
From Moslems, Jews, and Christians alike every dawn the sound of prayer is coming;
Blessed is that intellegence whose heart's ear from heaven the sound of "Come hither" is coming.
Keep your ear clean of scum, for a voice is coming from heaven;
The defiled ear hears not that sound, only the deserving gets his deserts.
Defile not your eye with human cheek and mole, for that Emperor of eternal life is coming;
And if it has become defiled, wash it with tears, for the cure comes from those tears.
A caravan of sugar has arrived from Egypt; the sound of footfall and bells is coming.
Ha, be silent, for to complete the ode, our speaking King is coming.

Ginans
AA(N)KHALADDI JOI JOI THAAKEE by SAYYED FAAZAL SHAAH
Ginan Audio

ejee aa(n)khaladdi joi joi thaakee kyaare aave moro shaah partak jaannee paae paddun vaalaa namee namee karu(n) parnnaam mitthaa shaah me(n) samaru(n) tero naam yaa shaah samaru(n) me(n) tero naam khudaava(n)d me(n) samaru(n) tero naam.......................1

My eyes have become tired continuously watching and waiting, as to when my Mawlaa will arrive. Having known him to be the Manifest, I may bow at His feet, O Beloved, I would pay my respects to You in a bowing manner.
O my sweet Mawlaa! I remember your name. Oh Mawlaa! I remember your name. O God! I remember your name.
ejee baal pannaanee pritddee saamee tamsu(n) laageejee nehddo laago shaah nur dharse so kiyaa jaanne gemaar...mitthaa shaah me(n).................2

My love since my childhood, O Lord, is for You. I am in love with the 'Nur' of the time (Hazar Imam). How can the ignorant know about it. O my sweet Mawlaa!....
ejee sayyad faazal shaah aakhe ventee muse maher karo maherbaan karam karoge to sharam rahegee ham ba(n)do dosaaree tu taar...mitthaa shaah me(n)...........3

Sayyad Faazal Shah makes the supplication: O Merciful! have mercy upon me. If You shower Your mercy, my honour will be preserved, for I am a sinful creature and You are the Saviour. O my sweet Mawlaa!..

SATGUR AVYAA KAAI AAPNE DOOVAAR BY PEER SHAMSH
eji satgur aavyaa kaai aapne doovaar re aapne kem re karine paaye laagiye hoji.....................1 doovaar - doorstep paaye laagiye - to bow down at one's feet

The True Guide has come to our doorstep How can we bow down (submit ourselves) to Him?
eji satiye toddyo motiddaa no haar re tenaa moti veraanaa chandan chok maa.......................2 sati - pious woman - refers to Satii Emnabai chandan - sandlewood - also is the name of a "chok" chok - courtyard or a marketplace

The pious woman broke a pearl necklace The pearls (from the necklace) spread all over the "Chandan chok"
eji moti vinantaa kaai laagi chhe vaar re aapne em re kari ne paaye laagiye hoji.....................3

It has taken some time to gather all the pearls This is how (by bending down to collect the beads of pearls),
we can bow down (submit ourselves) to our Lord. The above three verses refer to the incident of Satii Emnabaai intentionally
breaking her necklace, so that she could bow down at the Peer's feet by
pretending to collect the beads from the broken necklace.
She could not bow to the Peer in public.
eji jaajo jaajo samudariyaa ni laher re maaraa man naa manelaa moti laavjo hoji...................4 samudar - sea, ocean laher - wave man naa manelaa - which are the mind's desires or likes

(The Peer is asking us to) go to the (bottom of the) ocean, past the waves (and the currents), and to bring those pearls
which He desires (for us to have, i.e knowledge and wisdom)
eji moti laavyaa kaai laakho i laakh re maaraa man naa manelaa moti nahi malyaa hoji...............5

(The Peer says) hundreds of thousands of pearls were brought,
but the pearls which He desires (for us) were not found Verses 4 & 5 refer to the diving into the ocean of the worldly existence
to obtain the spiritually uplifting benefits (pearls),
and in particular Divine knowledge and wisdom.
eji maakar maakar kaai noograa no sang re te to noogare jaaliyo taaro chheddlo hoji..................6 maakar - do not do noogra - the ones without a Guide sang - relationship, company jaaliyo - held chheddlo - end, border, end part of a "saari"

Do not maintain any meaningful relationship with those who are without a Guide
(do not follow the path of those who have gone astray).
They are clinging by your side in order to lead you astray at the right moment.
eji vaari vaari hiraliyaa ni gaanth re te to toote pan re chhoote nahi hoji.......................7 vaari - to tie hir - a very fine thread of silk; love, divinity toote - breaks chhoote - to free, undo

A knot of silk has been tied (in such a way) that the thread may be
broken, but the knot cannot be undone.
eji paaddi paaddi patodde bhaat re te to faate pan re fite nahi hoji..........................8 paaddi - to draw patodde - a silk or wollen cloth worn by women bhaat - floral design or print faate - tears out fite - to erase, to get rid of

A design has been imprinted upon a cloth (in such a way that) the cloth
may tear, but the design will not rub out or fade away. Verses 7 & 8 refer to the deep, solid love which a true momin has for Haazar Imaam
- a love which is never given up, even if one has to die as a result of it.
eji bolyaa bolyaa peer shamsh chott re maaraa moman bhaai tame amraa poori paamsho hoji...........9 chott - title of Peer Shamsh. It means one who is at the top. One who is pre-eminent, one who has excelled. amraa poori - comes from the words "amar"(eternal) and "poori" (abode) - eternal abode

Peer Shamsh continually says: my Momin brothers, you will attain the eternal abode
(if you follow the guidance outlined above).

SATGUR MILIYAA MUNE AAJ
Sayyed Imam Begum
ejee satgur miliyaa mune aaj, aana(n)d hu(n) paamee satgur miliyaa taare dukhaja ttaalliyaajee sarve saariyaa daaseenaa kaaj...aana(n)d.....................1

Today I have found the True Guide and as a result I have attained joy and happiness. When I found the True Guide, all my sorrows vanished. The Lord fulfilled this maid servant's wishes or made her tasks easy.
ejee kaaj daaseenaa sarve saariyaajee darshan deeyaa mahaaraaj....aana(n)d.........................2

He fulfilled all the wishes of this maid servant. The Majesty granted the Spiritual Vision.
ejee darshan dekhiyaa man santokhiyaajee mahaapad paamee chhu(n) raaj...aana(n)d......................3

When I had this Vision my heart found satisfaction and contentment. As a result, I have attained the kingdom of the most exalted state.
ejee mahaapad keri bhaai vaat chhe nyaareejee koi na jaanne e kaaj....aana(n)d.............................4

Matters pertaining to the exalted state are very mysterious. Nobody knows it's reality.
ejee jo jaanne so nar navkha(n)d maanne jee ghatto ghatt dekhe mahaaraaj...aana(n)d......................5

The one who knows it, enjoys the nine continents(or heavens). In every heart he sees that Majesty.
ejee ghatto ghatt dekhe taare ek karee lekhe jee nar nakla(n)kee kero raaj...aana(n)d........................6

When he sees every heart he regards all as one entity, and indeed he sees the kingdom of the spotless master (Hazarat Ali).
ejee kahet imaam begum sunno moraa bhaaijee alee nabee chhe sirtaaj.........aana(n)d.....................7

Imam Begum says: Listen o my brother! Hazarat Ali and Hazarat Nabi Muhammad(s.a.s.) are our lords.

Sahebji tun more man bhave
by Saiyad Mohamedshah
Ginan Audio
My lord, my heart is fond of you.
I think of no-one else. None else pleases my heart.
My lord, my heart is fond of you.
So readily, my lord, You give me
Whatever I ask of you. You indulge me
In so many ways, my lord.
In all four ages, I went about, Looking hard.
I found none to match you, my lord.
My lord, my heart is fond of you.
Come, come, my maiden friends,
Let us go to view the groom.
He's the one, the beloved I've attained.
He comes to my home, the beloved,
He but for whom a minute is hard to pass.
How should we call him Unhappy - He whose lord
Is one such as this?
How should we find fault with the merciful?
What's written in our karma
Is what we shall have.
Ram and Raheman are but one Deity.
Of this mystery, the fool is quite unaware.
Says Saiyad Mohamadshah, I am bonded to you, my lord.
Leaving you, at what other door am I to knock?
My lord, my heart is fond of you.
I think of no-one else. None else pleases my heart.
My lord, my heart is fond of you.

Forever Dance
by Hafiz
I am happy even before I have a reason
I am full of Light even before the sky
Can greet the sun or the moon.
Dear companions,
We have been in love with God
For so very, very long.
What can Hafiz now do but Forever
Dance

Related Material on the Ismaili Web
Didaar Article
Poetry from other parts of the Ismaili world
Nasir Khusraw Poetry
Hafiz and the Place of Iranian Culture in the World November 1936 - Lecture by Mowlana Sultan Mahomed Shah (s.a.s.)
The Story of King Harishchandra and Queen Taara Raani in our Ginan

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