Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi is perhaps the most besieged yet doubly popular poet in the modern age. His capacity as a Hanafi Mufti & jurist notwithstanding, his ability to poetize the reading of the Quran & Sunnah into Tassawwuf stands unrivaled in the Ummah. In the line presented here, he is translating a verse of the Quran into phenomena: “And there is nothing in the world except that it glorifies God, but you don’t understand their praise” (Surah Isra, v.44). Rumi is telling us we can find love, if only we could just listen!
A poet from Palestine, a poet in exile. Mahmoud Darwish’s words haunt every fiber of our being, and asks us to reflect on what moves, what drives, what trembles us? We live in a world of unspoken contradictions. To be loved is to be broken, to love is to shatter others.
“If you want to learn how to love, then learn Urdu"
In an age where Urdu is seen by many on its last breath, its last exhale, it is crucially important for Urdu speakers to demonstrate to the world the poetic and spiritual possibilities of Urdu. That to learn or speak Urdu is not just to learn a language, but to learn one’s own self, to learn about God, and to be educated on the highest value of all, love. There is no separation of ‘ishq from Urdu. Tote bag can be worn on the shoulder, cross-body, or handheld. The bag may feel spiritually alive with at least one Urdu book