Akbar Allahabadi

Syed Akbar Hussain, popularly known as Akbar Allahabadi (16 November 1846 – 9 September 1921) was an Indian Urdu poet in the genre of satire.

Quotes

Poetry

• فلسفی کو بحث کے اندر خدا ملتا نہیں
  ڈور کو سلجھا رہا ہے، پر سِرا ملتا نہیں
• The philosopher deep in debate cannot find God,
  He is untangling the string but cannot find where to begin!
  • Quoted translation of this in Muaarif-ul-Quran, In commentary of Chapter 6, verse 126-128, p. 462
• The current ways of life will soon depart from earth,
  New culture, new modes of life will now take their birth.
  The beauty will adore itself in a new style,
  The coiling locks and curling hair will now fall in dearth.
  The women will discard the robes that confine and bind,
  No longer the beauteous main behind the veil shall lurk.
  The wind that blows indicates the birth of seasons new,
  New flowers will bloom on earth, nightingales forget their mirth.
  Imitators of Western music will reign supreme,
  Their songs will be out of tune, a cacophonous burst.
  Past glories will fine a mention nowhere on earth,
  Glorious tales of name and fame inside the books will rust.
  But why are you perturbed, Akbar, about the changing times?
  You and I will cease to be, and mingle with the dust.
  • Urdu Ghazals: An Anthology from 16th to 20th century, p. 113

• While we slave for food as clerks.
  Our hearts bleed for Persians and Turks.
  • quoted in Abdulla Ahmed An Observation: Perspective of Pakistan https://books.google.com/books?id=6lI9AAAAMAAJ 1987 Tanzeem Publishers page=82

External links

• K. C. Kanda: Urdu Ghazals: An Anthology from 16th to 20th century, Sterling Publishers, New Delhi, 2009