O thou desert wind
[Ay moru-parer haoa]
O thou desert wind ! Come and take me please
To Madina where holy Mustafa’s Rauza Mubarak is !
In the eastern region I am, sadly sighing and confined!
I want to say my Maghrib Prayer inside Ka’ba’s shrine.
With Hazart’s name as my counting-bead.
I would go like a humble miskeen
To the land where was sounded first
The trumpet of Islami dispensation!
I would sit by the side of Mazar Shareef
And weep, and keep my ears on end and try to hear
The cry of Ya Ummati which may be still ringing there!
It may also be that the Holy words of the Holy Quran
Are to be heard as yet
In that blessed tract!
Thou came for the sake of the poor
[Din doridro kangaler torey]
Thou came to the world, Hazrat !
For the sake of the poor,
And chose the role of fasting
Despite your royal role!
Thou ne’er desired some to be ameers,
And some to be wandering faqeers;
Some to be without huts and shelters
Wherein to hide their heads,
And some to be in palace with golden terrace;
Some to be without food for hunger,
And some to revel in slaves and maids!
There’s none alas! now
To think of human needs and pains!
The Muslim rich are steeped this day
In perpetual pleasures gay!
It’s thee that the Muslim poor call;
The kisans and mazdoors all!
Deprived we are these days
Of thy mercy and guidance great!
Lost is our sahibi, or the ruling role!
We are now musahibs instead
Humble camp-followers of others
Wandering about in the world’s way!
God alone knows when, thro’ Love of Men,
We can hope to be real man once again !
That nation we are
[Amra sei sey jati]
That nation we are
Who gave their lives for the sake of Faith
And made the entire world their own,
By dint of justice and tolerance shown!
That nation we are
Who brought for the thirsty earth
Burnt by the blaze of sins,
The streams of solacing drinks
Out of the desert spring,
And who bared their breasts for all,
Breaking the walls of barriers all
Between big and small!
That nation we are
Who do not intrinsically think
That Islam is merely for the Muslims!
He who seeks the Truth, and submits to God
Is a Muslim true!
No difference do we know
Between ameers and faqeers
Brothers all are we Muslims!
That nation we are
Who first gave to woman
The same rights as to man!
It’s we who broke the wall
Of distinction between big and small!
It’s we who brought
The brightest ray of hope for all
Out of the darkest night of gloom and gall!
-Mizanur Rahman (Late)
