SHARAF-UN-NISA !

Salam and Duaien !

Below is an update of Professor Mohammad Ijaz Janjua, one of the highly qualified people to talk about کلامِ اقبالؒ as he worked for a long time with late Professor Yousaf Salim Chishti on Iqbal. There is a great message 'in there'. I take this privilege to summarize the poem in English

وزير اعظم كى نواسى كى شادى خانه آبادى اسكے لیے خوشى كى نويد هو .اس كا نام كہيں مهرالنساء پڑھا اس سے پنجاب کے ایک حاكم نواب عبدالصمدخان كى بيٹی شرف النساء کا نام یاد أیا . علامه اقبال رحمة الله عليه نے اس کی تعریف میں ایک نظم قصر شرف النساء لكهى كمال كى :۔

خاك لاهور از مزارش أسماں
کس نداند راز او را در جهاں

أں سراپا ذوق وشوق ودرد و داغ
حاكم پنجاب را چشم و چراغ

تا زقرأن پاک می سوزد وجود
از تلاوت یک نفس فارغ نه بود

دركمرتيغ دو رو قرأں بدست
تن بدن هوش وحواس الله مست

خلوت و شمشير وقران و نماز
اےخوش أں عمرے که رفت اندر نیاز

برلب او چوں دم آخر رسید
سوے مادر دید و مشتاقانه دید

گفت اگر از راز من داری خبر
سوءے ایں شمشیروایں قرأں نگر

ایں دوقوت حافظ يك ديگر اند
کاءینات زندگی را محور اند

وقت رخصت با تو دارم ايں سخن
تيغ و قراں را جدا از ما مکن

مومناں را تیغ با قرأں بس است
تربت ما را ھمیں ساماں بس است

Sharf-un-Nisa was daughter of Nawab Abdus Samad Khan ruler of Punjab (Circa 1713) in Mughal era. All through her life she kept herself engrossed in reading and understanding the message of the Holy Quran. Her other love was Sword. As per her will she was buried on a high ground in Shalimar Garden and her Quran and Sword were boxed atop her grave. Saru (سرو) trees were planted around the grave and it is known as سرو والا مقبرہ -

Iqbal revered the lady and her resting place. He said that Lahore stood exalted like Sky being the abode of Sharf-un-Nisa. People do not really know her spiritual status. Though she was daughter of a Ruler but practically she was a فقیر ... She devoted her life to Quran and recitation and comprehension of the Holy Scripture was her blood line.

Her فقر will remain a beacon of light for all the seekers of truth.

She would always have Quran in her hands and a Sword around her waist. Namaz and religious rituals were her eternal companions.

She told her mother before passing away "that around Quran the life must be built and the Sword must always be ready to guard against the intruders. In this mortal world these items were my محرم and should remain so after my death .... bury me on the high ground and make a hedge so that no نامحرم sees my grave. No tomb and no light there, for me and all believers Quran and the Sword suffice."

May Allah Karim Reward her with the highest place in Jannah and May there be a whole lot Sharf-un-Nisas in the world.

Dheron Duaien

Akhtar N Janjua