Bakhuda Faris-e-Maidan-e-Tahawwur Tha Hur بخدا فارسِ میدانِ تہور تھا حُرؔ

Stanza 1

By God, Hurr was a knight of the field of valour;
Among two hundred thousand horsemen, Hurr was the one brave man;
Like Abuzar, Hurr was free from the fire of Hell;
Hurr was a pearl fit to be the jewel in the crown upon the Throne.
He found the path of God, and what a good deed it was!
His nature was pure, and so how good his end was too!

Stanza 2

Bravo, wakeful fortune! May its honour and rank endure!
What favour of God fell upon Hurr! Allah, Allah!
The King, the refuge of the Throne, went himself to welcome him;
The Khizr of his fate showed him the way to Paradise.
That one who stayed far so long should come as near as this!
Let luck be like this; if one has a destiny, let it be such as this!

Stanza 3

Destiny brought him from fire towards light;
A moment ago a mote of dust, now he became the shining sun.
The Intercessor of the Last Day gladly forgave his fault;
At the last moment he was given Shabbir's knee for a pillow.
He found eminence, fortune and glory in the army of God;
When he became dust, he found his home in the healing dust.

Stanza 4

Allah, Allah! The fortune of Hurr, breaker of ranks and warrior!
He whom the darling of God's Beloved calls his friend;
In separation, the joy of meeting; in distance, nearness.
Only the noble come to the aid of their benefactor.
To lay down one's life as an offering is what is called love of the Wali;
Such a one is called in this world blessed from all eternity.

Stanza 5

With what longing he came toward the Kaaba, leaving the temple!
Not one of the Hazrat's own kin thought him a stranger.
For God had written a walk in Paradise into his destiny;
He was saved from mischief and evil; his end was a good one.
Even after his death, he is spoken of with praise;
Good deeds are of use at every time.

Stanza 6

He was averse to the path of unbelief, being of good disposition;
With what gladness he became the companion of the guide of faith!
There were hundreds of thousands, but to which of them was this grace given?
Only those with kindness in their nature become kind.
Height for the faithful; for the faithless, lowliness for ever.
The sword whose metal is true is the one that stands the test.

Stanza 7

Why should the garden of his rank and glory not flourish,
When the son of the Lion of God himself makes it green?
As soon as he entered Fatima's garden, he flourished like a young tree;
He gained such fruit as the hand of fancy cannot reach.
The bud of his heart opened when his pleas were accepted;
Like leaves struck by autumn, his sins fell away.

Stanza 8

Who was Hurr, and who the heir of Ahmad, the Messenger!
Fortune carried him from the temple to the Kaaba.
His heart grew pure within his breast, and so he won this honour;
When his eyes came to see the truth, he found the pearl of Najaf.
Good resolves are the ones that take firm hold of the heart;
When God wills, those gone astray are set right.

Stanza 9

In praising Hurr, my tongue confesses its weakness and failing;
Now hear the account of the hero's coming.
When the accursed army stood ready for battle,
The sun of the heavens of Imamate appeared on the field.
A cry went up that Allah's beloved ones had come out to fight;
O heaven, look: stars have risen on the earth as well!

Stanza 10

What can I say of the splendour of the young men of Allah's army!
One the equal of the sun in face, another the envy of the moon.
The lions drew up their line of battle in the midst of the field;
Even the houris began to watch from the garden of Paradise.
There, the accursed ones threw open the door of cruelty and oppression;
Here, Abbas stepped forward and unfurled the green standard.

Stanza 11

The faces of the Prophet's (s) family flushed red with courage;
When a cool breeze came, they forgot their parched lips.
A crash rang out on the field; the Arab drums began to sound;
The lone champions raised the cry, calling for an opponent.
From the shields of the evildoers a dark cloud spread;
In every rank the lightning of swords began to flash.

Stanza 12

Poising their lances, the bloodthirsty came forward from every band;
Horsemen came forward, holding spears in their hands;
Archers came forward with arrows set to their bowstrings.
The King said, "Let no one at all advance from here yet;
This is not the custom of the house of the Lion of God;
I am the Prophet's son; I will not be the first to strike."

Stanza 13

When these words had been heard, the Imam turned to address the enemy:
"O army of Arabia, Rum, Rayy, Kufa and Syria!
Husain now completes his final proof before you;
I am the son of the speaking Book: hear my words.
Turn your ears towards the word of truth;
If it is fitting, stop the noise of the drums."

Stanza 14

At this call the blare of the trumpet stopped of itself;
The fury of the war-drum's voice died down as well;
The bells folded their hands and fell silent;
How could they play, when no one's wits were in place?
Even striking up their lutes was out of tune for them;
The awe of the Prophet's (s) son silenced every voice.

Stanza 15

When the clamour of the army of oppression died down at once,
The pearl-scattering lips of the King scattered pearls thus:
"Against whom is this drawing up of ranks, O unruly army?
What is this cry in your army for the killing of the Sayyids?
Why is the water barred to those driven from their homeland?
Is this the way of hospitality in the world?"

Stanza 16

"I have no wish to fight; what is this you are doing?
If you have aimed your arrows at me, you do wrong;
Why do you torment the Prophet's son in his exile?
Look, this cruelty is not good; you are doing evil.
I am the candle of faith; if my head is cut off,
This whole picture will be overturned in a moment."

Stanza 17

"I am the chief of the youth of the garden of highest Paradise;
By the Creator, I am the one who rode on Muhammad's shoulder;
I am the gem in the ring of the final Prophet;
Through me the sky is bright, through me the earth is lit.
If my light were hidden from sight this moment,
The whole assembly of the world of being would fall into darkness."

Stanza 18

"I am the royal pearl of the ocean of glory and honour;
I am that ruler under whose seal the whole world lies;
Though today, for good reason, I am friendless and helpless,
I am the master of the inheritance of Ahmad, the Chosen.
By God, the wealth of faith is in this very court;
The blessed relics of all the elders are in my keeping."

Stanza 19

"Tell me, whose robe is this? Whose turban is this?
Whose is this coat of mail that I wear, wounded at heart?
Whose is this breastplate of tempered steel upon my body?
Whose is this steed that I ride today?
Whose helmet is this? Whose is this two-pointed sword?
Which brave man's bow is this? Whose shield is this?"

Stanza 20

"If Shabbir is pressed too hard, he will not hold back then;
In a single charge these two hundred thousand wicked men will perish;
Neither axe nor sword nor arrow will avail against me;
This keen blade will cut through all their throats.
I am a lion, the beloved son of the victor over every victor;
I am the darling of Ali ibn Abi Talib."

Stanza 21

"Had I not had in mind the forgiveness of the community,
Would Hurr have dared to stop me on the road?
Could he have seized the bridle of my lightning-swift steed?
Ask him: he has seen the fury of my lions.
Had I not become his shield while we spoke,
His hands would have been cut off at the wrists with one blow."

Stanza 22

"Ali's darlings were biting their hands in rage;
Aun and Muhammad kept poising their short swords;
The sword of Hasan's darling was bursting out;
Only when I swore them by my head did those warriors hold back.
Had the sword been drawn, the wilderness would have been turned upside down;
Then neither Hurr nor his troop of horse would be left in the world."

Stanza 23

"So enraged was Abbas, my young lion,
He was all but setting his spearhead to Hurr's chest;
I kept signalling to him: 'No, dear brother!
Mercy is our duty; we are the Imam of both worlds.
It is no matter if my head is taken from my body,
But let no human being be slain by my hand.'"

Stanza 24

"Although it is not fitting for the generous
To give anything to anyone and then make it known to all,
Ask Hurr, for he is here: what is plain needs no telling.
In this very wilderness he was here with his army, parched with thirst;
There was a cry that today all their lives would leave their bodies;
All their tongues were hanging out of their mouths."

Stanza 25

"Every living thing lives by water, be it tree or man;
I could not bear the sight; I am the son of the Generous One.
In distress I said to the brave Abbas,
'Where are the water-skin carriers? Where are the water camels?
Show them the bounty of the Cupbearer of Kausar, brother;
Give all the water there is to the thirsty, brother.'"

Stanza 26

"'Let no horse and no camel be left without water;
Have the water-bags brought quickly; my heart is restless.'
The water-carriers came in haste, opening the mouths of their water-skins;
I saw to it myself, for it was a deed of merit.
I had no peace until I had given them relief;
Whoever thirsted for one cup, I gave him two."

Stanza 27

"It was this same season, this same sun, this same hot wind;
Hurr's companions were falling over one another for cool water;
Such was the crowd of the thirsty that there was no room to stand;
The water-carriers kept filling bowls and calling out,
'Come, brothers, whoever is in want of water:
The spring of the bounty of Husain, son of Ali, is flowing.'"

Stanza 28

"When a river of sweet water flowed through the wilderness,
No horse, no camel and no mule was left parched;
They began to give thanks; every dry tongue was moistened;
Drinking water again and again, the young men blessed me.
The cry went up, 'The son of the Hand of God has spared our lives;
The emperor of faith and of the world has spared our lives.'"

Stanza 29

"There was that day, and there is this day, Allah, Allah!
When in the same way we, in our thirst, long for water;
What hope can there be? Everyone has turned his eyes away;
Alas, no one fills even a single cup and gives it to us.
Every Muslim owes a duty to the Prophet's (s) son;
When the children weep, my heart is torn apart."

Stanza 30

"There are several innocent little ones who are dying;
My breath fails me when they fall into a faint;
When they cry 'Water, water!' they are ashamed;
The river is near, yet they cannot get a single drop.
It is true: strange are the evenings and mornings of exile;
This is the third day that we have been passing in hunger."

Stanza 31

When the tyrant's army wept at the King's helpless plight,
Umar ibn Saad turned and looked at Hurr's face.
He said, "I bear witness by Allah, the King speaks rightly;
This exalted one is my benefactor, my patron and my master.
How could anyone deny his kindness?
Whoever doubts the word of truth becomes an unbeliever."

Stanza 32

"What am I alone? The whole world is in his debt;
He is a cloud of mercy; his mantle covers faults;
His kindness falls alike on dry and wet, on all creation;
Happy the lot of one who is his guest in exile!
Whoever gains this honour is bound for Paradise;
Whoever stands on this side, God will stand on his."

Stanza 33

"If he raised his hands this moment in prayer,
All the sinners of the world would be forgiven;
Whatever he asked of God, he would receive at once;
The houris would bring the cup of Kausar here from Paradise.
Bright as the sun is the honour that is his;
He is one of those servants who have a claim upon Allah."

Stanza 34

"If anyone asks him for a drop, he gives a pearl;
Generous, son of the generous, he gives his head for his word;
Even while starving, he fills the beggar's belly;
Here he gives gold, and in Paradise he gives a home.
He is the hope of the guilty, the hope of the sinner;
He is the sun that men call the cherisher of the dust."

Stanza 35

Alarmed by Hurr, the wicked Umar ibn Saad said,
"This is plainly a speech taking the King's side;
Not a word of your own ruler, no praise of the Amir;
Allah, Allah! Such virtues, such praise of Shabbir!
I have heard that you have been restless for several nights;
Love of the King drips from your words."

Stanza 36

"Your eyes are not the same, nor your glance, nor your looks, nor your mood;
Flaring up at plain words: this is a new way with you today.
Has Muhammad's (s) grandson granted you a throne, or a crown?
The one you think rich at heart is himself in need.
What garden has the King shown you?
Have you perhaps been caught by a splash of Kausar?"

Stanza 37

"Has the Hazrat shown you the beauty of some houri?
Have you found the shade of the Tooba tree, that you are so delighted?
Have you reached a palace of ruby, that your face is so red?
For what sweet fruit is your mouth watering?
All of a sudden you have forgotten even what you owe to your salt;
Has the wine of Tasneem robbed you of your senses?"

Stanza 38

"I have seen the world; I know all about you;
Your eyes are set on Muhammad's (s) darling;
Your lips are dry and your eyes are wet;
Your earthly body is here, but your soul is over there.
Whatever kindness and favour was shown on the road,
You have been plotting with the son of the Hand of God."

Stanza 39

"Well, this fault and mischief will not stay hidden;
Those posted to write the news will report it;
The ruler of Syria is harsh; he will surely punish you;
If he sends you to the gallows, it would be nothing strange.
The heads of all your clan will be cut from their bodies;
Your wife and children will be caught in calamity."

Stanza 40

"What profit is there in a course that does harm to the eye?
Your eyes will be put out if you look that way with love;
If you cast your eyes on the tall tree of the Chief's stature,
Your head will be raised on a lance: that is its fruit.
Love of his curling locks will twist you into knots;
Look at the mole on his cheek, and your house will be confiscated."

Stanza 41

"If the full moon of the Chief's brow is in your head,
Then in this very month your loss will be complete;
Like the crescent moon you will be pointed at by all;
Arrow and sword are what love of his brows will bring;
In love of his cheek, your rank will fall;
I tell you to your face: your face will be cut away at once."

Stanza 42

"What is there to fear? Why this trembling before the thirsty?
Why bring the praise of a helpless man to your lips each time?
It is a shameful thing; why go over to the enemy?
Be it a prophet or his heir, why be shy in battle?
If Shabbir's head falls into our hands, we will carry it off at once;
To us, Paradise is to lay our hands on gold."

Stanza 43

Hurr cried out, "Hold your tongue, you base man!
You are fit to be cursed, and so is that chief of yours.
The son of Zahra is the darling of the chosen Messenger;
Who am I to sing the praises of the Imam of the righteous?
A whole world praises the family of the Cloak;
God Himself praises them in the Quran."

Stanza 44

"How can anyone bring to his tongue the praise of such as these,
In whose praise three hundred verses have come down?
Has any human being won such ranks in this world,
One whom God calls His beloved and His friend?
To die in love of the Family is good fortune;
The heart that is empty of their love is a stone."

Stanza 45

"You love the vile, and your nature is base;
I am the dust beneath the feet of the one who is the crown upon the Throne,
Who found his ascension on Muhammad's shoulder.
Who in both worlds today is as generous as my master?
Has he not forgiven deceits before your very eyes?
Yes, the King has granted me highest Paradise."

Stanza 46

"The garden he showed me: what would you know of it?
A garden where the scent of every flower brings peace to the soul;
Allah has granted me houris so fair of face
As your angels have never seen.
Do not speak the name of Kausar; it sets me surging;
It is by those very splashes that the senseless come to their senses."

Stanza 47

"Shabbir is the honour of the faith, the glory of all that is;
Shabbir is Zahra's life, the tongue of Muhammad (s);
Shabbir's speech is a miracle that turns stone to water;
Why should my life not go to him? Shabbir is the life of the world.
If he is kind, every knot is untied at once;
If he does not forgive, there is no way to reach God."

Stanza 48

"What am I, what is that estate of mine, what are my dependants,
When the family of Ahmad, the Chosen, is caught in calamity?
Why should I care for my lands and farms there,
When here the harvest of the Sayyids is being trampled?
Now I have no thought of home, no grief for my children;
My grief is for the ruin of Shabbir's house."

Stanza 49

"Your whole reliance is on the wealth of a base ruler;
The faithful keep no ties with the abode of this world.
What, will that treacherous tyrant send me to the gallows?
He is lost in the sleep of heedlessness, O my wakeful fortune!
No chief will ever have reached such a height:
The shade of the Tooba tree will be over my head."

Stanza 50

"The lover of the King's brow is held high for ever;
Bow down in prostration, for the house of his brows is the House of God;
Love of his eyes is the light of sight for men;
He who longs for the holy page of his cheek is a Joseph.
To the lover of his lips God gives rubies and pearls;
That mouth gives tidings of the spring of Kausar."

Stanza 51

"This is not a mole on his cheek; it is the ball of good fortune;
For a sinner like me it is the seal of intercession;
If one is lost in love of his tresses, this is what it means:
By God, they are the chain of the community's forgiveness.
I take them for the night of the ascension of the Messenger of both worlds;
Every strand of them I take for the thread of my life."

Stanza 52

"Whoever's tongue scatters pearls in praise of his teeth,
The Forgiving One will fill that man's mouth with pearls;
Whoever finds no rest in longing for the apple of his chin,
The houris will show him the bloom of their cheeks from their windows.
Moment by moment the blood of his lovers drains away;
This is the throat for which throats are cut."

Stanza 53

"Lovers of pure heart give themselves for that breast;
Dust be on the heart that bears malice towards that breast!
If there is a mirror in the world that shows the truth, it is this;
Let the blind become his lover, and his eyes will see.
The heart that holds his love receives grace;
The eye gains lustre from beholding him."

Stanza 54

"These are the feet which, if anyone touches them,
He would at once be honoured in both worlds;
If the dust of his blessed sandals were to show its power,
Antimony would be put to shame, and jewelled collyrium would blush.
We are such as will lay down our heads at these feet;
These are the feet that rested on Ahmad's shoulder."

Stanza 55

"Do not lure me from good deeds, O Iblis!
He alone is the master of both worlds, the head and the chief;
What will your accursed and miserly ruler give me?
I do not care: tell the news-writer to write it down.
Yes, I am going to the son of the Emperor of Arabia;
There, tyrant: I was not going before, but now I go!"

Stanza 56

Saying this, the warrior drew his sword from the scabbard;
His eyes turned red, his brows knitted at once;
Drawing himself up, he looked towards the army of the Imam of the righteous;
His steed began to set its hooves on the ground with a proud step.
A cry rose: "The noble Sayyid's friend is going!
Look, the partisan of Husain, son of Ali, is going!"

Stanza 57

Hurr cried out, "O Haidar, breaker of ranks, help!
It is the hour of need; O conqueror of Khaibar, help!
Husband of Zahra, help! Soul of the Prophet, help!
I am a servant of the Family; O master of Qambar, help!
Your slave is all alone, and the tyrants are many."
A voice came: "O Hurr, we are your helpers."

Stanza 58

"You have found the way of God; bravo, your good fortune!
The record of your deeds has been cleansed of sin;
All your past offences are pardoned; happy is your state!
Go quickly, quickly, for my son longs for you.
He is a true man who has such courage and such resolve;
Yes, brave one, may your grace increase!"

Stanza 59

"All the young men of Husain's army are waiting for you;
Rizwan stands eagerly at the gate of Paradise;
The houris of the gardens have long been watching the road for you;
At Kausar there is a cry: 'Where is Shabbir's guest?'
The host of angels praises your courage;
Today Fatima prays for you."

Stanza 60

"You belong to Paradise; these are unbelievers of the temple, O Hurr;
All the ugliness of your deeds has been wiped away, O Hurr;
Now behold the faces of the houris of Paradise, O Hurr;
From what a storm your boat has been saved, O Hurr!
Shabbir's displeasure is the wrath of Allah;
The Panjtan are pleased with you, so God is pleased."

Stanza 61

Hearing this good news, that lion swelled with joy;
His restless heart cried out, "I have no strength to wait;
Now even a moment's delay in this army is a torment;
For a Muslim, the company of unbelievers is the pit of Hell.
Lift the reins, then, you who are devoted to the exalted King;
In the army of Allah and the Prophet your place stands empty."

Stanza 62

Hearing this, he took up the reins, and his swift steed flew;
Umar ibn Saad, the trickster, turned pale with fear;
How the steed flew! It was as if a peacock flew in all its pride;
The birds called out, "The royal falcon has taken wing!"
The morning breeze is on its way to Zahra's garden;
There was a cry: "A fairy is flying to Solomon's court!"

Stanza 63

Two or three troops of horse gave chase with all their might;
Far from catching Hurr, they could not even reach the dust of his steed;
Those who had run with lassoes said in shame,
"Was it a phantom or a whirlwind? Was it a horse or a bird?
How lightly the spring breeze reached the garden!
We were left behind here, while Hurr's mount arrived over there."

Stanza 64

Here, by the knowledge of the Imamate, the King of the faith became aware;
Smiling, he said to Abbas, "O envy of the moon,
The noble Hurr has turned his face towards my army;
Tell everyone that no one is to bar this man's way;
Go and receive him; one who knows true worth is coming;
My guest, my lover, is coming to me."

Stanza 65

They were speaking of this when a cry came suddenly from afar:
"Help, O heart and soul of the chosen Messenger!
I am such a sinner that my sins are past counting;
Forgive, forgive, O spring of the bounty of the Forgiving One!
Let my boat cross over the river of sin;
Through your grace let even one bound for Hell reach Paradise."

Stanza 66

"For many days I have been tossed in a storm, O Emperor;
Help, O Noah of the strangers! My ship is wrecked;
I am so lost, hand and foot, that I cannot see the way;
I cry out for someone to show me a place of refuge;
'Go to the cloud of mercy,' they all call to me;
All of them point the way to the hem of your bounty."

Stanza 67

"May I be your hem's ransom, O my exalted master!
Have mercy, mercy, for this lowly servant is ashamed;
My heart would be cooled if some fountain of Kausar were opened;
Life would return if the Lord of both worlds stood surety for me.
Neither ministers nor emperors have such power;
The whole cure for my pain lies at your threshold."

Stanza 68

"Your father's generosity is famous among all people;
In a moment he forgave the faults of hundreds of men;
You, my lord, are displeased with me for seizing your reins;
If you forgive me, it is nothing far from your generosity.
How can I say that I do not deserve punishment?
But my fault is no greater than Aswad's."

Stanza 69

"O helper and supporter of the weak, come to my aid!
O you who care for the band of the poor, come to my aid!
My feet are slipping, O Hand of God, come to my aid!
I stand with my hands bound, O untier of knots, come to my aid!
Grant Hurr a warrant of freedom from the fire;
Come quickly and take pity on this petitioner."

Stanza 70

"Though my deeds are wholly evil,
And I am a sinner before God, who has no beginning and no end,
You are master of the court of the One God;
O lord of the world, take my hand, take my hand!
Those with empty hands look to the emperor's hand;
Your hand in this world is the hand of Allah."

Stanza 71

"Here is one broken body, and a hundred thousand foes are after its life;
O Solomon, let the feeble ant not be trampled!
If he leaves your court, where can this weak one go?
Look on me now with kindness, for I am put to shame;
I would be raised high if only this much kindness were shown,
That my name be written among Qambar's slaves."

Stanza 72

When Hurr made this plea with tearful eyes,
Allah's river of mercy surged up;
The King of the nations himself came forward with arms outstretched;
At that moment a voice from the unseen called to Hurr:
"Give thanks: the grandson of the Messenger to men and jinn is coming;
There, brave one: Husain is coming to receive you."

Stanza 73

Hurr saw that Shabbir was coming towards him on foot;
He ran and kissed the feet of the King whose throne is the Throne of God;
The King clasped him to his breast and said, "O man of honour,
I have forgiven your fault, and my Allah has forgiven it;
I am content with you; why are you troubled?
To me you are the equal of the brave Abbas."

Stanza 74

"Why have you bound your hands so tightly? It shames me;
If there is any other difficulty, we will make it easy;
Come, brother, embrace me with an open heart;
The just Lord is forgiving, merciful and ever-relenting;
God has erased all your offences from your record;
Today it is as if you were born from your mother's womb."

Stanza 75

Hurr cried, "May my father and mother be your ransom, O King!
The sins of this sinful servant were past forgiving;
That one as lost as I should find this path in an instant:
God knows, all of it is the gift of these very feet;
If kindness falls upon a mote, it becomes a shining sun;
Whatever ant you wish becomes a Solomon."

Stanza 76

"Who were Miqdad, Salman and Abuzar?
Tell me, who was the brave Ammar?
Who was Malik al-Ashtar, whose fame fills the world?
O lord of the world, who was the honoured Qambar?
It was by the grace of these very feet that they rose to distinction;
It was the robes of honour of this very court that raised them high."

Stanza 77

The King said, "All this is the grace of the Creator;
When does a servant have the power to give anything to anyone?
All these are only the means of the grace of the Causer of causes;
He alone is the Giver, the Benefactor, the Provider, the Lord;
We give neither coin nor money from our own purse;
When the Creator gives to us, then we give."

Stanza 78

"He has a hundred thousand hands for giving, so bountiful is He;
We may forget Him, but He keeps us in mind;
He gives sustenance beyond the reach of greed;
Yet even so His servants do not thank the One they worship.
He is so rich that the whole world stands in need of Him;
His treasury is never empty."

Stanza 79

"The more you ask of Him, the more pleased He is;
He is the Lord of bounty, the Bestower, the Praised;
Stretch out your hands a hundred times, and He is there;
He forgives, for we are servants and He is the One we worship.
Even in our sin He sustains us, morning and evening;
From here comes the fault, from there the gift."

Stanza 80

Saying this, the King of the nations set off, taking Hurr with him;
His guest's hand was in his hand: Allah, what kindness!
Qasim and Akbar were on his right and left: what splendour and glory!
The honoured Abbas held the standard unfurled over his head.
As the sinners showered arrows from afar,
The companions brought them on in the shade of their shields.

Stanza 81

When the Imam had brought his guest with such honour and respect,
Abbas said, "Now loosen your belt, O you whose end is good."
The King said, "It is fitting to rest a while."
Hurr replied, "Your slave will loosen his belt in Paradise;
Having recited the Fatiha, I have girded on this sword and shield;
With this resolve your servant has girded himself today."

Stanza 82

"I long to fight Shimr and Umar ibn Saad;
With a single blow I will cut them both in four;
Arrows keep coming from the army of Syria;
Let me be a shield for the princes, for this battle is worship.
But lest some child should lose his life,
Let this new slave first be sacrificed for you."

Stanza 83

The King said, "Parting from you is hard;
Even in death I shall not forget your love;
Alas, we could do nothing to serve you;
Well, you will be feasted in Paradise.
Today your rank will be among the company of the martyrs;
Tonight you will be in the company of God's Beloved."

Stanza 84

"You know well what my state has been since the seventh;
The people of error have blocked the roads on every side;
In this wilderness there is a dearth of water and a famine of wheat;
Even barley bread cannot be had in any village;
Instead of water and food, all receive torment;
Asghar gets no milk, nor Abid his medicine."

Stanza 85

Weeping, Hurr bowed his head in submission, with respect;
The King put a handkerchief to his eyes, and all began to weep;
When that lover of the Sultan of Arabia mounted his horse,
The King said, "What a friend I am losing! Alas, the calamity!"
As moment by moment the sound of weeping went out from here,
The cry of the mourning of Muhammad's family was heard.

Stanza 86

Hurr rode against the enemy army, his steed flying,
A steed whose racing made the deer forget their leaps;
Such majesty, such grandeur, such a fearsome glance;
Sword in hand, bow on his shoulder, mail upon his body;
On his other shoulder the end of his turban twisted so
That all the curls of the houris' locks came undone.

Stanza 87

The strength of his arm showed in his full shoulders;
His iron hand strained against his gauntlets;
Pressed by his thighs, his horse leapt lance-high;
His eyes locked with the eyes of the guards of the river;
As the gleam of his Roman helmet rose up to the sky,
A flash like lightning went through the eye of the sun.

Stanza 88

No eye could rest upon the point of Hurr's spear;
It seemed a black serpent had put out its tongue;
On his sword's hilt Refuge itself laid its head in humility;
That sun-bright shield put the moon's disc to shame;
The archers over there feared for their lives;
What filled his quiver were not arrows but sparks of fire.

Stanza 89

When the faithful Hurr came onto the field from the King's side,
With what gladness he came, his steed flying!
A cry went up: "The comforter of the wronged Sayyid has come!
The one who would die for the son of Haidar-e-Karrar has come!"
A canopy of light appears upon the road;
The splendour of Allah's power is seen.

Stanza 90

What shall I say of the hero's coming and going?
Before there was one splendour; now there is another;
How blessed the rank bestowed by the grace of His Highness's pure feet!
There was a cry: "An angel is coming, clad in a robe of light!"
The company of those who love the Family gives the heart its lustre;
In an instant the elixir turns copper into gold.

Stanza 91

"Bravo, what grace there is in the court of the King of the world!
In a moment it made a speck of dust into the sun;
Such light was never seen in a houri or in the children of Adam;
This is that same brave Hurr who was among us only now;
His body is fragrant, his rose-coloured face fresh and bright;
The dust of those blessed sandals is a wondrous rouge."

Stanza 92

"Such a shining face that beside it the sun is but a mote;
Such a body that even the moon borrows its light from it;
Such mail as would serve as an amulet for David's arm;
Such a steed that the fairies lose their wits;
Look, the spring breeze has come into the garden of the world;
There is a cry in Mount Qaf: Solomon's train has come!"

Stanza 93

Hurr cried, "You speak rightly, no doubt, beyond question;
The hem of the honoured Shabbir has covered my faults;
Neither my lap nor my pocket is empty of the wealth of faith;
The voice from the unseen calls out, 'Allah bless you!'
Having received his grace, I have come to wield the sword;
I went from here a beggar; I have come from there rich."

Stanza 94

"The radiance of God's light has made me a sun;
The reflection of Fatima's moon has given me light;
Alexander's new slave has found good fortune;
I have brought a treasure such as Khusrau never saw;
From today the age is mine, the times are mine;
My treasury will never be empty."

Stanza 95

"With what longing you gaze at my shining face!
I come having rubbed my face on the Hazrat's feet;
It is a light that all should look upon with longing;
Woe to those who are deprived of this wealth!
Even seeing me, you do not wake up;
It is a calamity: your eyes are open, yet you sleep."

Stanza 96

"Count the life of the Sultan of Prophethood a blessing;
Count the son of the King of Guardianship a blessing;
Count the sight of the Creator's light a blessing;
Count the moon of the house of Imamate a blessing;
With him, blessing will be lifted from creation;
Then, though you seek this wealth, it will not come to your hands."

Stanza 97

"What fame is there in destroying a single Sayyid?
Is this your desire, that the lamp of Islam be put out?
If you are wise, say whether this deed is evil or good;
When is a rosary beautiful that has no imam-bead?
Men give thanks for the favours of the One God;
Do followers ever do evil to their leader?"

Stanza 98

Hearing these words, the wicked son of Saad cried out,
"Now let spear and arrow fly at the partisan of the King of the faith!"
A great host of the army came forward with their weapons;
Reciting the Fatiha, the brave man drew his sword;
Hurr's face flushed red; the army of oppression turned pale;
Beside the flame of his sword the lightning's flash was dust.

Stanza 99

Thunder trembled when it heard the lion's roar;
Rustam's bones shook beneath the earth;
The army's ranks, firmly set, were thrown into confusion;
Even the horses shied in fear of the lightning of his sword.
Before it came to fighting, their hearts were broken;
Banners fell from their hands; standards slipped from their grasp.

Stanza 100

When, shaking the reins, he urged his horse on a little,
The horse too, roused to fury, foamed fiercely at the mouth;
Like a lion it sprang upon the enemy army;
Whomever it found defiant it trampled in a moment.
It was the death of whoever was an enemy of the exalted King;
Each of its horseshoes cut like a crescent sword.

Stanza 101

There was uproar as the sword of the noble Hurr went to work;
Lightning went towards the battlefield to rain down fire;
With what allure that Laila of victory went on her way!
Now she paused, now surged, now stopped, now went on;
Wounds in breasts split open like torn collars;
What a gait it was: thousands of throats were cut!

Stanza 102

It swept the ranks clean, yet lost none of its own bright candour;
It did not give up its crooked ways, nor did its fighting cease;
Its cutting and slashing, its allure, its coldness did not leave it;
It shed the blood of hundreds and was never called to account.
There was a cry: "The lightning has come out to show its splendour;
A fairy has come out in the form of death to take lives!"

Stanza 103

Wherever it looks with its eye of watered steel,
Before a moment passes it throws the ranks into confusion;
Though the eye makes a shield for its pupil,
It is so sly that it makes its home in the eyes.
Any sorcerer is burnt up by its spell;
This is how the magic of fairies takes hold.

Stanza 104

It is a spark of that fire which could burn up the lightning;
If it bites, the black cobra will never writhe again;
Lances struck whomever it looked upon;
Whoever it cast its cord upon was caught in its snare.
The foaming venom of the black serpent is mixed in its temper;
Is it a blade's edge, or has the Angel of Death opened his mouth?

Stanza 105

Whatever band it fell upon, the ground was covered with corpses;
It cut off hands and feet, chests and waists, necks and heads;
Such was its craving for blood that it licked up whole ranks;
Wherever it saw the edge of swords, it went to that very ford.
Whoever it went for, it did not leave without taking his life;
It was a single lightning bolt, yet it struck in a hundred thousand places.

Stanza 106

New flowers bloomed when its blade struck a lance;
In every blow it showed the full weight of its strength;
The forest it had cut down lay in heaps upon the ground;
Whoever came forward to fight, his story was ended.
There was a cry: "Let us see how this calamity can be turned aside;
Even the sword-charm does not work so fast!"

Stanza 107

In battle the sword claimed, "I am peerless";
The horse held its head high as if to say, "I am the Anqa";
The heavens said, "O Lord, I am turned upside down";
The lightning said, "Is this the sword, or is it I?
Who under the sky has this flash that is mine?"
The sword gestured, "This flash is mine."

Stanza 108

No stone could halt it, no iron could stop it;
It carried off hands from wrists and heads from necks;
No coat of mail could bear its hard blow;
Wherever it came it swept through with a rush, like a hostile wind.
Showing the fury of a flood, that graceful blade went its way;
Every ship of a body sank in the river of blood.

Stanza 109

Though from its wealth of watered grain it seemed caught in a net,
Yet in every state it leapt like a fish;
In its flash it was lightning, in its gait a fairy;
Now in a helmet, now in a head, now in a shield.
There was no respite to draw breath, even for the slain;
It was a lance for the liver and a knife for the heart.

Stanza 110

Wherever it swooped like a royal falcon to hunt,
However much the prey writhed, it did not give up without taking a life;
A cry rose: "A goose has come under the falcon's wing!"
The bird of life flew off, and not a sound was heard.
Though it held the prey in its grip, it let it go;
So worthless was the prey that it cut off its head and left it.

Stanza 111

Its temper showed the power of a blazing fire;
Its gleam showed the house of sudden death;
Its edge showed the road across the desert of Hell;
Its cut showed the mirror of victory and triumph.
The sword said, "I am the key to the door of victory";
The hilt's word was, "I am the seizer of souls."

Stanza 112

Its curve was such that the crescent of the Eid moon would blush;
The key to the garden of Paradise had come into Hurr's hand;
Its cut was such that Yazid's whole army was hacked to pieces;
The garment of unbelief was in tatters: what cutting and tailoring!
No thread of breath was left in anyone to live by;
Only the rents of wounds were left for sewing.

Stanza 113

When he charged the archers again and again,
The arrows of reproach flew at the sinners;
Their fingers all stayed frozen on the notches of their arrows;
He had only turned his face when lightning fell upon the oppressors.
The harvest was so burnt to dust that not an ear of grain was left;
In the struggle they found no corner even to hide in.

Stanza 114

The spears of the oppressors' army, well tried as they were,
That lion of the reed-bed cut down in a moment;
Though the fighters had staked their lives,
How can anyone turn the calamity of death from his head?
When the squadrons of horsemen were bent on battle,
All their knots came undone at the fingernail of his sword.

Stanza 115

With every blow it bent the mace from an alif into a dal;
New was its coming and going, new the manner of its gait;
Here it was the point of a lance, there the head of an arrow;
Here a sword, there a keen dagger, there a shield.
It parried each blow and destroyed the enemy;
Moment by moment even the army of oppression praised it.

Stanza 116

There was a cry: "Is it fire in that sword, or water?
The ship of the body burns out in a storm of blood;
He is unique in his blows, peerless in strength."
Hurr said, "This is only the power of faith;
I had no such strength in me, no power for battle;
All this is the power of the prayer of the Prophet's grandson."

Stanza 117

Saying this, the thirsty one plunged into the army again;
The pearl sank into the whirlpool of the sea of calamity;
The moon sank into the cloud of the army of Syria;
So hard was the struggle that the fresh rose was drenched in sweat.
Now he raged among the swords like a lion,
Now in the reed-bed of spears, now among arrows.

Stanza 118

Now hidden, now emerging, that moon of the house of honour;
Now he burst into this rank, now trampled that one;
Now by the riverbank, now towards the desert;
Now his cry was, "I am your ransom, O King of Najaf!"
All the wounded breathed their last;
Even lions quailed on hearing the name of Ali.

Stanza 119

All the palm trees trembled; the forest resounded;
The ground was slipping away; terrible was the tumult of the field;
Whenever that sword of death flashed over their heads,
One fell on his face, another on his head;
There was uproar; horses rolled over their riders;
Four rolled on two, two on one, ten on five.

Stanza 120

Stepping forward, Abbas would say, "What honour and glory!"
The King's darling called out, "Allah bless you!"
The son of Hasan said, "Bravo, Hurr the warrior, bravo!"
At every blow the King said, "Masha Allah!"
Whenever the warrior received this reward for staking his life,
He would bow in salute with a smile.

Stanza 121

Alas! As he bowed, the accursed found their chance;
Leaving the front, the whole army came at him from behind;
A hundred thousand bloodthirsty men on that side, and on this side one man alone;
He had only turned his horse's reins when a lance struck him;
He fell into the grip of death; it took no time at all;
A mace struck his head, a sword his shoulder.

Stanza 122

His breast became a sieve as the enemies' arrows flew;
The lion bowed and laid his head upon the saddle-bow;
Ali Akbar cried out to the Hazrat,
"If you command, I will go and tend to our guest;
The traveller to the next world is falling from the saddle;
Now the brave Hurr is falling from his horse to the ground."

Stanza 123

Hearing this news of his guest, the King began to weep;
His blessed beard was all wet with tears;
He said to Ali Akbar, "Stay here for now, my darling;
I shall go to Hurr's aid myself, light of my eyes;
To whom can I tell at this hour the anguish upon me?
I shall carry my guest's body, for that is my duty."

Stanza 124

The honoured Abbas said, "Your slave will go."
Overcome with grief, the King said, "No, my rose-faced one;
Hurr, whose end is good, was killed for love of me;
What friends are we if we are of no use in a hard hour?
When the hard hour comes upon him, we shall be of use;
Not only to my guest's body: I shall go to him in his grave."

Stanza 125

"Not to go to his body would be far from kindness;
He made us glad; let him too have some joy;
Let us show him the palace of Paradise, for his faults are forgiven;
He goes from the world with honour into the Creator's presence.
Few in all creation will be found of such high rank;
My guest will breathe his last in my lap."

Stanza 126

Saying these words, the honoured Shabbir set out for the field;
There the honoured Hurr fell from his horse to the ground;
Seeing the King coming, the merciless fled;
The Imam of both worlds reached the body at the last moment.
He saw the garden of his guest's life laid waste;
He saw the wounded man rubbing his heels in the dust.

Stanza 127

Falling down beside the body, the Chief cried out,
"Alas, my helper, my supporter, my friend!
What, a mace has struck you? My back is broken;
You fell from your horse and, alas, did not let us know.
What friend ever found peace when parted from a friend?
Open your eyes, brother: Husain has come."

Stanza 128

"Bravo, brave Hurr! I would give my life for your courage;
This is what is called love; this is what is called loyalty;
By God, this helpless one is put to shame by your kindness;
What you have done is just what brothers do.
May God Most High give you a home in the garden of Paradise, brother;
May God give you the fruit of this striving, brother."

Stanza 129

Rousing Hurr, Habib ibn Mazahir said,
"The master himself is distraught; O brave Hurr, come to your senses;
Behold the face of the darling of the honoured Zahra;
Departure is at hand; this is no time for unawareness.
If your breath fails, make your last wishes known by signs;
In your last agony, gaze upon the divine light."

Stanza 130

"Has any master ever honoured a slave like this?
See his mercy: the Imam is weeping for you;
The King whose station is the Throne calls you 'brother' in his kindness;
Happy is your state! May God give everyone a good end.
Until the Day of Judgement this sorrowful tale will live among the people;
You have outrun even those who served him since childhood."

Stanza 131

With half-open eyes Hurr looked at his master's face;
He saw Shabbir's knee as the pillow beneath his head;
Smiling, he looked towards the world above;
The King said, "O brave Hurr, what did you see?"
He replied, "I see the beauty of a houri's face;
From the earth to the Throne I see light."

Stanza 132

"The garden of Paradise is showing me its spring;
Clear streams are flowing, and the trees are swaying;
From the branches, fruits reach out to me again and again;
Houris bring trays of jewels to scatter over me;
Rizwan is calling, 'Where is your mind?
Look, O guest of the King, this house is yours.'"

Stanza 133

"Angels are coming to take me, O King;
Even the Angel of Death looks on me with love;
The Lion of God has come out of Paradise, Allah, Allah!
Look, Shabbar too has come out with his father;
Bareheaded, the darling of Ahmad, the Chosen, has come;
See, your grandfather's train has arrived."

Stanza 134

"Turn my body towards the Qibla, O Qibla of the faith;
Recite Ya Sin, for this is now my final breath;
Departure is near, O King enthroned on the Throne;
See, my grieving soul is leaving my body;
I can no longer even speak;
Cover me with something, my master; sleep is coming over me."

Stanza 135

Saying this, he stretched himself in Shabbir's lap;
Sweat came to his brow, and pallor spread over his face;
The King said, "Why are you leaving us, brother?"
The brave Hurr passed away; no sound came after.
The bird of his soul took flight towards the Tooba tree;
His eyes stayed turned towards the noble King.

Stanza 136

Enough, Anees; now pray, "O Lord of Your servants,
Keep the people of Lucknow ever flourishing;
May the mourners of the noble King stay happy in the world;
May their children prosper in their shade;
May the ten days of the month of mourning pass in lament,
And may the whole year pass in happiness for the King's servants."