LAMENT OF SEPARATION
(In Memory of Arnold)

Introduction
This short poem is the outburst of affection and reverence which ‘All«mah Iqb«l had for his teacher and mentor, Sir Thomas Arnold. See Chapter 2 and Appendix I, No. 11 for ‘All«mah's relationship with Sir Thomas Arnold and the latter's influence upon him.

Translation
O house! Your resident is now residing in the West
Ah! The land of the East was not liked by him

Today my heart is convinced of this truth
The light of the separation's day is darker than night

                "As from his departure's breast the scar is picked up
                Sight is asleep in my eyes like the extinguished candle"

I am fond of seclusion, I hate the habitation
I run away from the city in excruciation of love

I make the heart restless from the olden days' memory
For satisfaction I come ardently running towards you

                Though the eye is familiar with your nook and corner
                Still some strangeness is apparent from my speed

My heart's speck was just to be acquainted with the sun
The broken mirror was just to expand into the universe ¹

The tree of my longings was just going to green up
Ah ! what does any one know what I was going to be!

                Mercy's cloud gathered up its skirt from my garden and departed
                Rained a little over the flower buds of my desires and departed ²

Where are you! O Kalâm of the pinnacle Sân« of learning!
Your breath was the breeze promoting the joy of learning

Gone is that zeal for walking in the vast expanse of learning!
In my intellect also you were the inspirer of love of learning

                "Where is Lailah's fervor, so as to decorate Love again
                May make the dust of Majnun mixed with wilderness again ³

The wilderness of solitude will open the fate's knot
I shall reach you after breaking the chains of the Punjab

The bewildered eye looks upon your picture
But how can one searching for speech be happy?

                "No power to speak the picture's mouth has
                Silence is the speech which the picture has"

Expanatory Notes
1. This is based on the concept of "Waédat al-Wujëd" that the whole universe is made of the same material, so that the speck of dust and the sun are really the same substance. It has been stated in Chapter 3 that ‘All«mah Iqb«l believed in "Waédat al‑Wujëd" earlier in his life. This verse is full of mystic meanings. The first hemistich means that the ‘All«mah's Intellect was about to comprehend the reality of the universe. The second hemistich means that the broken mirror i.e. his incompletely trained Intellect was going to be perfected under Arnold's supervision to be able to understand the nature of all things. All this was interrupted by the Arnold's departure for England.

2. This refers to the relatively short time for which ‘All«mah Iqb«l could be associated with Sir Thomas Arnold at the Government College, Lahore.

3. This refers to the story of Lailah and Majnën for which see Appendix II.