A Mountain and A Squirrel

Allama Muhammad Iqbal 1877 (Sialkot, Punjab) – 1938 (Lahore, Punjab)



A mountain was saying this to a squirrel
'Commit suicide if you have self-respect

You are insignificant, still so arrogant, how strange!
You are neither wise, nor intelligent! not even shrewd!

It is strange when the insignificant pose as important!
When the stupid ones like you pose as intelligent!

You are no match in comparison with my splendor
Even the earth is low compared with my splendor

The grandeur of mine does not fall to your lot
The poor animal cannot equal the great mountain! '

On hearing this the squirrel said, 'Hold your tongue!
These are immature thoughts, expel them from your heart!

I do not care if I am not large like you!
You are not a pretty little thing like me

Everything shows the Omni-potence of God
Some large, some small, is the wisdom of God

He has created you large in the world
And He has taught me climbing large trees

You are unable to walk a single step
Only large size! What other greatness have you?

If you are large show me some of the skills I have
Show me how you break this beetle nut as I can

Nothing is useless in this world
Nothing is bad in God's creation

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 04, 2023

1:02 min read
1,239

Quick analysis:

Scheme XX XX AA BB XC XX DX EE FX XD XX FC
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 1,096
Words 208
Stanzas 12
Stanza Lengths 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Allama Muhammad Iqbal

Muhammad Iqbal, known as Allama Iqbal, was a poet, philosopher, theorist, and barrister in British India. He is held as the national poet of Pakistan. He has been called the "Spiritual Father of Pakistan" for his contributions to the nation. Iqbal's poems, political contributions, and academic and scholarly research were distinguished. He inspired the Pakistan movement in Subcontinent and is considered a renowned figure of Urdu literature, although he wrote in both Urdu and Persian. Iqbal is admired as a prominent poet by Indians, Pakistanis, Iranians, Afghans, Bangladeshis and other international scholars of literature including the west. Though Iqbal is best known as a poet, he is also an acclaimed "Muslim philosophical thinker of modern times". His first poetry book, The Secrets of the Self, appeared in the Persian language in 1915, and other books of poetry include The Secrets of Selflessness, Message from the East and Persian Psalms. His best known Urdu works are The Call of the Marching Bell, Gabriel's Wing, The Rod of Moses and a part of Gift from Hijaz. Along with his Urdu and Persian poetry, his Urdu and English lectures and letters have been influential in cultural, social, religious and political discourses. In the 1922 New Year Honours, he was made a Knight Bachelor by King George V. While studying law and philosophy in England, Iqbal joined the London branch of the All-India Muslim League. During the League's December 1930 session, he delivered a speech, known as the Allahabad Address, in which he pushed for the creation of a Muslim state in north-west India. more…

All Allama Muhammad Iqbal poems | Allama Muhammad Iqbal Books

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