THE  EID  CRESCENT

Introduction
Celebration of festivals in Islam is not an occasion for raveling but one of reminiscence and stock taking. The sight of the Eid crescent produced similar thought in ‘All«mah Iqb«l’s mind. He took stock of the state of the Muslim Ummah and recounted some of it’s misfortunes. He has given some more reasons  for downfall of the Muslims in addition to those given in the pervious poem. However, the next poem, i.e. 99. Sham‘« Awr Sh«‘ir (The Candle and the Poet) and 103. Jaw«b-i-Shakwah (The  Response to the Complaint) give more details of this tragedy.

Translation
O the pride of Shaww«l ¹ ! O the fasting person’s darling!
Come ! As  Muslims were very anxiously waiting for you

The message of Eid is written on your forehead
Your evening is the preface to the dawn of pleasure

You are the mirror of the history of Millat-i-BaiÉah ²
O crescent ! We are your lovers since a very long time

The banner ³ under whose shade we wielded our swords
Under whose shade we used the blood of our enemies

The  companionship of this very banner ³ is your destiny
The Millat’s honor is by your ever-increasing beauty

Our nation is cherisher of friends, fidelity is your way
This silvery shirt of yours is the propagator of love

                Look at the earth’s habitation from your celestial apses!
                Look at the depth of our abode from your eminence! 

Look at the caravans and also look at their fast speed
At the destitute traveler’s estrangement with destination also look

On sighting you we used to give charity lavishly
O empty cup !  Today at our indigence also look

Muslims are tightly bound in chains of sectarianism
Look at your freedom and at their bondage also look

In the mosque look at disintegration of the priest’s love
In the temple at the Brahman’s strong idol-worship also look

Look at the sight of the Muslim ways in the infidels’ life
And at your Muslims’ tormenting other Muslims also look

Be the spectator of the shower of rocks of misfortunes
At the frailty of the Muslims Ummah’s abodes also look

Yes, look at the advance flattery of the ‘honorable’ people
And at the self-respect of the formerly shameless people also look

Whom we got acquainted with the taste of eloquence
At the haughty speech of that former speechless adversary look

Listen to sounds of pleasurable orchestra in West’s palaces
And at the preparations for the mourning in Iran ⁴ also look

The imprudent Turk has torn the cloak of the Divine Khil«fah ⁵
Look at Muslims’ simplicity at other’s cunningness also look

                Look at everything, and remain quiet like a mirror
                In today tumult remain occupied in evening’s music! ⁶

Explanatory Notes
1. Shaww«l - The tenth month of the Hijrâ calendar on the first day of which ‘¢id al-Fièr is celebrated.

2. Allusion to the egg-shaped radiant mark on the palm of S. Mës« A.S., which was bestowed on him by God (The Holy Qur’«n 7: 108). ‘All«mah Iqb«l calls the Muslim Ummah as “Millat-i-Baiî«” because he is confident of the rise of Islam in the world.

3. Allusion to the inclusion of the crescent on the flags of Muslim countries as an insignia of Islam and its rising power.

4. Allusion to the poor condition of Ir«n at the time this poem was written. This called for collective bereavement, in contrast with the condition of the West, described in the first hemistich.

5. Reference to Musèaf« Kam«l P«sh« (1881-1938  C.E.) who was the famous post-war founder of present-day Turkey and it’s first dictator and president. He was a trained soldier and earned the rank of a hero in Turkish history. His hard and bold military actions before, during and after World War I in the pursuit of protecting Turkey against the political intrigues as well as military onslaughts of the Western Allied Powers has earned a high place for him. However, after assuming political power after World War I, he abolished the Uthm«niya Khil«fah in 1924, which exposed him to the anger of sincere Muslims all over the world who wanted to restore Islam to its pristine purity and grandeur after freeing the Muslim world from the clutches of Western Powers. ‘All«mah Iqb«l is one of this group of Muslims whose heart was grieved by the abolition of the Khil«fah. Though the political and economic weakness of the Uthmania Khil«fah, before, during and after the First World War cannot be denied, nor can the existence of corruption and inefficiency which led to that state of affairs. However , the Institution of Khil«fah, in spite of its defects and shortcomings, was providing some degree of unity to the Muslim Ummah and was giving it the colour of a super-national political entity. This was lost by its abolition and the Muslim Ummah was divided into secular nation states whose evils we are seeing now. By this act Mustafa Kamal also tarnished his own image among the Muslim Ummah, a name which he had earned by extremely heroic deeds in defense of the Khil«fah before, during and after World War I. So by abolition of the Khil«fah , Mustafa Kamal deprived Islam and the Muslim Ummah of its rightful place of being the only super-national entity, as well as tarnished his own image in Muslim History. It is in this sense that ‘All«mah Iqb«l calls him “imprudent Turk”.

6. In this verse ‘All«mah Iqb«l is providing sane advice to the Muslim Ummah for its revival in the form of advice to the Eid crescent.