GHULÿM  QÿDIR  RUH¥LAH

Introduction
The Ruhâlahs were an Afghan tribe who had inhabited an area about 10,000 square miles north east of Delhi. They had acquired much influence and political power by the fourth decade of the eighteenth century. At that time they were a formidable force and proved very effective in breaking the back bone of the Marhatas in the third battle of Panipat, near Delhi in 1761. This battle was fought mainly by the Afghan leader, Aémad Sh«h Abd«lâ, helped by Najâb al-Daulah, the Prime Minister of  the Mughal Emperor with some help  from the Ruhâlahs. This watershed event occurred under the able and timely political move  of the great ‘«lim and sufi of Delhi, Sh«h Walâ Allah.. (See Appendix III, No. 79.). Notwithstanding these services to Islam Ruhâlahs helped themselves as well to the spoils of the chaos resulting from  the decline and break up of the Mughal  Empire. This poem relates  an anecdote of the attack of Ghul«m  Q«dir Ruhâlah on the Red Fort, Delhi in which he blinded the Mughal Emperor and entered into the conversation described in  the poem. The last line of the poem is also  its lesson, which  is that in luxury and indolence a nation loses the will to strive for a virile and self-respecting life. As ‘All«mah Iqb«l says:

(202)      What was unacceptable gradually became accepted
                 In slavery nation’s conscience becomes spoiled

(Appendix III, No. 32)

Translation
How cruel, tyrant and vindictive the Ruhâlah was
He blinded  the Mughal Emperor with the point of  his dagger

The tyrant ordered members of the royal household to dance
This tyranny was no less than the Judgment  Day’s  signal

For the delicate ladies of the royal household it was
Utterly impossible to comply with this shameless order

Ah ! The merciless  one made them the means of pleasure
Whose beauty had been veiled from sun’s, moon’s and stars


The feeble hearts were throbbing, the feet were forced to move
A river of  blood was flowing  from the wet eyes of the princesses

For some time his eyes remained thus absorbed in seeing
In confusion he freed his head from the load of Mighfar1

He untied the deadly, fire-spitting sword from the waist
Whose sharpness was a source of luminescence to the stars

He put the dagger in front, and lied down in some thought
Sleep was demanding rest from the red eyes so to say

The water of sleep extinguished the embers of his eyes
The tyrant’s sight became ashamed of the painful spectacle!

He got up and started saying this to Taimur’s household
“You should have no complaint against your fate”

My sleeping in the couch was a mere show, an affectation
Because stupor is foreign to the dignity of fighters

It was my intention that some daughter of  Taimur
Considering me unconscious might kill me with my own dagger,

                But at last this secret has dawned to the whole world
                Concern for honor has departed from Taimur’s household”


Explanatory Notes
1.Mighf«r-  This is the head covering worn under the helmet. It is also used as a helmet.