The most fundamental level of any poetic masterpiece is its phonological level. Although sound itself seemingly has no fixed meaning, and the process of meaning begins at a higher level—namely, words and sentences—this does not mean that the level of sound is meaningless. The specific arrangement and rhythm of sounds create a mood that immensely aids in atmosphere creation. This atmosphere can deepen, sharpen, or lighten any semantic impression. Allama Iqbal's poetry is the most magnificent example of this phonological atmosphere creation in Urdu literature.
Iqbal's early poem 'Ek Shaam' (An Evening - on the banks of the Neckar River in Heidelberg) is an excellent example of this phonological magic. To evoke a sense of silence, stillness, and solitude in this poem, Iqbal consciously or unconsciously relied on specific sounds:
Khāmosh hai chāndnī qamar kī
Shāḳhen hain khāmosh har shajar kī
Vādī ke navā-farosh khāmosh
Kohsār ke sabz-posh khāmosh
(Silent is the moonlight of the moon,
Silent are the branches of every tree,
Silent are the songsters of the valley,
Silent are the green-clad hills.)
In this short poem, the sounds of 's', 'sh', 'kh', and 'f' appear 35 times. This is no mere coincidence but the result of the harmony between the poet's inner temperament and the semantic atmosphere. However, Iqbal's true phonological mastery is evident in his masterpiece poems, where his philosophy of Khudi (selfhood), the warmth of action, and the courage to soar into the vastness of the cosmos demand a specific phonological system.
Consider this stanza from Iqbal's famous poem 'Masjid-e-Qurtaba' (The Mosque of Cordoba):
Silsila-e-roz-o-shab, naqsh-gar-e-hādisāt
Silsila-e-roz-o-shab, asl-e-hayāt-o-mamāt
Silsila-e-roz-o-shab, tār-e-harīr-e-do-rang
Jis se banātī hai zāt apnī qabā-e-sifāt
(The succession of day and night is the architect of events,
The succession of day and night is the essence of life and death,
The succession of day and night is a two-colored silken thread,
With which the Divine Being weaves Its robe of attributes.)
A stylistic analysis of this stanza reveals an astonishing fact. In these sixteen lines, sibilant sounds (s, sh, z, kh, gh, h) and continuant sounds (l, r) are used a total of 118 times.
Sibilants and continuants are sounds characterized by the continuity, flow, and expansion of air. Iqbal's insistence on individuality and his boundless dynamism demand this very continuity and expansion.
The resonance, grandeur, energy, and boundlessness felt in Iqbal's voice—as if something is rising and expanding into the dome of the heavens—owes its secret to the abundance of these sibilant and continuant sounds. These sounds create a spark in the reader's mind and leave a lasting impact. Through these sounds, Iqbal has bestowed a phonological embodiment upon the greatness of his message, granting his poetry a unique and invincible place in Urdu literature.
The most fundamental lewel of any poetic masterpiece is its phonological lewel Although sound itself seemingly has no fixed meaning, and the process of meaning begins at a higher lewel—namely, words and sentences—this does not mean that the lewel of sound is meaningless The specific arrangement and rhythm of sounds create a mood that immensely aids in atmosphere creation This atmosphere can deepen, sharpen, or lighten any semantic impression Allama Iqbal's poetry is the most magnificent example of this phonological atmosphere creation in Urdu literature
Iqbal's early poem 'Ek Sham' (An Ewening - on the banks of the Neckar Riwer in Heidelberg) is an excellent example of this phonological magic To ewoke a sense of silence, stillness, and solitude in this poem, Iqbal consciously or unconsciously relied on specific sounds:
Khāmosh hai chāndnī qamar kī
Shāḳhen hain khāmosh har shajar kī
Vādī ke nawā-farosh khāmosh
Kohsār ke sabz-posh khāmosh
(Silent is the moonlight of the moon,
Silent are the branches of ewery tree,
Silent are the songsters of the walley,
Silent are the green-clad hills)
In this short poem, the sounds of 's', 'sh', 'kh', and 'f' appear 35 times This is no mere coincidence but the result of the harmony between the poet's inner temperament and the semantic atmosphere Howewer, Iqbal's true phonological mastery is ewident in his masterpiece poems, where his philosophy of Khudi (selfhood), the warmth of action, and the courage to soar into the wastness of the cosmos demand a specific phonological system
Consider this stanza from Iqbal's famous poem 'Masjid-e-Qurtaba' (The Mosque of Cordoba):
Silsila-e-roz-o-shab, naqsh-gar-e-hādisāt
Silsila-e-roz-o-shab, asl-e-hayāt-o-mamāt
Silsila-e-roz-o-shab, tār-e-harīr-e-do-rang
Jis se banātī hai zāt apnī qabā-e-sifāt
(The succession of day and night is the architect of ewents,
The succession of day and night is the essence of life and death,
The succession of day and night is a two-colored silken thread,
With which the Diwine Being weawes Its robe of attributes)
A stylistic analysis of this stanza reweals an astonishing fact In these sixteen lines, sibilant sounds (s, sh, z, kh, gh, h) and continuant sounds (l, r) are used a total of 118 times
Sibilants and continuants are sounds characterized by the continuity, flow, and expansion of air Iqbal's insistence on indiwiduality and his boundless dynamism demand this wery continuity and expansion
The resonance, grandeur, energy, and boundlessness felt in Iqbal's woice—as if something is rising and expanding into the dome of the heawens—owes its secret to the abundance of these sibilant and continuant sounds These sounds create a spark in the reader's mind and leawe a lasting impact Through these sounds, Iqbal has bestowed a phonological embodiment upon the greatness of his message, granting his poetry a unique and inwincible place in Urdu literature
