Alone in the Battlefield

A Bohri Marsiya

shabbir ran mein tanha the zakhmon se choor the

Alone in the battlefield, Husayn was torn to shreds.

bhuke the aur piyaase the yasrib se door the

Starving and parched, he was far from home.

piyaaron ke laashe ran mein the tanhaa huzoor the

The corpses of loved ones scattered about, he was all alone.

ghore se utre ran mein ilaahi vo noor the

By God, when he dismounted, it was as though the sun were setting.

ye dekhe shimr ghore se apne utar gayaa

Seeing this, Shimr dismounted from his horse

haathon mein aik bhaalaa aur khanjar uthaa liyaa

and picked up a club and a knife.

sheh ne kahaa ay shimr sun mere kuch sukhan

Husayn said, “Listen to me, Shimr.

khanjar se jab karegaa judaa sar ko az badan

When you behead me with this knife,

qible kee simt laasha meraa karnaa to ye sun

turn my body toward the Kaaba.

chaadar orhaanaa laasha pe gar de na tu kafan

And if you won’t shroud me properly, then at least cover my corpse.

mere haram ke sar se na chaadar ko khenchnaa

Don’t rip the coverings off my women’s heads—

hurmat hai ye nabi o ali kee na cheennaa

they are the sanctity of Muhammad and Ali.

hai fatima kee laadli shehzaadiyaa(n) haram

These women are beloved to Fatima

inkaa rahaa na koi yahaa(n) sab huwa khatam

and now they have no one left.

chaadar kaa tukraa denaa unhein rakhnaa tu sharam

Give them a piece of cloth—have some shame.

gar qayd bhi kare unhein dhaanaa nahin sitam

And if you imprison them, don’t be cruel.

inko sataa sataa ke bataa faaida hai kyaa?

What will you gain by harassing them?

inko rolaa rolaa ke bataa faaida hai kyaa?

What will you gain by driving them to tears?

dukhtar meri sakina hai jo bholi bhaali hai

Sakina is my daughter and she’s innocent.

hai meri ye piyaari hai naazon ki paali hai

She’s precious to me—I raised her with my own hands.

har shab ko mere seene par ye soone vaali hai

Every night, she would sleep on my chest

ab mere ba’d gham mein mere rone vaali hai

and now she’ll mourn her father’s death.

hargiz tamaache bachchi ko mere na maarnaa

Don’t slap my daughter’s face,

gohar hai eed par diye vo na utaarnaa

don’t steal the earrings I gave her.” 

bolaa ye shimr baatein ye hargiz na maanugaa

Shimr said, “I will never do as you say!

bachchon ke cheen longaa gohar unko maarungaa

I will steal the children’s earrings, I will beat them!

saydaaniyon ke sar se mein chaadar utaarongaa

I will rip the coverings off the women’s heads!

kufe mein aur shaam mein dar dar pihraaongaa

I will parade them in the streets of Kufa and Damascus!

masnad nabi kee lootoongaa khaimein jalaaongaa

I will loot the Prophet’s honor, I will set the tents ablaze!

zaynul abaa ko kaanton pe paydal chalaaongaa

I will make Sajjad walk on thorns!”

ye baatein sun husayn to roote the zaar zaar

Hearing this, Husayn cried and cried.

jaur o jafaa the aise ke ghash aayaa baar baar

Hearing this was so painful, he nearly died.

dekhaa ke aa rahee hai bahan yahaa(n) pe soogvaar

When he saw the grief-stricken Zaynab draw near he said,

aao yahaa(n) na bahan ke hoote hai hum nisaar

“Don’t come here, my sister, I bid you farewell.”

ye kehe ke to husayn ne sajda bajaa diyaa

Then he fell prostrate and prayed for you and me,

mazloom par vo shimr ne khanjar chalaa diyaa

and the wicked Shimr severed his head.