A love letter in Kashmiri verse: Understanding Janbaz Kishtwari’s Shah-e-Madinas Wan Salam

Janbaz Kishtwari wrote several compositions that reflect his faith, love and devotional inclination towards the revered status of the Last Prophet, the holy land of Madina, and other Sufi saints.

Ghulam Nabi Doolwal, who wrote under the poetic name Janbaz, composed verses centred on love, companionship, devotion, and faith, portraying him as a poet of deep emotions and profound spirituality.

His literary contributions span a wide range of poetic forms–from Hamd and Naat to Marsiya and Gazal–demonstrating his brilliance and remarkable command of the pen.

Among his collection of Naats–poetic compositions expressing reverence and praise for Prophet Muhammad (Saw) –are several notable works.

However, ‘Shah-e-Madinas Wan Salam’ (translated as Convey my Salutations to the King of Madinah) occupies a distinct place in the hearts of its audience.

The composition embodies the poet’s heartfelt ache and longing as he offers his salutations to the Prophet.

گژھتے ویلی ویلی، واوٕ میٲنِس مہجبینس وَن سلام۔
دل پریشان چھُم گوٚمُت، شاہِ مدینس وَن سلام۔
بلبلا یِم سات واتکھ، تَتھ حسین چمنس اندر۔
نرگسس تہٕ سُنبلس بیٚیہِ، یاسمینس وَن سلام۔
ہے تہٕ بیٚیہِ مسوال تہِ آسس، ناز برداری کران۔
راز تھاوِتھ رازس منٛز، نازنینس وَن سلام۔

Gaschhtae waelī waelī, waav myaanis mahjabeenas wan salaam.
Dil pareshaan chhum gomut, Shah-e-Madinas wan salaam.

Bulbula yem saat waatakh, Tath haseen chamnas andar.
Nargisas ti Sumbalas bey, Yasmeenas wan salaam.

Hai t bey maswal ti aases, Naaz bardaeri karaan.
Raaz thaevith raazas manz, Naazneenas wan salaam.

Little by little, O breeze, convey my salutations to my moon-faced beloved.
My heart has grown restless; Convey my salutations to the King of Madinah.

These nightingales, as they journey along every path, within every beautiful garden,
To the narcissus, the hyacinth, and the jasmine, Convey my salutations.

Though I am unworthy and without distinction, I still dare to bear this loving reverence.
Keeping this secret hidden within the depths of mysteries, Convey my salutations to the Graceful Beloved.

In the opening verses, the poet uses rich poetic imagery and metaphors to portray the last Prophet, Muhammad (SAW), through the serene and beautiful characteristics of the moon, the sacred city of Madina, and flowers.

Expressions such as Mahjabeenas, Shah-e-Maddinas, Yasmeenas, and Nazneenas are used to evoke the beauty, grace and revered status of the Prophet while preserving his sacredness.

Janbaz Kishtwari invokes the breeze as the messenger to convey his salutations to the Prophet, whom he addresses as Mahjabeen–meaning the “moon-faced one” or “the one with a forehead radiant like the moon.”

The act of sending salutations reflects the poet’s spiritual longing and the restlessness of his heart.

Janbaz Kishtwari further introduces the nightingale into his poetic composition as the bearer of his salutations.
In this imagery, he associates the Prophet with the narcissus, hyacinth and jasmine–flowers admired for their delicacy, beauty, and fragrance.

Through these metaphors, the poet celebrates the noble character and beauty of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), while the nightingale becomes the messenger carrying greetings to the sacred land of Madina, where the Prophet’s Gumbad-e-Khizra stands.

Despite his profound devotion, the poet humbly acknowledges his own unworthiness, revealing his humility before the Prophet.

This emotional expression underscores reverence and love for the Prophet, whose beauty and fragrance are symbolically reflected through jasmine and narcissus.

Furthermore, Janbaz instructs the breeze to carry his salutations secretly to the Nazneen, meaning “the delicate and beautiful beloved”.

This raises an intriguing question: why does the poet ask the breeze to keep his salaam a secret?

A close reading and examination of the composition suggests that the poet is overcome with humility and spiritual modesty, feeling unworthy of directly presenting his salutations before the Prophet.

Rather than expressing the fear of his sins alone, the secrecy appears to arise from the deep sense of reverence.

The preceding verses of the Naat perhaps support this interpretation, as the poet acknowledges his own insignificance while expressing an overwhelming love for the Prophet.

چشمہٕ چھے بادام تَس، رُخسار زَن پھولوٚن گلاب
الف قد چھُس ہیٚس تھاوِتھ، بارک بینس وَن سلام

یُتھنا راوکھ پوشہٕ چمنس منٛز، تہٕ تَواکھ پام مےٚ
ہوش ڈالان یُس حسین، تَس حسینس وَن سلام

گُلی گیٚندِتھ بعد از سلام، ونی ز بس سُہٕ پیتھ مشراو مےٚ
جانبازَنہٕ طرفہٕ دیٚلہٕ کس، دل نشینس وَن سلام

Chashmae chhey badām tas, rokhsār zan pholvun gulāb.
Aleef kaḍ chhus hes thāevith, bārik-beenas wan salām.

Yuthnā rāwakh pōsh chamanas manz, te tawakh pām meḥ.
Hōsh dālan yūs haseen, tas haseenas wan salaam.

Gulli gaendith bād az salām, wāni zīz zi nath mashravi meyi.
Jānbāzas taraf-e-dil kis, dil-nasheenas wan salām.

His eyes are like almonds, and His cheeks bloom like roses.
His stature is slender like the letter Alif; convey my salutations to the Delicately Beautiful Beloved.

Walk with utmost gentleness through the flower garden; let your feet scarcely touch the sacred ground.
To the one of beautiful understanding, convey my salutations to the Most Beautiful One.

After offering my salutations, tell Him not to forget me.
From Janbaz’s heart, convey my salutations to the One who dwells in every heart.

Janbaz Kishtwari, deep in the act of praise, portrays the Prophet Muhammad’s eyes as almonds, cheeks as blooming roses, and his figure as tall as the letter ‘Alif,’ before conveying his salutations to the delicate Beloved.

He then instructs the moving breezes to pass gently and with consciousness through the flower beds, for ahead is the One who is, indeed, beautiful.

At last, Janbaz, in a heartfelt tone, pleads with the breeze to tell his Beloved, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), to keep the poet in his sight and not to forget him, as expressed in “nath mashravi meyi” (translated as tell Him not to forget me).

He conveys his salutations from the depths of his heart to the One who dwells in the hearts of mankind.

The whole naat offers readers an insight into the compositions, emotions and literary character of Ghulam Nabi Doolwal, reflecting his remarkable command over different literary forms in both the Kashmiri and Urdu languages.

This naat composition, in particular, presents the true essence of an Ashiq-e-Rasool, as Janbaz has penned this entire literary piece as a series of salutations to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), employing vivid imagery to portray the image of his Beloved through profound, unseen love.