Switched on ikim.fm this morning, they were life-interviewing Irfan Makki. He sang a couple of lines from Lab Pae Ati, it was very melancholic (tangkap sayu tiba-tiba), even though I do not understand Urdu... He said it was originally a poem by a Pakistani poet. Every Pakistani knows it by heart, it is like an anthem to them. Yeah, a good one just like his other songs (or nasheed). He admitted that he was once mistaken for Michael Jackson, that was before, when they thought MJ sang nasheed.Lab pe aati hai dua ban kay tamana meri
May longing comes to my lips as supplication of mine O Allah!
Zindagi sham’a key surat ho Khudaya meri
May like the candle be the life of mine O Allah!
Ho maray dam say younhi meray watan key zeenat
May my homeland through me attain elegance
Jis tarah phool say hoti hai chaman ki zenat
As the garden through flowers attains elegance
Zindgi hoo maray parwanay key surat Ya Rab!
May my life like that of the moth be, O Allah!
Ilm ki sham’a say ho mujko muhabat Ya Rub!
May I love the lamp of knowledge, O Allah!
Ho mara kaam ghareeboon key himayat kerna
May supportive of the poor my life’s way be
Dard mandoon say za’ieefoon say muhabbat karna
May loving the old, the suffering my way be
Maray Allah! burai say bachana mujhko
O Allah! Protect me from the evil ways
Naik jo rah hoo us raah pay chalana mujh ko
Show me the path leading to the good ways
