We’ve all been singing and listening to the National Anthem since we started going to school. But almost all of us are unaware of what it actually means. That’s why, today we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Pakistan’s National Anthem (Pakistan qaumi tarana), including its meaning and writer name.
Pakistan Qaumi Tarana/ National Anthem Meaning
Honestly speaking, if you don’t know what those lyrics mean, you are not to be blamed. This is because the anthem is in Persian.
Let’s see what the lyrics of our national anthem mean.
Opening
پاک سر زمین شاد باد
Translation: Blessed be the Holy Land
Explanation: The opening verse of the national anthem is a prayer for Pakistan, the Holy land for us Pakistanis. We start singing the National Anthem by praying that may it always be blessed and prosperous.
Second Verse
کشور حسین شاد باد
Translation: Happy be the Bonteous Realm
Explanation: The next verse is another way of praying the same for the motherland, Pakistan. کشور means realm, with the verse meaning may the beautiful and blessed realm always be blessed and happy
Third Verse
تو نشان عزم عالی شان ارض پاکستان
Translation: O land of Pakistan, you are a symbol of high resolve
Explanation: In the third verse, the focus of the anthem shifts from prayer to praise. This verse describes what Pakistan is for her children. It says, that Pakistan is an embodiment of a magnificent, undying resolve.
Fourth Verse
مرکز یقین شاد باد
Translation: Blessed be the Citadel of Faith
Explanation: This verse is a combination of praise and prayer for the land. It refers to Pakistan as مرکز یقین, the focal point of faith and belief and then prays for it to be prosperous and successful.
Fifth and Sixth Verse
پاک سرزمین کا نظام
قوت اخوت عوام
Translation: The Order of this Sacred Land
Is the might of the brotherhood of the people.
Explanation: In these two verses, the focus of the anthem changes once again. Now it’s talking about the way the sacred homeland works, emphasizing that the rule of law of this land and the source of the power of the realm is the unity and brotherhood of the people who populate it. This might just be the single most important verse of the entire anthem. If we want our country to be a successful one, we need to think about it. As long as we can put aside our regional, cultural, religious, and linguistic differences and work towards a goal of a better Pakistan, no power on earth can undo us.
Seventh and Eigth Verse
قوم ملک سلطنت
پائندہ تابندہ باد شاد بعد منزل مراد
Translation: May the nation, the country, and the State
Shine in glory everlasting
Explanation: These two verses, again, are a prayer for the country, the nation, and the state. The anthem prays that the nation we are, the country we live in, and the state that is a combination of the nation and the country may always be glorious and shining.
Ninth and Tenth Verse
پرچم ستارہ و ہلال
رہبر ترقی و کمال
Translation: This flag of the Crescent and the Star
Leads the way to progress and perfection,
Explanation: Before the closing verses of the anthem, it speaks of the flag of Pakistan. It describes the flag as one with a crescent and star and tells that it will lead us to prosperity and perfection. The flag is just a symbol here. The verse means that if we all gather under the flag and put our differences aside, we can only achieve our goals as a nation.
Closing
ترجمان ماضی شان حال جان استقبال
سایہ خدا ذلجلال
Translation: Interpreter of our past, the glory of our present, Inspiration of our future,
Symbol of Almighty’s protection
Explanation: The anthem closes on talking about the flag of Pakistan. In the last verses, the flag is described as an interpreter of the past, that reflects how we have achieved the country. It is also the glory of the present, the mark of identification of the country, and the inspiration for our future. Most importantly, this green flag is a symbol of the protection of Almighty. As long as we are united under this flag, we will be in the protection of the Almighty.
Pakistan Qaumi Tarana Composer & Writer Name
Pakistan Qaumi Tarana was composed by Ahmad Ghulam Ali Chagla and written by Hafeez Jalandhri in 1952.