Tariq Ki Dua

Ali and Omar were racking their brains for their upcoming exams. They flipped and skimmed through the pages of their Urdu textbook, groaning and moaning.

“Do we really have to do this poem too? Can’t we just skip it?” whined Omar. “Right! It’s too difficult and barely makes sense,” whimpered Ali.

Meanwhile, Dadi, who was sitting on the couch and knitting a pink sweater for Hannah, overheard the stressed boys. “Which poem are you both stuck on?” she inquired.

“There is a poem called ‘Tariq Ki Dua’ by Allama Iqbal and we just can’t understand it,” responded Omer helplessly.

“Hmmm. It is a bit tricky. Would you like me to help?” she offered, putting her knitting needles aside.

“Yes, please, Dadi!” whined Ali, who just wanted anyone to do his homework for him and who better than Dadi, the expert of Urdu.

“Right! Before I explain the poem, let me tell you a little bit about the person to whom the poem was dedicated,” Dadi came forward to seat herself next to the boys at the dining table.

This is an excerpt, and there’s more in the magazine. Print issue of hibakidz is available from our online store: