Tribute to Mentors: 30 Urdu Teacher Poems

Ustaad woh jo ilm ki, shama jalaaye,
Jahaalat ke andheron ko, door bhagaaye.
A teacher is one who lights the candle of knowledge,
Drives away the darkness of ignorance.
Mu’allim ki azmat, hai sab se buland,
Us ki badaulat hi, mustaqbil arjumand.
The greatness of a teacher is the highest of all,
Thanks to him/her, the future is noble.

Ustaad ka saaya, rehmat-e-Khudaawandi,
Us ki har baat mein, hikmat ki paundi. (Posheeda: hidden)
The teacher’s shadow (guidance) is God’s mercy,
In his/her every word, wisdom is hidden.

Woh harf sikhaata hai, jo zindagi banaaye,
Shaagird ko manzil tak, wohi toh pahunchaaye.
He/she teaches the letter that builds a life,
He/she is the one who takes the student to the destination.

Ustaad ka adab, hai farz hamaara,
Us ki dua se, raushan ho jahaan saara.
Respect for the teacher is our duty,
May the whole world be bright with his/her prayer.

Qaumon ka me’maar hai, ustaad-e-mohtaram,
Us ke qadmon mein hai, ilm ka haram.
The respected teacher is the architect of nations,
In his/her footsteps lies the sanctuary of knowledge.

Taareekiyon mein woh, raushan charaagh hai,
Ustaad ki shafqat, dil ka baagh hai.
In darkness, he/she is a shining lamp,
The teacher’s affection is the heart’s garden.

Kitni mehnat se woh, ilm baant’ta hai,
Har shaagird ke dil mein, phool kaant’ta hai. (Ilm ke: of knowledge – sows flowers)
With so much effort, he/she distributes knowledge,
Sows flowers (of knowledge) in every student’s heart.

Ustaad ki baatein, motiyon ki ladi,
Zindagi sanwaar dein, yeh anmol ghadi.
The teacher’s words are a string of pearls,
They adorn life, these priceless moments.

Jo ustaad ka ehtram, dil se karega,
Kaamyaabi us ke, qadam choomegi.
He who respects the teacher from the heart,
Success will kiss his feet.

Ustaad woh jauhari, jo pathar ko taraashe,
Kirdaar ko nikhaare, har aib ko mitaaye.
Teacher is that jeweler who carves a stone,
Refines character, erases every flaw.

Shaagird ki taraqqi, ustaad ki khushi,
Us ki nigaahon mein, mustaqbil ki raushni.
The student’s progress is the teacher’s happiness,
In his/her eyes is the light of the future.

Ilm ka dariya, ustaad ki zaat,
Jis ne piya woh, paayega najaat.
The teacher’s being is a river of knowledge,
Whoever drinks from it will attain salvation (from ignorance).

Be-adab shaagird, kabhi phalta nahin,
Ustaad ki dua se, mehroom woh rehta hai.
A disrespectful student never flourishes,
He remains deprived of the teacher’s prayers.

Ustaad ki ta’zeem, hai ain ibaadat,
Milti hai is se, duniya-o-aakhirat ki raahat.
Respecting the teacher is indeed worship,
From this, one gets comfort in this world and the hereafter.

Haq ustaad ka, adaa na ho paayega,
Chaahe shaagird us pe, jaan lutaayega.
The teacher’s due can never be fully repaid,
Even if the student sacrifices his life for him/her.

Ustaad ki har daant mein, pyaar chhupa hota hai,
Shaagird ki bhalaai ka, raaz khula hota hai.
In every scolding of the teacher, love is hidden,
The secret of the student’s well-being is revealed.

Ustaad ka saaya, sar pe rahe mudaam,
Yahi dua hai dil ki, subah ho ya shaam.
May the teacher’s shadow (protection/guidance) always be upon my head,
This is the heart’s prayer, morning or evening.

Ilm-o-adab ka paikar, ustaad-e-zee waqaar,
Us ki khidmat mein hai, sab se bada waqaar.
Embodiment of knowledge and manners, the dignified teacher,
In his/her service lies the greatest honor.

Ustaad woh sooraj, jo jehal mitaaye,
Ilm ki kirnon se, jahaan ko jagmagaaye.
Teacher is that sun who dispels ignorance,
And makes the world shine with the rays of knowledge.

Ustaad ki sohbat, ne’mat-e-Yazdaani,
Is se milegi, aql-o-daanaai.
The teacher’s company is a divine blessing,
From it, one gets intellect and wisdom.

Jo ustaad sikhaaye, us pe amal karo,
Zindagi ki raahon mein, aage hi barho.
Whatever the teacher teaches, act upon it,
And keep moving forward on the paths of life.

Rehbar-o-rehnuma, hai ustaad hamaara,
Us ne diya hamein, ilm ka sahaara.
Our teacher is our guide and leader,
He/she gave us the support of knowledge.

Ustaad ki dua, ik mazboot dhaal,
Bachaaye har aafat se, har haal mein har kaal. (Waqt: time)
The teacher’s prayer is a strong shield,
Protects from every calamity, in every situation, at all times.

Kitaabon ki duniya, ustaad dikhaaye,
Ilm ke moti woh, chun chun kar laaye.
The teacher shows the world of books,
He/she brings pearls of knowledge, carefully selected.

Ustaad ka rutba, hai baap ke baraabar, (Spiritual father)
Us ki khidmat karo, bano tum nek akhtar. (Achhi qismat waale: fortunate ones)
The teacher’s status is equal to a (spiritual) father’s,
Serve him/her, become fortunate.

Tehzeeb-o-tamaddun, ustaad sikhaaye,
Achhe shehri banne ki, raah woh dikhaaye.
The teacher teaches culture and civilization,
He/she shows the way to become good citizens.

Ustaad ki shafqat, maa jaisi hoti hai,
Shaagird ki ghalti pe, woh bhi toh roti hai. (Dil mein: in the heart)
The teacher’s affection is like a mother’s,
On a student’s mistake, he/she also weeps (in the heart).

Shukr guzaar raho, ustaad ke har dam,
Us ne diya hai ilm, mitaaye sab gham. (Jahaalat ke: of ignorance)
Be grateful to the teacher every moment,
He/she has given knowledge, erased all sorrows (of ignorance).

Ustaad zindabad, yeh naara hai hamaara,
Us ki badaulat hi, hai mustaqbil sanwaara.
Long live the teacher, this is our slogan,
Thanks to him/her, the future is adorned.