Actor Ali Zafar has shared a new recitation of a poem written and performed by him. Titled Haqeeqatein, the poem’s recitation was posted a few days ago on his official YouTube page.

The actor, singer and songwriter’s new video shows him travelling in slow motion amid snow-capped mountains with his silhouette in the foreground. Introduced sideways, only the head of his back mostly visible, there is no direct access to him until somewhere in the middle, he slowly turns to look into the camera, and even then just for a moment.

With shades that cover his eyes, there is an eerie music playing in the background with the silence of the landscape, the the effect of the poem is even more emphasized.

Haqeeqatein looks and feels like a rendition mix of the Ishq that is spiritual and at the same time, earthly.

The lines go like this:

Jab Haqeeqatein khulni lagti hai…. toh ruuh pe shabnami moti(on) ki phuaar se hoti hai
(When the truth comes to light, A pearly jasmine scented mist descends on the soul )

The poem does not feel like the sacred vs profane, in fact, resembles closely the Sufi poetry narrative and style.In Sufism, Ishq is understood to be of two kinds. One kind is, Ishq-e-Majazi literally meaning metaphorical love, refers to the love of a man for another woman and vice versa.

This kind of love translates and expresses itself on the earthly plane and this is used as an example to direct your love towards your murshid, guru or master.
The other kind of Ishq is, Ishq-e Haqeeqi, which literally means the love of God, where the lover is human and the beloved is God.

In expressing Ishqs’ of both kinds, poets of Sufi philosophy and its believers have used tropes, metaphors and style that if not similar, are very distinctive.
The actor’s latest rendition of spoken word reminds one of that kid of poetry which is spiritual and ethereal combined and mixed in earthly metaphors; reminding one more of the latter kind of Ishq.

Ajnabi dost ban jate hai, chan dost paraye ho jate hai
(Strangers become friends, friends become strangers)

… baal bikhar jatein hai, saans sunai dene lagti hai, dhadkan dikhai dene lagti hai( hair is untamed, you can hear every breath, can watch your breath)

Listen to the complete poem here