In Giving We Receive

Mr. Surjit Singh Lamba (b. 1931) who works in the Law Ministry and lives in Kirti Nagar, New Delhi, has been gifted by nature with a photographic memory. This means that just by reading anything a few times, be it prose or poetry, he can remember all its details. He demonstrated this skill when he visited our office in June 1983, by reproducing whole articles of Al-Risala from memory.

Being a great admirer of Iqbal, he has learnt hundreds and thousands of his verses by heart, thus becoming a specialist on his life and works. In 1983, Mr. Lamba went to Pakistan where he was hailed as an authority on Iqbal. One Mr. Amir Hussain of Lahore, who is also renowned as an expert on Iqbal, challenged Mr. Lamba to recite more verses by heart than he could himself. So convinced was Amir Hussain Lahori of his superiority, that he offered to hand over Rs. 5000 in cash to Mr. Lamba if he could beat him. Mr. Lamba accepted the challenge, and it was agreed that, turn about, each would recite any verse from any part of any poem by Iqbal and that the other should have to recite whatever followed. Mr. Lamba was able to recite faultlessly whatever followed on from Amir Hussain’s cues. But Amir Husain was ultimately unable to match his performance, and so lost the contest. Explaining his prowess, Mr. Lamba remarked, “I have been hovering around the candle of Iqbal like a moth for the past ten years. It is only if you have hovered around it more than I have that you will be able to outdo me in recitation.”

It is only such utter devotion—no matter what the field of activity—which can lead to success. There are few things in life which cannot be likened to the candle. Only those who have hovered around it more than others in this world of struggle and competition can aspire to advance in life. It is by putting everything we have—brains, effort, talent, money, energy—into whatever we are doing, that we can hope to derive some benefit from it. And never can we hope to receive more than we have actually given.