sher-ashob

tujh meñ ai hindostāñ kuchh āj-kal had se sivā

chār-sū phailī huī hai shā.erī kī ik vabā

is maraz meñ ab to assī fīsadī haiñ mubtalā

mustanad shā.er hai jis ne ik taḳhallus rakh liyā

shā.erī go ahd-e-māzī meñ thī pāyān-e-ulūm

ab taḳhallus meñ simaT kar aa ga.ī jān-e-ulūm

ai ajā.ib-ḳhāna-e-hastī kī jins-e-be-bahā

ahd-e-maujūda ke shā.er vaah kyā kahnā tirā

terī kasrat har jagah mardum-shumārī se sivā

tū farishta hai bashar kī shakl meñ is ahd kā

tujh ko khāne se na kuchh matlab na kuchh piine se kaam

sher kah kah kar sunāne aur faqat jiine se kaam

hai bahut taklīf-dah shā.er kī vo jins-e-ajīb

jo sunāne ke liye bechain rahtā ho ġharīb

us ko achchhā kar nahīñ saktā koī kāmil tabīb

shā.erī kī jis ko bad-hazmī ho haiza ke qarīb

chāhtā hai sab sunā duuñ jo kahūñ ik saal meñ

mubtalā hai shā.erī ke saḳht-tar is.hāl meñ

nazm kar letā hai sab kuchh itnī āsānī ke saath

jis tarah bahte haiñ tinke tez-rau paanī ke saath

jab ki tū letā nahīñ apne dimāġh o dil se kaam

sahl se hai tujh ko matlab aur kyā mushkil se kaam

sab ko qillat vaqt kī tujh ko farāvānī milī

sañg ko insān kī shakl-e-hayūlānī milī

kasb-e-zar sab ke liye tujh ko ġhazal-ḳhvānī milī

muft kī be-gār karne ko suḳhan-dānī milī

har zarūrat terī ik jhūTā bahāna ban ga.ī

ma.azarat tak aah uzr-e-shā.irāna ban ga.ī

kuchh sa.ūbāt-e-safar hote nahīñ maanā tujhe

sohbat-e-sher-o-suḳhan meñ farz hai jaanā tujhe

kaam shab bhar jāgnā misre kā dohrānā tujhe

har ġhazal kī daad denā aur chillānā tujhe

terī shirkat lāzmī har shahr meñ har gaañv meñ

sar meñ saudā-e-suḳhan aur sanīchar paañv meñ

dekh terī qadr yuuñ karte haiñ tere qadr-dāñ

koī melā ho kahīñ par yā numā.ish yā nihāñ

jis meñ circus bhī ho dañggal meñ laḌeñ kuchh pahlvāñ

yaad kar lete haiñ bhūle se tujhe bhī mehrbāñ

dete haiñ lālach meDal kā terī izzat ke liye

third kā tujh ko ticket miltā hai shirkat ke liye

ye bhī jab kaafī zamānat ho ki shā.er aa.egā

ye kirāya to kahīñ le kar na khā jā.egā

ek bhartī karne vaalā ḳhud ticket dilvā.egā

apnī ham-rāhī meñ tujh ko rail par biThlā.egā

paḌh na le jab tak ġhazal hotī rahegī dekh-bhāl

ba.ad is ke ek voter aur shā.er kā ma.aal

ye bhī hai shā.er ke zimme ik zarūrī aur kaam

jab ġhazal paḌhne sharīk-e-bazm ho ye nek-nām

apne jūtoñ kā kare apnī baġhal meñ intizām

varna nañge pair ghar aanā paḌegā vassalām

bazm meñ kuchh qadar-dāñ is qism ke aa jā.eñge

chhāñT kar aksar na.e juute churā le jā.eñge

paise vāloñ kī samajh meñ aa ga.ī hai ab ye baat

sarf-e-bejā nāch-gāne kā hai bilkul vāhiyāt

jab koī jalsa ḳhushī kā ho kahīñ par ho barāt

mun.aqid bazm-e-suḳhan hotī hai tā kaT jaa.e raat

pahle arbāb-e-nashāt aate the gaane ke liye

ab to shā.er jaate haiñ ġhazleñ sunāne ke liye

yād-e-ayyāme ki shā.er ko zabāñ par naaz thā

quvvat-e-taḳh.īl hī sarmāya-e-ezāz thā

lafz hī meñ soz thā aur lafz hī meñ saaz thā

naġhma-e-shā.er kā rūhul-quds ham-āvāz thā

ab agar qaabū ho in par to mile shā.er ko daad

sar-rakhab gandhār maddham panjam aur dhevat-nikhār

rafta rafta baḌh gayā gar shauq-o-zauq-e-naġhma-sāz

shā.er ab ā.eñge mahfil meñ pahan kar peshvāz

ḳhatm is fiqara pe hogī har ġhazal ustād kī

suniye maiñ hoñ jānkī-bā.ī allahabad kī

tū namūna sar-ba-sar aḳhlāq o ḳhuddārī kā thā

ik safā ā.īna to qudrat-e-bārī kā thā

tū muālij nafs-e-ammāra kī bīmārī kā thā

tū zarīya mulk aur millat kī bedārī kā thā

kitnī ibrat-ḳhez shai ab ālam-e-hastī meñ hai

jis ne qaumoñ ko ubhārā thā vahī pastī meñ hai

pesha-var jitne haiñ in kī mulk meñ izzat to hai

kam sahī lekin har ik san.at kī kuchh qīmat to hai

har zarūrat par kisī sannā.a kī hājat to hai

juz tire har ahl-e-fan kī kuchh na kuchh ujrat to hai

qismat-e-barbād terī ban ke uḌ jaatī hai bhaap

hai sila terā yahī kyā ḳhuub farmāte haiñ aap!

tujh mein ai hindostan kuchh aaj-kal had se siwa

chaar-su phaili hui hai shaeri ki ek waba

is maraz mein ab to assi fisadi hain mubtala

mustanad shaer hai jis ne ek taKHallus rakh liya

shaeri go ahd-e-mazi mein thi payan-e-ulum

ab taKHallus mein simaT kar aa gai jaan-e-ulum

ai ajaib-KHana-e-hasti ki jins-e-be-baha

ahd-e-maujuda ke shaer wah kya kahna tera

teri kasrat har jagah mardum-shumari se siwa

tu farishta hai bashar ki shakl mein is ahd ka

tujh ko khane se na kuchh matlab na kuchh pine se kaam

sher kah kah kar sunane aur faqat jine se kaam

hai bahut taklif-dah shaer ki wo jins-e-ajib

jo sunane ke liye bechain rahta ho gharib

us ko achchha kar nahin sakta koi kaamil tabib

shaeri ki jis ko bad-hazmi ho haiza ke qarib

chahta hai sab suna dun jo kahun ek sal mein

mubtala hai shaeri ke saKHt-tar ishaal mein

nazm kar leta hai sab kuchh itni aasani ke sath

jis tarah bahte hain tinke tez-rau pani ke sath

jab ki tu leta nahin apne dimagh o dil se kaam

sahl se hai tujh ko matlab aur kya mushkil se kaam

sab ko qillat waqt ki tujh ko farawani mili

sang ko insan ki shakl-e-hayulani mili

kasb-e-zar sab ke liye tujh ko ghazal-KHwani mili

muft ki be-gar karne ko suKHan-dani mili

har zarurat teri ek jhuTa bahana ban gai

mazarat tak aah uzr-e-shairana ban gai

kuchh saubaat-e-safar hote nahin mana tujhe

sohbat-e-sher-o-suKHan mein farz hai jaana tujhe

kaam shab bhar jagna misre ka dohrana tujhe

har ghazal ki dad dena aur chillana tujhe

teri shirkat lazmi har shahr mein har ganw mein

sar mein sauda-e-suKHan aur sanichar panw mein

dekh teri qadr yun karte hain tere qadr-dan

koi mela ho kahin par ya numaish ya nihan

jis mein circus bhi ho danggal mein laDen kuchh pahlwan

yaad kar lete hain bhule se tujhe bhi mehrban

dete hain lalach meDal ka teri izzat ke liye

third ka tujh ko ticket milta hai shirkat ke liye

ye bhi jab kafi zamanat ho ki shaer aaega

ye kiraya to kahin le kar na kha jaega

ek bharti karne wala KHud ticket dilwaega

apni ham-rahi mein tujh ko rail par biThlaega

paDh na le jab tak ghazal hoti rahegi dekh-bhaal

baad is ke ek woter aur shaer ka maal

ye bhi hai shaer ke zimme ek zaruri aur kaam

jab ghazal paDhne sharik-e-bazm ho ye nek-nam

apne juton ka kare apni baghal mein intizam

warna nange pair ghar aana paDega wassalam

bazm mein kuchh qadar-dan is qism ke aa jaenge

chhanT kar aksar nae jute chura le jaenge

paise walon ki samajh mein aa gai hai ab ye baat

sarf-e-beja nach-gane ka hai bilkul wahiyat

jab koi jalsa KHushi ka ho kahin par ho baraat

munaqid bazm-e-suKHan hoti hai ta kaT jae raat

pahle arbab-e-nashat aate the gane ke liye

ab to shaer jate hain ghazlen sunane ke liye

yaad-e-ayyame ki shaer ko zaban par naz tha

quwwat-e-taKHil hi sarmaya-e-ezaz tha

lafz hi mein soz tha aur lafz hi mein saz tha

naghma-e-shaer ka ruhul-quds ham-awaz tha

ab agar qabu ho in par to mile shaer ko dad

sar-rakhab gandhaar maddham panjam aur dhewat-nikhaar

rafta rafta baDh gaya gar shauq-o-zauq-e-naghma-saz

shaer ab aaenge mahfil mein pahan kar peshwaz

KHatm is fiqara pe hogi har ghazal ustad ki

suniye main hon jaanki-bai allahabad ki

tu namuna sar-ba-sar aKHlaq o KHuddari ka tha

ek safa aaina to qudrat-e-bari ka tha

tu mualij nafs-e-ammara ki bimari ka tha

tu zariya mulk aur millat ki bedari ka tha

kitni ibrat-KHez shai ab aalam-e-hasti mein hai

jis ne qaumon ko ubhaara tha wahi pasti mein hai

pesha-war jitne hain in ki mulk mein izzat to hai

kam sahi lekin har ek sanat ki kuchh qimat to hai

har zarurat par kisi sannaa ki hajat to hai

juz tere har ahl-e-fan ki kuchh na kuchh ujrat to hai

qismat-e-barbaad teri ban ke uD jati hai bhap

hai sila tera yahi kya KHub farmate hain aap!