Ghazal

"nairangi-e-nashaat-e-tamannaa ajiib hai kuchh shaam se qafas mein ujaalaa ajiib hai sharmaa rahe hain taar-e-garebaan-e-chaak-e-dil kuchh din se rang-e-laala-e-sahraa ajiib hai har khvaab-e-e'tibaar shikaston se chuur hai dil mein magar ghurur-e-tamannaa ajiib hai saaraa badan hai dhuup mein jhulsaa huaa magar dil par jo paD rahaa hai vo saaya ajiib hai pheinke nahin hain aaj talak reza-haa-e-dil TuuTe taalluqaat kaa rishta ajiib hai jab tak nazar na kijiye yak qatra khuun hai dil lekin jo dekhiye to ye duniyaa ajiib hai 'akhtar' ye tere paanv ke kaanTe nae nahin kaanTon se kheltaa huaa chhaalaa ajiib hai"

"balaa-e-tira-shabi kaa javaab le aae bujhe charaagh to ham aaftaab le aae bikhar gae jo kabhi chashm-e-intizaar ke rang is anjuman se ham ik aur khvaab le aae ham is zamin pe mizaan-e-adl rakhte hain kaho zamaane se fard-e-hisaab le aae har ek gham se salaamat guzar gayaa hai dil khudaa kare ki mohabbat ki taab le aae gae the ham bhi in aankhon se maangne kyaa kyaa vahi huaa ki bas ik iztiraab le aae hamaari laghzish-e-paiham ko raaegaan na samajh ajab nahin ki yahi inqalaab le aae na laae kuchh bhi ham aashob-e-dahr mein 'akhtar' bas ek hausla-e-iztiraab le aae"

"na aap aae na bedaad-e-intizaar gai ye raat phir miri aankhon se aaj haar gai liye hue koi afsaana-e-bahaar gai sabaa chaman se bahut aaj sogvaar gai hui jo subh to ashkon se jagmagaa uTThi jo aai shaam to yaadon se mushk-baar gai isi nigaah ne maaraa alam-paraston ko vahi nigaah miri zindagi sanvaar gai zamin-e-ku-e-malaamat bhi khair raah mein thi kahaan kahaan liye mauj-e-khiraam-e-yaar gai"

"mauj-e-shamim hain na khiraam-e-sabaa hain ham Thahri hui gulon ke labon par duaa hain ham begaana khalq se hain na tujh se khafaa hain ham ai zindagi muaaf ki dair-aashnaa hain ham is raaz ko bhi faash kar ai chashm-e-dil-navaaz kaanTaa khaTak rahaa hai ye dil mein ki kyaa hain ham yaarab tiraa kamaal-e-hunar ham pe khatm hai yaa sirf mashq-e-naaz kaa ik tajraba hain ham aakhir tire suluk ne jhuTlaa diyaa ise ik zoam thaa hamin ki saraapaa vafaa hain ham kal is zamin pe utreinge phulon ke qaafile ik paikar-e-bahaar ki aavaaz-e-paa hain ham"

"didani hai zakhm-e-dil aur aap se parda bhi kyaa ik zaraa nazdik aa kar dekhiye aisaa bhi kyaa ham bhi naa-vaaqif nahin aadaab-e-mahfil se magar chikh uThein khaamoshiyaan tak aisaa sannaaTaa bhi kyaa khud hamin jab dast-e-qaatil ko duaa dete rahe phir koi apni sitamgaari pe sharmaataa bhi kyaa jitne aaine the sab TuuTe hue the saamne shishagar baaton se apni ham ko bahlaataa bhi kyaa ham ne saari zindagi ik aarzu mein kaaT di farz kiije kuchh nahin khoyaa magar paayaa bhi kyaa be-mahaabaa tujh se aksar saamnaa hotaa rahaa zindagi tu ne mujhe dekhaa na ho aisaa bhi kyaa be-talab ik justuju si be-sabab ik intizaar umr-e-be-paayaan kaa itnaa mukhtasar qissa bhi kyaa ghair se bhi jab milaa 'akhtar' to hans kar hi milaa aadmi achchhaa ho lekin is qadar achchhaa bhi kyaa"

"main ne maanaa ek na ik din lauT ke tu aa jaaegaa lekin tujh bin umr jo guzri kaun use lauTaaegaa hijr ke sadme us kaa taghaaful baatein hain sab kahne ki kuchh bhi na mujh ko yaad rahegaa jab vo gale lag jaaegaa khvaab-e-vafaa aankhon mein basaae phirtaa hai kyaa divaane taabirein pathraav kareingi jab tu khvaab sunaaegaa kitni yaadein kitne qisse naqsh hain in divaaron par chalte chalte dekh lein muD kar kaun yahaan phir aaegaa baad-e-bahaari itnaa bataa de saada-dilaan-e-mausam ko sarf-e-chaman jo khuun huaa hai rang vo kab tak laaegaa"

"ye andheraa jo ayaan subh ki tanvir mein hai kuchh kami khun-e-jigar ki abhi tasvir mein hai ahl-e-taqdir ne sar rakh diyaa jis ke aage aaj vo uqda mire naakhun-e-tadbir mein hai rang-e-gul rang-e-butaan rang-e-jabin-e-mehnat jo hasin rang hai shaamil miri tasvir mein hai main ne jis khvaab ko aankhon mein basaa rakkhaa hai tu bhi zaalim mire us khvaab ki taabir mein hai le uDi mauj-e-bahaaraan ye alag hai varna aaj bhi paanv miraa khaana-e-zanjir mein hai vo mire puchhne ko aae hain sach-much 'akhtar' yaa koi khvaab-e-hasin manzil-e-taabir mein hai"

"sair-gaah-e-duniyaa kaa haasil-e-tamaashaa kyaa rang-o-nikhat-e-gul par apnaa thaa ijaaraa kyaa khel hai mohabbat mein jaan o dil kaa saudaa kyaa dekhiye dikhaati hai ab ye zindagi kyaa kyaa jab bhi ji umaD aayaa ro liye ghaDi bhar ko aansuon ki baarish se mausamon kaa rishta kyaa kab sar-e-nazaara thaa ham ko bazm-e-aalam kaa yuun bhi dekh kar tum ko aur dekhnaa thaa kyaa dard be-davaa apnaa bakht naa-rasaa apnaa ai nigaah-e-be-parvaa tujh se ham ko shikva kyaa be-savaal aankhon se munh chhupaa rahe ho kyuun meri chashm-e-hairaan mein hai koi taqaazaa kyaa haal hai na maazi hai vaqt kaa tasalsul hai raat kaa andheraa kyaa subh kaa ujaalaa kyaa jo hai ji mein kah diije un ke ru-ba-ru 'akhtar' arz-e-haal ki khaatir DhunDiye bahaana kyaa"

"sun rahaa huun be-sadaa naghma jo main baa-chashm-e-tar chupke chupke zindagi hansti hai mere haal par apni saari umr kho kar main ne paayaa hai tumhein aao mere gham ke sannaaTo mire nazdik-tar ek dil thaa so huaa hai paaemaal-e-aarzu ab na koi rahnumaa hai aur na koi ham-safar har qadam par puchhtaa huun paanv ke chhaalon se main ye miri manzil hai yaa baaqi hai meri rahguzar kaun hai ye jo mire dil mein hai ab tak mahv-e-khvaab DhunDte hain ek muddat se jise shaam-o-sahar band hain vaaraftagaan-e-husn par sab raaste tere dar se main agar uTThun to jaaungaa kidhar jal rahaa hai aatish-e-furqat mein lekin zinda hai kyuun liye baiThaa hai ye ilzaam 'akhtar' apne sar"

"sar mein saudaa-e-vafaa rakhte hain ham bhi is 'ahd mein kyaa rakhte hain vaasta jis kaa tire gham se na ho ham vo har kaam uThaa rakhte hain bin khili ek kali pahlu mein ham bhi ai baad-e-sabaa rakhte hain but-kade vaalo tumhein kuchh bolo vo to chup hain jo khudaa rakhte hain ghairat-e-ishq koi raah nikaal zulm vo sab pe ravaa rakhte hain kyaa saliqa hai sitamgaari kaa rukh pe daamaan-e-hayaa rakhte hain chaara-saazaan-e-zamaana ai dil zahr dete hain davaa rakhte hain naghma-e-shauq ho yaa naala-e-dil dard-mandaana sadaa rakhte hain dil ki taa'mir ko Dhaa kar 'akhtar' vo mohabbat ki binaa rakhte hain"

"yaqin hai na gumaan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo ajiib rang-e-jahaan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo sulagte khvaabon ki basti hai rah-guzaar-e-hayaat yahaan dhuaan hi dhuaan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo ravish ravish hai guzar-gaah-e-nikhat-e-barbaad kali kali nigaraan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo jo zakhm de ke gai hai abhi nasim-e-sahar sukut-e-gul se ayaan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo khiraam-e-naaz mubaarak tumhein magar ye dil mataa-e-shisha-garaan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo suraagh-e-hashr na paa jaaein dekhne vaale hujum-e-dida-varaan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo yahaan zamin bhi qadmon ke saath chalti hai ye aalam-e-guzaraan hai zaraa sambhal ke chalo"

"ik kiran mehr ki zulmaat pe bhaari hogi raat un ki hai magar subh hamaari hogi ham-safiraan-e-chaman mil ke pukaarein to zaraa yahin khvaabida kahin baad-e-bahaari hogi is taraf bhi koi khushbu se mahaktaa jhonkaa ai sabaa tu ne to vo zulf sanvaari hogi ye jo milti hai tire gham se gham-e-dahr ki shakl dil ne tasvir se tasvir utaari hogi bu-e-gul aati hai miTTi se chaman ki jab tak ham pe dahshat na khizaan ki kabhi taari hogi"

"ye ham se puchhte ho ranj-e-imtihaan kyaa hai tumhin kaho sila-e-khun-e-kushtagaan kyaa hai asir-e-band-e-khizaan huun na puchh ai sayyaad khiraam kyaa hai sabaa kyaa hai gulsitaan kyaa hai hui hai 'umr ki dil ko nazar se rabt nahin magar ye silsila-e-chashm-e-khun-fishaan kyaa hai nazar uThe to na samjhun jhuke to kyaa samjhun sukut-e-naaz ye paira-e-bayaan kyaa hai bahein na aankh se aansu to naghmagi be-sud khilein na phuul to rangini-e-fughaan kyaa hai nigaah-e-yaas tire haath hai bharam dil kaa kahin vo jaan na lein 'ishq ki zabaan kyaa hai ye aur baat ki ham tum ko bevafaa na kahein magar ye jaante hain jaur-e-aasmaan kyaa hai main shikva-sanj nahin apni tira-bakhti kaa magar bataao to ye subh-e-zar-fishaan kyaa hai"

"guzarnaa hai ji se guzar jaaiye liye dida-e-tar kidhar jaaiye khule dil se miltaa nahin ab koi use bhulne kis ke ghar jaaiye subuk-rau hai mauj-e-gham-e-dil abhi abhi vaqt hai paar utar jaaiye ulaT to diyaa parda-e-shab magar nahin sujhtaa ab kidhar jaaiye ilaaj-e-gham-e-dil na sahraa na ghar vahi hu kaa aalam jidhar jaaiye isi moD par ham hue the judaa mile hain to dam bhar Thahar jaaiye kaThin hain bahut hijr ke marhale taqaazaa hai hans kar guzar jaaiye ab us dar ki 'akhtar' havaa aur hai liye apne shaam-o-sahar jaaiye"

"dil ki raahein DhunDne jab ham chale ham se aage dida-e-pur-nam chale tez jhonkaa bhi hai dil ko naagavaar tum se mas ho kar havaa kam kam chale thi kabhi yuun qadr-e-dil is bazm mein jaise haathon-haath jaam-e-jam chale haae vo aariz aur us par chashm-e-nam gul pe jaise qatra-e-shabnam chale aamad-e-sailaab kaa vaqfa thaa vo jis ko ye jaanaa ki aansu tham chale kahte hain gardish mein hain saat aasmaan az-sar-e-nau qissa-e-aadam chale khil hi jaaegi kabhi dil ki kali phuul barsaataa huaa mausam chale be-sutun chhat ke tale is dhuup mein DhunDne kis ko ye mere gham chale kaun jiine ke liye martaa rahe lo sambhaalo apni duniyaa ham chale kuchh to ho ahl-e-nazar ko paas-e-dard kuchh to zikr-e-aabru-e-gham chale kuchh adhure khvaab aankhon mein liye ham bhi 'akhtar' darham o barham chale"

"kabhi zabaan pe na aayaa ki aarzu kyaa hai gharib dil pe ajab hasraton kaa saayaa hai sabaa ne jaagti aankhon ko chuum chuum liyaa na jaane aakhir-e-shab intizaar kis kaa hai ye kis ki jalvagari kaaenaat hai meri ki khaak ho ke bhi dil shola-e-tamannaa hai tiri nazar ki bahaar-aafriniyaan taslim magar ye dil mein jo kaanTaa saa ik khaTaktaa hai jahaan-e-fikr-o-nazar ki uDaa rahi hai hansi ye zindagi jo sar-e-rahguzar tamaashaa hai ye dasht vo hai jahaan raasta nahin miltaa abhi se lauT chalo ghar abhi ujaalaa hai yahi rahaa hai bas ik dil ke gham-gusaaron mein Thahar Thahar ke jo aansu palak tak aataa hai Thahar gae ye kahaan aa ke roz o shab 'akhtar' ki aaftaab hai sar par magar andheraa hai"

"jaan di kis ke liye ham ye bataaein kis ko kaun kyaa bhuul gayaa yaad dilaaein kis ko jurm ki tarah mohabbat ko chhupaa rakkhaa hai ham gunahgaar nahin hain ye bataaein kis ko ruuTh jaate to manaanaa koi dushvaar na thaa vo ta'alluq hi na rakkhein to manaaein kis ko kaun detaa hai yahaan khvaab-e-junun ki taa'bir khvaab ham apne sunaaein to sunaaein kis ko koi pursaan-e-vafaa hai na pashimaan-e-jafaa zakhm ham apne dikhaaein to dikhaaein kis ko chaak-e-dil chaak-e-garebaan to nahin ham-nafaso ham ye tasvir sar-e-bazm dikhaaein kis ko kaun is shahr mein suntaa hai fughaan-e-durvesh apni aashufta-bayaani se rulaaein kis ko ho gayaa khaak rah-e-ku-e-malaamat 'akhtar' raah par laaein jo ahbaab to laaein kis ko"

"lab-e-sukut pe ik harf-e-be-navaa bhi nahin vo raat hai ki kisi ko sar-e-duaa bhi nahin khamosh rahiye to kyaa kyaa sadaaein aati hain pukaariye to koi muD ke dekhtaa bhi nahin jo dekhiye to jilau mein hain mehr-o-maah-o-nujum jo sochiye to safar ki ye ibtidaa bhi nahin qadam hazaar jihat-aashnaa sahi lekin guzar gayaa huun jidhar se vo raasta bhi nahin kisi ke tum ho kisi kaa khudaa hai duniyaa mein mire nasib mein tum bhi nahin khudaa bhi nahin ye kaisaa khvaab hai pichhle pahar ke sannaaTo bikhar gayaa hai aur aankhon se chhuTtaa bhi nahin is izhdihaam mein kyaa naam kyaa nishaan 'akhtar' milaa vo hans ke magar mujh se aashnaa bhi nahin"

"zindagi kyaa hue vo apne zamaane vaale yaad aate hain bahut dil ko dukhaane vaale raaste chup hain nasim-e-sahari bhi chup hai jaane kis samt gae Thokarein khaane vaale ajnabi ban ke na mil umr-e-gurezaan ham se the kabhi ham bhi tire naaz uThaane vaale aa ki main dekh luun khoyaa huaa chehra apnaa mujh se chhup kar miri tasvir banaane vaale ham to ik din na jiye apni khushi se ai dil aur honge tire ehsaan uThaane vaale dil se uThte hue shoalon ko kahaan le jaaein apne har zakhm ko pahlu mein chhupaane vaale nikhat-e-subh-e-chaman bhuul na jaanaa ki tujhe the hamin niind se har roz jagaane vaale hans ke ab dekhte hain chaak-e-garebaan meraa apne aansu mire daaman mein chhupaane vaale kis se puchhun ye siyah raat kaTegi kis din so gae jaa ke kahaan khvaab dikhaane vaale har qadam duur hui jaati hai manzil ham se raah-e-gum-karda hain khud raah dikhaane vaale ab jo rote hain mire haal-e-zabun par 'akhtar' kal yahi the mujhe hans hans ke rulaane vaale"

"phirti hai zindagi janaaza-ba-dosh but bhi chup hain khudaa bhi hai khaamosh koi meri tarah jiye to sahi zindagi dar-gulu ajal bar-dosh didani thi ye kaaenaat bahut ham bhi kuchh din rahe kharaab-e-hosh ghar se tauf-e-haram ko niklaa thaa raah mein thi dukaan-e-baada-farosh ik taalluq qadam ko raah se hai main na aavaara huun na khaana-ba-dosh ham se ghaafil nahin hain ahl-e-sitam ik zaraa thak ke ho gae hain khamosh ji mein hai koi aarzu kiije yaani baaqi hai sar mein masti hosh hai ye duniyaa bahut vasia to ho main huun aur teraa halqa-e-aaghosh dil ko rote kahaan talak 'akhtar' aakhir-kaar ho gae khaamosh"

"tum ho yaa chheDti hai yaad-e-sahar koi to hai khaTkhaTaataa hai jo ye khvaab kaa dar koi to hai dil pe paDti hui duzdida-nazar koi to hai jis taraf dekh rahaa huun main udhar koi to hai aise naadaan nahin raaton mein bhaTakne vaale jaagti aankhon mein khurshid-e-sahar koi to hai khud-bakhud haath garebaan ki taraf uThte hain sarsaraati si havaaon mein khabar koi to hai kis kaa munh dekh rahi hai safar-aamaada hayaat su-e-maqtal hi sahi raahguzar koi to hai tu mujhe dekh mire paanv ke chhaalon pe na jaa zindagi tere liye khaak-basar koi to hai din kaTaa saaraa kharaabon mein bhaTakte 'akhtar' shaam hoti hai chalo khair se ghar koi to hai"

"yaad aaein jo ayyaam-e-bahaaraan to kidhar jaaein ye to koi chaara nahin sar phoD ke mar jaaein qadmon ke nishaan hain na koi miil kaa patthar is raah se ab jin ko guzarnaa hai guzar jaaein rasmein hi badal di hain zamaane ne dilon ki kis vaza se us bazm mein ai dida-e-tar jaaein jaan dene ke daave hon ki paimaan-e-vafaa ho ji mein to ye aataa hai ki ab ham bhi mukar jaaein har mauj gale lag ke ye kahti hai Thahar jaao dariyaa kaa ishaara hai ki ham paar utar jaaein shishe se bhi naazuk hain inhein chhu ke na dekho aisaa na ho aankhon ke hasin khvaab bikhar jaaein taarik hue jaate hain baDhte hue saae 'akhtar' se kaho shaam hui aap bhi ghar jaaein"

"tum se chhuT kar zindagi kaa naqsh-e-paa miltaa nahin phir rahaa huun ku-ba-ku apnaa pataa miltaa nahin main huun yaa phirtaa hai koi aur mere bhes mein kis se puchhun koi surat-aashnaa miltaa nahin naqsh-e-hairat hi na thaa pursaan-e-haal-e-gham bhi thaa tum ne jo toDaa hai ab vo aainaa miltaa nahin naa-umidi harf-e-tohmat hi sahi kyaa kijiye tum qarib aate nahin ho aur khudaa miltaa nahin us ke dil se apnaa andaaz-e-taghaaful puchhiye jis ke dil ko dard kaa bhi aasraa miltaa nahin ik na ik rishta isi duniyaa se thaa apnaa kabhi sochtaa huun aur koi silsila miltaa nahin koi saae ki tarah chaltaa hai 'akhtar' saath saath dostdaar-e-dil hai lekin barmalaa miltaa nahin"

"tiri jabin pe miri subh kaa sitaara hai tiraa vajud miri zaat kaa ujaalaa hai harif-e-partav-e-mahtaab hai jamaal tiraa kuchh aur lagtaa hai dilkash jo duur hotaa hai mire yaqin ki maasumiyat ko mat Toko miri nigaah mein har naqsh ik tamaashaa hai nazar to aae koi raah zindagaani ki tamaam aalam-e-imkaan ghubaar-e-sahraa hai na aarzu se khulaa hai na justuju se khulaa ye husn-e-raaz jo har shai mein kaar-farmaa hai gham-e-hayaat rahaa hai hamaaraa gahvaara ye ham se puchh dil-e-dard aashnaa kyaa hai charaagh le ke use DhunDne chalaa huun main jo aaftaab ki maanind ik ujaalaa hai jo ham ko bhuul gae un ko yaad kyuun kiije tamaam raat koi chupke chupke kahtaa hai kahaan kahaan liye phirti hai zindagi ab tak main us jagah huun jahaan dhuup hai na saaya hai"