Ghazal

"rasaai sai-e-naa-mashkur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa qadam rakhte hi manzil duur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa tajalli khud hijaab-e-nur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa ba-zaahir bhi koi mastur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa haqiqat mein koi mahjur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa nazar se duur dil se duur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa abhi to aarzi hai dost ban kar dushmani karnaa jo duniyaa kaa yahi dastur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa ye sab se chhup ke khud ko aaine mein dekhne vaale nazar khalvat mein barq-e-tur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa liye jaataa hai azm-e-tark-e-ulfat un ki mahfil mein nazar uThte hi dil majbur ho jaae to kyaa nizaam-e-aashiqi qaaem hai un ki be-niyaazi se kisi ki iltijaa manzur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa har ik ko 'kaif' tum kyon apnaa afsaana sunaate ho gham-e-ulfat gham-e-jamhur ho jaae to kyaa hogaa"

"baqaa ki fikr karo khud hi zindagi ke liye zamaana kuchh nahin kartaa kabhi kisi ke liye nahin hai vaqf agar zindagi kisi ke liye to har qadam pe tabaahi hai aadmi ke liye kamaal jab hai ki us raah mein charaagh jalaao jo muddaton se tarasti hai raushni ke liye fareb-e-shauq fareb-e-nazar fareb-e-khayaal hazaar daam hain ik zauq-e-aagahi ke liye tumhaari bazm mein kyaa shikva-e-gham-e-hasti yahaan to saans bhi neamat hai zindagi ke liye gulon ne aag lagaa di tamaam gulshan mein zaraa si der ke lutf-e-shaguftagi ke liye koi to baat tire aastaan mein hai varna hazaar dar the mire zauq-e-bandagi ke liye vahaan havaaon ke rukh bhi nigaah mein rakhnaa jahaan charaagh jalaate ho raushni ke liye na jaane kitni bahaaron kaa khuun huaa hogaa nigaar-e-khaana-aalam ki dilkashi ke liye farogh-e-baada nahin hai harif-e-tishna-labi kuchh aur laao mire zauq-e-mai-kashi ke liye nigaah-e-barq hai jab se mire chaman ki taraf duaaein maang rahaa huun kali kali ke liye jo un ke gham se ho nisbat to har jahaan mein 'kaif' masarraton kaa khazaana hai aadmi ke liye"

"kyaa dilkashi hai anjum-o-khurshid-o-maah mein aise na jaane kitne hain is jalva-gaah mein jannat khayaal mein hai na duniyaa nigaah mein kyaa lazzatein mili hain gham-e-be-panaah mein dil ko rahe shuur jo haal-e-tabaah mein mearaaj-e-zindagi hai gham-e-be-panaah mein kyaa jaane kyaa asar thaa kisi ki nigaah mein sau husn aa gae mire haal-e-tabaah mein mujh se nigaah pher ke kyon jaa rahe ho tum meri to zindagi hai tumhaari nigaah mein meaar-e-bandagi-e-bashar hi badal diyaa kuchh rind aa gae the kisi khaanqaah mein rahmat ko bhi muaavin-e-ghaflat banaa diyaa yuun bhi koi na aae fareb-e-gunaah mein imaan aur kufr kaa jhagDaa hi kho diyaa vo jab kabhi samaae kisi ki nigaah mein teri nazar ki khair ho kitne hi aaine TuuTe hue paDe hain mohabbat ki raah mein ham donon mahv-e-shauq mein lekin maaal-e-shauq un ki nigaah mein hai na meri nigaah mein aise adab se dekh rahe hain vo aaina haazir ho jaise koi kisi baargaah mein paighambari razaa-e-ilaahi hai varna 'kaif' yaaqub dekh sakte the yusuf ko chaah mein"

"sab jise kahte hain vaqf-e-gham-e-jaanaan honaa avvalin shart hai us ke liye insaan honaa gham ke daaghon ne baDaa kaam banaayaa dil kaa is siyah-khaane mein mushkil thaa charaaghaan honaa apne partav ke sivaa zehn mein kuchh bhi na rahaa aur sikhlaaiye aainon ko hairaan honaa uf ye divaangi-e-ishq ki is bazm mein bhi jab kabhi hosh mein aanaa to pareshaan honaa bazm-e-aalam ho ki mahshar meri daanist mein hai ik tajalli kaa kai rukh se numaayaan honaa khaar-o-khas ko bhi nigaahon mein rakhein ahl-e-chaman varna mumkin nahin tanzim-e-bahaaraan honaa dil ke TukDe sar-e-daaman pe liye baiThaa huun khel samjhaa thaa ilaaj-e-gham-e-pinhaan honaa meraa kirdaar hai zaahir mire ashaar se 'kaif' jaise tasvir mein ik rang numaayaan honaa"

"ye sochtaa huun ki khud aarif-e-hayaat bhi hai bashar jo mahram-e-asraar-e-kaaenaat bhi hai nafas nafas mein rahe kyon na ik jahaan-e-sifaat miri nigaah mein tanvir-e-husn-e-zaat bhi hai dilon ko mil nahin sakti thi ishrat-e-abadi hazaar shukr mohabbat mein gham ki raat bhi hai vo ik khayaal ki jis ne gham-e-hayaat diyaa vahi khayaal ilaaj-e-gham-e-hayaat bhi hai jo sirr-e-ishq bhi hai raaz-e-husn-e-jaanaan bhi yaqin karo mire dil mein ik aisi baat bhi hai ye har gunah pe jo ehsaas hai nadaamat kaa mujhe to 'kaif' yahi hila-e-najaat bhi hai"

"ab sochtaa huun jaaun to jaaun kidhar ko main ai kaash chhoDtaa na tiri rahguzar ko main dil gham kaa aaina hai nazar dil kaa aaina kaise chhupaaun soz-e-nihaan ke asar ko main aalam tamaam ek fareb-e-nigaah hai ab kyaa dikhaaun chashm-e-haqiqat-nigar ko main madhoshiyon mein TuuT gayaa dil kaa aaina ab kaise munh dikhaaungaa aaina-gar ko main un ki nazar khudaa na kare munfail ho 'kaif' dekhun na kaash jazba-e-gham ke asar ko main"

"chaman vaalon se barq-e-be-amaan kuchh aur kahti hai magar meri to shaakh-e-aashiyaan kuchh aur kahti hai nazar mein us ki yuun to sab ki hi raftaar hai lekin mire qadmon se gard-e-kaarvaan kuchh aur kahti hai yahaan kaa zarra zarra mahshar-e-gham hai haqiqat mein ba-zaahir raunaq-e-bazm-e-jahaan kuchh aur kahti hai hai un ki hi nazar aaina-e-dair-o-haram lekin yahaan kuchh aur kahti hai vahaan kuchh aur kahti hai kisi din saath chhuT jaane kaa khatra hai use shaayad tire gham se meri umr-e-ravaan kuchh aur kahti hai yahi tum ko yaqin kyon hai ki koi iltijaa hogi suno to meri chashm-e-khunfishaan kuchh aur kahti hai mujhe apni sadaaqat par bhi shak hai is zamaane mein ki dil kuchh aur kahtaa hai zabaan kuchh aur kahti hai jahaan mein go nahin aasaar kuchh aise qayaamat ke magar gumraahi-e-ahl-e-jahaan kuchh aur kahti hai kabhi 'kaif' is kaa lohaa maante the lucknow vaale magar ab ahl-e-dehli ki zabaan kuchh aur kahti hai"

"vo gham de rahe hain khushi ho rahi hai haqiqat mein ab aashiqi ho rahi hai abhi mohtasib mai-kade mein na aaein Thahar jaaiye mai-kashi ho rahi hai mohabbat mein kitne hi mansur gum hain khudi bhi yahaan be-khudi ho rahi hai na zauq-e-talab hai na ehsaas-e-manzil ye jiinaa hai yaa khud-kushi ho rahi hai koi juratein dekhe ahl-e-havas ki mohabbat se bhi dil lagi ho rahi hai ye mai-khaane mein kis kaa paimaana chhalkaa bahut duur tak raushni ho rahi hai na puchho yagaanon ki begaangi ko ye sab dost mein dosti ho rahi hai ajab aalam-e-'kaif' hai bazm-e-jaanaan nigaahon se bhi bandagi ho rahi hai"

"junun-e-ishq ye kyaa rang-e-mahfil hai jahaan main huun jo aalam hai miraa hi aalam-e-dil hai jahaan main huun yahaan tak kaar-farmaa jazb-e-kaamil hai jahaan main huun ki farq-e-zaahir-o-baatin bhi mushkil hai jahaan main huun sivaa-e-husn koi bhi nahin hai maqsad-e-hasti sivaa-e-ishq har ehsaas-e-baatil hai jahaan main huun junun-e-gham kaa shikva kis se kiije kis tarah kiije tajalli khud sharik-e-aalam-e-dil hai jahaan main huun kuchh aisi be-niyaazi si talaash-e-chaaragar se hai yahaan har ranj goyaa raahat-e-dil hai jahaan main huun mujhe tufaan to uThte hue mahsus hote hain ba-zaahir koi dariyaa hai na saahil hai jahaan main huun shuur-e-har-haqiqat munhasir divaangi par hai magar divaangi ek kaar-e-mushkil hai jahaan main huun baqaa targhib deti hai mujhe shauq-e-faraavaan ki fanaa minjumla-e-aasaar-e-manzil hai jahaan main huun liye jaataa hai koi 'kaif' varna ye haqiqat hai yahaan to do qadam chalnaa bhi mushkil hai jahaan main huun"

"kyaa khabar thi ishq mein aisaa bhi ik daur aae hai baat kaisi saans letaa huun to ji ghabraae hai rahm kar jazb-e-mohabbat ye sitam kyon Dhaae hai husn aur betaab-o-hairaan kis se dekhaa jaae hai yuun to un ki yaad se milti hai taskin-e-hayaat aur jab taDpaae hai zaalim bahut taDpaae hai khushk aankhein muskuraate honT chehra mutmain yuun bhi aksar daastaan-e-gham sunaai jaae hai aur to kyaa zindagi kaa hosh tak chhoDaa nahin luTne vaale kahin aise bhi luuTaa jaae hai rang-e-gulshan dekhne vaale kabhi ye bhi to dekh nannhi nannhi pattiyon mein kaun ras dauDaaye hai ishq ke maare hue duniyaa ko dekhein bhi to kyaa jab nazar uThti hai koi saamne aa jaae hai husn chhuptaa phir rahaa hai mukhtalif pardon mein 'kaif' ishq ki zaalim nazar ke saamne kaun aae hai"

"haalat-e-dil vahi rahi maqsad-e-dil ko paa ke bhi ham to sukun na paa sake un ke qarib jaa ke bhi izn-e-nazaara to diyaa jurat-e-did chhin li vo kabhi saamne na aae rukh se hijaab uThaa ke bhi dil hai na zauq-e-aarzu koi talab na justuju ab vo kareinge kyaa mujhe saahib-e-dil banaa ke bhi paas-e-razaa-e-dost ko ahl-e-vafaa se puchhiye kuchh na zabaan se kah sake un kaa ishaara paa ke bhi khul gayaa raaz-e-haal-e-dil jab vo harim-e-naaz mein ham se nazar churaaiye sab se nazar milaa ke bhi yuun bhi ik imtihaan sahi jazb-e-darun-e-ishq kaa kuchh dinon dekh lijiye dil se hamein bhulaa ke bhi kam hui kyaa fasurdagi 'kaif'-e-alam-nasib ki aap ne dekh to liyaa baarhaa muskuraa ke bhi"

"vo qarib bhi hain to kyaa huaa hamein apne kaam se kaam hai vahi justuju vahi be-khudi vahi zindagi kaa nizaam hai talab irtiqaa ki asaas hai ki gham-e-asiri kaa naam hai ki jahaan chaman hai vahin qafas jahaan daana hai vahin daam hai hama-vaqt mujh ko yahi hai gham ki unhein hai meraa khayaal kam magar is ki fikr kabhi nahin ki miraa junun bhi to khaam hai mujhe mai-kade mein kisi ne kal ye bataayaa maslak-e-aashiqi jise baada vajh-e-surur ho use baada piinaa haraam hai ye hai shaan-e-mahfil-e-aashiqi ki tavil arsa guzar ke bhi vahi but-kade ki si subh hai vahi mai-kade ki si shaam hai ye hai kaisaa aalam-e-be-khudi nahin hosh un ki razaa kaa bhi jo yahi hai 'kaif' junun-e-gham to junun-e-gham ko salaam hai"

"dil mein hai ik raaz jo honTon tak aa saktaa nahin yaani main jis haal mein bhi huun bataa saktaa nahin be-khudi-e-zauq-e-sajda ne ye aalam kar diyaa sar to sar ab to nigaahein bhi uThaa saktaa nahin hai razaa-e-dost mein shaamil junun-e-ishq bhi chaahe kuchh kiije mujhe to hosh aa saktaa nahin un ke ik jalve mein hai mahdud un ke saamne meraa jo aalam do-aalam mein samaa saktaa nahin zaahir-o-baatin ki har tafriq hi jaati rahi ab main chaahun bhi to haal-e-dil chhupaa saktaa nahin un ki mukhtaari bhi ik shaan-e-karam hai aur kyaa jo kisi saail se daaman tak chhuDaa saktaa nahin 'kaif' ik khvaab-e-pareshaan hai kisi mahbub kaa lekin aisaa jis ko vo khud bhi bhulaa saktaa nahin"

"dil gham se bhi bezaar hai maalum nahin kyon ye aish bhi ab yaar hai maalum nahin kyon aalam hama dildaar hai maalum nahin kyon jo gham hai gham-e-yaar hai maalum nahin kyon ab husn bhi kuchh saamne aane mein hai mohtaat ab ishq bhi khuddaar hai maalum nahin kyon vo ishq jo har jalva-e-rangin pe fidaa hai khud apnaa talabgaar hai maalum nahin kyon kuchh roz se vo 'kaif' jo ik gosha-nashin thaa rusvaa sar-e-baazaar hai maalum nahin kyon"

"ek ik lamha guzaaraa jaa rahaa hai hosh mein ai zahe-qismat jo hain tufaan ki aaghosh mein ab ye aalam hai hamaaraa bandagi ke josh mein ek sajda be-khudi mein ek sajda hosh mein maslahat kuchh bhi na kahne de to is kaa kyaa ilaaj jaane kitni daastaanein hain lab-e-khaamosh mein uf ye sailaab-e-havaadis haae ye tufaan-e-gham yuun bhi laataa hogaa divaane ko koi hosh mein Dar hai ahl-e-kaarvaan ki tezi-e-raftaar se apni manzil bhi na kho baiThein kisi din josh mein saamne mahshar ho yaa kaunain chaahe kuchh bhi ho un kaa divaana to ab aataa nahin hai hosh mein 'kaif' se puchhe koi tere karam ki vusatein us ne dekhaa hai do-aalam ko tiri aaghosh mein"

"koi nazar kisi aalam mein kaamyaab nahin tilism-e-surat-o-maani tiraa javaab nahin nafas nafas mein agar zauq-e-inqalaab nahin fareb-e-masti-e-pindaar hai shabaab nahin ba-qadr-e-zarf talabgaar hai uruj-o-zavaal zamin pe hai vahi zarra jo aaftaab nahin hazaar saal bhi ghaflat ke de nahin sakte us ek lamha ki qimat jo sirf khvaab nahin hujum-e-shauq mein koi nazar samajh na saki shuur-e-did ki taalim thi hijaab nahin baraa-e-afv gunahgaar ki taraf jo uThe us ik nigaah-e-karam kaa koi javaab nahin dilon ko sinon mein dhaDkaa ke rah gayaa hai 'kaif' vo inqalaab kaa dhokaa thaa inqalaab nahin"

"zindagi kaa koi his kaise adaa karte hain jo mohabbat nahin karte hain vo kyaa karte hain dars-e-ibrat hai dam-e-subh nuzul-e-shabnam gulsitaan rotaa hai aur phuul hansaa karte hain taalibaan-e-karam-e-yaar talab se pahle apne daaman ki taraf dekh liyaa karte hain un ki marzi hai hamein yaad karein yaa na karein ham ba-har-haal unhein yaad kiyaa karte hain zinda dargor huun main kasrat-e-aalaam se 'kaif' log phir bhi mire jiine ki du'aa karte hain"

"ai junun-e-bandagi-e-shauq ye kyaa kar diyaa un ke dhoke mein na jaane kis ko sajda kar diyaa khud unhon ne apnaa raaz-e-husn afshaa kar diyaa jis taraf bhi aankh uThaai hashr barpaa kar diyaa kaash vo gham taa-abad dil par rahe saaya-fagan jis ne dil ko be-niyaaz-e-din-o-duniyaa kar diyaa tum hi socho 'kaif' ab kis kaa ho mujh ko e'tibaar khud miri aankhon ne meraa raaz afshaa kar diyaa"

"kabhi giryaan kabhi khandaan kabhi hairaan huun main mukhtasar hai miri rudaad ki insaan huun main sehn-e-gulshan se miri khaak-e-nasheman na uDaa ai sabaa mahram-e-asraar-e-gulistaan huun main yuun mujhe dil se faraamosh kiye baiThe hain jaise un kaa hi koi khvaab-e-pareshaan huun main de ke gham aap ne takmil-e-junun bhi to na ki sochiye kab se yuun hi chaak-e-garebaan huun main bazm-e-kaunain mein ab tak mah-o-khurshid sahi un ki mahfil mein charaagh-e-tah-e-daamaan huun main dil ko ummid-e-karam rakhti hai muztar yaani ye bhi ik husn-e-talab hai ki pareshaan huun main mujh ko sharminda na kar mujh se ik aansu bhi na maang ai gham-e-dost bahut be-sar-o-saamaan huun main ye miraa haal hai naala bhi nahin kar saktaa aur miraa zarf bhi dekho ki ghazal-khvaan huun main 'kaif' is haal mein hain aaj-kal insaan ki mujhe sharm aati hai ye kahte hue insaan huun main"

"nazar nazar se milaai kyon thi nafas nafas mein samaae kyon the unhein thaa manzur mujh se parda to saamne mere aae kyon the dayaar-e-husn-e-vafaa-talab ki taraf qadam hi uThaae kyon the junun ko ilzaam dene vaale junun ki baaton mein aae kyon the isi khataa ki sazaa mein ab tak nishaan-e-manzil nahin milaa hai rah-e-mohabbat mein avval avval mire qadam Dagmagaae kyon the vo aaftaab-e-jamaal shaayad yahin kahin se guzar rahaa hai jahaan-e-dil ke tamaam zarre abhi abhi jagmagaae kyon the nafas nafas sad-khalish bad-aamaal qadam qadam par hazaar tufaan main ab ye samjhaa ki roz-e-avval vo dekh kar muskuraae kyon the unhein jo ab 'kaif' se hai shikva ki nazm-e-aalam bigaaD Daalaa vo aise divaane ko bhalaa is khirad ki duniyaa mein laae kyon the"

"jalve hon ru-ba-ru to tamaashaa kare koi jab kuchh nazar na aae to phir kyaa kare koi husn-e-latif kyon ho asir-e-nigaah-e-shauq ham khud ye chaahte hain ki pardaa kare koi sadhaa hijaab-haa-e-taayyun ke baavajud vo kyaa karein jo un ki tamannaa kare koi tharraa ke rah gai hai miri kaaenaat-e-hosh aise bhi saamne se na guzraa kare koi kis kis se raah-e-dost mein daaman chhuDaaiye har zarra chaahtaa hai ki sajda kare koi har qalb muztarib hai magar un ki maslahat duniyaa kharaab-e-gham hai magar kyaa kare koi meri nigaah-e-shauq se is bazm-e-naaz mein vo husn aa rahaa hai ki dekhaa kare koi dil aashnaa-e-gham ho to ai 'kaif' bazm-e-dahr aisaa nigaar-khaana hai dekhaa kare koi"

"jo uThi thi meri taraf kabhi dil-e-mo'tabar ki talaash mein meri saari umr guzar gai usi ik nazar ki talaash mein gham-e-ishq hi ko main kyaa kahun tire husn ko bhi nahin sukun kabhi is nazar ki talaash mein kabhi us nazar ki talaash mein jo yahi junun hai to mil chuki hamein manzil-e-gham-e-aashiqi usi rahguzar se guzar gae usi rahguzar ki talaash mein sar-e-manzil aa ke pataa chalaa ki qadam qadam pe fareb thaa kahin ham-safar ki umiid mein kahin ham-safar ki talaash mein use vasl kaisaa haqiqatan gham-e-hijr kaa bhi to haq nahin jo tamaam raat guzaar de magar ik sahar ki talaash mein hai ajiib qismat-e-'kaif' bhi ye milaa hai haasil-e-bandagi ki mazaaq-e-sajda bhi kho diyaa kisi sang-e-dar ki talaash mein"

"junun-e-shauq kaa haasil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe kahaan donon ki hai manzil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe Dubonaa chaahti thiin jo bhi ham donon ki kashti ko unhin maujon mein thaa saahil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe tamannaaon ke tufaanon ne fursat hi na milne di maqaamaat-e-nigaah-o-dil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe mohabbat ne kuchh aisaa hausla bakhshaa thaa donon ko kisi mushkil ko bhi mushkil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe shadid ehsaas-e-qurbat se jahaan madhosh the ham tum vahin thaa imtihaan-e-dil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe mohabbat sirf izhaar-e-mohabbat ko nahin kahte fareb-e-sai-e-laa-haasil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe vafaa kaa ahd kaisi saadgi ke saath kar baiThe vafaa hai kis qadar mushkil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe sabhi begaana the zaahir mein ham donon ki haalat se magar koi na thaa ghaafil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe vo kahte hain hamein bhi 'kaif' rusvaa kar diyaa tum ne magar rusvaai kaa haasil na tum samjhe na ham samjhe"

"baDhe chalo ki zamaane ko ye dikhaanaa hai jahaan hamaare qadam hain vahin zamaana hai ye husn-o-ishq ki tafriq ik bahaana hai kahin nazar ko kahin dil ko aazmaanaa hai ab is junun-e-talab kaa koi Thikaana hai ki apne aap ko kho kar bhi un ko paanaa hai bas ek ishq hi aisaa sharaab-khaana hai jahaan surur kaa mafhum hosh aanaa hai ilaahi tamkanat-e-husn-o-naaz-e-husn ki khair kuchh aaj ishq kaa andaaz vaalihaana hai main har gunaah ki haqiqat bataa to duun sar-e-hashr magar unhein jo har ilzaam se bachaanaa hai zaraa junun-e-tamannaa se dil guzar jaae phir is ke baad koi daam hai na daana hai main jaantaa huun jo hai farq-e-zaat-o-partav-e-zaat miri nigaah pas-e-parda-e-zamaana hai kise nasib ho sajda ye aur baat hai 'kaif' har ik jabin ke qarib un kaa aastaana hai"