yahi nahin ki nigaahon ko ashk-baar kiyaa — Iqbal Kaifi

guhar samjhaa thaa lekin sang niklaa
kisi kaa zarf kitnaa tang niklaa

dekhaa hai mohabbat ko ibaadat ki nazar se
nafrat ke avaamil hamein maayub rahe hain

amn 'kaifi' ho nahin saktaa kabhi
jab talak zulm-o-sitam maujud hai

khizaan kaa daur bhi aataa hai ek din 'kaifi'
sadaa-bahaar kahaan tak darakht rahte hain

phulon kaa tabassum bhi vo pahlaa saa nahin hai
gulshan mein bhi chalti hai havaa aur tarah ki

mohabbaton ko bhi us ne khataa qaraar diyaa
magar ye jurm hamein baar baar karnaa hai

roza-daaraan-e-judaai kuun kham-e-abru-e-yaar
maah-e-id-e-ramazaan thaa mujhe maalum na thaa

is judaai mein tum andar se bikhar jaaoge
kisi maazur ko dekhoge to yaad aaungaa

ik tire kahne se meraa kam nahin kirdaar hogaa
ye alag hai baat main teri kahaani mein nahin huun

firaaq-e-khuld se gandum hai sina-chaak ab tak
ilaahi ho na vatan se koi gharib judaa

is qadar musalsal thiin shiddatein judaai ki
aaj pahli baar us se main ne bevafaai ki

bichhaDnaa bhi tumhaaraa jite-ji ki maut hai goyaa
use kyaa khaak lutf-e-zindagi jis se judaa tum ho