parde meri nigah ke bhi darmiyan na the
kya kahiye un ke jalwe kahan the kahan na the

jis raste se le gai thi mujh ko be-khudi
us rah mein kisi ke qadam ke nishan na the

raaz-ashna hai meri nazar ya phir aaina
warna wo apne husn ke khud raaz-dan na the

kuchh be-sada se lafz nazar kah gai zarur
mana lab-e-khamosh rahin-e-bayan na the

aae to yun ki jaise hamesha the mehrban
bhule to yun ki jaise kabhi mehrban na the

'ashraf' fareb-e-zist hai kab imtihan se kam
is ke siwa to aur yahan imtihan na the