zindagi ko ek musalsal imtihan kahte rahe
laghzish-e-pa ko hi manzil ka nishan kahte rahe

maslahat thi ya ki thi wo ishq ki majburiyan
us but-e-na-mehrban ko mehrban kahte rahe

chupke chupke kah gai jo dastan ko dastan
us nigah-e-shauq ko hum be-zaban kahte rahe

ek tabassum ek nigah aur ek qatra ashk ka
bas inhin par kahne wale dastan kahte rahe

zard patte khushk kaliyan phul murjhae hue
ye hain aks-e-qalb-e-viran hum khizan kahte rahe

apne hi zauq-e-nazar ne bakhshi un ko dilbari
warna kya hai jis ko hum husn-e-butan kahte rahe

gosha-e-dil mein wo mere sab simat kar rah gaya
gham ka ek tufan jise ahl-e-jahan kahte rahe

jalwa-gar rag rag mein hai aur dida-o-dil mein nihan
hum jise khalwat-nashin-e-la-makan kahte rahe

pyar ke lamhe jo un ki bazm mein guzre 'habib'
hum hayat-e-khizr par un ko garan kahte rahe