kaise jale hain baal-o-par ye to sharar se puchhiye
mere junun ka waqia mere jigar se puchhiye

dil ko sukun na mil saka tere baghair umr bhar
tir-e-nazar ki baat hai zauq-e-nazar se puchhiye

mera to dil nikal kar jaise hayat rakh gai
main ne kiya tha us ka kya us ke hi shar se puchhiye

hae wo ek maqam par rahbar jahan pe ro diya
ahl-e-safar pe guzri kiya gard-e-safar se puchhiye

mujh se ye puchhiye mujhe kya hai diya hayat ne
ahl-e-nazar ki baat to ahl-e-nazar se puchhiye

nazuk si ek baat par tanha jahan mein ye dil
kitna tadap ke rah gaya dard-e-bashar se puchhiye

insan ko kya mila bata hasti tere wajud se
kaise hui ye raushni shams-o-qamar se puchhiye

qaid-e-hayat mein bhi han shauq-e-sujud ne mere
sajde lutae kitne hain un ke hi dar se puchhiye

'ashraf' batae zindagi kaise ki sharmsar hai
apna maqam aap khud apni nazar se puchhiye