kuchh ajab ye bargah-e-ishq ka dastur hai
jitna jo mukhtar hai utna hi wo majbur hai

maut par qudrat hai jine ka nahin maqdur hai
tu hi dard-e-dil bata ab kya tujhe manzur hai

ho ke mukhtar ikhtiyar-e-khair-o-shar se dur hai
itni qudrat par bhi insan kis qadar majbur hai

kitna pur-hairat hai manzar aastan-e-yar ka
dur se nazdik-tar nazdik se phir dur hai

lazzat-e-zauq-e-asiri hai asiri ka sabab
warna chahen to qafas se aashiyan kya dur hai

gum hua hun shauq-e-manzil mein kuchh is andaz se
ye nahin malum manzil mujh se kitni dur hai

wo tasawwur se na jaen jaan jae yar hai
mujh ko ye bhi be-khudi-e-ishq mein manzur hai

ek wo hain jin ki tufan mein hai sahil par nazar
dubne wale ko sahil se bhi sahil dur hai

kis se ho 'afqar' umid-e-chaarasazi dahr mein
jo bhi is duniya mein hai majbur hai majbur hai