wo zarra jis mein ek aalam nihan tha
adab ka ek bahr-e-be-karan tha

wo nabz-e-waqt ko pahchanta tha
wo rahbar tha wo mir-e-karwan tha

use aata tha lafzon ka baratna
zaban rakhta tha wo ahl-e-zaban tha

ukhuwwat ka tha wo parcham uthae
na apni fikr na khauf-e-jahan tha

chatan ka azm dhaare ki rawani
jhuka qadmon pe us ke aasman tha

jo sab chup-chap sah lete hain sadme
wo in sab be-zabanon ki zaban tha

watan us ki rag-o-jaan mein basa tha
wo dil-dilli ka khud hindostan tha

use dhundega ab 'raghib' zamana
ki us jaisa zamane mein kahan tha