ye nukta zehn mein rakhna kisi ilzam se pahle
tumhaara nam aaega hamare nam se pahle

nazar aa jaenge ahbab bhi mushkil to padne do
nazar aate hain kab tare sawad-e-sham se pahle

agar ai mohtasib kattar muwahhid hum nahin hote
khuda ka nam kyon lete buton ke nam se pahle

yaqinan hum unhen pahle se badh kar yaad aate hain
jabhi to nam bhi lete hain ab dushnam se pahle

agar nazd-e-khuda ishq-e-butan achchha nahin hota
na karta ishq ko paida khuda islam se pahle

kisi bulbul se jugnu ahd-e-nau ka chal diya kah kar
parinde laut jate hain gharon ko sham se pahle

kahin aisa na ho khauf-e-khuda dil mein sama jae
jo karna ho wo kar lo bandish-e-ehram se pahle

butan-e-khud-tarashida ki puja ho bhi sakti hai
magar fatwa to le lo mufti-e-islam se pahle

tahammul na-guzir-e-ishq aur hum itne be-sabre
fasana bhi nahin padhte magar anjam se pahle

koi dil todna ho ya koi masjid girana ho
kaha karte hain bismillah hum har kaam se pahle

'shahab' is daur mein yun doston se khauf khate hain
dara karte the jaise gardish-e-ayyam se pahle