ishq aur maut

suhani numud-e-jahan ki ghadi thi
tabassum-fashan zindagi ki kali thi
kahin muhr ko taj-e-zar mil raha tha
ata chand ko chandni ho rahi thi


siyah pairahan sham ko de rahe the
sitaron ko talim-e-tabindagi thi
kahin shakh-e-hasti ko lagte the patte
kahin zindagi ki kali phutti thi


farishte sikhate the shabnam ko rona
hansi gul ko pahle-pahal aa rahi thi
ata dard hota tha shair ke dil ko
khudi tishna-kaam mai-e-be-khudi thi


uthi awwal awwal ghata kali kali
koi hur choti ko khole khadi thi
zamin ko tha dawa ki main aasman hun
makan kah raha tha ki main la-makan hun


gharaz is qadar ye nazara tha pyara
ki nazargi ho sarapa nazara
malak aazmate the parwaz apni
jabinon se nur-e-azal aashkara


farishta tha ek ishq tha nam jis ka
ki thi rahbari us ki sab ka sahaara
farishta ki putla tha be-tabiyon ka
malak ka malak aur pare ka para


pae sair firdaus ko ja raha tha
qaza se mila rah mein wo qaza-ra
ye puchha tera nam kya kaam kya hai
nahin aankh ko did teri gawara


hua sun ke goya qaza ka farishta
ajal hun mera kaam hai aashkara
udati hun main rakht-e-hasti ke purze
bujhati hun main zindagi ka sharara


meri aankh mein jadu-e-nisti hai
payam-e-fana hai usi ka ishaara
magar ek hasti hai duniya mein aisi
wo aatish hai main samne us ke para


sharar ban ke rahti hai insan ke dil mein
wo hai nur-e-mutlaq ki aankhon ka tara
tapakti hai aankhon se ban ban ke aansu
wo aansu ki ho jin ki talkhi gawara


suni ishq ne guftugu jab qaza ki
hansi us ke lab par hui aashkara
giri is tabassum ki bijli ajal par
andhere ka ho nur mein kya guzara


baqa ko jo dekha fana ho gai wo
qaza thi shikar qaza ho gai wo