ai jahan-zad,
nashat us shab-e-be-rah-rawi ki
main kahan tak bhulun?
zor-e-mai tha ki mere hath ki larzish thi
ki us raat koi jam gira tut gaya
tujhe hairat na hui!
ki tere ghar ke darichon ke kai shishon par
us se pahle ki bhi durzen thin bahut
tujhe hairat na hui!
ai jahan-zad,
main kuzon ki taraf apne taghaaron ki taraf
ab jo baghdad se lauta hun
to main sochta hun
sochta hun tu mere samne aaina rahi
sar-e-bazar dariche mein sar-e-bistar-e-sanjab kabhi
tu mere samne aaina rahi
jis mein kuchh bhi nazar aaya na mujhe
apni hi surat ke siwa
apni tanhai-e-jaan-kah ki dahshat ke siwa!
likh raha hun tujhe khat
aur wo aaina mere hath mein hai
is mein kuchh bhi nazar aata nahin
ab ek hi surat ke siwa!
likh raha hun tujhe khat
aur mujhe likhna bhi kahan aata hai?
lauh-e-aina pe ashkon ki phawwaron hi se
khat kyun na likhun?
ai jahan-zad,
nashat us shab-e-be-rah-rawi ki
mujhe phir laegi?
waqt kya chiz hai tu jaanti hai?
waqt ek aisa patinga hai
jo diwaron pe aainon pe
paimanon pe shishon pe
mere jam o subu mere taghaaron pe
sada rengta hai
rengte waqt ke manind kabhi
laut ke aaega hasan kuza-gar-e-sokhta-jaan bhi shayad!
ab jo lauta hun jahan-zad
to main sochta hun!
shayad is jhonpade ki chhat pe ye makdi meri mahrumi ki
jise tanti chali jati hai wo jala to nahin hun main bhi?
ye siyah jhonpada mein jis mein pada sochta hun
mere aflas ke raunde hue ajdad ki
bas ek nishani hai yahi
un ke fan un ki maishat ki kahani hai yahi
main jo lauta hun to wo sokhta-bakht
aa ke mujhe dekhti hai
der tak dekhti rah jati hai
mere is jhonpade mein kuchh bhi nahin
khel ek sada mohabbat ka
shab o roz ke is badhte hue khokhle-pan mein jo kabhi khelte hain
kabhi ro lete hain mil kar kabhi ga lete hain
aur mil kar kabhi hans lete hain
dil ke jine ke bahane ke siwa aur nahin
harf sarhad hain jahan-zad maani sarhad
ishq sarhad hai jawani sarhad
dil ke jine ke bahane ke siwa aur nahin
dard-e-mahrumi ki
tanhai ki sarhad bhi kahin hai ki nahin?
mere is jhonpade mein
kitni hi khushbuen hain
jo mere gird sada rengti hain
usi ek raat ki khushbu ki tarah rengti hain
dar o diwar se lipti hui is gird ki khushbu bhi hai
mere aflas ki tanhai ki
yaadon ki tamannaon ki khushbuen bhi
phir bhi is jhonpade mein kuchh bhi nahin
ye mera jhonpada tarik hai ganda hai paraganda hai
han kabhi dur darakhton se parindon ki sada aati hai
kabhi injiron ke zaitunon ke baghon ki mahak aati hai
to main ji uthta hun
to main kahta hun ke lo aaj naha kar nikla!
warna is ghar mein koi sej nahin itr nahin hai
koi pankha bhi nahin,
tujhe jis ishq ki khu hai
mujhe us ishq ka yara bhi nahin!
tu hansnegi ai jahan-zad ajab baat
ki jazbaat ka hatim bhi main
aur ashiya ka parastar bhi main
aur sarwat jo nahin us ka talabgar bhi main!
tu jo hansti rahi us raat tazabzub pe mere
meri do-rangi pe phir se hans de!
ishq se kis ne magar paya hai kuchh apne siwa?
ai jahan-zab
hai har ishq sawal aisa ke aashiq ke siwa
us ka nahin koi jawab
yahi kafi hai ki baatin ki sada gunj uthe!
ai jahan-zad
mere gosha-e-baatin ki sada hi thi
mere fan ki thathurti hui sadiyon
ke kinare gunji
teri aankhon ke samundar ka kinara hi tha
sadiyon ka kinara nikla
ye samundar jo meri zat ka aaina hai
ye samundar jo mere kuzon ke bigde hue
bante hue simaon ka aaina hai
ye samundar jo har ek fan ka
har ek fan ke parastar ka
aaina hai