tu ki shahkar-e-sanna'-e-har-awwalin
tu bayan mein nahin dastaras mein nahin

husn kafir tera aankh tauba-shikan
daw par lag gae jaan-o-iman bhi

tu dalil-e-sahar sham'-e-bahr-o-bar
rah-e-iman bhi rang-e-wijdan bhi

teri aankhon mein dair-o-haram qaid hai
jam-e-gulfam kya jam-e-jam qaid hai

gahe rang-e-ghilaf-e-haram ho gain
gahe rang-e-hina dam-ba-dam ho gain

gahe kitnon ko bhatka diya rah se
gahe ye manzilon ka 'alam ho gain

teri palken jhukin chand dhalne lage
sham hone lagi zakhm jalne lage

sahira phir tera sehr hone laga
log girne lage hosh udne lage

tera rukhsar hai chandni ki haya
dudh mein jaise sindur ghulne laga

tere rukhsar rang-e-shafaq ho gae
ya'ni ye sha'iri ke ufuq ho gae

kis ko tashbih dun isti'ara karun
lab ko lab ke liye hi gawara karun

hont kya aayaten hain ye quran ki
jaan hain jaan-e-jaan ye teri jaan ki

un se chhu len to alfaz khushbu banen
qahqahe nur ban jaen jadu banen

shabnami pankhudi pankhudi hain faqat
aur kya main kahun zindagi hain faqat

sochta hun to kuchh socha jata nahin
husn tera to ab dekha jata nahin

ya'ni 'jawed-akhtar’ ne sach hi kaha
husn-e-jaanan ki ta'rif mumkin nahin

husn-e-jaanan ki ta'rif mumkin nahin