khuda-e-bartar
ye dariyush-e-buzurg ki sarzamin
ye nau-sherwan-e-adil ki dad-gahen
tasawwuf o hikmat o adab ke nigar-khane
ye kyun siyah-post dushmanon ke wajud se
aaj phir ubalte hue se nasur ban rahe hain?
hum is ke mujrim nahin hain jaan-e-ajam nahin hain
wo pahla angrez
jis ne hindostan ke sahil pe
la ke rakkhi thi jins-e-sauda-gari
ye us ka gunah hai
jo tere watan ki
zamin-e-gul-posh ko
hum apne siyah qadmon se raundte hain!
ye shahr apna watan nahin hai
magar farangi ki rahzani ne
isi se na-chaar hum ko wabasta kar diya hai
hum is ki tahzib ki bulandi ki chhipkili ban ke rah gae hain
wo rahzan jo ye sochta hai
ki asia hai koi aqim o amir bewa
jo apni daulat ki be-panahi se mubtala ek fishaar mein hai
aur us ka aaghosh-e-arzu-mand wa mere intizar mein hai
aur eshiyai
qadim khwaja-saraon ki ek nazhad-e-kahil
ajal ki rahon pe tez-gami se ja rahe hain
magar ye hindi
gurisna o pa-barahna hindi
jo salik-e-rah hain
magar rah-o-rasm-e-manzil se be-khabar hain
gharon ko viran kar ke
lakhon saubaten sah ke
aur apna lahu baha kar
agar kabhi sochte hain kuchh to yahi
ki shayad unhi ke bazu
najat dilwa sakenge mashriq ko
ghair ke be-panah biphre hue sitam se
ye sochte hain:
ye hadsa hi ki jis ne phenka hai
la ke un ko tere watan mein
wo aanch ban jae
jis se phunk jae
wo jarasim ka akhada
jahan se har bar jang ki bu-e-tund uthti hai
aur duniya mein phailti hai!
main jaanta hun
mere bahut se rafiq
apni udas be-kar zindagi ke
daraaz o tarik faslon mein
kabhi kabhi bhediyon ke manind
aa nikalte hain rahguzaron pe
justuju mein kasi ke do saq-e-sandalin ki
kabhi darichon ki ot mein
na-tawan patingon ki phadphadahat pe
hosh se be-niyaz ho kar wo tutte hain
wo dast-e-sail
jo samne un ke phailta hai
is aarzu mein
ki un ki bakhshish se
para-e-nan mann-o-salwa ka rup bhar le
wahi kabhi apni nazuki se
wo rah sujhata hai
jis ki manzil pe shauq ki tishnagi nahin hai!
tu in manazir ko dekhti hai!
tu sochti hai:
ye sang-dil apni buz-dili se
firangiyon ki mohabbat-e-na-rawan ki zanjir mein bandhe hain
inhi ke dam se ye shahr ubalta hua sa nasur ban raha hai!
mohabbat-e-narawa nahin hai
bas ek zanjir
ek hi aahani kamand-e-azim
phaili hui hai
mashriq ke ek kinare se dusre tak
mere watan se tere watan tak
bas ek hi ankabut ka jal hai ki jis mein
hum eshiyai asir ho kar tadap rahe hain
mughul ki subh-e-khun-fishan se
farang ki sham-e-jaan-sitan tak!
tadap rahe hain
bas ek hi dard-e-la-dawa mein
aur apne aalam-e-jaan-guza ke
is ishtirak-e-giran-baha ne bhi
hum ko ek dusre se ab tak
qarib hone nahin diya hai!