sultan akhtar aap jo ghaeb hain aaj-kal
rahmaniya nashinon ki sham-o-sahar hai dal

jab se qalam ko taj ke sambhaali hai rifle
aalam-e-bewgi mein padi hai nai ghazal

yaksar udas rahte hain kul intellectual
nazr-e-shikar ho gai un ki chahal-pahal

albatta ek zara si hui thi uthal-puthal
muddat ke baad tuta tha na ka jumud kal

do naujawan sahn mein is chae-gah ke
baham digar the bahs mein masruf be-khalal

tha un mein ek chuza qad-o-munhani badan
qamat mein dusra tha shuturmurgh se double

ye bahs thi ki kaun hai in mein jadid-tar
donon mein kis ki hoti hai tahrir mubtazal

donon mein kaun kis se ziyaada hai be-tuka
kahta hai kaun kis se zatal khurduri ghazal

in mein jo manhani tha wo bola ba-sad ghurur
sun lo ki main hun tum se bada intellectual

meri kahaniyon mein maqul ka rang hai
mafluj jin ke samne hai fahm ka amal

tarsil-e-na-rasa ki sanad mere pas hai
mujh ko sarahta hai mujahid miyan ka dil

ye lan-taraniyan na huin dusre se hazm
hont is ke kanpne lage aaya jabin pe bal

chikha wo aa ke taish main teri bisat kya
to aur jadidiyat mein bane mera riwal

likhta hun aise aise makatib be-tuke
kolhu ka bail bhi mera chela hai aaj-kal

islah di kalam pe khud tere barha
mani se lafz lafz se mani diye badal

in sab ke bawajud akadta hai mujh se tu
kya dafatan dimagh mein aaya tere khalal

ab manhani adib ko bhi aa gaya jalal
kahne laga ki zarf se apne na yun ubal

imla durust hai na talaffuz tera durust
tahrir ho kalam ho har chiz hai zatal

islah dega khak wo mere kalam par
jo naql ko naqal kahe aur asl ko asal

ye baat dusre ko lagi sakht nagawar
aur wo chala ke hath ye bola ki le sambhal

phir to ewaz zaban ke hathon ke bol se
us ne shurua kar diya tanqid ka amal

baad us ke donon guth gae ek dusre ke sath
rahmaniya ke sahn mein hone laga dual

kamzor dekhne hi mein tha manhani jawan
jhapta daraaz-qad pe jo pahlu badal badal

yara mudafat ka na baqi raha use
do thokaron mein gir pada be-chaara munh ke bal

chite ki tarah jast laga kar harif par
zaea kiye baghair koi lamha koi pal

pusht-e-daraaz-qad pe wo jhat ho gaya sawar
aur us ke sare jism ko karne laga kharal

ek bhid jama ho gai donon ke ird-gard
paida hua na un ke amal mein magar khalal

dekha tamam logon ne ek lutf-e-khas se
izhaar-e-zat ka wo tamasha-e-be-badal

jab donon thak ke chur hue khud hi hat gae
chehra kisi ka surkh tha bazu kisi ka shal

is waqiye ko sun ke karen aap faisla
un mein tha kaun kis se bada intellectual