ek maulwi sahab ki sunata hun kahani
tezi nahin manzur tabiat ki dikhani

shohra tha bahut aap ki sufi-manushi ka
karte the adab un ka aaali o adani

kahte the ki pinhan hai tasawwuf mein shariat
jis tarah ki alfaz mein muzmar hon maani

labrez mai-e-zohd se thi dil ki surahi
thi tah mein kahin durd-e-khayal-e-hama-dani

karte the bayan aap karamat ka apni
manzur thi tadad muridon ki badhani

muddat se raha karte the ham-sae mein mere
thi rind se zahid ki mulaqat purani

hazrat ne mere ek shanasa se ye puchha
'iqbaal' ki hai qumri-e-shamshad-e-maani

pabandi-e-ahkaam-e-shariat mein hai kaisa
go sher mein hai rashk-e-kalim-e-hamdani

sunta hun ki kafir nahin hindu ko samajhta
hai aisa aqida asar-e-falsafa-dani

hai us ki tabiat mein tashayyo bhi zara sa
tafzil-e-ali hum ne suni us ki zabani

samjha hai ki hai rag ibaadat mein dakhil
maqsud hai mazhab ki magar khak udani

kuchh aar use husn-faramoshon se nahin hai
aadat ye hamare shora ki hai purani

gana jo hai shab ko to sahar ko hai tilawat
is ramz ke ab tak na khule hum pe maani

lekin ye suna apne muridon se hai main ne
be-dagh hai manind-e-sahar us ki jawani

majmua-e-azdad hai 'iqbaal' nahin hai
dil daftar-e-hikmat hai tabiat khafaqani

rindi se bhi aagah shariat se bhi waqif
puchho jo tasawwuf ki to mansur ka sani

us shakhs ki hum par to haqiqat nahin khulti
hoga ye kisi aur hi islam ka bani

al-qissa bahut tul diya waz ko apne
ta-der rahi aap ki ye naghz-bayani

is shahr mein jo baat ho ud jati hai sab mein
main ne bhi suni apne ahibba ki zabani

ek din jo sar-e-rah mile hazrat-e-zahid
phir chhid gai baaton mein wahi baat purani

farmaya shikayat wo mohabbat ke sabab thi
tha farz mera rah shariat ki dikhani

main ne ye kaha koi gila mujh ko nahin hai
ye aap ka haq tha ze-rah-e-qurb-e-makani

kham hai sar-e-taslim mera aap ke aage
piri hai tawazo ke sabab meri jawani

gar aap ko malum nahin meri haqiqat
paida nahin kuchh is se qusur-e-hamadani

main khud bhi nahin apni haqiqat ka shanasa
gahra hai mere bahr-e-khayalat ka pani

mujh ko bhi tamanna hai ki 'iqbaal' ko dekhun
ki us ki judai mein bahut ashk-fishani

'iqbaal' bhi 'iqbaal' se aagah nahin hai
kuchh is mein tamaskhur nahin wallah nahin hai