ye raat us dard ka shajar hai
jo mujh se tujh se azim-tar hai
azim-tar hai ki is ki shakhon
mein lakh mishal-ba-kaf sitaron
ke karwan ghar ke kho gae hain
hazar mahtab is ke sae
mein apna sab nur ro gae hain
ye raat us dard ka shajar hai
jo mujh se tujh se azim-tar hai
magar isi raat ke shajar se
ye chand lamhon ke zard patte
gire hain aur tere gesuon mein
ulajh ke gulnar ho gae hain
isi ki shabnam se khamushi ke
ye chand qatre teri jabin par
baras ke hire piro gae hain
2
bahut siyah hai ye raat lekin
isi siyahi mein runuma hai
wo nahr-e-khun jo meri sada hai
isi ke sae mein nur gar hai
wo mauj-e-zar jo teri nazar hai
wo gham jo is waqt teri banhon
ke gulsitan mein sulag raha hai
wo gham jo is raat ka samar hai
kuchh aur tap jae apni aahon
ki aanch mein to yahi sharar hai
har ek siyah shakh ki kaman se
jigar mein tute hain tir jitne
jigar se noche hain aur har ek
ka hum ne tesha bana liya hai
3
alam-nasibon jigar-figaron
ki subh aflak par nahin hai
jahan pe hum tum khade hain donon
sahar ka raushan ufuq yahin hai
yahin pe gham ke sharar khil kar
shafaq ka gulzar ban gae hain
yahin pe qatil dukhon ke teshe
qatar andar qatar kirnon
ke aatishin haar ban gae hain
ye gham jo is raat ne diya hai
ye gham sahar ka yaqin bana hai
yaqin jo gham se karim-tar hai
sahar jo shab se azim-tar hai

uttho meri duniya ke gharibon ko jaga do
kakh-e-umra ke dar o diwar hila do
garmao ghulamon ka lahu soz-e-yaqin se
kunjishk-e-faromaya ko shahin se lada do
sulatani-e-jamhur ka aata hai zamana
jo naqsh-e-kuhan tum ko nazar aae mita do
jis khet se dahqan ko mayassar nahin rozi
us khet ke har khosha-e-gandum ko jala do
kyun khaliq o makhluq mein hail rahen parde
piran-e-kalisa ko kalisa se utha do
haq ra ba-sajude sanaman ra ba-tawafe
behtar hai charagh-e-haram-o-dair bujha do
main na-khush o be-zar hun marmar ki silon se
mere liye mitti ka haram aur bana do
tahzib-e-nawi kargah-e-shishagaran hai
aadab-e-junun shair-e-mashriq ko sikha do

dip jis ka mahallat hi mein jale
chand logon ki khushiyon ko le kar chale
wo jo sae mein har maslahat ke pale
aise dastur ko subh-e-be-nur ko
main nahin manta main nahin jaanta
main bhi khaif nahin takhta-e-dar se
main bhi mansur hun kah do aghyar se
kyun daraate ho zindan ki diwar se
zulm ki baat ko jahl ki raat ko
main nahin manta main nahin jaanta
phul shakhon pe khilne lage tum kaho
jam rindon ko milne lage tum kaho
chaak sinon ke silne lage tum kaho
is khule jhut ko zehn ki lut ko
main nahin manta main nahin jaanta
tum ne luta hai sadiyon hamara sukun
ab na hum par chalega tumhaara fusun
chaaragar dardmandon ke bante ho kyun
tum nahin chaaragar koi mane magar
main nahin manta main nahin jaanta

kuchh usulon ka nasha tha kuchh muqaddas khwab the
har zamane mein shahadat ke yahi asbab the

nai subh chahte hain nai sham chahte hain
jo ye roz o shab badal de wo nizam chahte hain
wahi shah chahte hain jo ghulam chahte hain
koi chahta hi kab hai jo awam chahte hain
isi baat par hain barham ye sitamgaran-e-alam
ki jo chhin gaya hai hum se wo maqam chahte hain
kise harf-e-haq sunaun ki yahan to us ko sunna
na khawas chahte hain na awam chahte hain
ye nahin ki tu ne bheja hi nahin payam koi
magar ek wahi na aaya jo payam chahte hain
teri rah dekhti hain meri tishna-kaam aankhen
tere jalwe mere ghar ke dar-o-baam chahte hain
wo kitab-e-zindagi hi na hui murattab ab tak
ki hum intisab jis ka tere nam chahte hain
na murad hogi puri kabhi un shikariyon ki
mujhe dekhna jo 'zahid' tah-e-dam chahte hain

kab yaad mein tera sath nahin kab hat mein tera hat nahin
sad-shukr ki apni raaton mein ab hijr ki koi raat nahin
mushkil hain agar haalat wahan dil bech aaen jaan de aaen
dil walo kucha-e-jaanan mein kya aise bhi haalat nahin
jis dhaj se koi maqtal mein gaya wo shan salamat rahti hai
ye jaan to aani jaani hai is jaan ki to koi baat nahin
maidan-e-wafa darbar nahin yan nam-o-nasab ki puchh kahan
aashiq to kisi ka nam nahin kuchh ishq kisi ki zat nahin
gar bazi ishq ki bazi hai jo chaho laga do dar kaisa
gar jit gae to kya kahna haare bhi to bazi mat nahin