Ahmad Mushtaq

Ehl-e-havas to khair havas main huye zaleel,
Woh bhi huye kharab, mohabbat jinhon ne ki..

Ab woh galiyan woh makaan yaad naheen,
Kaun rehta tha kahan yaad naheen,

Jalva-e-husn-e-azal thay woh dayar,
Jin ke ab nam-o-nishan yaad naheen,

Koi ulja sa bhala sa ghar tha,
Kis ko dekha tha wahan yaad naheen,

Yaad hai zina-e-pechan us ka,
Dar-o-deevar-e-makaan yaad naheen,

Yaad hai zamzama-e-saz-e-bahar,
Shor-e-awaz-e-khizan yaad naheen..

Har lamha zulmaton ki khudai ka waqt hai,
Shayad kisi ki chehra-numai ka waqt hai,

Kehti hai sahilon se yeh aate samay ki dhoop,
Hoshyar nadiyon ki chaRRhayi ka waqt hai,

Hoti hai sham ankh se aansu rawan huye,
Yeh waqt qaidiyon ki rehayi ka waqt hai,

Koi bhi waqt ho kabhi hota nahin juda,
Kitna aziz us ki judai ka waqt hai,

Dil ne kaha ke sham-e-shab-e-vasl se na bhaag,
Ab pak chuki hai fasl kaTTayi ka waqt hai,

Main ne kaha ke dekh yeh main yeh hava yeh raat,
Us ne kaha ke meri paRRhayi ka waqt hai..

Mil hi jaye ga kabhi dil ko yakeen rehta hai,
Woh isi sheher ki galiyon main kaheen rehta hai,

Jis ki saanson se mehekte thay dar-o-baam tere,
Ae makaan bol kahan ab woh makeen rehta hai,

Ik zamana tha ke sab aik jagah rehte thay,
Aur ab koi kaheen, koi kaheen rehta hai,

Roz milne pe lagta tha ke jagg beet gaye,
Ishq main waqt ka ehsaas nahin rehta hai,

Dil fasurda to hua dekh ke us ko lekin,
Umar bhar kon jawaan kon haseen rehta hai..

Ab na behel sake ga dil ab na diye jalayiye,
Ishq o havass hain sab faraib aap se kya chupaayiye,

Uss ne kaha ke yaad hain rang tuluu-e-ishq ke,
Main ne kaha ke chooriye ab unhe bhool jaayiye,

Kaise nafees they makaan saaf tha kitna aasmaan,
Main ne kahaa ke woh samaan aaj kahan se laayiye,

Kuch to suraagh mil sake mausam-e-dard–hijr ka,
Sang -e- jamaal– e-yaar pr naqssh koii banaayiye,

Koi sharar nahin bachaa pichle barass ki raah me,
Ham-nafasaan-e-shola-khuu aag nahii jalaayiye..

Bhool gayi woh shakal bhi aakhir,
Kab tak yaad koi rehta hai..

Ab woh galiyan woh makaan yaad nahin,
Kaun rehta tha kahan yaad nahin,

jalva-e-husn-e-azal they woh dayaar,
Jin ke ab naam-o-nishaan yaad nahin,

Koii ujlaa sa bhalaa sa ghar tha,
Kis ko dekha tha wahaan yaad nahin,

Yaad hai zeena-e-pechaan us kaa,
dar-o-deewar-e-makaan yaad nahin,

Yaad hai zamzama-e-saaz-e-bahaar,
shor-e-awaaz-e-khizaan yaad nahin..