wo bhii kya log thay aasaan thii raahain jin kii

Vo bhii kya log thay aasaan thii raahain jin kii
band aankhain kiyay ik simt chalay jaatay thay
aql-o-dil khvaab-o-haqiiqat ki na uljhan na khalish
mukhtalif jalvay nigaahon ko na behlaatay thay

Ishq saadaa bhii thaa, baykhud bhii, junuun-paishaa bhii
husn ko apnii adaaon pay hijaab aataa thaa
phuul khiltay thay to phuulon main nashaa hotaa thaa
raat dhalti thii to shiishon pay shabaab aataa thaa

Chaandnii kaif-asar ruuh-afzaa hotii thii
abr aataa thaa to badmast bhii ho jaatay thay
din main shorish bhii huaa kartii thii, hangaamay bhii
raat kii god main muunh dhaanp kay so jaatay thay

Narm rau vaqt kay dhaaray pay safiinay thay ravaan
saahil-o-bahr kay aaeeN na badaltay thay kabhii
naakhudaaon pay bharosaa thaa muqaddar pay yaqiin
chaadar-e-aab say tuufaan na ubaltay thay kabhii

Ham kay tuufaanon kay paalay bhii sataaey bhii hain
barq-o-baaraan main vo hii shamain jalaayain kaisay
yeh jo aatish-kadaa duniyaa main bharrak utthaa hai
aansuuon say usay har baar bujhaayain kaisay

Kar diyaa barq-o-bukhaaraat nay mahshar barpaa
apnay daftar main lataafat kay sivaa kuchh bhii nahin
ghir gaey vaqt ki bay-raham kashaakash main magar
paas tahziib kii daulat kay sivaa kuchh bhii nahin

Ye andhairaa yeh talaatam yeh havaaon kaa kharosh
is main taaron kii subak narm ziyaa kyaa kartii
talkhii-e-ziist say karrvaa huaa aashiq kaa mizaaj
nigaah-e-yaar ki maasuum adaa kyaa kartii

Safar aasaan thaa to manzil bhii barii raushan thii
aaj kis darjaa pur-asraar hain raahain apnii
kitnii parchhaiyyaan aatii hain tajallii ban kar
kitnay jalvon say ulajhtii hain nigaahain apnii