Ghazal

"koi sitaara-e-girdaab aashnaa thaa main ki mauj mauj andheron mein Dubtaa thaa main us ek chehre mein aabaad the kai chehre us ek shakhs mein kis kis ko dekhtaa thaa main nae sitaare miri raushni mein chalte the charaagh thaa ki sar-e-raah jal rahaa thaa main safar mein 'ishq ke ik aisaa marhala aayaa vo DhunDtaa thaa mujhe aur kho gayaa thaa main tamaam 'umr kaa haasil saraab o tishna-labi miraa qusur yahi thaa ki sochtaa thaa main bigaD rahaa thaa main duniyaa ke zaaviye se magar ik aur zaaviya thaa jis se ban rahaa thaa main nahin rahaa main tire raaste kaa patthar bhi vo din bhi the tire ehsaas mein khudaa thaa main mujhe gila na kisi sang kaa na aahan kaa usi ne toD diyaa jis kaa aaina thaa main"

"nayaa mazmun kitaab-e-zist kaa huun nihaayat ghaur se sochaa gayaa huun sunein mujh ko to main dhaDkan huun dil ki nahin sunte to sahraa ki sadaa huun miri jaanib koi aae to puchhun nishaan-e-raah huun manzil huun kyaa huun kisi ko kyaa bataaun kaun huun main ki apni daastaan bhulaa huaa huun khud apni diid se andhi hain aankhein khud apni guunj se bahraa huaa huun miri sairaabiyon mein tishnagi hai ki main dariyaa huun lekin ret kaa huun vo ran mujh mein paDaa hai khair o shar kaa ki apni zaat mein ik karbalaa huun miraa siina hai chhalni nai ki surat inhin zakhmon se main naghma-saraa huun mujhe shabnam kaa aaina milaa hai isi mein gul ki surat dekhtaa huun miri maujudgi se bandagi hai ki jab se gum huaa huun main khudaa huun"

"ye khvaab aur bhi dekheinge raat baaqi hai abhi to ai dil-e-zinda hayaat baaqi hai mire lahu mein abhi tark-e-ishq ke baa-vasf vo garmi-e-nigah-e-iltifaat baaqi hai abhi to zauq-e-talab mein kami nahin aai abhi miraa safar-e-be-jihaat baaqi hai jo ho sake to shahaadat-gah-e-nazar mein aa ye dekh ishq mein kitnaa sabaat baaqi hai ye kaaenaat abhi ek intizaar mein hai ki hone vaali koi vaardaat baaqi hai khud apni raakh se tu ji uThe sharar ki tarah ye moajiza abhi ai kaaenaat baaqi hai shab-e-visaal mein din bhi milaa na lein ai dost ki raat khatm hui aur baat baaqi hai hui hai shaakh-e-hunar mein nai numu ab ke 'salim' barg-e-khizaan se najaat baaqi hai"

"tire saanche mein Dhaltaa jaa rahaa huun tujhe bhi kuchh badaltaa jaa rahaa huun na jaane tujh ko bhulaa huun ki khud ko bahar-surat sanbhaltaa jaa rahaa huun tabi'at hai abhi tiflaana meri khilaunon se bahaltaa jaa rahaa huun haqiqat ko mukammal dekhnaa hai nazar ke rukh badaltaa jaa rahaa huun chalaa hai mujh se aage meraa saaya so main bhi saath chaltaa jaa rahaa huun ye chaahaa thaa ki patthar ban ke ji luun so andar se pighaltaa jaa rahaa huun bahut naazaan huun mahrumi pe apni isi par haath miltaa jaa rahaa huun kisi kaa vaa'da-e-fardaa nahin main tu kyuun fardaa pe Taltaa jaa rahaa huun"

"jo baat dil mein thi vo kab zabaan par aai sunaa rahaa hai fasaane fareb-e-goyaai nae charaagh sar-e-rahguzar jalaa aai havaa-e-nikhat-e-gul thi ki meri binaai tu garm raat mein ThanDi havaa kaa jhonkaa thaa zaraa qarib se guzraa to niind si aai jo baat tujh mein hai vo dusron mein kyaa milti jo baat mujh mein hai tu ne bhi vo kahaan paai vo yaad aae to dil aur ho gayaa viraan vo mil gae to baDhaa aur dard-e-tanhaai bahut dinon se miraa dil udaas bhi to nahin bahut dinon se tiri yaad bhi nahin aai 'salim' qurb se bhi tishnagi nahin jaati ye baat saahil-o-dariyaa ne mujh ko samjhaai"

"manzil-e-be-jahat ki khair sai-e-safar hai raaegaan ahl-e-vafaa ke qaafile phir bhi to hain ravaan davaan zahr hai mere jaam mein honTon pe aa gai hai jaan phir bhi mujhe hayaat par tere karam kaa hai gumaan dahr pe main khulaa nahin mujh ko khudaa milaa nahin aap hi apnaa raaz huun aap hi apnaa raaz-daan husn ko chhu ke dekhnaa aag thaa mom ke liye ruuh pighal ke rah gai aql hui dhuaan dhuaan vo bhi to hain ki zindagi jin ke liye hai angbin zaaiqa-e-hayaat se ainTh gai miri zabaan gosh-e-gul-bahaar mein kis ne kahaa hai harf-e-shauq kaun hai meraa tarjumaan kis ko mili miri zabaan"

"is aankh mein khvaab-e-naaz ho jaa ai hijr ki shab daraaz ho jaa asraar tamaam khul rahe hain tu apne liye bhi raaz ho jaa ai naghma-navaaz aakhir-e-shab aahang-e-shikast-e-saaz ho jaa divaar ki tarah band kyuun hai dastak koi de to baaz ho jaa ab din to ghurub ho rahaa hai saae ki tarah daraaz ho jaa yaan fath sabab hai sar-kashi kaa tu haar ke sarfaraaz ho jaa tu shisha bane ki sang kuchh ban andar se magar gudaaz ho jaa us aankh se siikh raaz-e-ismat khul khel ke paak-baaz ho jaa"

"'salim' dasht-e-tamannaa mein kaun hai kis kaa yahaan to ishq bhi tanhaa hai husn bhi tanhaa bane vo baat ki ahl-e-vafaa ke din phir jaaein mizaaj-e-yaar ki surat badal chale duniyaa uDaa ke le hi gaiin bu-e-pairahan! teraa subuk-khiraam havaaon pe koi bas na chalaa mizaaj-e-ishq ho maanus-e-zindagi itnaa ki misl-e-khalvat-e-mahbub ho bhari duniyaa misaal-e-subh miri khalvaton mein kaun aayaa vo raushni hai ki palkein jhapak rahi hai fazaa hamin pe jab na tavajjoh hui to ham ko kyaa balaa se aap kisi ke liye hon qahr-o-balaa vo tu hai yaad tiri hai ki meri hasrat hai ye kaun hai mire siine mein siskiyaan letaa kuDhe to apni jagah khush rahe to apni jagah 'salim' ham ne kisi se na kuchh kahaa na sunaa"

"bazm aakhir hui shamon kaa dhuaan baaqi hai chashm-e-nam mein shab-e-rafta kaa samaan baaqi hai kaT gai umr koi yaad na manzar na khayaal ek be-naam saa ehsaas-e-ziyaan baaqi hai kis ki jaanib nigaraan hain miri be-khvaab aankhein kyaa koi marhala-e-umr-e-ravaan baaqi hai silsile us ki nigaahon ke bahut duur gae kaar-e-dil khatm huaa kaar-e-jahaan baaqi hai haae ab tak vahi andaaz-e-nazar hai us kaa ab bhi ik silsila-e-vahm-o-gumaan baaqi hai aaj ik umr mein us aankh ne puchhaa hai 'salim' ab bhi kyaa pahli si be-taabi-e-jaan baaqi hai"

"samaaaton ko amin-e-navaa-e-raaz kiyaa main be-sukhan thaa mujhe us ne nai-navaaz kiyaa vo apne-aap hi naadim hai varna ham ne to talaash us ki har ik baat kaa javaaz kiyaa ye us nigaah ki imaaiyat-pasandi hai jo saamne ki thiin baatein unhein bhi raaz kiyaa badan ki aag ko kahte hain log jhuTi aag magar us aag ne dil ko mire gudaaz kiyaa yahaan havaa se bachaa kar charaag rakkhe hain makaan ke band darichon ko kis ne baaz kiyaa"

"aaj to nahin miltaa or-chhor dariyaa kaa tu bhi aa ke saahil par dekh zor dariyaa kaa meraa shor-e-gharqaabi khatm ho gayaa aakhir aur rah gayaa baaqi sirf shor dariyaa kaa mere jurm-e-saada par tishnagi bhi hansti hai ek ghunT paani par main huun chor dariyaa kaa mor aur bhanvar donon mahv-e-raqs rahte hain ye bhanvar hai jangal kaa vo hai mor dariyaa kaa"

"soch mein gum be-karaan pahnaaiyaan ishq hai aur hijr ki tanhaaiyaan raat kahti hai ki kaTne ki nahin dard kahtaa hai karam-farmaaiyaan bain karti hai darichon mein havaa raqs karti hain siyah parchhaaiyaan khaamushi jaise koi aah-e-tavil siskiyaan leti hui tanhaaiyaan kaun tu hai kaun main kaisi vafaa haasil-e-hasti hain kuchh rusvaaiyaan yaad se teri sukun yuun aa gayaa subh dam jaise chalein purvaaiyaan"

"vo log bhi hain jo maujon se Dar gae honge magar jo Duub gae paar utar gae honge lagi ye fikr nai dil ko aa ke manzil par kahaan bhaTak ke mire ham-safar gae honge palaT ke aankh mein vo mauj-e-khun nahin aai chaDhe hue the jo dariyaa utar gae honge chale to ek hi raste pe ham magar na mile mile bhi honge to bach kar guzar gae honge jo maut se na Dare vo bhi tere saath nahin ki zindagi ke savaalon se Dar gae honge jahaan ye baagh hai pahle yahaan bayaabaan thaa zarur idhar se tire khush-nazar gae honge jo shaah-raahon pe dekhe hain log patthar ke talab mein jiine ki ye su-e-zar gae honge hamaari kisht-e-dil-o-jaan se us ki mizhgaan tak ye silsile tire ai chashm-e-tar gae honge jo mil gayaa hai to ab mujh se haal-e-hijr na puchh kisi tarah se vo din bhi guzar gae honge 'salim' ziist to mushkil thi be-dayaaron ki vatan se duur kahin jaa ke mar gae honge"

"main us ko bhuul gayaa thaa vo yaad saa aayaa zamin hili to main samjhaa ki zalzala aayaa phir is ke baad kai raaste kai ghar the vo moD tak mujhe ruk ruk ke dekhtaa aayaa main us ko DhunDne niklaa to mere jaane ke baad gali gali mujhe ghar tak vo puchhtaa aayaa judaa hue to zamaan o makaan ke buad ke saath jo raah mein thaa dilon mein vo faasla aayaa main aaina to nahin huun pa ek soch mein huun tu khud-numaai ke jauhar kahaan chhupaa aayaa 'salim' tark-e-rah-o-rasm tark-e-ishq nahin jidhar se guzre udhar us kaa raasta aayaa"

"kisi dasht kaa lab-e-khushk huun jo na paae muzhda-e-aab tak kabhi aae bhi miri samt ko to baras na paae sahaab tak main talab ke dasht mein phir chukaa to ye raaz mujh pe ayaan huaa miri tishnagi ke ye pher hain ki jo aab se hain saraab tak tujhe jaan kar ye pataa chalaa tu maqaam-e-did mein aur thaa kai marhale hain fareb ke miri aankh se mire khvaab tak main vo maani-e-gham-e-ishq huun jise harf harf likhaa gayaa kabhi aansuon ki bayaaz mein kabhi dil se le ke kitaab tak"

"na puchho aql ki charbi chaDhi hai us ki boTi par kisi shai kaa asar hotaa nahin kam-bakht moTi par kafan se dusron ke jo silaate hain libaas apnaa vo jazbe hans rahe hain ishq-e-saada ki langoTi par yahi aish ek din ahl-e-havas kaa khuun chaaTegaa abhi kuchh din lagaa rakkhein vo is kutte ko roTi par na jaane kaise naazuk taar ko mizraab ne chheDaa ki vajd aakhir unhein bhi aa gayaa nochaa kasauTi par mohabbat kuchh baDi hai umr mein aur hai havas chhoTi magar dil hai ki hai sau jaan se lahlut chhoTi par"

"dukh de yaa rusvaai de gham ko mire gahraai de apne lams ko zinda kar haathon ko binaai de mujh se koi aisi baat bin bole jo sunaai de jitnaa aankh se kam dekhun utni duur dikhaai de is shiddat se zaahir ho andhon ko bhi sujhaai de ufuq ufuq ghar aangan hai aangan paar rsaai de"

"har aankh kaa haasil duuri hai har manzar ik masturi hai jo suud o ziyaan ki fikr kare vo ishq nahin mazduri hai sab dekhti hain sab jhelti hain ye aankhon ki majburi hai is saahil se us saahil tak kyaa kahiye kitni duuri hai ye qurb hubaab o aab kaa hai ye vasl nahin mahjuri hai main tujh ko kitnaa chaahtaa huun ye kahnaa ghair-zaruri hai"

"milaa jo kaam gham-e-mo'tabar banaane kaa hunar us aankh ko aayaa na ghar banaane kaa tujhi se khvaab hain mere tujhi se bedaari tujhe saliqa hai shaam-o-sahar banaane kaa main apne pichhe sitaaron ko chhoD aayaa huun mujhe dimaagh nahin ham-safar banaane kaa ye mere haathon mein patthar hain aur raat hai sard main kaam letaa huun un se sharar banaane kaa saraae mein koi ik shab ruke to baat hai aur magar savaal hai duniyaa ko ghar banaane kaa makaan ke naqshe pe divaar likh diyaa kis ne yahaan to meraa iraada thaa dar banaane kaa ye aur baat ki manzil-fareb thaa lekin hunar vo jaantaa thaa ham-safar banaane kaa vo log kashti o saahil ki fikr kyaa karte jinhein hai hausla dariyaa mein ghar banaane kaa har ek tukhm ko rizq-e-shikam-puri na samajh hunar bhi siikh zamin se shajar banaane kaa bahut tavil miri daastaan-e-gham thi magar ghazal se kaam liyaa mukhtasar banaane kaa"

"ye zamin ye chaand ye suraj ye taare dekhnaa husn-e-naadida ke saare istiaare dekhnaa ik khabar denaa kisi aate hue tufaan ki kashtiyon ko jab kabhi dariyaa kinaare dekhnaa january ki sardiyon mein ek aatish-daan ke paas ghanTon tanhaa baiThnaa bujhte sharaare dekhnaa jab kabhi fursat mile to gosha-e-tanhaai mein yaad-e-maazi ke puraane goshvaare dekhnaa mere maazi ke risaalon ko na kho denaa salim ab kahin milte nahin hain ye shumaare dekhnaa"

"svaang bhartaa huun tire shahr mein saudaai kaa ki yahi haal hai andar se tamaashaai kaa bazm ke haal pe ab ham nahin kuDhne vaale intizaamaat mein kyaa dakhl tamaashaai kaa ham to sau jhuuT bhi bolein vo agar haath aae koi Thekaa to uThaayaa nahin sachchaai kaa dil-e-khun-gashta ko jaa jaa ke dikhaaein yaaro shahr mein kaam nahin laala-e-sahraai kaa log kahte hain havas ko bhi mohabbat jaise naam paD jaae mujaahid kisi balvaai kaa ye nahin hai ki navaaze na gae hon ham log ham ko sarkaar se tamgha milaa rusvaai kaa un ko TuuTaa huaa dil ham bhi dikhaaeinge 'salim' koi puchh aae vo kyaa lete hain banvaai kaa"

"kin naqaabon mein hai mastur vo husn-e-maasum ai miri chashm-e-gunahgaar tujhe kyaa maalum haal-e-dil qaabil-e-izhaar nahin hai varna mere chup rahne kaa kuchh aur nahin hai mafhum ajnabi huun main tire shahr-e-karam mein ai dost kyaa hai is shahr kaa dastur mujhe kyaa maalum dil-e-khush-fahm ye kahtaa thaa bulaa legaa koi jab main uTThaa thaa tiri bazm se ho kar maghmum vo shab-e-hijr vo aasaar-e-sahar aur dil mein Dubti TuTti miTti hui yaadon kaa hujum ek paikaar hai khud se jise kahte hain vafaa husn-e-naa-karda tamannaa ko vafaa kyaa maalum taalib-e-daad-e-sukhan aap bhi hain kis se 'salim' vo ki hain jis ki khamoshi mein bhi laakhon mafhum"

"vasl o fasl ki har manzil mein shaamil ik majburi thi tujh se milte to kyaa milte khud se bhi mahjuri thi vasl ke saare lamhe jhuTe milnaa qarz-e-judaai thaa saath hamaare pahlu-ba-pahlu qurb ke bhes mein duuri thi aahon ki taamirein ki thiin sabr ke baagh lagaae the shahr-e-vafaa mein mehnat-e-jaan ki roz nai mazduri thi baatein laakhon kuchh bhi kahiye lekin us ke baad ye fikr jaane kyaa kahnaa bhule hain koi baat zaruri thi qissa chheDaa mehr o vafaa kaa avval-e-shab un aaankhon ne raat kaTi aur umr guzaari phir bhi baat adhuri thi baad mein kyaa anjaam huaa ye aage paDhne vaale bataaein us ki kitaab-e-dildaari ki pahli jild to puuri thi"

"ahl-e-dil ne ishq mein chaahaa thaa jaisaa ho gayaa aur phir kuchh shaan se aisi ki sochaa ho gayaa aib apni aankh kaa yaa faiz teraa kyaa kahun ghair ki surat pe mujh ko teraa dhokaa ho gayaa tujh se ham-aahang thaa utnaa kashish jaati rahi main tiraa ham-qaafiya thaa aib-e-itaa ho gayaa yaad ne aa kar yakaayak parda khinchaa duur tak main bhari mahfil mein baiThaa thaa ki tanhaa ho gayaa kashti-e-sabr-o-tahammul meri tufaani hui raat ko teraa badan jab mauj-e-dariyaa ho gayaa kyaa huaa gar tere honTon ne masihaai na ki teri aankhein dekh kar bimaar achchhaa ho gayaa ishq miTTi kaa ajab thaa mujh ko bachpan mein 'salim' khel mein kyaa sochtaa main jism mailaa ho gayaa"