Ghazal

"dil ki aarzu thi dard dard-e-be-davaa paayaa kyaa savaal thaa meraa aur kyaa javaab un kaa ishq ki lataafat ko khaak-e-tur kyaa jaane mujh pe thi nazar un ki mujh se thaa khitaab un kaa aalam-e-tamannaa hai khvaab kaa saa ik aalam shauq-e-naa-tamaam apnaa ishva kaamyaab un kaa kam na thi qayaamat se subh-e-aafrinash bhi meri muztarib nazrein aur intikhaab un kaa"

"harim-kaaba banaa di vo sar-zamin main ne tire khayaal mein rakh di jahaan jabin main ne mujhi ko parda-e-hasti mein de rahaa hai fareb vo husn jis ko kiyaa jalva-aafrin main ne chaTak mein ghunche ki vo saut-e-jaan-fazaa to nahin suni hai pahle bhi aavaaz ye kahin main ne rahin-e-manzil-e-vahm-o-gumaan rahaa 'akhtar' isi mein DhunDh liyaa jaada-e-yaqin main ne"

"fareb-e-jalva kahaan tak ba-ru-e-kaar rahe naqaab uThaao ki kuchh din zaraa bahaar rahe kharaab-e-shauq rahe vaqf-e-intizaar rahe ab aur kyaa tire vaadon kaa e'tibaar rahe main raaz-e-ishq ko rusvaa karun maaaz-allaah ye baat aur hai dil par na ikhtiyaar rahe chaman mein rakh to rahaa huun binaa nasheman ki khudaa kare ki zamaana bhi saazgaar rahe junun kaa rukh hai harim-e-hayaat ki jaanib ilaahi parda-e-auhaam-e-e'tibaar rahe"

"tum ne divaana kiyaa achchhaa huaa har jagah meraa junun rusvaa huaa ab to divaanon ke dil ki ho gai mausam-e-gul mein chaman sahraa huaa jo bhi aayaa husn-e-pinhaan dekh kar koi andhaa to koi bahraa huaa dekh lo is mein miri tasvir hai ashk-e-gham palkon pe hai Thahraa huaa fath kaise paaeinge kuffaar par qaum kaa shiraaza hai bikhraa huaa thaa jo 'akhtar' zahr saa tir-e-nazar din-ba-din zakhm-e-jigar gahraa huaa"

"zindagi kyaa hai jo dil ho tashna-e-zauq-e-vafaa yaani ye parda to uTh saktaa hai aasaani ke saath guftugu-e-surat-o-maani hai unvaan-e-hayaat khelte hain vo miri fitrat ki hairaani ke saath tum ne har zarre mein barpaa kar diyaa tufaan-e-shauq ik tabassum is qadar jalvon ki tughyaani ke saath dil ki aabaadi hai 'akhtar' dil ki barbaadi kaa naam ik taalluq hai miri hasti ko viraani ke saath"

"dil-o-jaan ham nisaar karte hain vo nigaahon se vaar karte hain haal-e-dil jab unhein sunaataa huun aankh vo ashk-baar karte hain ham ne un se kabhi gila na kiyaa vo to shikve hazaar karte hain aa bhi jaao ki taab-e-zabt nahin har ghaDi intizaar karte hain aankh un se laDi hai jab 'akhtar' gul-o-bulbul saa pyaar karte hain"

"ujaalon ki numaaish ho rahi hai andheron se bhi saazish ho rahi hai koi munsif nahin shaayad mayassar sitamgar se jo naalish ho rahi hai vo maane yaa na maane us ki marzi manaane ki to kaavish ho rahi hai sitamgar se koi puchhe to itnaa ye mujh par kyon navaazish ho rahi hai adab ki rok kar taamir khud hi taraqqi ki guzaarish ho rahi hai hain charche ilm ke har ik zabaan par magar kamzor daanish ho rahi hai nahin ikhlaas-e-niyyat aur 'akhtar' ibaadat ki numaaish ho rahi hai"

"khvaab-e-aasudgi sunahraa hai zindagi par to sakht pahraa hai dhuup nafrat ki baDh gai logo ab mohabbat pe chhaayaa gahraa hai haq paraston ka naam aa tangi saare aalam mein jin ka shohra hai ho dikhaavaa yaa ho amal achchhaa faisla niyaton pe Thahraa hai duur kitne bhi tum raho 'akhtar' rishta dil se to dil kaa gahraa hai"