Ghazal

"ku-e-haram se nikli hai ku-e-butaan ki raah haae kahaan pe aa ke mili hai kahaan ki raah sad-aasmaan ba-daaman o sad-kahkashaan-ba-dosh baam-e-buland-e-yaar tire aastaan ki raah mulk-e-adam mein qaafila-e-ruh jaa basaa ham dekhte hi rah gae us bad-gumaan ki raah luTtaa rahaa hai zauq-e-nazar gaam gaam par ab kyaa rahaa hai paas jo ham lein vahaan ki raah ai zulf-e-kham-ba-kham tujhe apnaa hi vaasta hamvaar hone paae na umr-e-ravaan ki raah gul-haa-e-rang-rang hain afkaar-e-nau-ba-nau ye rahguzaar-e-sher hai kis gulsitaan ki raah 'taahir' ye manzilein ye maqaamaat ye haram allaah re ye raah ye ku-e-butaan ki raah"

"har shai jahaan ki gard-o-ghubaar-e-khayaal hai aashob-gaah-e-dahr mein jiinaa muhaal hai ye gulshan-e-yaqin bhi ba-juz vahm kuchh nahin aalam jise kahein vo tilism-e-khayaal hai nairagi-e-nazar ke sivaa aur kuchh nahin dud-e-firaaq jalva-e-shaam-e-visaal hai ye naghma-e-vajud kisi raagni ki raakh ik chikh saaz-e-umr-e-abad kaa maaal hai har mauj hai ki haath se chhuTti hui inaan vo jast-o-khez hai ki sambhalnaa muhaal hai tapte dinon ki aag mein jiine ki aarzu shabnam ba-ru-e-gul araq-e-infiaal hai tanhaaiyon mein baiTh ke khud ko shikaar kar ye dasht-e-dil bhi dasht-e-khutan ki misaal hai"

"pilaa ai giroh-e-sukhanvaraan koi sher-e-tar gul-e-taaza ras ye bahaar mein bhi khamoshiyaan na sar-e-junun na pae havas ye hai mai-kada jo baDhaa ke haath uThaa le jaam usi kaa hai na yahaan pe kaavish-e-besh-o-kam na yahaan pe tohmat-e-pesh-o-pas sharar-e-tabiat-e-aashiqaan sabab-e-tajalli-e-gulsitaan ye hinaa-e-shauq shafaq shafaq ye mai-e-nashaat nafas nafas hai siyaah-posh nazar nazar hai nafas nafas nae naala-gar vahi tira-bakhti-e-ahl-e-dil vahi zulmat-e-shab-e-taar-o-bas tah-e-taar-e-kisvat-e-ankabut ye taairaan-e-tarab-navaa sar takht-e-farq-e-humaa humaa ba-sad 'aafiyat hai magas magas ye kamaan-kashaan-e-zah-e-ghurur phirein hain kis ki talaash mein vo jo baagh-e-jaan ki bahaar the vo basaa chuke hain qafas qafas ye fazaa-e-dasht shuur-e-baagh-e-nishaat-o-khuld-e-surur hai na sukhan ki harza-kharoshiyaan na lab-e-sadaa na dam-e-jaras abhi phuul phuul hai jaan-ba-lab ye tap-e-balaa tapish ghazab abhi khul ke abr-e-karam baras abhi aur khul ke baras baras kabhi is taraf bhi guzar karo kabhi is taraf bhi nazar karo main faqir-e-gul-kada-e-vafaa mire barg-e-saaz ye khaar-o-khas"

"nashshe mein chashm-e-naaz jo hansti nazar paDi tasvir-e-hoshiyaari-o-masti nazar paDi lahraai ek baar vo zulf-e-khirad-shikaar koi na phir bulandi-o-pasti nazar paDi uTThi thi pahli baar jidhar chashm-e-aarzu vo log phir mile na vo basti nazar paDi husn-e-butaan to aaina-e-husn-e-zaat hai zaahid ko us mein kufr-parasti nazar paDi yaarab kabhi tu bul-havason ko bhi de sazaa maanaa hamaari jaan to sasti nazar paDi su-e-chaman gae the bahaaraan samajh ke ham dekhaa to ek aag-parasti nazar paDi kaisi sabaa kahaan ki nasim-e-chaman na puchh naagin si phuul phuul ko Dasti nazar paDi muddat ke baad apni taraf phir gayaa khayaal tum kyaa mile ki surat-e-hasti nazar paDi shabnam ki buund buund ne hans hans ke jaan di 'taahir' kiran kiran bhi tarasti nazar paDi"

"kahne ko yuun to abr-e-karam qatra-zan huaa vo gul khile nadim ki khun-e-chaman huaa ye daagh-e-dil ki jin se rivaaj-e-sahar chalaa nok-e-mizha pe ashk jo ubhraa kiran huaa patthar ki muratein nazar aati hain chaar-su yaarab tire jahaan ko ye kyaa dafatan huaa donon mein gunjti hain bahaaron ki dhaDkanein meri ghazal hui ki tumhaaraa badan huaa donon se ho rahaa hai nai subh kaa zuhur teri qabaa hui ki hamaaraa kafan huaa 'taahir' siyaah-faam hue ham to gham nahin raushan hamaare naam se naam-e-sukhan huaa"

"gham-e-dauraan gham-e-jaanaan gham-e-jaan hai ki nahin dil-sitaan silsila-e-gham-zadagaan hai ki nahin har nafas bazm-e-gulistaan mein ghazal-khvaan thaa kabhi har nafas naala-kashaan nauha-kunaan hai ki nahin har nazar naghma-saraa anjuman-aaraa thi kabhi har nazar hairati-e-rang-e-jahaan hai ki nahin har zabaan par thaa kabhi tazkira-e-daur-e-bahaar har zabaan shikva-gar-e-jaur-e-khizaan hai ki nahin mai-chakaan baada-nishaan the lab-e-gul-rang kabhi lab-e-gul-rang pe zakhmon kaa gumaan hai ki nahin surma-e-chashm-e-inaayat ki hikaayat chhoDo aaj har aankh mein aahon kaa dhuaan hai ki nahin qaafile jaane ghaTaaon ke kahaan utreinge har kham-e-zulf ba-hasrat-nigaraan hai ki nahin dasht-e-vahshat se nahin kam ye jahaan-e-gul-o-bu surat-e-reg-e-ravaan umr-e-ravaan hai ki nahin naghma-e-baad-e-bahaari jise tum kahte ho jaras-e-qaafila-e-gul ki fughaan hai ki nahin na to bulbul ki navaa hai na sadaa-e-taaus sehn-e-gulzaar mein ab amn-o-amaan hai ki nahin mujh se kyaa puchhte ho kaun yahaan tak pahunchaa surkhi-e-khaar-e-bayaabaan se ayaan hai ki nahin zindagi kuchh bhi sahi phir bhi baDi daulat hai maut si shai bhi yahaan jins-e-giraan hai ki nahin surat-e-lutf-o-karam ye ho to dil kyuun na jale aag patthar ke bhi siine mein nihaan hai ki nahin zulm chup-chaap sahe jaaoge aakhir kab tak ai asiraan-e-qafas munh mein zabaan hai ki nahin ye adab-gaah-e-mohabbat hai jo chup huun 'taahir' varna yaan kaun saa andaaz-e-bayaan hai ki nahin"

"chheD kar tazkira-e-daur-e-javaani royaa raat yaaron ko sunaa kar main kahaani royaa zikr thaa kucha o baazaar ke hangaamon kaa jaane kyaa soch ke vo yusuf-e-saani royaa ghairat-e-ishq ne kyaa kyaa na bahaae aansu sun ke baatein tiri ghairon ki zabaani royaa jab bhi dekhi hai kisi chehre pe ik taaza bahaar dekh kar main tiri tasvir puraani royaa chashm-e-arbaab-e-vafaa hai jo lahu roti hai ghair phir ghair hai royaa bhi to paani royaa teri mahki hui saanson ki lavein yaad aaiin aaj to dekh ke main subh suhaani royaa ai vatan jab bhi sar-e-dasht koi phuul khilaa dekh kar tere shahidon ki nishaani royaa"

"tishna-labon ki nazr ko saughaat chaahiye tere nisaar thoDi si barsaat chaahiye itnaa bhi mai-kade pe na pahre biThaaiye kuchh to khayaal-e-ahl-e-kharaabaat chaahiye aapas ki guftugu mein bhi kaTne lagi zabaan ab doston se tark-e-mulaaqaat chaahiye muddat se chashm-o-dil mein koi raabta nahin kyaa aur tujh ko gardish-e-haalaat chaahiye kis kis khudaa ke saamne sajda nahin kiyaa kuchh sharm kuchh to aabru-e-zaat chaahiye zikr-e-pari-vashaan ke zamaane guzar gae ab to ghazal mein hamd-o-munaajaat chaahiye insaaf ki ye aankh ye suraj ki raushni yaarab yahi hai din to mujhe raat chaahiye ham chaahte hain dahr mein jiine kaa haq mile un ko subut-e-farrukhi-e-zaat chaahiye kuchh bhi ho maslahat kaa taqaazaa magar nadim jo dil mein ho zabaan pe vahi baat chaahiye ai zulf-e-naaz koi havaa-e-fusun kaa daam ahl-e-nazar ko sair-e-tilismaat chaahiye taab-e-kamand-e-kaakul-e-kham-daar hoshiyaar khul kar na har kisi pe 'inaayaat chaahiye 'taahir' jazaa-e-himmat-e-aali hai zulf-e-yaar zulfon se khelne ke liye haat chaahiye"

"arsa-e-zulmat-e-hayaat kaTe ham-nafas muskuraa ki raat kaTe samar-e-aarzu kaa zikr na chheD chhune paae na the ki haat kaTe kaash har zulf tegh ban jaae kaash zanjir-e-haadsaat kaTe ai baqaa-e-davaam ke maalik kis tarah umr-e-be-sabaat kaTe aadmi justuju-e-raah mein hai tujh ko zid hai rah-e-najaat kaTe shab-e-khalvat-sukhan sukhan ki daad aur sar-e-bazm baat baat kaTe"

"phir vahi qatl-e-mohabbat-zadagaan hai ki jo thaa rasan-o-daar kaa 'aalam mein samaan hai ki jo thaa un ke haathon mein vahi tegh-e-sitam hai ki jo thi dahr maatam-kada-e-be-gunahaan hai ki jo thaa chashm-e-pur-khun-e-vafaa laala-nishaan hai ki jo thi qismat-e-bul-havasaan aish-e-jahaan hai ki jo thaa hairat-e-ahl-e-nazar ahl-e-hunar hai ki jo thi shohra-e-kam-nazraan be-hunraan hai ki jo thaa rasm-e-aaraaish-e-aivaan-e-tarab hai ki jo thi sar-e-farhaad ye vo koh-e-giraan hai ki jo thaa ye shajar hain ki salibein si gaDi hain har su manzil-e-'ishq vahi sang-e-nishaan hai ki jo thaa daftar-e-laala-o-gul hai na vo divaan-e-bahaar zinat-e-lauh-e-chaman harf-e-khizaan hai ki jo thaa zer-e-har-shaakh shab-o-roz qafas Dhalte hain aalam-e-nauha-garaan basta-paraan hai ki jo thaa daulat-e-ahl-e-talab khaar-e-sitam hain ki jo the chaar su ghalghala-e-gul-badanaan hai ki jo thaa saaya-e-murgh-e-parida hai ki ye abr-e-bahaar gila-e-marhamat-e-aah-e-tapaan hai ki jo thaa hai vahi aaj bhi rang-o-ravish-e-rud-e-faraat har nafas maatami-e-tishna-labaan hai ki jo thaa aaj bhi 'arz-e-vafaa un pe giraan hai ki jo thi aaj bhi hausla-e-sharh-o-bayaan hai ki jo thaa na vafaaon pe nazar hai na jafaaon kaa malaal dil mein vo dard vo ehsaas kahaan hai ki jo thaa saulat-o-satvat-e-arbaab-e-hamam miT ke rahi luT ke bhi husn-e-butaan husn-e-butaan hai ki jo thaa hai tiri yaad nashaat-e-shab-e-hijraan ki jo thi haan tiraa dard qaraar-e-dil-o-jaan hai ki jo thaa jalva-e-yaar se mahrum hai gham-khaana-e-dil ye vahi tira-o-taarik makaan hai ki jo thaa vaqt ke saath badaltaa nahin jaafar-'taahir' ye vahi sokhta-dil sokhta-jaan hai ki jo thaa"

"ye tamannaa thi ki ham itne sukhanvar hote ik ghazal kahte to aabaad kai ghar hote duriyaan itni dilon mein to na hotin yaarab phail jaate ye jazire to samundar hote apne haathon pe muqaddar ke navishte bhi paDh na sahi maa'ni zaraa lafz to behtar hote dil pe ik vahy aur ilhaam kaa rahtaa hai samaan ham agar rind na hote to payambar hote ham agar dil na jalaate to na jalte ye charaagh ham na rote jo lahu aaine mein patthar hote ham agar jaam-ba-kaf raqs na karte rahte teri raahon mein sitaare na gul-e-tar hote ghar banaa baiThe bayaabaan mein divaane varna paanv uTh jaate to jibril kaa shahpar hote suratein yuun to na yaaron ki rulaati rahtin ai gham-e-marg ye sadme to na dil par hote ham rahe garche tahi-dast hi jaafar-'taahir' bas mein ye baat bhi kab thi ki abuzar hote"

"kahne ko to kyaa kyaa na dil-e-zaar mein aae har baat kahaan qaalib-e-izhaar mein aae nazdik jo pahunche to vo aahon kaa dhuaan thaa kahne ko to ham saaya-e-divaar mein aae har mauja-e-khun sar se guzar jaae to achchhaa har phuul mire halqa-e-dastaar mein aae ham apni salibon ki hifaazat mein khaDe hain ab jo bhi shikan gesu-e-dil-daar mein aae paanv mein agar tauq-o-salaasil hain to kyaa gham ai ham-safaro farq na raftaar mein aae ik umr bhaTakte hue guzri hai junun mein ab kaun fareb-e-nigah-e-yaar mein aae ai kaash kabhi us kaa idhar se bhi guzar ho ik din to sabaa lauT ke gulzaar mein aae jachte bhi to kyaa chashm-e-kharidaar mein 'taahir' ham kaun se yusuf the jo baazaar mein aae"

"ye to nahin ki ham pe sitam hi kabhi na the itnaa zarur thaa ki vo naaguftani na the ai chashm-e-iltifaat ye kyaa ho gayaa tujhe teri nazar mein ham to kabhi ajnabi na the phirte hain aaftaab-zada kaaenaat mein ham par kisi ki zulf ke ehsaan kabhi na the paamaal kar diyaa jo falak ne to kyaa kahein ham to kisi kamaal ke bhi muddai na the kyaa jurm thaa ye aaj bhi ham par nahin khulaa ye 'ilm hai ki ahl-e-junun kushtani na the har lamha tere 'ishq mein umr-e-abad banaa jo din bhi zindagi ke mile aarzi na the murjhaa ke bhi gai na mahak jism-e-naaz ki ye motiye ke phuul koi kaaghazi na the yaaraan-e-shahr 'ishq mein be-aabru hue ham par to mehrbaan vo kabhi the kabhi na the iqlim-e-aashiqi ko diyaa din-e-shaairi ham saahib-e-kitaab the garche nabi na the ham jin ki nazr karte javaahar kalaam ke 'taahir' hamaare shahr mein vo jauhari na the"

"donon haathon mein uThaae hue bhaari patthar maarne aae hain iisaa ko havaari patthar main ne jo tere tasavvur mein taraashe the kabhi le gae vo bhi mire ghar se pujaari patthar aadmi aaj kahin jaae to kyunkar jaae sar pe sahraa to zamin saari ki saari patthar sab se pahle mire bhaai ne hi pheinkaa mujh par pahlaa patthar hi mujhe ho gayaa kaari patthar rahm ai gardish-e-dauraan ye tamaashaa kyaa hai phuul se shaanon pe karte hain savaari patthar jab koi ghuncha khilaa koi kali chaTki hai le ke pahunchi hai vahin baad-e-bahaari patthar dil hai is aahu-e-darmaanda-o-bekas ki tarah maarte hain jise mil mil ke shikaari patthar sina-e-sang se dariyaa nahin bahte dekhe kaun kahtaa hai ki hain dard se aari patthar naaz har but ke uThaa paae na 'jaafar-taahir' chuum kar chhoD diye ham ne ye bhaari patthar"

"ye aur baat ki ye sehr besh-o-kam pe chalaa siyaah-raat kaa jaadu magar na ham pe chalaa udhar se pahle bhi kuchh sarfarosh guzaare the rah-e-talab mein nishaan-e-qadam qadam pe chalaa ye taairaan-e-chaman kaa nasib kyaa kahiye vo tiir un ke liye vaqf hai jo kam pe chalaa khudaa khudaa ke ishaare pe lauT lauT gayaa taDap taDap ke tariq-e-sanam sanam pe chalaa kabhi khudaa ki parastish kabhi sanaa-e-butaan rah-e-arab pe kabhi jaada-e-ajam pe chalaa asir-e-daam na hogaa miraa dil-e-aazaad kisi kaa hukm kabhi mauj-e-yam-ba-yam pe chalaa tujhe bhi dekh liyaa ham ne o khudaa-e-ajal ki teraa zor chalaa bhi to ahl-e-gham pe chalaa ye naqsh-e-paa hain ki zanjir-e-mauj-e-khun yaaro ye kaun turfa-javaan jaada-e-sitam pe chalaa lab-o-nigaah pe mohrein lagi rahin 'taahir' kisi kaa zor na lekin mire qalam pe chalaa"